Be Present

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, whenever you can…

BE PRESENT
Aggacitta Bhikkhu

The Buddha taught satipaţţhāna to human beings for the ultimate aim of purification, as the way to overcome physical pain and mental defilements. ‘Satipatthana’ refers to the four establishments (paţţhāna) of mindfulness (sati) : remembering to repeatedly observe the body, feelings, mind and dhammas (perceptible natural phenomena and how they work). This practice also brings along its attendant benefit of being focussed on activities of the present moment.

In several suttas the Buddha defined ‘sati’ as remembering. What is he telling us to remember? He is telling us to remember to observe the body as the body, feelings as feelings, the mind as the mind, dhammas as dhammas – in other words, watch the body,etc. in order to realise that is just body, etc. : not ' I ', ‘mine’ or ‘my self’. The body is composed of sensations that we can directly feel. Be aware of the body sensations which are present all the time. Thus the Buddha repeatedly advised, “in bending or stretching the arm, etc,one does so with full awareness (sampajānakārī) . ” ‘Sati’ therefore is not awareness, but rather a reminder to be aware.

The five senses can take in only present objects. On the other hand the mind can take in past, present and future objects as well as time-free objects such as ideas, abstractions and fantasies. Most times when we are engaged in our daily activities – moving around, writing at the desk, washing dishes, etc – it is difficult to remember to be aware and to go back to the body. But it is a good too to use mindfulness of the body as an anchor, to ground one in the present moment. The moment you are aware that you are thinking, note the thought, let it go and bring the mind back to the body.

Uncovering Layers of Past Conditioning

It is good to ask yourself, every now and then, “Where is my mind?”If it is not with the five senses –seeing , hearing, smelling, tasting, touching – then it is thinking. Check how it moves and behaves. As the Buddha said (in SN47:35), “a bhikkhu exercise full awareness by being aware of feelings, thoughts and perceptions as they arise, persist and disappear.” If you are skillful in watching the mind, then you will not get caught up in thoughts and emotions. When you do this, you become more focussed on what you are presently doing, and you can be aware of the many layers of conditioning that cause thoughts and emotions to arise.

During a recent Introduction to Monkhood Programme conducted in Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS), one of the participants put into practice what I had taught about mindfulness of ongoing activities. He petted one of the cats we have there, trying to be mindful, then went to wash his hands. At that moment, it struck him that the cause for his habitual act of washing his hands after touching a cat – although he was not deliberately thinking about it then – was because his mother had inculcated this in him when he was a child. He had an insight into the conditioning that brought about the automatic response of washing his hands after touching a cat.

Most, if not all, of our behaviour patterns are the products of past conditioning. Like robot we automatically react to situations according to such conditioning can be the root of certain bad habits. If we can see such conditioning, then we have a chance to undo it. We can see the root causes of problems such as inexplicable inhibitions, phobias and grudges. We can be our own psychotherapist--- watch our mind, see the conditioning that brings about such negativity and we can overcome them.

Track the Mind and Experience Not-self (Anattā)

The mind is a busybody. If you watch it, you can see how it moves from the eye, to the ear, etc. to thoughts commenting on almost every little things that you can perceive through the senses. It seems to be engaged in multitasking., but it is not . The mind is just moving very fast from object. See how it moves and behaves and how thoughts arise. This is how we can learn to be focused on what we are doing in the present.

It is good practice to see how the mind works. While walking to your workplace or the washroom ask yourself as you walk, “Where is my mind?” If it is not with the five senses, particularly being aware of the movements of your limbs, it must be lost in thought. Then bring your mind back to the five senses – be aware of what you hear, see, smell as well as tactile sensations that can be felt while walking. If you want to be in the present moment, come back to the five senses.

Being a busybody, the mind will be pulled to whichever sense object that is dominant. Each sense is constantly trying to overpower the others to get the attention of the mind. If you just let it go, the mind will be taken over by the sense and it will respond with attachment, greed, lust, dislike, disappointment, etc. The moment you are aware of this, bring the mind back to the body.

However, there is a note of caution here. When we are aware of unwholesome thoughts we tend to either indulge in them or feel guilty about them. It is important to bear in mind that the practice of mindfulness involves disengaging oneself from those thoughts and observing them objectively. Any reactions to those thoughts are also mental states that should be noted. In order to prevent further reactions to all those thoughts, you must immediately bring the mind back to the body.

As you continually try to watch your thoughts and emotions, one of the first insights that will dawn upon you is how fleeting and unruly the mind is. It really makes you wonder, “Who am I?” If you can clearly see how thoughts and emotions arise due to various specific conditions you will begin to have a greater understanding of what the Buddha meant by ‘not-self’ (anattā). You experience them as a flux of transient phenomena which are discrete yet causally related. Now the seeming solidity of your self-image (or ego) begins to melt. You can watch them as an external observer, without identifying with them. Then even the ‘observer’ can be seen as discrete moments of awareness that arise and disappear due to specific conditioning. This can be very liberating, as we normally identify our thoughts, emotions and awareness with our ‘self”.

Be Present

In your daily life it is hardly possible to do vipassanāas practised during an intensive meditation retreat. You must learn to apply what you have learnt in an intensive meditation retreat to life in the outside world. A retreat is a simulated environment, where you are spoon-fed. Less then 1%of your lifetime is spent in retreat – the rest of time you are in the ‘real’ world. In real life, do not expect spectacular insights like what you can experience in a retreat. Do not think that the practice of satipatthana is confined only to retreats and that when you are in the outside world, you cannot be mindful.

On the contrary, I’d like to stress that the four satipatthanas are very, very important at any time that you remember to practise them. They help you to be in the present moment, to be fully aware of your daily activities, no matter how mundane they may be. It is especially useful to watch your mind states as they respond to stimuli at the sense doors. Then you can clearly see how your thoughts and emotions are conditioned into existence, thus loosening your ‘sub-conscious’ attachment to the illusory ego. And the less attached you are to the ego, the greater will be your clarity of mind in responding to whatever is required of you at that moment.

In 2004 we had a camp in SBS for some university students and a former biology lecturer said that more than 80% of the energy we use up is mental energy. Thinking causes tremendous mental energy to be burnt up. Manual workers, after a hard day’s work under the scorching sun may not feel as burnt out as a white collar worker who has spent his day working his brain power at his desk in an air-conditioned room. But a good practitioner of satipatthana, by significantly reducing discursive or verbal thinking, can actually conserve mental energy and therefore feel more energised.

So wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, whenever you can: be present, be clear, be energized!

~ the end~

佛陀法语 十二月

十二月卅一日
世尊对摩干提耶（M'gandiya）说：“正如一个生来瞎眼者，看不见颜色、形状、平滑的、崎岖的、星星、太阳或月亮。他听见他人说起一块美丽、无污迹的洁净白布如何令人感到愉快，便开始去给自己找一块。但是别人可能欺骗他，拿一块涂有油脂、污秽与粗糙的布料给他，说道：‘朋友，这是一块美丽的、无污迹的洁净白布。”他可能把它接过来并穿在身上。如果，瞎子的朋友与亲戚过后给他找来一位医师，替他自己制药物、清洗、敷药，以诊治眼睛，他因此恢复视力，能清楚看见东西，对那件油污的布衣的执著与情感也消失了。他不再把给他那布料的人当为朋友，甚至进而把那人视为敌人，想著：“长久以来，我一直被这人隐瞒、欺骗呀！’”
同样的，如果我教你佛法，说道：“这就是那健康，这就是那涅磐。”你就可能逐渐明了健康，看清涅磐。有了这种见解，你对五蕴的执著与情感就会消失。你甚至会想：“长久以来，我一直被心隐瞒、欺骗、执著于身、受、想、行、识。因为有了这执著，就有了形成；有了形成，就有了生；有了生，就有了老、死、忧伤、悲哀、痛苦、哀叹与绝望，这就是这众多痛苦的起源。”
摩干提摩听了对世尊说：“如果至善的乔达摩教我佛法的话，我有信心，我一定会从座中起立，不再盲目。”

十二月卅日
无生、无有、无形成、无组合是存在的。若没有无生、无有无形成与无组合，那么就不可能从生、有、形成、组合中解脱出来。既然有无生、无有、无形成与无组合，那么就能从生、有、形成与组合中解脱出来。

十二月廿九日
黑橡皮树是最上等的香根；红檀木是最上等的香木；茉莉花是最上等的香花，同样的，至善的乔达摩的教诲是众教诲中的至高无上者。

十二月廿八日
对佛陀有信心，是对最好的有信心、对最好的有信心，成果也是最好的。

十二月廿七日
从一个人的言语对话中，可以知道他是否善于讨论事情。如果被问时，他避开问题，转移话题，面有愠色、敌意或不悦，他就是不善于讨论事情。
从一个人的言语对话中，可以知道他是否善于讨论事情。如果被问时，他轻蔑嘲弄发问者，出言打击、讥笑对方，在对方犹豫时加以催促，这个人就是不善于讨论事情。
一个人若没有犯上以上几点，就是善于讨论事情。

十二月廿六日
自我从有家，
出离到无家，
不曾察觉到，
心中怀抱著，
卑鄙瞋恨念：
“愿他们被杀，
愿他们被屠，
愿他们愚害。”
如此恶念头，
久不藏心中。
与此恰相反，
我曾察觉到，
心怀仁慈念，
无量又圆满；
遵照佛指示，
依程序修行。
我是大众友，
大家之援手，
悲悯全众生，
培育满爱心，
以不欺为乐。
心充满爱心，
不动又不摇，
我培育圣境，
恶徒达不到。

十二月廿五日
你们应当如此训练自己，想著：“不论得到怎样的法衣、食物、住所与药物，我们都能满足，我们满足于所得到的，绝不以不正当的手段来得到它们。我们不因得不到法衣、食物等而心烦，也不因得到它们而加以执著或迷恋，更不会为了得到它们而犯过，清楚地看见隐藏在它们内部的祸根，能明智地避开这祸根。”你们应如此训练自己。

十二月廿四日
当时，有一位叫德拉（Thera）的比丘独居于一处，很推崇这种独居的生活。他独自一人进入村庄回返、独自静坐与独自行走。有一群比丘将这事告知世尊。世尊叫比丘们把那人招来，问道：“他们说你独自过活并且很推崇这种生活方式，这事确实吗？”
“确实如此。”
“你如何独自生活，又为何推崇它呢？”
“我独自一人进入村庄、回返、独自静坐与独自行走。”
“这确实是独自过活。但是，让我告诉你一种能使独居生活更为完善圆满的方法吧。放弃过去，放弃将来，放弃对现在的欲望与渴求，独自生活便达臻完善圆满。”

十二月廿三日
“放弃不属于你的东西，放弃它！能放弃它是你的幸福与快乐。什么东西不是你的呢？身（物质因素）、受（感觉作用）、想（认识作用）、行（意志作用）、识（意识作用）都不是你的，所以放弃它们。放弃了它们，你就会幸福与快乐。这就有如有个人把祗园里的草、木和枯枝汇聚在一处，一起烧掉或任他随意处置，你们会认为：‘这个人汇聚了我们，把我们烧掉或任他随意处置吗？”
“不会的，世尊。”
“为什么呢？”
“因为它不是我们，不属于我们的。”
“同样的，身、受、想、行、识都不属于你们。”

十二月廿二日
农夫有三项急切的任务。那三项？农夫要尽快耕耙田地，尽快播下种子及尽快灌溉田地。可是，他并没有神通或权力说：“让我的农作物今天发芽，明天出穗，后天成熟。”不行的！这只在时限已到时才办得到。同样的，比丘有三项急切的任务。那三项？他要修习更高层的德行，更高层的思想和更高层的智慧。可是他并没有神通或权力说：“让我在今天、明天或后天脱离污垢。”不行的！这只在修习时限已到时才办得的。所以你应如此训练自己：“我要认真恳切地修习这三项任务。”

十二月廿一日
觉悟的人赋有慈悲的本性和倾向。他渴望能减轻众生所受之苦，甚至愿意牺牲自己的生命以完成目标。在未达到目标之前，他愿意在漫长、艰苦的道路上努力与奋斗。他不害怕，也不会因轮迴中的痛苦而丧气。这全都是为了众生的福利。

十二月二十日
巴提耶（Bhaddiya）尊者是卡力果达（Kaligodhas）之儿子，他经常到树林里，树根下与偏僻无人之处，高声呐喊：“喜悦呀！喜悦呀！”
众比丘听到了都想：“无疑的，巴提耶尊者一定是厌倦了修习生活！他在回忆当他是一名就居士时所曾享受的王族荣华富贵。”
众比丘将此事告诉了世尊。世尊于是招巴提耶前来，问道：“巴提耶，他们说你经常到树林里、树根下与偏僻无人之处，高声呐喊‘喜悦呀！喜悦呀！’的确有这事吗？”
“的确有的，世尊。”
“你为何如此做呢？”
“以前，当我在享受着王族生活的快乐时，皇宫内外虽然都驻有卫兵，把我安全地护守著，但我仍旧还怕、仍旧担忧、颤抖与畏惧。如今我独自住在树林里，却丝毫不害怕。我有保障、有信心，并不害怕，因此我高声呐喊：‘喜悦呀！喜悦呀！’”

十二月十九日
树皮制衣派（Bark Gorment）的峇依耶（Bahiya）问僧众：“请问各位，世尊——那位最尊贵的无上士、正等正觉佛陀住在那里？”
“世尊已入城去乞食了。”
听后，峇依耶即刻离开祗园，赶去舍卫成并且找到了正在乞食的世尊。只见世尊仪容就俊秀，神色温和，心平气井，有如受过良好训练的大象那样庄重自持，温和驯服。
“世尊，请教我佛法，以便我得到长久的福利与快乐。”
“芭依耶，你来得不是时候，我正在乞食。”
在峇依耶接二连三地请求执之下，世尊终于说道：“你应如此训练自己：在视觉中只有所看到，在听觉中只有所听到的，在感觉中只有所感觉的，在认识作用中只有所认识的。若能如此，便没有‘因为’;当没有‘因为’时也就没有‘所以’；没有了‘所以’，也就没有所谓的在这里、那里，这里与那里之间。这就是苦的终止。”
通过这简洁的教诲，峇依耶就在当场当时脱离烦恼。

十二月十八日
听五乐齐奏的喜悦
还比不上专注一点的心，
完全洞察事物所得之乐。

十二月十七日
“世尊，世上有三种香味只能顺风传送，不能逆风传送。它们是根的香味、木心的香味与花的香味。世上是否有既能顺风，亦能逆风传送的香味？”

“是有这么一种香味，阿难。不论在任何村落或地区，只要有善男士或女士皈依佛、法、僧、修持五戒、性情善良、不会吝啬、乐于布施、乐于助人、乐于与人分享。那么远在这里香味能顺风，也能逆风传送。

十二月十六日
在一种境界里没有土、水、火、风；没有无边处无想处、无空处、非想非非想处；没有世间、非世间、世间与非世间、无日与无月；没有来生、死亡、持住，因此也没有生与灭。它既非稳固，却也不动，不缘于任何事物。这才真正是痛苦的终止。

十二月十五日
阿难尊者前来对世尊说：“僧团的生活，有一半是跟善美为伍、作伴与亲近。”
“不可这么说，阿难，不可这么说！僧团生活的全部而非一半是跟善美的为伍、作伴与亲近。”

十二月十四日
愚者怀著仇视之心，
去聆听胜者之教诲，
他不能在妙法中成长，
如烂种子不能在田中成长。
人若怀著喜悦之心，
去聆听胜者之教诲，
他断除了烦恼，
了悟了不动之境，
并证得至上之平静，
他冷静而无烦恼。

十二月十三日
如来不过富裕的生活，也不回去过富裕的生活。他毫不迟疑地努力修行。如来是圆满的正等、正觉佛陀。快张大耳朵听，永存不灭之道已被发现，我将教导，我将传授佛法。

十二月十二日
一次，世尊对僧众说：“从前有一名耍杂技的，他把木杆放好，便对徒弟说：‘我的孩子，你爬上木杆，站在我的肩膀。’‘是！师父。’那学徒应了之后便照师父所说的做。师父又说：‘我的孩子，你要照顾保护我，我也会照顾保护你。这样我们互相保护，耍杂技，拿了赏钱，你就安安全全地从木杆上溜下。’那徒弟却说：‘不！不！师父，这使不得！你得保护自己，我也保护自己。这样我们各自照顾保护自己，耍完杂技，拿了赏钱，我安全地下了木杆，这才对！’。”世尊接著说：“就有如那学徒跟师父所说的‘我保护我自己’一样，就你应修习心念专注的基础，这同时也意味著‘我将保护他人’。在保护自己的过程中，也同时保护了他人。在保护他人时，也同时保护了自己。要如何通过保护自己来保护他人呢？通过时常修习禅定。要如何通过保护他人来保护自己呢？通过宽容、忍耐、不伤害他人、仁爱和慈悲。”

十二月十一日
有一回，黄昏时分，世尊在静坐之后，背向西面，借夕阳余晖取暖。阿难尊者前来见世尊。在用双手搓擦双脚以御寒时，阿难惊讶地说；“这实在奇异、实在令人惊诧！世尊的皮肤不再光亮焕发、晶莹透彻，四肢肌肉松弛，满是皱纹，背也驼了，身体如五官也都变了。”
“阿难，事实是如此，青春本来就包含著衰老、健壮包含著病痛、生命包含著死亡。”

十二月十日
我会教你何谓负担、认识负担、挑起负担和放下负担。何谓负担？它就是五蕴。那五蕴？即身、受、想、行、识。它们就是负担。何谓认识负担？识别这是某某人，住在某某村，这就是认识负担。何谓挑起负担？对感官之乐加以执著；对形成与不形成加以执著，这就是挑起负担。何谓放下负担？欲念的消退、消失与放弃，从欲念中解脱出来，使它不复存在，就是放下负担。
五蕴是负担，
人是负担者；
挑起它实在痛苦，
放下它何等快乐。
若你放下这重担，
不再挑起新重担，
欲念就被连根拔起，
你就会如愿，你就会自由。

十二月九日
听著！警醒者，
叫醒那些沉睡者；
警醒胜过沉睡，
警醒者不会恐惧害怕。
保持警醒、念念分明、泰然自若、
平心静气、安详快乐，
在恰当时刻集中精神，学习佛法，
便能克服黑暗。
故，你应唤醒自己，保持警醒，
积极者能辨别善恶、修持禅定，
他斩断了生死之枷锁，
在今世得到至上智慧。

十二月八日
置身于森林里、众树根中，
或空地上，
只要想起佛陀，
你就不会恐惧或发抖。
你若想不起佛陀，
这位至好、至高、至善之人中人，
那就想起佛法，
这教导得很全面之法。
你若想不起佛法，
这教导得很全面之法，
那就想起僧众，
这些世间至上的榜样。

十二月七日
不应穷追过去，
不应渴望将来，
过去的已消失过去，
将来的还有待来临。
凡洞察此时此地所升起之物，
了解其真相，
不为之所动摇或迁移者，
让他培养那洞察力。

十二月六日
我们快乐地、满怀爱心地，
生活在一群瞋恨者之中，
我们满怀爱心地过活。
我们快乐地、健壮地，
生活在一群患病者之中，
我们健壮地过活。
我们快乐地、心满意足地，
生活在一群贪婪者之中，
我们心满意足地过活。

十二月五日
在放弃快乐与苦恼，以往的愉快与痛苦也消失之后，一个人进入了没有快乐与痛苦的四禅。这时心被平静与专注净化得纯净与清澈。他坐下，以这股纯净和清澈盖满、充塞及渗透全身，以至身无一处不被它所沾染。
有如一个人坐在地上，全身由头到脚被一块白布所包，以至全身无一处不被它所触及。同样的，一个人被纯净和清澈盖满、充塞及渗透，以至全身无一处不被它所沾染。

十二月四日
德行净化了智慧，智慧净化了德行。其中一个存在时，另外一个也必定存在。有德者必定有智慧，有智慧者必定有德行，德行与智慧的组合，是世间至高至上的。

十二月三日
跌入滚滚江河，
为滔滔江水捲走，
这人如何助人过江？
同样的，未学佛法，未听智者解说，
自己尚是愚痴，尚有疑问，
这人如何助人了悟？
登上桨舵俱全之稳固大船，
凭藉技术、细心与经验，
这人能助多人渡河。
同样的，有修行的智者，
学问渊博、信心坚定、亲身了悟佛法，
这人能使专心听闻者开悟。
故，应与有智慧、有学问的益友结交，
认识佛法、了解其义、依法修持，这人能获得快乐喜悦。

十二月二日
你应像孤岛一样，把自己当做自己的避难所，不再另寻其他的归依处。让佛法做为你的孤岛与归依处。这如何进行呢？你应放下世间一切引诱人与令人厌恶之物，积极地、清醒地和专注地凝视著在身体中的物质因素，在受的感觉作用，在想中的认识作用，在行中的意志作用，在识中的意识作用。在现在或我入灭后，能如此修持并且积极向学的人，必定能证得至上的。

十二月一日
有两种人很难在世间找到。那两种？一种是主动助人者，另一种是受了恩惠能感激者。