何谓“开悟”？对“开悟”的常见误解（双语开示）

【一】 何谓“开悟”？ What is enlightenment?

　　开悟是佛子开启对出离轮回之路的领悟，是对固有观念的舍离，是对生命的正确认识，是正确生命观的建立。开悟之人，不仅知无明苦逼、因果轮回等一切有为法皆非究竟，认识到万法本体皆是空性，认识到生命的本性即是佛性，确定实相般若是出离三界的正法大道。并且能够开始体验和现证。这是真正破除无明、切入佛道的开端。

　　Enlightenment specially refers to one’s comprehension about how to get out of Samsara. Furthermore, it also refers to his rejection of all worldly ideas and concepts, as well as his right cognition and proper outlook on life and the universe. When one achieves enlightenment, he will not only realize that all the sufferings of sentient beings come from Avidya--the ignorance about life and the law of Karma, and that Samsara can be surpassed and transcended, he will also learn that the nature of all existent is Sunyata--emptiness, and that the nature of life is the Buddha nature. What’s more, he will be convinced that Prajna is the only right way to get out of Samsara. Therefore, he will try every means to practice and prove what he has realized. This is the how he begins to eliminate Avidya and tread on the right path of Buddhahood attainment.

　　所以什么是开悟？首先是开启般若智慧，知一切法本空，了知回归本有佛性是成就佛道之根本途径。真正开悟的时候，你会一下子醒悟到自己完全是活在颠倒梦想之中，发现原来大家全错了，过去所有的观念和想法都是偏见。开悟，是生命真正的觉醒，是一个生命迈向最高境界的开端。

　　What does enlightenment actually mean? Firstly, enlightenment refers to Prajna wisdom, through which one shall know that Sunyata—emptiness is the nature of all existent and that returning to our Buddha nature is the only right way for attaining Buddhahood. When one is enlightened, he will suddenly realize that he has been living in a completely misguided world, and all his former ideas and concepts are wrong and prejudiced. Enlightenment is the awakening and sublimation of life, which shall lead us to the highest and most honorable life form.

【二】对“开悟”的常见误解 A common misunderstanding of the "enlightenment"

　　常有人问及什么是开悟，网上也有各种各样关于开悟的说法。那么什么是真正的开悟呢？我们首先应该给“开悟”这个概念做个基本的定性。

　　I Some Common Misunderstandings about Enlightenment:

　　“What’s enlightenment?” This is a most commonly asked question of all Buddhists，which is also hotly discussed online. Let’s, first of all, give a basic definition about “enlightenment”。

　　有些人把明白了一个世间为人处世或技术学问的道理，比如弄懂一个物理定律，明白某种营销方法，领悟什么是行善积德等等，当做开悟。也有人把修炼出某种禅像或神通称作开悟。有些佛弟子在念佛、打坐等修行过程中，感受到自己的气脉通达，或者见到空中的佛菩萨形象，或者听到空中有人指点自己修行，或者感觉通过修行内心相对清静，思维更加敏捷，乃至法喜充满，以为就是开悟了。

　　Many people regard a special feeling or experience as a kind of enlightenment. For example, some people mastered a principle of interaction with other people; some understood a technical problem, such as a physical law or an efficient way of sales and promotion; some learned why and how to do good deeds; some had special feelings or mastered some kind of supernatural power; Some felt the energy force inside their body was flowing more smoothly when they were meditating or chanting sutras; some saw a Buddha or a Bodhisattva in the sky, giving some kind of instructions on their practice; some began to think more acutely and accurately, even enjoying deeper inner peace and happiness………

　　其实这些都不能称作开悟。真正的开悟，是指一个人找到了出离轮回成就佛道的途径，是超凡入圣的大事。也就是说，所谓“开悟”是对成就佛道而言的。

　　Many people take such feelings or experiences as enlightenment. However, these are not true enlightenment. True enlightenment means that one has found the right way of how to get out of Samsara and attain Buddhahood. Enlightenment is a big event for all sentient beings to transcend worldliness and attain sainthood. In other words, the word enlightenment is specially used for Buddhahood attainment.

【三】开悟的引导　The Right Guidance to Enlightenment

　　开悟的具体引导方法可以多种多样，但原则一定是令自己的“心”停歇下来，以照见万法本性（即“空性”），并领悟我们自己的生命本性（即“佛性”）。了知生心着相就会使人迷失，就会只见外相，不见本性，而离心离相才能见本性。了知依于佛性才能去除无明习气，得入清净、自在、解脱的快乐境界。

　　There are diversified ways of enlightenment guidance. In principle, however, we need to stop all our thoughts and illusions by keeping our heart still and empty, thus perceiving the nature of all existent, which is Sunyata, emptiness. At the same time, we can also perceive the nature of our life, which is also called the Buddha nature. We shall be convinced that any thoughts or movement of our heart shall make us lost, seeing only outside appearances and phenomenon instead of the real nature and the true self. Only by keeping our heart still and stopping the use of our six senses can we perceive the true self, or the Buddha nature. Only by returning to our Buddha nature can we get rid of Avidya, our ignorance and prejudice about life and the universe, and finally enter the uncontaminated, unfettered, happy and peaceful state of life.

　　这里所谓的“心”，是指我们妄念不止的凡夫心、众生心、分别心，包括心灵的思考活动和能够支持心灵思考的各种概念、观念，以及随之而来的情绪等。

　　这个过程也可以称之为“归零”，也就是令我们这个心意识归零。“归零”就是不再分别，不再造作，就是停歇。那是清净、无染的状态，在这种状态下就可以见本性了。

　　The so-called heart here refers to the ceaseless mind of the ordinary people, which keeps thinking, judging, differentiating, reasoning and inferring, forming different ideas, concepts and emotions, etc.。 Returning to our Buddha nature is a process of “zero clearing”， which means keeping our mind empty by stopping all the thinking, judging, reasoning, differentiating and inferring. Thus, our heart shall return to a state of tranquility, peacefulness and emptiness, completely free from any worldly contaminations.

　　比如：六祖大师引化惠明时说：不思善不思恶，这就是你的本来面目。于是惠明当下便开悟见性。你也可以找到让时间停歇，让空间的感受在心中消失，或者被突然棒喝后那一刹那的心灵空白，等等状态。如果你找到了，现在不妨就可以借着我的话，就这样感受下去。

　　Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch of the Zen Sect, tried to enlighten his disciple Hui Ming by saying, “When you stop thinking good or bad, you shall see your original self nature”whereupon Hui Ming was instantly enlightened. There are many ways leading to enlightenment. For example, you may try to feel the state where time stops and everything disappears. You can also feel the emptiness of your mind when you are suddenly struck. If you find the state, you might as well keep the state as long as you can.

　　当然，最好是能找到一个悟道的善知识，熏习一段时间，那会更容易一些。

　　总之，心灵一旦停歇下来就能见本性。过去是只见外相，并执着于外相的，现在转为既见外相又见本性。这就让我们不得不重新认识我们的生命和这个大千世界了。于是，我们确定了什么是自性、佛性、法身；确定了什么是真如，什么是一真法界。

　　Doubtlessly, the best way to achieve enlightenment is to find an enlightened venerable master, studying and practicing with him for some time. As long as our heart returns to emptiness, we shall see our Buddha nature. Before being enlightened, we only see the outside phenomenon and are attached to them. After being enlightened, we shall see not only the outside phenomenon, but also the original Buddha nature. We shall reconsider our life and recognize the universe, thus we shall be convinced what the self-nature, or the Buddha nature, or the Dharmakaya, or the Tathagata-garbha or the One-True Dharma Realm really is.

　　这个由执迷于外事外相，转入照见本性，开始重新认识生命和世界的过程，就是“开悟”。这是心灵的体验过程。需要大脑配合，脑的活动会影响或干扰见性的过程。但见性的过程不是用脑来完成的，见性本身和脑的功能没有关系。说穿了，所谓轮回就是错用了心，用了不该用的心，而开悟就是找到如何不用心，并由此而走向觉悟的过程。修行和悟道就是这样。你要用一点时间去悟，去做这件事，其实它也和世间很多事一样，要用时间去做，才会有收获，才会有结果。

　　Enlightenment is the process of our recognition of life and the universe, starting from abandoning our attachment to the outside phenomenon to seeing our Buddha nature, thus forming our completely new outlook on life and the universe. The whole process needs our mind to cooperate. Enlightenment doesn’t rely on our mind, because it has nothing to do with the functions of our mind. The activities of our mind can only influence or interfere with the process of enlightenment. We’re attached to Samsara, simply because we use our mind in the wrong way. To achieve enlightenment, we should stop using our mind. Just like doing everything else, achieving enlightenment needs us to keep practicing, because practice makes perfect and practice shall bring us finally achievement.

【四】破三关　Three Stages Toward Buddhahood Attainment

　　一个人从悟道到成就，一般要经过三个阶段。也有称为破三观。即破初关、破重关、破牢关。这也是从开悟、入道修行至成佛的全过程。

　　To attain Buddhahood, we need to go through three stages or three passes: achieving enlightenment, reinforcing practice and attaining Buddhahood.

　　能够开悟见性，这也称为“破初关”。这一步，需将大千世界、身体及心灵世界，一霎那一切化空，清净保持，即定慧具足，这样便可以亲见自他万法本性，这也是佛性，真如。

　　Achieving enlightenment is the first stage or the first pass. At this stage, one needs to instantly melt his inner world and the outside Dharma realm into emptiness, whereupon entering the clean and clear state of heart, which is completely free from any worldly concepts, judges, inferences and differentiations. Thus, we can see the nature of everything and everyone, which is the Buddha nature or the Dharmata.

　　修行人开悟见性是成就佛道最重要的一关，如同迷人找到回家的路，而且这是一条明亮的，宽广的，笔直的，平坦的，康庄大道，甚至也已经见到了自己家宅的轮廓，只要走过去就是自己温暖幸福的家。修行人一旦开悟，成佛之路即在眼前，清晰可见，见性即具足般若智慧，见一切法本空，见佛性，见法身，也是真正进入成佛之道。

　　The most important stage for a Dharma practitioner is achieving enlightenment and seeing our Buddha nature. An enlightened practitioner, like a stray man who has found the brightest, broadest and smoothest way toward his cozy home, can see clearly his final achievement lying ahead. As long as he keeps going straight forward, he will undoubtedly reach his destination---Buddhahood attainment. Being enlightened means gaining Prajna wisdom, whereupon he perceives the emptiness of all existent, and seeing the Buddha nature, or the Dharmakaya. Enlightenment is the real beginning of Dharma practice.

　　修行人开悟之后，明心见性，知见立马不同，正见可以确立。但是，逆境顺境一来还会起贪嗔及狂傲等烦恼之心，甚至生颠倒想。或贪恋红尘，不思出离，这就是所谓的悟后迷，还是不了生死，不得成就。

　　As soon as one is enlightened, his former concepts and comprehensions will instantly change into right ones. However, due to his long-formed habits and character, he may still develop incorrect or improper ideas such as greed, vexations, wild arrogance or attachment to this world, or unwillingness to reject Samsara, etc.。 This is the so-called disorientation after enlightenment, which will become serious obstacles for Buddhahood attainment.

　　所以接下来就是破重关的过程，这时还必须坚固道心，要始终确定轮回是苦，一切有漏了不可得。必须依于自己所觉悟的佛法大道修行，破有见空，即空即有，真空妙有，空有不着，行于中道。

　　Consequently, the practitioner needs go on to the next stage: keeping practice with a firm will and solid confidence. He should develop infinite faith in the Dharma practice and firmly believe that Samsara is simple pain and vexation and that nothing in this world is enjoyable and retainable. He must go on with his enlightened practice, bearing it in mind that the nature of all phenomenon is emptiness and emptiness is displayed in phenomenon. At the same time, he should stick to Madhyamapraripad, the Middle Path, being attached to neither phenomenon nor emptiness.

　　这才是真见道，真入道，真明了。觉悟大道就是明，有了“明”，还要行，行六度万行，行菩萨道。佛还有一个名字叫做“明行足”，也叫“明行圆满”或“觉行圆满”。佛的这个名字也是告诉我们开悟见性还不是成佛的终点，还要行，而且明和行都要圆满。这才能成就佛道。这就像一个孩子从出生到长大成熟的过程一样。无论这条路有多么明亮，多么宽广，笔直和平坦，路还是要走过去的。

　　Only by doing this can he understand the Dharma and enter real Dharma practice. Achievement consists of two aspects: one is wisdom; the other is practice. Another name for Buddha is Vidyacarana-sampanna, which means being sufficient in both wisdom and practice. Therefore, achieving enlightenment is not the end of Dharma practice. One needs to keep practicing till he is perfectly sufficient in both wisdom and practice, thus attaining Buddhahood. Just like a new-born baby who needs time to grow up, one must go through the whole process, no matter how bright, broad, straight and smooth the road is toward Buddhahood attainment.

　　见性之人更须坚固四弘誓愿，在布施利他等六度万行中，时时观照，历境练心，不断打磨，去除习气，方能证得无上正等正觉。

　　After being enlightened, one should practice the Four Grand Oaths with stronger determination. At the same time, he should try to perfect himself by performing the six merits （alms giving, commandments observing; enduring humiliation; meditation, etc.。） and other related virtues. While doing all these, he should keep his heart clean and clear, peaceful and easy, free from any worldly attachments and differentiations, thus gradually eradicating his long-formed worldly habits and finally achieving the ultimate perfect enlightenment.

　　入道修行之人只要守住本性，安住佛道即是自度众生，即是断烦恼，悟道之后再学习法门，才会真正懂得佛陀无量教法的真实用意，为弘法度生之便需要掌握各个教法，而将自己所悟随不同机缘告诉他人，即是度他，即是无量法门，讲经说法即不会有误，最后为了更好利益无边众生必须精进成就佛道。这才是悟后起修。

　　As long as one keeps his heart in his Buddha nature, he is practically eradicating all his vexations, hence truly saving himself. On the other hand, he can also save others in the proper way, because only after being enlightened can one understands the real meanings of any Buddha’s teachings or approaches, and can he demonstrate his understandings to others in accordance with conditions and comprehensions of the audience. This is how one saves himself as well as all sentient beings in proper ways. With unremitting efforts, he shall finally attain Buddhahood, only for the purpose of best benefiting all sentient beings.

　　This is the so-called practice after enlightenment.

　　也不可因得少而知足，必须经过不断精进，历境练心，除尽妄习，将自身心保持在这个真如佛性觉知灵明的状态之中，保持并享受这种境界，不受外境粘附染污，更不随境跑，要绵密，不间歇，于一切境缘上自在无碍，乃至不用保而毫无走着，以至圆满成熟。这个过程也叫保任，也就是破重关。六祖慧能大师于猎人队隐居十五年也是在破重关。

　　Meanwhile, one shouldn’t feel contented with the preliminary enlightenment. He must keep practicing by holding his heart in a clear awareness of the Buddha nature while keeping and enjoying such state of mind for as much as possible, without any distractions or attachments to phenomenon, until he can do so without any efforts or even awareness, thus achieving ultimate enlightenment and perfection. The whole process is called Reinforcement of Enlightenment. Master Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch of the Zen Sect, was actually enforcing his enlightenment when he lived with the hunters in seclusion for fifteen years.

　　第三步，通过保任破重关，此时修道人已是功夫娴熟，真空妙有，本心觉性，如如不动，光明朗照，于无住无着中任运自如，一切无碍，心常转境，不被境转，呈大自在，大随缘。善恶所缘随波逐流，六道无处不是真佛境界。这一过程也可称之为放任，也就是破牢关。

　　The third stage is called Breakthrough Pass. By this time, the practitioner is perfect in his practice. He stays in his Buddha nature all the time, knowing clearly what is emptiness in phenomenon. He does everything clearly, easily and freely, without being distracted or contaminated by any phenomenon. This is real freedom and liberation, since all the Six Realms in Samsara are all Buddha’s world and he is at ease whatever he does and wherever he goes.

　　这三关之中，第一关是见道，最后一关是圆满。关键功夫在于第二关，这是入道修行的过程。用功多少，时间长短，会因各人根基，精进与否不同，也就各有不同。只要肯用功，这就是唯一的，也是最殊胜的捷径。这些内容作为每一个悟道见性之人都自然是心知肚明的，早晚都要完成，认识清楚了可免于放逸，早得成就。

　　From the first pass of achieving enlightenment to the last stage of attaining ultimate enlightenment, the most crucial stage is the second which is reinforcing Dharma practice. One’s achievement depends on the efforts one makes as well as the comprehension ability one possesses. However, as long as one tries hard enough, this is the only way and also the most direct shortcut. An enlightened practitioner is complete clear about the whole process of Buddhahood attainment, which he must go through sooner or later. Clear understanding about the process keeps him from indolence and leads him to sooner achievement.

【五】悟后才会有真修行　Real Practice After Enlightenment

　　入道是指已经进入了成佛之道，它以开悟见性为前提，有明确的指向和目标，通过保任的实践来实现。就出离三界而言，生命的本性即是道，入道后的心灵实践即是本性的实践，也就是佛性的实践，真如法身的实践。让自己停留在生命本性上、不假任何造作，就是真修行。因为，佛性才是真我，佛性才是真道，其他都是多余的造作。真修行直入佛性，无所修。

　　Entering Dharma practice means treading on the right path of Buddhahood attainment, the precondition of which is achieving enlightenment and seeing the Buddha nature. After being enlightened, one sees the right direction and destination clearly. He shall attain Buddhahood through reinforced practice. To be liberated from Samsara, the life nature or the Buddha nature is the right way. The practice of our heart is the practice of our nature, or the practice of the Buddha nature. Keeping our heart in the Buddha nature without any differentiations or attachments is real Dharma practice. Except our Buddha nature, anything else is extra and useless. Real Dharma practice goes directly into the Buddha nature without any attachments or efforts.

　　这样自然已远离了轮回众生惯以依赖的无休无止的心灵造作，远离了我们赖以生存的概念、观点、想法的执着，远离了各种烦恼和痛苦，也就远离了心灵的染污，远离了各种烦恼习性，彻底破除一切见惑和思惑，远离了轮回。这样的入道者，不持名，不念佛，不求往生，不求净土，行住坐卧，吃喝拉撒，无时不见万法本性，无时不见清净佛性，了知真理实相，了知生命大道，不执不着，心性光明，坦荡，自在，行为清净，事事随缘，无卑无慢。可时时在涅槃境界之中。这时的心灵就回归清净，是自在。

　　Thus, one shall naturally be free from the endless movements of the mind, which all sentient beings are attached to in Samsara. As a result, he will be free from all such worldly contaminations as thoughts, concepts, ideas or habits, hence eradicating all pains and vexations, confusions and perplexities. In this way, one gets far away from Samsara. Such practitioners neither chant the Buddha’s name nor pray for living in a Buddha’s world after death. He shall clearly see the Buddha nature and the nature of life all the time, without any attachments. He feels neither inferior nor arrogant in any circumstances. He lives in Nirvana all the time, with a clean, clear, easy and free heart.

译者：若水隆丹

Translated by Diana Zhang

原标题：略说开悟与成佛（久晃法师双语开示系列）

文章转自微信公众号：久晃讲般若