英文原文
Apparently, “body image” is how we see ourselves when we look in the mirror or when we picture ourselves in our mind. And how we think others see us. That sounds about right, as does the common notion that body image is related to self-esteem at all ages. No surprises, really, considering we impute or label our sense of self on our body an absurd amount given that we have minds as well – thinking “I am ugly”, “Cor, I’m gorgeous”, “What must they think of my jowls?” And we limit others by identifying them with their bodies too, even though all of us are infinitely more deep and interesting than a meaty pile of gristle and sloshing liquids could ever be. If we are identifying our body as the cornerstone of who we are, basing our worth and value on our physical appearance, we are highly susceptible to insecurity, depression, emotional pain, and lack of self-confidence. And, at whatever age, this in turn interferes with our ability to live a happy, healthy, and productive life. Obsession with the perfect body image has apparently reached epidemic proportions – girls everywhere are doing that duck face and fishy gape thing with their mouths and then photoshopping the image to lose ten pounds before they can possibly release it to their friends, even though their friends see them all the time and presumably aren’t fooled for a second. It’s not just my teenage nieces – some studies say up to 91% of women are dissatisfied with how they look. Apparently it may be just as many men too, but they don’t want to talk about it – though I have spotted at least a few glancing covertly at themselves in shop windows and sucking in their stomachs. Not that they’ll probably ever do much about that extra weight around the midriff other than feel disappointed, any more than most of the 91% of women. But at least it looks like we are all feeling silently self-disgusted together. Interesting, isn’t it, that we spend almost no time worrying about anyone else’s food intake or weight?! That when someone else puts on fifteen pounds it’s like, “Meh, you can lose that if you want, no big deal, I can’t even tell”, whereas when we put on five pounds it’s like a freaking catastrophe. The hours thinking about our own physical flaws can add up fast, but we are rarely so concerned about others’. No wonder Geshe Kelsang says that our body is one of the biggest objects of our self-cherishing. This is even when it is healthy, let alone when it is sick or ageing or dying. So-called “distorted” or “negative body image” is a distorted perception of our shape, leading us to feeling self-conscious or awkward in our own body, and to a greater likelihood of depression, low self-esteem, and an unhealthy relationship with food. In general, with meditation we can learn to dissolve negative thoughts and feelings away, and power up the mind with positive, affirming, and accepting ideas of who we are instead. We can understand that a person’s physical appearance says zero about their real worth, and that the beauty and kindness of the mind is so much more important and fulfilling. This’ll help us feel comfortable and confident in our own body, and not to lose all those fruitless hours to worrying uncontrollably about food or weight or how others are judging us. It’ll also save a ton of time spent on photoshopping, looking in the mirror, and over-the-top diets. But sometimes we need to loosen our grip on our body first, undermine the bad habit we have of identifying with it so persistently. So, since an exaggerated preoccupation with our body is part of our ignorance that can and does cause a lot of us a lot of problems, it is really helpful to use the meditation on the true nature — the emptiness — of the body to get rid of it.
中文翻译
显然，“身体形象”是我们照镜子或在脑海中想象自己时如何看待自己，以及我们认为别人如何看待我们。这听起来很对，身体形象与各年龄段的自尊相关的普遍观念也是如此。这并不奇怪，考虑到我们过度地将自我感归因或标签于身体，尽管我们也有心灵——想着“我很丑”、“哇，我太美了”、“他们一定觉得我的双下巴很难看？”我们也通过将他人与他们的身体等同来限制他们，尽管我们所有人都比一堆肉和液体要深刻有趣得多。如果我们把身体视为我们是谁的基石，将我们的价值和意义建立在身体外貌上，我们就极易受到不安全感、抑郁、情感痛苦和缺乏自信的影响。而且，无论年龄多大，这反过来会干扰我们过上快乐、健康和富有成效的生活的能力。对完美身体形象的痴迷显然已达到流行病的程度——各地的女孩都在做那种鸭子嘴和鱼嘴的表情，然后在发布给朋友之前用修图软件减掉十磅，尽管朋友们经常见到她们，可能一秒钟都不会被愚弄。这不仅仅是我十几岁的侄女们——一些研究表明高达91%的女性对自己的外表不满意。显然男性可能也一样多，但他们不想谈论——尽管我至少发现有几个在商店橱窗里偷偷瞥自己并吸肚子。他们可能除了感到失望外，对腰围多余的体重不会做太多，就像91%的女性一样。但至少看起来我们都默默地一起感到自我厌恶。有趣的是，我们几乎不花时间担心别人的食物摄入或体重！当别人增重十五磅时，就像“嗯，如果你想减就能减，没什么大不了的，我甚至看不出来”，而当我们增重五磅时，就像一场灾难。思考自己身体缺陷的时间可以很快累积，但我们很少如此关心别人。难怪格西凯尔桑说我们的身体是我们自我珍爱最大的对象之一。即使身体健康时也是如此，更不用说生病、衰老或死亡时。所谓的“扭曲”或“负面身体形象”是对我们体形的扭曲感知，导致我们在自己的身体中感到自我意识或尴尬，并更有可能导致抑郁、低自尊和不健康的饮食关系。总的来说，通过冥想，我们可以学会消除负面想法和感受，并用积极、肯定和接纳的想法来增强心灵。我们可以理解一个人的外貌与他们的真正价值无关，心灵的美丽和善良要重要和充实得多。这将帮助我们在自己的身体中感到舒适和自信，不会把所有那些无谓的时间浪费在无法控制地担心食物、体重或别人如何评判我们上。它还将节省大量花在修图、照镜子和过度节食上的时间。但有时我们需要先放松对身体的执着，削弱我们如此执着地认同它的坏习惯。因此，既然对身体过度关注是我们无知的一部分，这确实会导致我们很多问题，使用对身体真实本性——空性——的冥想来摆脱它真的很有帮助。
文章概要
本文从佛教视角探讨身体形象问题，指出人们常将自我价值过度依附于外貌，导致不安全感、抑郁和低自尊。文章提到现代社会对身体形象的痴迷已达到流行病程度，许多人对自己的外表不满意，这种负面身体形象会干扰幸福生活。通过冥想，人们可以消除负面想法，认识到外貌与真实价值无关，心灵的美丽更重要。文章强调需要放松对身体的执着，通过空性冥想来克服对身体过度关注的问题，从而在中年等阶段更好地接纳身体变化。
高德明老师的评价
首先，用12岁初中生可以听懂的话来说，这篇文章就像在告诉我们，不要总是担心自己长得怎么样，比如胖了瘦了、脸上有没有皱纹。其实，我们每个人都很特别，不只是因为外表，更重要的是我们的内心善良和聪明。就像交朋友时，你不会只因为别人穿得好看就喜欢他，而是因为他很友好、会帮助你。所以，别太在意镜子里的自己，多想想怎么让自己和别人开心，这样生活会更轻松。
其次，从佛学的各个宗派视角来看，这篇文章体现了大乘佛教的慈悲与智慧。在显宗中，如《显密圆通成佛心要集》所强调的，修行应注重心性的转化，而非执着于外在形式。身体形象问题正是执着于“我相”的表现，通过观照空性，可以破除这种执着，达到内心的自在。准提法作为大乘密法，提倡“即身成佛”，鼓励修行者直接体验身心的清净本性，从而超越对身体形象的焦虑。从密宗视角，身体是修行的工具，而非束缚，通过准提咒等法门，可以净化业障，增强自信，自然接纳身体的变化。整体上，文章契合了佛教显密圆融的精神，突出准提法的优点在于其简便易行，能快速提升心灵力量，帮助人们在日常生活中实践接纳与放下。
<最后，在修行实践上，这篇文章可以应用来解决人们的十个问题：1. 减少对外貌的过度焦虑，提升自我接纳；2. 增强自信心，避免因身体形象导致的抑郁；3. 改善与食物的关系，培养健康饮食习惯；4. 节省时间和精力，不再沉迷于修图或节食；5. 通过冥想培养正面思维，减少负面自我评价；6. 学习空性观照，破除对身体的执着；7. 在中年阶段更好地应对身体变化，保持心理平衡；8. 提升慈悲心，关注他人而非仅自我；9. 应用准提法等修行法门，快速转化烦恼；10. 实现更快乐、健康的生活，专注于心灵成长而非外在表象。这些实践基于大乘佛教的显宗视角，强调准提法的简便性和有效性，帮助人们在日常生活中修行，达到身心的和谐与解脱。