时间：05/18/2024 05/19/2024
地点：星河禅修中心
主讲：黄云全
佛法修行
在黑牛与白牛之间
有一次，尊者舍利弗与尊者摩诃拘絺罗，同住在摩揭陀国首都王舍城东北边的耆阇崛山中。
一天傍晚，尊者摩诃拘絺罗在禅修告一段落后，去见尊者舍利弗。两人见面问讯寒暄后，尊者摩诃拘絺罗问道：
「舍利弗学友！是眼睛绑着所看到的东西呢？还是眼睛被所看到的东西绑着了呢？又，其它类似的耳朵与声音、鼻子与气味、舌头与味道、身体与触碰、意念与所念，到底是哪个绑着哪个呢？」
「拘絺罗学友！我说既不是眼睛绑着所看到的东西，也不是眼睛被所看到的东西绑着了；耳朵与声音、鼻子与气味、舌头与味道、身体与触碰、意念与所念也一样，都不是哪个绑着了哪个，而是由这两者所引生的欲贪，将他们给绑着了。
拘絺罗学友！这就像将两头牛，一头黑色，一头白色，并排绑在一起拉车，如果有人问，是黑牛绑着白牛呢？还是白牛绑着黑牛呢？这样问恰当吗？」
「喔！这样问不恰当，舍利弗学友！因为不是黑牛绑着白牛，也不是白牛绑着黑牛，而是两头牛之间的牛轭与绳索，将他们给绑住了。」
「正是这样，拘絺罗学友！不是眼睛绑着所看到的东西，也不是眼睛被所看到的东西绑着了；耳朵与声音、鼻子与气味、舌头与味道、身体与触碰、意念与所念之间，都不是哪个绑着了哪个，而是这些因缘所生起的欲贪，将他们给绑着了。
拘絺罗学友！如果是眼睛会绑着所看到的东西，或是眼睛会被所看到的东西绑着；耳朵与声音、鼻子与气味、舌头与味道、身体与触碰、意念与所念会是哪个去绑着哪个，那么，我们就无从修行起，而世尊就也不能教导大家修行以离苦了。
拘絺罗学友！世尊看见合意的，或不合意的，都不会起欲贪，但一般人就不一样了，看见合意的或不合意的，就生起想要或不想要的欲贪。所以，世尊说：应当断除欲贪！当欲贪断除了，那么，心就得解脱了。眼睛看是这样，耳朵听、鼻子闻、舌头尝、身体触、意念识等感官作用也都一样：应当断除欲贪！当欲贪断除了，心就得解脱了。」
Date: 05/18/2024 05/19/2024
Location: Star River Meditation Center
Teacher: Yunquan Huang
Dharma Talk
Between the Black Ox and the White Ox
Once, the Venerable Shariputra and the Venerable Mahakotthita were dwelling together on the Vulture Peak mountain, northeast of the capital of the Magadha kingdom, Rajagaha.
One evening, after concluding his meditation session, Venerable Mahakotthitawent to see Venerable Shariputra. After exchanging greetings and pleasantries, Venerable Mahakotthita asked:
”Friend Shariputra! Is it the eye that binds to what it sees, or is it what is seen that binds to the eye? Similarly, with the ear and sounds, the nose and smells, the tongue and tastes, the body and touch, the mind and its objects, which binds to which?”
”Friend Mahakotthita! I say it is neither the eye that binds to what it sees nor what is seen that binds to the eye; the same goes for the ear and sounds, the nose and smells, the tongue and tastes, the body and touch, the mind and its objects. None binds to the other; rather, it is the craving that arises from these interactions that binds them.
Friend Mahakotthita! It’s like tying a black ox and a white ox side by side to pull a cart. If someone asks, ‘Is it the black ox binding the white ox, or the white ox binding the black ox?’ would such a question be appropriate?”
”Oh! It would not be appropriate, friend Shariputra! Because it is neither the black ox binding the white ox nor the white ox binding the black ox, but the yoke and ropes between the two oxen that bind them.”
”Exactly, friend Mahakotthita! It is neither the eye that binds to what it sees nor what is seen that binds to the eye; the same for the ear and sounds, the nose and smells, the tongue and tastes, the body and touch, the mind and its objects. None of these bind to the other; it is the craving that arises from these conditions that binds them.
Friend Mahakotthita! If it were the eye that binds to what it sees, or what is seen that binds to the eye; if it were the ear and sounds, the nose and smells, the tongue and tastes, the body and touch, the mind and its objects binding to each other, then we would have no way to practice, and the Blessed One would not be able to teach us to practice for the cessation of suffering.
Friend Mahakotthita! The Blessed One sees what is agreeable and what is disagreeable, without arising craving, unlike ordinary people who, upon seeing what is agreeable or disagreeable, give rise to the craving of wanting or not wanting. Therefore, the Blessed One said: one should eliminate craving! When craving is eliminated, then the mind is liberated. Seeing with the eye is such, as is hearing with the ear, smelling with the nose, tasting with the tongue, touching with the body, and cognizing with the mind: one should eliminate craving! When craving is eliminated, the mind is liberated.”
