弟子彌恩來電郵提問：

問： 弟子還是不懂如何：將注意力放在無限的直接經驗整體上。請上師開示。

答：問得好！將注意力轉移到直接經驗中一切變異，而不起意念追究。

問：這與〈大圓融定〉中的「離於思量，有念即放」 是一致的吧？

答：是。但這是藉注意整體來放，而不是只放。

弟子藥恩來電郵提問：

問：將注意力轉移到直接經驗中一切變異，而不起意念追究。這個方法與安住於「自然無念」中體會萬象的遷異，是一回事嗎？

答：前者不需能自然無念。

問：因上師在最近的作品中提到三種方法：（1）念佛；（2）觀空，需自然無念後；（3）整體超越。若上面您的開示與自然無念體會境遇遷異一樣，那整體超越和觀空豈不是一個方法？請上師詳細開解，謝謝！

答：整體超越無需觀空。觀空是藉變異體會無我。

問：請上師將上一句「 將注意力轉移到直接經驗中一切變異，而不起意念追究」譯成英文；一來利益他國眾生，二來英文需要更詳細才能描述事情，便於弟子們深入理解和把握要訣，謝謝！

答：Turn one′s attention to changes in direct experiences without raising thoughts to follow and recognize what they are.

弟子彌恩再來電郵提問：

問：您說：但這是藉注意整體來放，而不是只放。
 「藉注意整體來放」能否理解為「取代法」，即本來糾結一個點、一件事，現在注意整體，但還是有個「注意」在，只不過把心量、眼界放大到法界那麽大。

答：是的；法界無限，所以任一點都看不到。

問：這類似於〈大悲心要〉中用「融」代替〈心經〉中的「無」，讓修行者的操作性容易些，但最终也能達到融入法界的最终目的。

答： 〈大悲心要〉中用的是「容」。「融」則無分，一時難以企及。「容」是包容，不妨有我，但能開闊而包容之。

問：〈大圓融定〉中的「離於思量，有念即放」，是「减法」而無需用「取代法」。但後文還有「於無執中，整體經驗歷歷分明」，「歷歷分明」和「注意整體」有何不同？

答：「歷歷分明」是自然顯現。

問：又〈大圓融定〉的跋：「已能自然無念的行者可依之修。」能否說：（1）念佛，（2）注意整體的目的都是（3）自然無念，在自然無念中觀空或再修習〈大圓融定〉中的「離於思量，有念即放」，因為這個時候已經無念，不需要再用「注意整體」這個「取代法」了呢？

答：「自然無念」是修證的一個階段。
直接經驗整體本自融通，只要不加不減，就是。「大圆融定」是修這個。

弟子藥恩再來電郵提問：

問：尊貴的上師，您最近的開示中，强調藉注意整體來放，不起念頭追究。
但是普通人不能一下子注意到這個直接經驗的法界整體，普通人可能只能注意到周遭的一些事物變化；比如在路上時，車水馬龍，人來人往；在房間裡獨處時，又可能只會注意到内心想法的變化。這時，如果踐行上師您說的：將注意力轉移到直接經驗中一切變異，而不起意念追究呢？

答：這時，如果踐行上師您說的：將注意力轉移到直接經驗中一切變異，而不起意念追究呢？
我猜，你意思是「如何」，而非「如果」。
照「如何」來回答：
直接經驗中的變異是自然顯現的。注意到這些，不加分別、取捨。

問：您說「將注意力轉移到直接經驗中一切變異，而不起意念追究」 ，這個「變異」（changes）具體是指什麼呢？能否詳細一點？

答：所見、所聞、所覺及所念。

問：普通人可能只能注意到周遭一些事物變化，比如路上的車水馬龍，人來人往；天空中的一些鳥兒飛過和雲彩變化，並不開闊。那麼，注意到這些「變化」，不起念頭追究；這樣對嗎？

答：是的。若能一直這樣，就不會陷在心中的執著裡。

問：按照上面的方法下去，以後會慢慢開闊，對嗎？

答：是的。

 

二○一九年十一月十五日
養和齋　　　　　於加州

 

In an email disciple Mi En asked the following:
Q: Disciple still cannot comprehend as to how to concentrate on the boundless totality of direct experiences. Guru, please reveal it!

A: Good question! Turn one′s attention to changes in direct experiences without raising thoughts to follow and recognize what they are.

Q: Isn′t this consistent with the statement, ″In the absence of thoughts and ideas, as soon as a concept arises, let it go.″, as found in your work,            
″Great Harmony Samadhi″?

A: Yes. But this one is letting go through paying attention to the totality of direct experiences, and not simply letting go.
In an email disciple Yao En asked the following:
Q: Turn one′s attention to changes in direct experiences without raising thoughts to follow and recognize what they are. Is this method the same as abiding in ″naturally free from thoughts″ to realize the transitions in phenomena?

A: The former does not require the ability to be naturally free from thoughts.

Q: In Guru′s recent works there are 3 kinds of method mentioned: 1, repeating ″Amitabha″; 2, after attaining ″naturally free from thoughts″, visualizing Blank Essence; and 3, Transcendence in Totality. If your revelation above is the same as abiding in ″naturally free from thoughts″ to realize the transitions in phenomena, then, isn′t Transcendence in Totality and visualizing Blank Essence the same method? Guru, please expose this topic in detail, thanks!

A: Transcendence in totality does not need to visualize Blank Essence. Visualizing Blank Essence is to realize no ″Self″ through evolution of phenomena.

Q: Guru, please translate the above sentence, 「將注意力轉移到直接經驗中一切變異，而不起意念追究」, into English; on the one hand, to benefit sentient beings in other countries, and on the other hand, in English it takes detail description to convey meanings and thereby it will facilitate disciples in comprehending deeply and grasping the key points, thanks!

A: Turn one′s attention to changes in direct experiences without raising thoughts to follow and recognize what they are.

 

Disciple Mi En sent another email to ask the following:
Q: You mentioned: But this one is letting go through paying attention to the totality of direct experiences, and not simply letting go.
Can one comprehend ″letting go through paying attention to the totality″ as a method of ″substitution″? Namely, previously one was grasping to one point, one event, but now the attention is on the totality, and there is still attention paid, but the extent and field of vision of the mind are expanded to the whole Dharmadhatu.

A: Yes; Dharmadhatu is limitless, and hence any spot will become invisible.

Q: This is like using ″harmonizing″ in Guru’s work, ″The Heart of Sublimation through Limitless-Oneness Compassion Sastra ″, instead of the ″no″ in the ″Heart Sutra″, so that it would be easier for Dharma practitioners to perform Dharma practices, and yet eventually it could also achieve the ultimate goal of merging into the Dharmadhatu.
A: In ″The Heart of Sublimation through Limitless-Oneness Compassion Sastra″, it is ″embracing″ which is used. ″Harmonizing″ makes no distinctions, and one can hardly attain such a state at once. ″Embracing″ is to take in, it doesn′t matter if there is still ″Self″, but all it takes is to be able to open up and take in.

Q: ″In the absence of thoughts and ideas, as soon as a concept arises, let it go. ″, as found in your work, ″ Great Harmony Samadhi ″, it is ″subtraction″ without the need to employ ″substitution″. But later in the same essay it reads, ″In no grasping totality of experiences remains distinctly clear. ″; what is the difference between ″distinctly clear″ and ″paying attention to the totality″?

A: ″distinctly clear″ appears naturally.

Q: In the Comments in ″Great Harmony Samadhi″, it reads: Dharma practitioners who can naturally be without thoughts may practice this according to the teachings given above. Could one say that the goal of 1, repeating ″Amitabha″ and that of 2, paying attention to totality are the same 3, naturally free from thoughts; and then while abiding in naturally free from thoughts, one practices visualizing Blank Essence or ″In the absence of thoughts and ideas, as soon as a concept arises, let it go″, as mentioned in ″Great Harmony Samadhi″ because at this stage one is free from thoughts and no longer needs to resort to the ″substitution″ method of ″paying attention to the totality″?

A: ″Naturally free from thoughts″ is a stage of attainment on the Dharma practice path.
The totality of direct experiences is originally harmonious and indivisible; simply need to neither add nor subtract, that is it. ″Great Harmony Samadhi″ is practicing on this.

 

Disciple Yao En sent another email and asked:
Q: Venerable Guru, in your recent teachings, emphasis is on letting go through paying attention to the totality, without raising thoughts to follow or discern.
Nevertheless, ordinary people cannot at once notice the totality of direct experiences in Dharmadhatu; ordinary people probably can only notice some changes in the environment in vicinity, such as on a road, the passing of traffic and people, and when alone in a room, the changes in inner thoughts. Then, if one practices as you mentioned: paying attention to all changes in direct experiences, without raising thoughts to follow or discern?

A: Then, if one practices as you mentioned: paying attention to all changes in direct experiences, without raising thoughts to follow or discern?
I figure that what you meant was ″how″ but not ″if″.
I reply according to ″how″:
Changes in direct experiences appear naturally. Notice these changes, without making distinctions and choices.

Q: You mentioned ″Turn one′s attention to changes in direct experiences without raising thoughts to follow and recognize what they are. ″; the ″changes″ here, specifically, what do they refer to? Could you be more precise?

A: What one sees, hears, senses and thinks about.

Q: Ordinary people probably can notice only some changes in things and matters in vicinity, such as the traffic and people on the road, birds flew over the sky and changes in clouds, and these are not open much. Then, noticing these changes without raising thoughts to follow or discern. Is it correct then?

A: Yes. If one can sustain thus, then one will not become trapped in one′s inner grasping.

Q: If one continues to practice according to the Dharma practice mentioned above, then gradually one will become more open; is it so?

A: Yes.

 

Written in Chinese on November 15, 2019
Translated into English on May 30, 2021
El Cerrito, California