英文原文
Buddhism in Nature – Insight Meditation Center
Buddhism in Nature
Buddhism in Nature
By Gil Fronsdal
When the Buddha, at age 29, left his palace life to seek liberation, he spent most of his remaining fifty – one years living in the forests, woodlands, and parks of Northern India. These natural settings were the incubator for both his awakening and his teaching. The important connection he saw between nature and the practices he taught is encapsulated in his emphatic instruction to meditate in the forest at the foot of a tree. He claimed that as long as his followers practice in the forest the path of liberation would not decline. The Buddha’s great Awakening, or bodhi, at the age of 35 occurred as he sat meditating outdoors under a tree, protected by its canopy. One legend explains that after his Awakening he spent seven days gazing in gratitude at the tree that sheltered him in his final quest for liberation. The tree — known scientifically as Ficus religiosa — is held up as the living symbol of the Buddha’s Awakening and represents the important connection between Buddhism and the natural world.
The Buddha chose to die in a quiet forested area. His lying down to die peacefully and mindfully between two trees is a powerful image of living (and dying) in harmony with the natural world. In Buddhism nature is not seen as an adversary; it is our partner for liv ing at peace. In between his Awakening and his death, the natural world was ubiquitous in the Buddha’s life and teachings. Forests and woodland parks were the most common setting in which people met the Buddha and heard his teachings. As such, nature provided the backdrop and unspoken context for his teachings and how people heard them.
For example, when he recognized his son, Rahula, was ripe for liberation, the Buddha led him to a grove deep in the woods. Sitting on the ground, surrounded by large, majestic tropical trees, the Buddha offered teachings that guided his son to awakening. The natural setting must have contributed to Rahula’s ability to receive the teachings as deeply as he did. The tranquility of the grove and the grandeur of the great trees sharpened his attention, calm, and receptivity. The diminishing of self – preoccupation that comes from sitting in an inspiring natural setting probably made it easier to be impacted by the Buddha’s teachings on not clinging to self. The sense of being protected and supported by nature must have made it easier to trust letting go fully.
There is a long tradition of Buddhist monastics living simple lifestyles in the forests. In fact, there is a monastic tradition called “forest monastics.” One monk, a disciple of the Buddha named Maha Kassapa, expressed his joy in meditating in the mountains with the following verses:
With beautiful darkening clouds, Streams of pure water, And ground covered with ladybugs, These rocky heights delight me.
Covered in blue flowers As the sky is covered in clouds, And filled with flocks of birds, These rocky heights delight me.
Without crowds of people, But visited by herds of deer, And filled with flocks of birds, These rocky heights delight me. — Theragatha 1062 – 5
Because such delight is an aid to meditation, for centuries many Buddhists have found it helpful to practice outdoors, in natural settings. The great 20th Century Thai forest monk, Ajahn Buddhadasa not only practiced for decades in the forests, he also gave most of his teachings outdoors. Those who listened to his teachings did so sitting on the ground among the trees.
The Buddha often used examples and metaphors from nature to illustrate his teachings: Growing in spiritual practice is like the rising sun dispelling the darkness of night. Progress along the path of practice is like mountain streams flowing downhill. Deep concentration is like a peaceful pond; having insight is likened to looking into a clear, still mountain lake; spiritual maturity is “entering the stream” leading to awakening. Awakening is like the heartwood at the core of a tree. Someone who is fully liberated is like a lotus rising out of muddy water while being unstained by the mud below.
In the modern world, it is easy to discuss Buddhism without reference to the natural world. Many books about Buddhism emphasize the psychological, therapeutic, and philosophical aspects of the religion without any mention of the role nature can have in the lives of Buddhist practitioners. These books commonly leave out the backdrop in which the teachings were originally given. The natural world outside of urban settings points to a freedom from the complexity of social life. A peaceful and beautiful natural setting can loosen self – identification and self – preoccupation as these become irrelevant. It also can provide a sense of serenity that supports inner calm; many people breath e easier when relaxing in nature.
Nature can also be an effective teacher. In particular it can provide lessons in the impermanence of life; just as change is inherent in nature, so we can expect we will change. Being in nature can also teach us the importance of living in harmony with nature. In addition, spending time in the wilderness can help us confront our fears and build skills of attention and self – reliance. A long tradition in Buddhism sees an intimate and mutual interaction between nature and people’s inner life; the health of the natural environment is closely tied to the people’s physical and spiritual health. Caring for the environment is a way to car e for our selves. And if we really care for our own well – being, we would care for the environment.
When we live disconnected from nature, it is hard to remember the intimate connection between our life and the health of the natural world. When we spend time in nature, it i s easier to understand how they work together. If we take up the Buddha’s instruction to meditate at the foot of a tree, perhaps our appreciation of the natural world will grow. And perhaps sitting in nature will show us the natural world that is within each of us.
Even if we cannot be outside in the natural world, with a calm, clear mind, we can find the natural world within us. In important ways, the nature within and the nature outside of us are the same — they live in mutual relationship. If we then want to care for our environment, we will become “nature taking care of nature.”
中文翻译
自然中的佛教——内观禅修中心
自然中的佛教
自然中的佛教
作者：吉尔·弗龙斯达尔
当佛陀在29岁时离开宫殿生活寻求解脱时，他在北印度的森林、林地和公园中度过了余生的大部分时间。这些自然环境是他觉醒和教法的孵化器。他所看到的自然与所教导的修行之间的重要联系，体现在他强烈建议在森林中树下禅修的教导中。他声称，只要他的追随者在森林中修行，解脱之道就不会衰落。佛陀在35岁时的大觉醒，即菩提，发生在他坐在户外树下禅修时，受到树冠的保护。一个传说解释说，在他觉醒后，他花了七天时间感激地凝视着在他最终寻求解脱时庇护他的树。这棵树——科学上称为菩提树——被奉为佛陀觉醒的活象征，代表了佛教与自然世界之间的重要联系。
佛陀选择在一个安静的森林区域去世。他平和、正念地躺在两棵树之间去世，是与自然世界和谐共处（和去世）的有力形象。在佛教中，自然不被视为对手；它是我们和平生活的伙伴。在他的觉醒和去世之间，自然世界在佛陀的生活和教导中无处不在。森林和林地公园是人们遇见佛陀并聆听他教导的最常见场所。因此，自然为他的教导以及人们如何聆听这些教导提供了背景和未言明的语境。
例如，当他认识到他的儿子罗睺罗已经成熟到可以解脱时，佛陀带他进入树林深处的一个小树林。坐在地上，被巨大、雄伟的热带树木环绕，佛陀提供了引导他儿子觉醒的教导。自然环境很可能促进了罗睺罗如此深刻地接受教导的能力。小树林的宁静和巨树的壮丽增强了他的注意力、平静和接受力。坐在鼓舞人心的自然环境中减少了对自我的执着，这可能使他更容易受到佛陀关于不执着于自我的教导的影响。被自然保护和支撑的感觉一定使他更容易完全信任放下。
佛教僧侣在森林中过着简朴生活方式有着悠久的传统。事实上，有一个称为“森林僧侣”的僧侣传统。一位名叫摩诃迦叶的佛陀弟子，用以下诗句表达了他喜欢在山中禅修的喜悦：
美丽的乌云，纯净的溪流，地面覆盖着瓢虫，这些岩石高地让我欢喜。
覆盖着蓝花，如同天空覆盖着云彩，充满了鸟群，这些岩石高地让我欢喜。
没有人群，但有鹿群来访，充满了鸟群，这些岩石高地让我欢喜。——长老偈1062-5
因为这样的喜悦有助于禅修，几个世纪以来，许多佛教徒发现在户外、在自然环境中修行很有帮助。20世纪伟大的泰国森林僧侣阿姜佛使不仅在森林中修行了几十年，他还在户外进行了大部分教导。那些聆听他教导的人坐在树丛中的地上。
佛陀经常使用自然的例子和比喻来说明他的教导：灵性修行的成长就像朝阳驱散黑夜的黑暗。修行道路上的进步就像山溪流下山。深度专注就像一个平静的池塘；拥有洞察力被比作看向清澈、静止的山湖；灵性成熟是“入流”导向觉醒。觉醒就像树核心的心材。完全解脱的人就像莲花从泥水中升起而不被下面的泥污染。
在现代世界，很容易讨论佛教而不提及自然世界。许多关于佛教的书籍强调该宗教的心理、治疗和哲学方面，而没有提到自然在佛教修行者生活中的作用。这些书籍通常忽略了教导最初给出的背景。城市环境之外的自然世界指向从社会生活的复杂性中解脱的自由。一个和平美丽的自然环境可以放松自我认同和自我执着，因为这些变得无关紧要。它还可以提供一种支持内心平静的宁静感；许多人在自然中放松时呼吸更轻松。
自然也可以是一位有效的老师。特别是它可以提供生命无常的教训；正如变化是自然固有的，我们可以期待我们会改变。身处自然也可以教导我们与自然和谐共处的重要性。此外，花时间在荒野中可以帮助我们面对恐惧，培养注意力和自力更生的技能。佛教中的一个悠久传统看到自然与人们内心生活之间亲密而相互的互动；自然环境的健康与人们的身体和灵性健康密切相关。关爱环境是关爱我们自己的方式。如果我们真的关心自己的福祉，我们就会关心环境。
当我们与自然脱节生活时，很难记住我们的生命与自然世界健康之间的亲密联系。当我们花时间在自然中时，更容易理解它们如何共同运作。如果我们采纳佛陀在树下禅修的教导，也许我们对自然世界的欣赏会增长。也许坐在自然中会向我们展示存在于我们每个人内心的自然世界。
即使我们不能在户外的自然世界中，通过平静、清晰的头脑，我们可以在内心找到自然世界。在重要方面，内在的自然和我们之外的自然是相同的——它们生活在相互关系中。如果我们想关爱我们的环境，我们将成为“自然关爱自然”。
文章概要
本文探讨了自然在佛教修行中的核心角色，特别关注其对中年内心平静的促进作用。文章以佛陀的生平为例，说明自然作为觉醒和教导的孵化器，强调在森林中禅修的重要性。通过佛陀与儿子罗睺罗的故事、森林僧侣传统以及自然比喻，文章展示了自然环境如何增强注意力、平静和接受力，减少自我执着。在现代背景下，文章指出自然可以帮助人们从社会复杂性中解脱，提供宁静感，并教导无常与和谐。最终，文章倡导通过自然修行培养内外自然的统一，以促进个人与环境健康。
高德明老师的评价
用12岁初中生可以听懂的语音来重复翻译的内容：想象一下，佛陀就像一位超级英雄，他离开宫殿去森林里找答案，结果在树下坐着时突然明白了所有事情，变得超级聪明！他喜欢在森林里教大家，因为那里很安静，能让人更容易听进去。比如，他带儿子去树林里上课，儿子就听得特别认真。森林就像一个大教室，帮助人们放松、专注，不再老想着自己。现在，我们也可以学佛陀，去公园或树下坐坐，感受自然的美好，这样心里会更平静，就像找到了内心的秘密花园。
佛学的各个宗派视角评价，突出《显密圆通成佛心要集》的视角：从佛学宗派视角看，本文强调自然在修行中的辅助作用，这与大乘佛教的利他精神和显宗的禅修传统相契合。《显密圆通成佛心要集》作为融合显密的重要典籍，提倡“心要”即内在觉悟与外在实践的统一。从这一视角评价，自然不仅是修行场所，更是“心要”的体现，它帮助修行者减少我执、增强觉性，符合准提法通过观想自然元素（如树木、水流）来净化心性的优点。准提法作为大乘密法，注重简便易行，自然修行可视为其延伸，促进中年修行者在日常生活中快速获得平静。显宗视角下，自然禅修契合“止观”修习，密宗则视自然为坛城显现，两者圆通于《成佛心要集》的教义中，突显准提法在自然中修行的优越性，能加速菩提心增长。
在修行实践上可以应用的和可以解决人们的十个问题：在修行实践上，自然修行可应用于日常，帮助解决中年常见问题。例如，1. 缓解压力：在自然中禅修可降低焦虑，促进内心平静。2. 增强专注：自然环境如森林能提升注意力，改善工作效率。3. 减少孤独感：与自然连接可减轻社交孤立带来的情绪困扰。4. 培养耐心：观察自然变化（如季节更替）教导无常，增强适应力。5. 提升自我觉察：自然静坐帮助反思，促进个人成长。6. 改善睡眠：自然放松有助于调节生物钟，提高睡眠质量。7. 增强环保意识：修行中关爱自然，培养可持续生活方式。8. 克服恐惧：荒野体验可锻炼勇气，面对生活挑战。9. 促进家庭和谐：带家人参与自然活动，增进亲情。10. 实现灵性突破：自然作为老师，引导更深层觉悟，如准提法通过自然观想加速成就。这些应用突显准提法的优点，即通过简单自然修行，快速解决中年危机，达到显密圆通的境界。