Tergar Asia 亞洲德噶
What does Tergar Asia focus on?
Established in 2010, Tergar Asia Foundation is the official Non-profit organization for Mingyur Rinpoche in Asia and focus on
- Popularize meditation
- Benefits all beings with Dharma
- Preserve lineage
- Actualize teachings
亞洲德噶專注於?
成立於 2010年，是 「詠給明就仁波切」 將古老的禪修練習介紹給現今社會的正式亞洲區非營利組織。亞洲德噶致力
- 普及禪修
- 以法利眾
- 守護傳承
- 實踐教導
【2020亞洲德噶線上閉關・開心禪一階第二堂開示摘要】
主講：詠給・明就仁波切
日期：2020年10月24日下午兩點半（香港/台灣/北京時間）
翻譯：妙融法師
▍ 二十四小時都有覺知，為何不是二十四小時在禪修？
每個人都具有覺知，既然覺知二十四小時都與我們同在，為何我們不是一直都處在禪修的狀態中呢？
儘管我們擁有覺知，但由於沒有認出真正的本質，覺知對我們來說就像是隱藏起來、沒有作用。
好比你擁有全世界最棒的手錶，但你沒認出它是支手錶，以為它只是手鐲，因此，即便你手上戴著它，也不懂得透過它查看時間，它也就無法為你顯示時間 ; 一旦你認出它是手錶後，它就富有價值，能夠發揮作用，幫助你認出時間。
因此認出本具內在的特質和功能，是非常重要的，開心禪第一階主要幫助我們認識以及發現本具的覺知，第二階是發現本具的慈悲，而第三階則是認出本具的智慧。透過這些認識，它們的特質才得以展現。
▍ 禪修四種狀況，你是哪一種？
在這裡要問大家一個問題，你的禪修經驗是什麼呢？
1. 總是感到昏沉、想睡
2. 念頭、情緒變得更多
3. 我不知道自己是否在禪修
4. 我可以和覺知同在
第一種情況：
如果總是感到昏沈、想睡，你就可以運用它們練習睡眠禪修，呆滯模糊、昏沈不清這些感受都包含在睡眠禪修中，當你感到想睡，就和那個睡意在一起，和這種呆滯、昏沉的感覺同在，不用去控制或改變什麼，就只是跟它在一起，如此就能將睡意、昏沈轉化為禪修。
第二種情況：
念頭、情緒變得更多，這時候可以運用念頭和情緒做禪修。事實上，當我們在禪修時，一開始會覺得念頭、情緒變得更多了，其實這是很好的徵兆。就像在混濁的河水中，你看不到河裡的魚和石頭，一旦河水變清澈之後，就能清楚看見河裡所有的東西。透過禪修，我們的心趨向平靜，你自然就會看到很多念頭和情緒。
第三種情況：
不確定自己是否在禪修，那麼就與這樣不確定的感覺同在，只要能夠知道自己的不知道，這就是覺知，你就是在禪修。
最後一種：
若能和覺知同在，非常好。
當你將一切轉化成禪修的助緣，就能夠從痛苦、壓力、緊繃、疼痛等因素中解脫，而得到真正的自由。
如果你想要尋找快樂，於是想逃離痛苦，那麼你得到的快樂就會像股票市場一樣起伏不定。假如在快樂與不快樂中，你都可以感到快樂，那麼就能夠獲得真正恆久的快樂。
▍ 仁波切與老朋友的故事
我在七、八歲時就有了恐慌症，當時我很想抗拒它。那時候，即使我爬到了山頂，恐慌也跟著上山 ; 有時我走進山谷茂密的森林，恐慌也是跟著我。當我試著跟朋友們玩耍的時候，恐慌還是如影隨形地跟我在一起。
於是，我的母親建議我跟父親學習禪修，我從九歲時開始練習，但因為我太想遠離恐慌症，所以當我做聲音禪修時，我就會對恐慌說：「嘿，你滾開，我在禪修。」有時候有用，但有時候恐慌反而變得更劇烈了。
父親告訴我：「不要跟恐慌對抗，你要歡迎恐慌。」於是禪修時我就改變態度，對恐慌說：「歡迎你！」一開始真的有幫助，恐慌的力量減少許多，然而在我內心深處還是想遠離恐慌，雖然我嘴上說歡迎，但事實上我心裡想的是：只要我歡迎你，你就不會再來了。所以內心的動機還是一樣，是種虛假的歡迎，然而即便是虛假的，也是很有幫助。
十三歲那年，我進入了三年的閉關中心，第一個月我感覺非常好，但在那之後，懶惰也跟我到了閉關中心，而且恐慌也比之前更嚴重。
那時我曾經動念要中斷閉關，但離開有點難為情，因為我已昭告天下，但若留下，還有兩年多要度過。
最後我選擇留下，並決定放下對恐慌的抵抗，真正去接受它，讓它成為禪修的助緣。經過幾個星期的禪修後，我和恐慌真的成為了好朋友。儘管如此，有時候我仍會盜汗、心跳變快、脖子感到壓迫，頭痛......等等不舒服的症狀，這些情況發生時，我的內心卻有點歡喜和興奮，我可以看著身體種種現象，恐慌症再也影響不了我。但就在我們真正成為好朋友後，它就離開我了。
雖然我的恐慌朋友走了，但還是會有新的朋友，也就是任何時候都會有其他的困難和痛苦出現，而我們也就能運用這些問題來練習禪修。
在我的人生中，也是經歷著各種起伏，在世俗的層面上，這樣的狀況是必然會發生的，但在我內心深處，卻一直都感受到一種平靜、自信和感恩。
( 2020 明就仁波切 亞洲德噶線上閉關「開心禪一階」第二堂 10月24日 開示摘要)
主講：詠給・明就仁波切
日期：2020年10月24日下午兩點半（香港/台灣/北京時間）
翻譯：妙融法師
▍ 二十四小時都有覺知，為何不是二十四小時在禪修？
每個人都具有覺知，既然覺知二十四小時都與我們同在，為何我們不是一直都處在禪修的狀態中呢？
儘管我們擁有覺知，但由於沒有認出真正的本質，覺知對我們來說就像是隱藏起來、沒有作用。
好比你擁有全世界最棒的手錶，但你沒認出它是支手錶，以為它只是手鐲，因此，即便你手上戴著它，也不懂得透過它查看時間，它也就無法為你顯示時間 ; 一旦你認出它是手錶後，它就富有價值，能夠發揮作用，幫助你認出時間。
因此認出本具內在的特質和功能，是非常重要的，開心禪第一階主要幫助我們認識以及發現本具的覺知，第二階是發現本具的慈悲，而第三階則是認出本具的智慧。透過這些認識，它們的特質才得以展現。
▍ 禪修四種狀況，你是哪一種？
在這裡要問大家一個問題，你的禪修經驗是什麼呢？
1. 總是感到昏沉、想睡
2. 念頭、情緒變得更多
3. 我不知道自己是否在禪修
4. 我可以和覺知同在
第一種情況：
如果總是感到昏沈、想睡，你就可以運用它們練習睡眠禪修，呆滯模糊、昏沈不清這些感受都包含在睡眠禪修中，當你感到想睡，就和那個睡意在一起，和這種呆滯、昏沉的感覺同在，不用去控制或改變什麼，就只是跟它在一起，如此就能將睡意、昏沈轉化為禪修。
第二種情況：
念頭、情緒變得更多，這時候可以運用念頭和情緒做禪修。事實上，當我們在禪修時，一開始會覺得念頭、情緒變得更多了，其實這是很好的徵兆。就像在混濁的河水中，你看不到河裡的魚和石頭，一旦河水變清澈之後，就能清楚看見河裡所有的東西。透過禪修，我們的心趨向平靜，你自然就會看到很多念頭和情緒。
第三種情況：
不確定自己是否在禪修，那麼就與這樣不確定的感覺同在，只要能夠知道自己的不知道，這就是覺知，你就是在禪修。
最後一種：
若能和覺知同在，非常好。
當你將一切轉化成禪修的助緣，就能夠從痛苦、壓力、緊繃、疼痛等因素中解脫，而得到真正的自由。
如果你想要尋找快樂，於是想逃離痛苦，那麼你得到的快樂就會像股票市場一樣起伏不定。假如在快樂與不快樂中，你都可以感到快樂，那麼就能夠獲得真正恆久的快樂。
▍ 仁波切與老朋友的故事
我在七、八歲時就有了恐慌症，當時我很想抗拒它。那時候，即使我爬到了山頂，恐慌也跟著上山 ; 有時我走進山谷茂密的森林，恐慌也是跟著我。當我試著跟朋友們玩耍的時候，恐慌還是如影隨形地跟我在一起。
於是，我的母親建議我跟父親學習禪修，我從九歲時開始練習，但因為我太想遠離恐慌症，所以當我做聲音禪修時，我就會對恐慌說：「嘿，你滾開，我在禪修。」有時候有用，但有時候恐慌反而變得更劇烈了。
父親告訴我：「不要跟恐慌對抗，你要歡迎恐慌。」於是禪修時我就改變態度，對恐慌說：「歡迎你！」一開始真的有幫助，恐慌的力量減少許多，然而在我內心深處還是想遠離恐慌，雖然我嘴上說歡迎，但事實上我心裡想的是：只要我歡迎你，你就不會再來了。所以內心的動機還是一樣，是種虛假的歡迎，然而即便是虛假的，也是很有幫助。
十三歲那年，我進入了三年的閉關中心，第一個月我感覺非常好，但在那之後，懶惰也跟我到了閉關中心，而且恐慌也比之前更嚴重。
那時我曾經動念要中斷閉關，但離開有點難為情，因為我已昭告天下，但若留下，還有兩年多要度過。
最後我選擇留下，並決定放下對恐慌的抵抗，真正去接受它，讓它成為禪修的助緣。經過幾個星期的禪修後，我和恐慌真的成為了好朋友。儘管如此，有時候我仍會盜汗、心跳變快、脖子感到壓迫，頭痛......等等不舒服的症狀，這些情況發生時，我的內心卻有點歡喜和興奮，我可以看著身體種種現象，恐慌症再也影響不了我。但就在我們真正成為好朋友後，它就離開我了。
雖然我的恐慌朋友走了，但還是會有新的朋友，也就是任何時候都會有其他的困難和痛苦出現，而我們也就能運用這些問題來練習禪修。
在我的人生中，也是經歷著各種起伏，在世俗的層面上，這樣的狀況是必然會發生的，但在我內心深處，卻一直都感受到一種平靜、自信和感恩。
( 2020 明就仁波切 亞洲德噶線上閉關「開心禪一階」第二堂 10月24日 開示摘要)
2020 Tergar Asia Online Retreat
Joy of Living Level One
YMR Second Teaching Summary
We have awareness all the time, but why are we not meditating all the time?
Everybody has awareness. Since awareness is with us all the time, why are we not meditating all the time?
When we have not recognized awareness, even though we have that quality within us, it is hidden from us. It is not beneficial for us.
If you had the best watch in the world but you don't know what it is, you thought it is just a bracelet. Therefore, even though you are wearing it, you do not know how to read the time from it, and the watch cannot tell you the time either. Once you recognized what it is, it becomes valuable, and beneficial for you to check the time.
Therefore, to recognize our innate qualities is really important. Joy of Living level 1 mainly focuses on helping us to recognize the awareness within us; level 2 mainly focuses on love and compassion; and level 3 mainly focuses on discovering the wisdom within you. Through the recognition of these qualities, they can truly manifest.
Which one of the four meditation experiences do you have?
I have a question for you. What is your meditation experience?
1. I always feel dull and sometimes sleepy.
2. My thoughts or emotions are getting more.
3. I don't know whether I'm meditating or not.
4. I can be with the awareness.
For the first situation:
If you feel that you are always dull and sleepy, be with that, and do sleeping meditation, which includes sleepiness, dullness, and drowsiness. When you feel sleepy, be with the sleepiness, the fuzzy, foggy, and heavy feelings, and you don't need to change or control anything. Just be with them. Then all these feelings become the support for your meditation.
For the second situation:
If there are more thoughts and emotions, you could use the thoughts and emotions as the support for your meditation too. Normally when we meditate, at the beginning, we would feel like we have more thoughts and emotions than before. That is a good sign. It is like a muddy river. We cannot see the fish or rocks in the water. When the river becomes calmer and clearer, we can see the fish and rocks in it. This is the same. When you meditate, your mind would become calmer and clearer, so you could see more thoughts and emotions.
For the third situation:
If you don't know whether you are meditating or not, then you just be with this feeling of uncertainty. As long as you know that you don't know, that is awareness. So that has become meditation too.
For the fourth situation:
If you can be with the awareness, that is great, wonderful.
When you could use everything as the support for your meditation, then you could be liberated from the causes of suffering, tension, stress, and pain. That is transformation and self-liberation.
If you are looking for happiness, and trying to get rid of unhappiness, then your happiness would be like the stock market, which is always up and down. However, if we can be happy with the happiness, and also be happy with the unhappiness, then we will discover the real long-lasting happiness.
Rinpoche's story with his old friend
I had panic attack when I was 7 or 8 years old. Back then, I really wanted to fight with the panic and get rid of it. When I was hiking in the mountain, the panic would follow me up there. When I went down to the deep forest, the panic followed me down there. When I played with my friends, the panic followed me there too.
Then my mom suggested me learning meditation from my father. I started to learn meditation when I was 9 years old. Because I really wanted to get rid of the panic, when I practiced sound meditation, I would say to the panic that“Get out! I am meditating on the sound.“ Sometimes this worked but sometimes the panic became stronger.
My father told me,“Don't fight with the panic. Welcome the panic.” Then when I meditated, at the beginning, I said“Hello, panic. Welcome.“ It helped. The power of the panic became less. However, deep down in my mind, I still wanted to get rid of it. I was saying welcome but indeed I was thinking,“If I welcome you, you will not come back again.” The motivation was the same, so it was a fake welcome. Although even it was a fake welcome, it helped a lot.
When I was 13 years old, I went to the three years retreat. In the first month, it was very good. After one month, the laziness came into my retreat. And then it brought the panic as well. My panic became worse and bigger in the retreat.
I had thought of leaving the retreat but I felt embarrassed because I have told all my friends about this three-year retreat. However, if I stayed in the retreat, I had to stay for more than 2 years.
In the end, I decided to stay in the retreat. Then I really let go of the fighting with the panic and accept it from my heart. And then I used my panic as the support for my meditation. A few weeks later, my panic and I became very good friends. The symptoms were still there - my heart sometimes beat fast; there was tightness around my neck; I had sweat and headache; and unpleasant sensations came into my body. Nevertheless, I felt quite excited and happy from my mind, as I could watch these experiences in my body and the panic could no longer affect me. However, when we finally became very good friends, the panic said bye-bye and was gone.
Although I lost one friend, my panic, but I have new friends, because we all have problems and sufferings, which are international. Actually, you can make friends with any problem, or suffering, or pain, and use them as the support for meditation.
In my life, there are always ups and downs, which are at the relative level. At the deeper level of my mind, there is always a sense of peace, confidence, and gratitude.
Joy of Living Level One
YMR Second Teaching Summary
We have awareness all the time, but why are we not meditating all the time?
Everybody has awareness. Since awareness is with us all the time, why are we not meditating all the time?
When we have not recognized awareness, even though we have that quality within us, it is hidden from us. It is not beneficial for us.
If you had the best watch in the world but you don't know what it is, you thought it is just a bracelet. Therefore, even though you are wearing it, you do not know how to read the time from it, and the watch cannot tell you the time either. Once you recognized what it is, it becomes valuable, and beneficial for you to check the time.
Therefore, to recognize our innate qualities is really important. Joy of Living level 1 mainly focuses on helping us to recognize the awareness within us; level 2 mainly focuses on love and compassion; and level 3 mainly focuses on discovering the wisdom within you. Through the recognition of these qualities, they can truly manifest.
Which one of the four meditation experiences do you have?
I have a question for you. What is your meditation experience?
1. I always feel dull and sometimes sleepy.
2. My thoughts or emotions are getting more.
3. I don't know whether I'm meditating or not.
4. I can be with the awareness.
For the first situation:
If you feel that you are always dull and sleepy, be with that, and do sleeping meditation, which includes sleepiness, dullness, and drowsiness. When you feel sleepy, be with the sleepiness, the fuzzy, foggy, and heavy feelings, and you don't need to change or control anything. Just be with them. Then all these feelings become the support for your meditation.
For the second situation:
If there are more thoughts and emotions, you could use the thoughts and emotions as the support for your meditation too. Normally when we meditate, at the beginning, we would feel like we have more thoughts and emotions than before. That is a good sign. It is like a muddy river. We cannot see the fish or rocks in the water. When the river becomes calmer and clearer, we can see the fish and rocks in it. This is the same. When you meditate, your mind would become calmer and clearer, so you could see more thoughts and emotions.
For the third situation:
If you don't know whether you are meditating or not, then you just be with this feeling of uncertainty. As long as you know that you don't know, that is awareness. So that has become meditation too.
For the fourth situation:
If you can be with the awareness, that is great, wonderful.
When you could use everything as the support for your meditation, then you could be liberated from the causes of suffering, tension, stress, and pain. That is transformation and self-liberation.
If you are looking for happiness, and trying to get rid of unhappiness, then your happiness would be like the stock market, which is always up and down. However, if we can be happy with the happiness, and also be happy with the unhappiness, then we will discover the real long-lasting happiness.
Rinpoche's story with his old friend
I had panic attack when I was 7 or 8 years old. Back then, I really wanted to fight with the panic and get rid of it. When I was hiking in the mountain, the panic would follow me up there. When I went down to the deep forest, the panic followed me down there. When I played with my friends, the panic followed me there too.
Then my mom suggested me learning meditation from my father. I started to learn meditation when I was 9 years old. Because I really wanted to get rid of the panic, when I practiced sound meditation, I would say to the panic that“Get out! I am meditating on the sound.“ Sometimes this worked but sometimes the panic became stronger.
My father told me,“Don't fight with the panic. Welcome the panic.” Then when I meditated, at the beginning, I said“Hello, panic. Welcome.“ It helped. The power of the panic became less. However, deep down in my mind, I still wanted to get rid of it. I was saying welcome but indeed I was thinking,“If I welcome you, you will not come back again.” The motivation was the same, so it was a fake welcome. Although even it was a fake welcome, it helped a lot.
When I was 13 years old, I went to the three years retreat. In the first month, it was very good. After one month, the laziness came into my retreat. And then it brought the panic as well. My panic became worse and bigger in the retreat.
I had thought of leaving the retreat but I felt embarrassed because I have told all my friends about this three-year retreat. However, if I stayed in the retreat, I had to stay for more than 2 years.
In the end, I decided to stay in the retreat. Then I really let go of the fighting with the panic and accept it from my heart. And then I used my panic as the support for my meditation. A few weeks later, my panic and I became very good friends. The symptoms were still there - my heart sometimes beat fast; there was tightness around my neck; I had sweat and headache; and unpleasant sensations came into my body. Nevertheless, I felt quite excited and happy from my mind, as I could watch these experiences in my body and the panic could no longer affect me. However, when we finally became very good friends, the panic said bye-bye and was gone.
Although I lost one friend, my panic, but I have new friends, because we all have problems and sufferings, which are international. Actually, you can make friends with any problem, or suffering, or pain, and use them as the support for meditation.
In my life, there are always ups and downs, which are at the relative level. At the deeper level of my mind, there is always a sense of peace, confidence, and gratitude.
2020 Tergar Asia Online Retreat
Joy of Living Level One
YMR First Teaching Summary
What is the purpose of the Joy of Living course?
Normally they are two important points here. First, it's to discover our fundamental quality, that is to recognize who we are. The second important point is self-transformation, self-liberation. It means using everything, what we see, hear, smell, taste, sense, and our thoughts and emotions, that is the objects of the five senses as well as thoughts and emotions in the mind, as support for inner well-being and support for happiness.
Normally when we practice meditation, there are 3 important points to note.
1. View - from the cognitive level, intellectual level, to understand what the meaning is.
First of all, it is what we call awareness. Awareness is the essence of meditation. If we connect with awareness and recognize our own awareness, and if we know how to be with that, then this is the practice of meditation.
And this awareness is wonderful. The nature of this awareness is free, pure, always present, and always there with us. I have awareness now. You have awareness right now. Everybody has awareness.
The traditional example of awareness is like the sky. And what we have - the thoughts, emotions, feelings, memories, perception- are like the clouds in the sky. No matter how strong the clouds are or the weather changes in the sky, maybe sometimes there is typhoon, hurricane, lightening, wind, or pollution, whatever that happens in the sky, the natural quality of the sky cannot be changed by the weather or pollution. You cannot burn the sky, shoot the sky, nor block the sky.
As I mentioned at the beginning, the purpose of the Joy of Living is to discover your fundamental nature. You do not have to create anything, get rid of bad ones, or control anything. You just need to discover this within you.
Now I would like to introduce awareness to you. In a way, it's quite difficult to introduce awareness. Why? It is difficult because it is too easy and too close. Too close that we cannot see it; too easy that we cannot believe it.
So what is awareness? It's your own mind. Sometimes we call it “knowingness”, “clarity”, and “cognition”. Can you see my hand? If you can see my hand on the screen, that is awareness. Can you hear my snapping of fingers? If you can hear this, that is awareness. So awareness means knowing. Knowing what you are thinking, feeling, and doing, that is awareness.
2. Meditation - connected with the feeling and experiential level
As I mentioned before, there are view, meditation, and application. So now view is finished and now we have to practice meditation together.
How to meditate? There are two important points. One is with the body, and the second important point is with the mind.
With the body, the first important thing is to keep your spine loosely straight, just in the center, and relax.
And the neck can bent a little bit forward, like the weight of the head rests on your neck.
And join both hands together, one on top of the other, and rest them on your lap, or you can do another posture, like resting earth, by covering your knees with palms facing down.
If possible, sit with crossed legs. If you have difficulty crossing your leg, you can sit on a chair. And if you use chair, then both of your feet have to touch the ground.
And close your eyes naturally.
And the second point is about the mind. So your mind needs to feel your body, be with your body, or observe your body. The meanings are the same and do the one you feel more connected. When you feel the body, relax from head to toe. Be aware and watch the body.
Now we're going to practice this together.
So please keep your body posture. Close your eyes.
Now relax muscles in your body.
Relax muscles in your head, face, and neck.
Relax your shoulder, upper back, and lower back.
Relax your chest and stomach, arms and legs.
And as I mentioned before, if you cannot relax, it is totally fine. Be with that feeling of cannot relax.
Accept and allow that feeling of cannot relax. And actually, that is relaxation. And that is the openness and acceptance.
Now feel the gravity in your body. When you relax, there is some gravity. There is weight in the body.
And do not worry if you are doing it right or wrong. Doing right is awareness; doing wrong is also awareness.
And whatever thought and emotion comes, like monkey, let them come, and let them go.
Thought and emotion come within the awareness, and dissolve within the awareness. Just like clouds come into the sky, stay in the sky, and dissolve back to the sky.
So it is really wonderful. You are free. You do not have to block any bad things. You do not have to make any good things. How wonderful!
And you do not need to pretend to be anybody. You do not have to act to become someone. Just be yourself, be free. You are free. Your fundamental quality, the awareness, is always free and pure.
Now slowly open your eyes.
So this is what we call the meditation of awareness of the body.
This awareness of the body at the beginning is quite important. Normally our mind is up in the sky, and above you, and then go to the past and future. We do not know how to be here and now with the body.
3. Application - bring the view and meditation into everyday life situation and change our habit
When finish the teaching today, you have two homework.
One is the formal meditation, meaning you do the full time dedicated meditation in a session. So please look at the schedule of all the sessions during the retreat and try your best to do the meditation sessions accordingly. And when you meditate in the sessions, you do not play with your smart phone, watch the television, communicate with others, but be silent. So that is the formal meditation.
The other one is the informal meditation. For the informal meditation, you can meditate everywhere, any time, with any circumstances. You can meditate while you're walking, eating, watching the television, looking at your smart phone, driving, at your workplace, or doing physical exercise. So, you can practice everywhere, anytime, with short duration. Normally you cannot be with the awareness for a long time as you will forget easily. That is totally okay. When practicing informal meditation, several seconds of awareness is good and totally okay.
Joy of Living Level One
YMR First Teaching Summary
What is the purpose of the Joy of Living course?
Normally they are two important points here. First, it's to discover our fundamental quality, that is to recognize who we are. The second important point is self-transformation, self-liberation. It means using everything, what we see, hear, smell, taste, sense, and our thoughts and emotions, that is the objects of the five senses as well as thoughts and emotions in the mind, as support for inner well-being and support for happiness.
Normally when we practice meditation, there are 3 important points to note.
1. View - from the cognitive level, intellectual level, to understand what the meaning is.
First of all, it is what we call awareness. Awareness is the essence of meditation. If we connect with awareness and recognize our own awareness, and if we know how to be with that, then this is the practice of meditation.
And this awareness is wonderful. The nature of this awareness is free, pure, always present, and always there with us. I have awareness now. You have awareness right now. Everybody has awareness.
The traditional example of awareness is like the sky. And what we have - the thoughts, emotions, feelings, memories, perception- are like the clouds in the sky. No matter how strong the clouds are or the weather changes in the sky, maybe sometimes there is typhoon, hurricane, lightening, wind, or pollution, whatever that happens in the sky, the natural quality of the sky cannot be changed by the weather or pollution. You cannot burn the sky, shoot the sky, nor block the sky.
As I mentioned at the beginning, the purpose of the Joy of Living is to discover your fundamental nature. You do not have to create anything, get rid of bad ones, or control anything. You just need to discover this within you.
Now I would like to introduce awareness to you. In a way, it's quite difficult to introduce awareness. Why? It is difficult because it is too easy and too close. Too close that we cannot see it; too easy that we cannot believe it.
So what is awareness? It's your own mind. Sometimes we call it “knowingness”, “clarity”, and “cognition”. Can you see my hand? If you can see my hand on the screen, that is awareness. Can you hear my snapping of fingers? If you can hear this, that is awareness. So awareness means knowing. Knowing what you are thinking, feeling, and doing, that is awareness.
2. Meditation - connected with the feeling and experiential level
As I mentioned before, there are view, meditation, and application. So now view is finished and now we have to practice meditation together.
How to meditate? There are two important points. One is with the body, and the second important point is with the mind.
With the body, the first important thing is to keep your spine loosely straight, just in the center, and relax.
And the neck can bent a little bit forward, like the weight of the head rests on your neck.
And join both hands together, one on top of the other, and rest them on your lap, or you can do another posture, like resting earth, by covering your knees with palms facing down.
If possible, sit with crossed legs. If you have difficulty crossing your leg, you can sit on a chair. And if you use chair, then both of your feet have to touch the ground.
And close your eyes naturally.
And the second point is about the mind. So your mind needs to feel your body, be with your body, or observe your body. The meanings are the same and do the one you feel more connected. When you feel the body, relax from head to toe. Be aware and watch the body.
Now we're going to practice this together.
So please keep your body posture. Close your eyes.
Now relax muscles in your body.
Relax muscles in your head, face, and neck.
Relax your shoulder, upper back, and lower back.
Relax your chest and stomach, arms and legs.
And as I mentioned before, if you cannot relax, it is totally fine. Be with that feeling of cannot relax.
Accept and allow that feeling of cannot relax. And actually, that is relaxation. And that is the openness and acceptance.
Now feel the gravity in your body. When you relax, there is some gravity. There is weight in the body.
And do not worry if you are doing it right or wrong. Doing right is awareness; doing wrong is also awareness.
And whatever thought and emotion comes, like monkey, let them come, and let them go.
Thought and emotion come within the awareness, and dissolve within the awareness. Just like clouds come into the sky, stay in the sky, and dissolve back to the sky.
So it is really wonderful. You are free. You do not have to block any bad things. You do not have to make any good things. How wonderful!
And you do not need to pretend to be anybody. You do not have to act to become someone. Just be yourself, be free. You are free. Your fundamental quality, the awareness, is always free and pure.
Now slowly open your eyes.
So this is what we call the meditation of awareness of the body.
This awareness of the body at the beginning is quite important. Normally our mind is up in the sky, and above you, and then go to the past and future. We do not know how to be here and now with the body.
3. Application - bring the view and meditation into everyday life situation and change our habit
When finish the teaching today, you have two homework.
One is the formal meditation, meaning you do the full time dedicated meditation in a session. So please look at the schedule of all the sessions during the retreat and try your best to do the meditation sessions accordingly. And when you meditate in the sessions, you do not play with your smart phone, watch the television, communicate with others, but be silent. So that is the formal meditation.
The other one is the informal meditation. For the informal meditation, you can meditate everywhere, any time, with any circumstances. You can meditate while you're walking, eating, watching the television, looking at your smart phone, driving, at your workplace, or doing physical exercise. So, you can practice everywhere, anytime, with short duration. Normally you cannot be with the awareness for a long time as you will forget easily. That is totally okay. When practicing informal meditation, several seconds of awareness is good and totally okay.
【2020亞洲德噶線上閉關・開心禪一階第一堂開示摘要】
主講：詠給・明就仁波切
日期：2020年10月23日 晚上七點（香港/台灣/北京時間）
翻譯：妙融法師
開心禪課程有兩個重點，首先是發現自己原本的特質，也就是要認識到「我是誰」;第二個重點是「自轉化」，或稱為「自解脫」，運用一切唾手可得的事物，眼所見、耳所聞、鼻所嗅、舌所嚐、身所觸及念頭情緒等等對境，將這一切都轉化成內在的喜樂、幸福的來源。
當我們在學習禪修時，有三個重點需要特別關注：
▍ 一、見地 ── 認知、知識層面
首先我們要認識「覺知」。禪修的精華是覺知，如果可以認出覺知，與自己的覺知連結、同在，這就是禪修。
覺知是非常美好的特質狀態，這樣的覺知始終是平靜的、在當下的，一直與我們同在。覺知是此刻你就擁有的，而且每個人都具備的。
傳統的比喻，覺知如同廣闊的天空，而各種念頭、情緒、感覺、記憶...等等則像是雲朵般。不論雲朵多麼厚重，或是颳起颶風，但天空從不會因此而改變。你沒辦法燒毀、射擊或遮蔽天空。
就像一開始提到，開心禪目的在幫助我們發現本質的狀態，因此不用試圖去製造、遠離或控制什麼，只要去發現、去認出自身原有的本質就可以了。
現在我要跟各位介紹「覺知」，從某個角度說，要介紹覺知其實蠻難的，大家知道為什麼嗎？答案是：因為覺知太容易，而且它與我們太靠近了。太靠近所以我們看不見，太容易所以我們不相信。
覺知到底是什麼呢？就是你自己的心，有時我們稱作「知道」，有時說是「清明、明覺」，有時又叫「認知」。大家可以從螢幕上看到我的手嗎？大家可以聽到我彈指的聲音嗎？可以看到、聽到就是覺知。覺知就是一種知道的能力，知道自己在想什麼、做什麼。
▍ 二、修持 ── 將所學帶到經驗及自心層面
見地的部分已經說明完，接下來是修持的部分，也就是如何練習禪修。
在禪修方面有兩個重點，第一個和身體有關，第二個和心有關。
身體的部分，首先將脊椎自然挺直、放鬆，下巴微微地內收，讓頭部的重量輕輕地放在脖子上。
雙手交疊放在腿上，或是將雙手放在膝蓋上，手掌朝下。
如果可以的話，最好能盤坐，若坐在椅子上，也要將雙腳平放在地上，自然地閉上眼睛。
第二個跟心有關的部分，心要感受到自己的身體，讓心與身體同在。也就是說你可以去觀察、或是覺知自己的身體，怎麼做比較容易產生連結，就這麼去想。當你去感受自己的身體時，從頭到腳放鬆，去覺知自己的身體。
（仁波切帶領禪修）
請大家把身體姿勢調整好
輕輕地閉上眼睛
放鬆全身的肌肉...
把頭部、臉部、脖子的肌肉都放鬆...
放鬆肩膀、上背及下背...
放鬆腹部、手臂及雙腿...
如果沒有辦法放鬆，那也完全沒問題...
就與這樣無法放鬆的感覺同在...
允許以及接受自己無法放鬆的狀態
事實上當你能做到這樣的話
也就是種放鬆、接受、寬廣的感覺...
接著，去感受自己身體的重量...
好像有一種引力的重量感...
不用擔心這樣做是對還是錯
事實上對也好，錯也好，都是覺知
不論出現了多少念頭、情緒、嘰哩呱啦的瘋猴子心
就讓他們自然地來、自然地去
所有的念頭、情緒來自於覺知
存在時也在覺知中，走的時候回歸到覺知
就像是天空的雲朵一般
在天空中發生，待在天空中，最後也消失於天空
這真的是很美妙的事情
我們一直以來就是這樣的自由
不需要阻止或抑制任何的惡
也不需要造作或創造任何的善
你不需要假裝成為什麼樣子
或是刻意成為某個人
我們可以自由地做自己
我們一直都是解脫著
我們的本質本來就是自在清淨的
現在請慢慢睜開眼睛。
剛才做的是覺知身體的禪修，對現階段的我們是很重要的，因為很多時候我們的心很像是在身體之外，不斷地馳騁在過去、未來，不知道如何處在當下，透過這個禪修就能把心帶回到身體。
▍ 三、行持 ── 讓見地和修持融入日常生活
在課程之後，回去要練習兩個功課：
一、正式的座上修
運用一段完整的時間做練習，這次閉關課程的安排，就有禪修練習的時段。當你在座上修時，就不能玩手機、看電視或與人交談。這樣一段完整的禪修時間，就是正規的座上修。
二、非正式的座下修
你可以在任何時間、任何地點、任何情況下做練習。譬如在你走路、吃飯、看電視、滑手機的時候，或是當你開車、工作、運動的時候。我們平常很容易忘了要去覺知，在非正式禪修時，哪怕只有幾秒鐘練習覺知也是很好的。
( 2020 明就仁波切 亞洲德噶線上閉關「開心禪一階」第一堂 10月23日 開示摘要)
主講：詠給・明就仁波切
日期：2020年10月23日 晚上七點（香港/台灣/北京時間）
翻譯：妙融法師
開心禪課程有兩個重點，首先是發現自己原本的特質，也就是要認識到「我是誰」;第二個重點是「自轉化」，或稱為「自解脫」，運用一切唾手可得的事物，眼所見、耳所聞、鼻所嗅、舌所嚐、身所觸及念頭情緒等等對境，將這一切都轉化成內在的喜樂、幸福的來源。
當我們在學習禪修時，有三個重點需要特別關注：
▍ 一、見地 ── 認知、知識層面
首先我們要認識「覺知」。禪修的精華是覺知，如果可以認出覺知，與自己的覺知連結、同在，這就是禪修。
覺知是非常美好的特質狀態，這樣的覺知始終是平靜的、在當下的，一直與我們同在。覺知是此刻你就擁有的，而且每個人都具備的。
傳統的比喻，覺知如同廣闊的天空，而各種念頭、情緒、感覺、記憶...等等則像是雲朵般。不論雲朵多麼厚重，或是颳起颶風，但天空從不會因此而改變。你沒辦法燒毀、射擊或遮蔽天空。
就像一開始提到，開心禪目的在幫助我們發現本質的狀態，因此不用試圖去製造、遠離或控制什麼，只要去發現、去認出自身原有的本質就可以了。
現在我要跟各位介紹「覺知」，從某個角度說，要介紹覺知其實蠻難的，大家知道為什麼嗎？答案是：因為覺知太容易，而且它與我們太靠近了。太靠近所以我們看不見，太容易所以我們不相信。
覺知到底是什麼呢？就是你自己的心，有時我們稱作「知道」，有時說是「清明、明覺」，有時又叫「認知」。大家可以從螢幕上看到我的手嗎？大家可以聽到我彈指的聲音嗎？可以看到、聽到就是覺知。覺知就是一種知道的能力，知道自己在想什麼、做什麼。
▍ 二、修持 ── 將所學帶到經驗及自心層面
見地的部分已經說明完，接下來是修持的部分，也就是如何練習禪修。
在禪修方面有兩個重點，第一個和身體有關，第二個和心有關。
身體的部分，首先將脊椎自然挺直、放鬆，下巴微微地內收，讓頭部的重量輕輕地放在脖子上。
雙手交疊放在腿上，或是將雙手放在膝蓋上，手掌朝下。
如果可以的話，最好能盤坐，若坐在椅子上，也要將雙腳平放在地上，自然地閉上眼睛。
第二個跟心有關的部分，心要感受到自己的身體，讓心與身體同在。也就是說你可以去觀察、或是覺知自己的身體，怎麼做比較容易產生連結，就這麼去想。當你去感受自己的身體時，從頭到腳放鬆，去覺知自己的身體。
（仁波切帶領禪修）
請大家把身體姿勢調整好
輕輕地閉上眼睛
放鬆全身的肌肉...
把頭部、臉部、脖子的肌肉都放鬆...
放鬆肩膀、上背及下背...
放鬆腹部、手臂及雙腿...
如果沒有辦法放鬆，那也完全沒問題...
就與這樣無法放鬆的感覺同在...
允許以及接受自己無法放鬆的狀態
事實上當你能做到這樣的話
也就是種放鬆、接受、寬廣的感覺...
接著，去感受自己身體的重量...
好像有一種引力的重量感...
不用擔心這樣做是對還是錯
事實上對也好，錯也好，都是覺知
不論出現了多少念頭、情緒、嘰哩呱啦的瘋猴子心
就讓他們自然地來、自然地去
所有的念頭、情緒來自於覺知
存在時也在覺知中，走的時候回歸到覺知
就像是天空的雲朵一般
在天空中發生，待在天空中，最後也消失於天空
這真的是很美妙的事情
我們一直以來就是這樣的自由
不需要阻止或抑制任何的惡
也不需要造作或創造任何的善
你不需要假裝成為什麼樣子
或是刻意成為某個人
我們可以自由地做自己
我們一直都是解脫著
我們的本質本來就是自在清淨的
現在請慢慢睜開眼睛。
剛才做的是覺知身體的禪修，對現階段的我們是很重要的，因為很多時候我們的心很像是在身體之外，不斷地馳騁在過去、未來，不知道如何處在當下，透過這個禪修就能把心帶回到身體。
▍ 三、行持 ── 讓見地和修持融入日常生活
在課程之後，回去要練習兩個功課：
一、正式的座上修
運用一段完整的時間做練習，這次閉關課程的安排，就有禪修練習的時段。當你在座上修時，就不能玩手機、看電視或與人交談。這樣一段完整的禪修時間，就是正規的座上修。
二、非正式的座下修
你可以在任何時間、任何地點、任何情況下做練習。譬如在你走路、吃飯、看電視、滑手機的時候，或是當你開車、工作、運動的時候。我們平常很容易忘了要去覺知，在非正式禪修時，哪怕只有幾秒鐘練習覺知也是很好的。
( 2020 明就仁波切 亞洲德噶線上閉關「開心禪一階」第一堂 10月23日 開示摘要)
Abhidharma English Summary
Teaching by Mingyur Rinpoche on Oct.11, 2020
■ Volition, is karma
Volition which is one of the 51 mental factors is the basis for Karma. In other words, Karma is actually volition. In Buddhism, volition is a mental state but karma has an effect on matter and consciousness.
(1) Motivation
Volition is like motivation, which has the power to move things and get together whatever positive or negative emotions, thoughts and feelings, and bring about action, through speech and body.
(2) Action
Volition will lead us to take various actions. Whatever actions you do like positive virtues in helping others, or negative virtues in stealing or lying, karmic results will follow.
(3) Storage
Volition will create karma and will help us register the tendencies and inclinations in our subconsciousness, also called the alaya.
(4) Fruition
Once the karmic seeds are planted into our alaya, then at a certain time, with the appearance of the right causes and conditions, the karmic seeds will come into fruition again. If you had accumulated good karmas by helping others, for example, you will be happy; If you had accumulated bad karmas, you will suffer and be unhappy. Volition has two parts: one is causal, the other is the result or fruition.
■ The Mental Process
Now, I will discuss the mental process, the consciousness process, how we see, what comes to the mind and how we register this in our bodies.
We will use the example of pizza. For example, someone gives you a pizza. At that moment, the eye consciousness comes, you look at the pizza.
(1) The first moment, you don’t see the object yet.
So many things can happen in one second. I will tell you in the subtle level: the moment you see the pizza, a lot of processes are triggered. According to Abhidharma, first your eyes meet the object. When they meet, you don't see the pizza yet.
(2) The second moment, eye consciousness meets the object, triggering the habitual tendencies stored in alaya.
In the next millisecond, the object is gone. Then the image of the pizza comes, and at that time, you “saw” the pizza.
At the moment when you “see” the pizza, one of these images automatically appear to your eyes: “nice and beautiful pizza”, “ugly pizza” or “neutral pizza”, before consciousness and feeling come.
So the sense of ‘beautiful’, ‘not beautiful’, or ‘neutral’ is not at the conceptual level, nor at the feeling level. It is at the habitual level, the result of the volition and what you did in the past.
The habitual tendency is registered on the mental stream, according to Sarvastivada Abhidharma. According to the Mahayana Abhidharma, it is registered and stored in alaya.
(3) The third moment, sensations and feelings come.
Then the next moment, if we have sensations related to the five senses, we will feel them in the body. Sensation related to the mind will be felt in the mind.
(4) The fourth moment, conceptual mind comes and makes imprints into the alaya.
The next moment, the conceptual mind comes. So now, the conceptual mind begins to check, analyze and fully experience the object. Thereafter it will register an imprint at the sub-conscious level, the seed level, into the alaya.
■ Instinct of having connection or not, comes from the imprint of sub-consciousness
For example, during a holiday, while you walk in the mountains, you suddenly see a dog which is not so beautiful. Then unpleasant sensations come in the body and then the consciousness at the conceptual level notes: “Oh, not good! Danger! It will bite me!”
Why do you see that dog as not so beautiful in the first moment? Maybe in the past you have had bad experiences with dogs. Perhaps in the past a dog barked at you and made you suffer when you tried to connect with it. That unpleasant moment registered in your alaya, but currently asleep. So now, everything is fine for you, you don't know there's a dog there buried in your memory. So, when you see a dog again, what you see through your eyes is: this dog is not so beautiful. And then, suddenly, the unpleasant feelings are triggered, and the mind, the concept ruminate about that.
For example, if you go to a place, and you immediately like it but you don't know why. Or sometimes, you meet some people with whom you feel connected to but for some other people, you do not feel connected. It’s all due to volition.
This is the circle in our lives. How do we free ourselves from the cycle of habitual tendencies? This is the main important thing in Abhidharma teaching: to develop mindfulness and awareness so that we are aware of the tendencies which are automatic and rooted in hatred, desire, jealousy, panic and trauma.
Teaching by Mingyur Rinpoche on Oct.11, 2020
■ Volition, is karma
Volition which is one of the 51 mental factors is the basis for Karma. In other words, Karma is actually volition. In Buddhism, volition is a mental state but karma has an effect on matter and consciousness.
(1) Motivation
Volition is like motivation, which has the power to move things and get together whatever positive or negative emotions, thoughts and feelings, and bring about action, through speech and body.
(2) Action
Volition will lead us to take various actions. Whatever actions you do like positive virtues in helping others, or negative virtues in stealing or lying, karmic results will follow.
(3) Storage
Volition will create karma and will help us register the tendencies and inclinations in our subconsciousness, also called the alaya.
(4) Fruition
Once the karmic seeds are planted into our alaya, then at a certain time, with the appearance of the right causes and conditions, the karmic seeds will come into fruition again. If you had accumulated good karmas by helping others, for example, you will be happy; If you had accumulated bad karmas, you will suffer and be unhappy. Volition has two parts: one is causal, the other is the result or fruition.
■ The Mental Process
Now, I will discuss the mental process, the consciousness process, how we see, what comes to the mind and how we register this in our bodies.
We will use the example of pizza. For example, someone gives you a pizza. At that moment, the eye consciousness comes, you look at the pizza.
(1) The first moment, you don’t see the object yet.
So many things can happen in one second. I will tell you in the subtle level: the moment you see the pizza, a lot of processes are triggered. According to Abhidharma, first your eyes meet the object. When they meet, you don't see the pizza yet.
(2) The second moment, eye consciousness meets the object, triggering the habitual tendencies stored in alaya.
In the next millisecond, the object is gone. Then the image of the pizza comes, and at that time, you “saw” the pizza.
At the moment when you “see” the pizza, one of these images automatically appear to your eyes: “nice and beautiful pizza”, “ugly pizza” or “neutral pizza”, before consciousness and feeling come.
So the sense of ‘beautiful’, ‘not beautiful’, or ‘neutral’ is not at the conceptual level, nor at the feeling level. It is at the habitual level, the result of the volition and what you did in the past.
The habitual tendency is registered on the mental stream, according to Sarvastivada Abhidharma. According to the Mahayana Abhidharma, it is registered and stored in alaya.
(3) The third moment, sensations and feelings come.
Then the next moment, if we have sensations related to the five senses, we will feel them in the body. Sensation related to the mind will be felt in the mind.
(4) The fourth moment, conceptual mind comes and makes imprints into the alaya.
The next moment, the conceptual mind comes. So now, the conceptual mind begins to check, analyze and fully experience the object. Thereafter it will register an imprint at the sub-conscious level, the seed level, into the alaya.
■ Instinct of having connection or not, comes from the imprint of sub-consciousness
For example, during a holiday, while you walk in the mountains, you suddenly see a dog which is not so beautiful. Then unpleasant sensations come in the body and then the consciousness at the conceptual level notes: “Oh, not good! Danger! It will bite me!”
Why do you see that dog as not so beautiful in the first moment? Maybe in the past you have had bad experiences with dogs. Perhaps in the past a dog barked at you and made you suffer when you tried to connect with it. That unpleasant moment registered in your alaya, but currently asleep. So now, everything is fine for you, you don't know there's a dog there buried in your memory. So, when you see a dog again, what you see through your eyes is: this dog is not so beautiful. And then, suddenly, the unpleasant feelings are triggered, and the mind, the concept ruminate about that.
For example, if you go to a place, and you immediately like it but you don't know why. Or sometimes, you meet some people with whom you feel connected to but for some other people, you do not feel connected. It’s all due to volition.
This is the circle in our lives. How do we free ourselves from the cycle of habitual tendencies? This is the main important thing in Abhidharma teaching: to develop mindfulness and awareness so that we are aware of the tendencies which are automatic and rooted in hatred, desire, jealousy, panic and trauma.
