從朋友口中聽說"禪七"是大學時候的事了, 當時很好奇, 但因為對宗教的態度一直保持尊重但無法只相信某一宗教, 所以一直沒有特別去注意. 前年因緣際會注意到法鼓山的禪修體驗活動, 看起來著重於生活哲學的"禪"而非"佛教", 所以好奇寶寶我就起了去參加看看的念頭, 我相信生命中多看多聽總是好的. 不過, 去年一直飛來飛去的我始終沒有很積極, 今年終於有緣分和Nicole相約一起去看看所謂的禪修.
之前對佛教不怎麼了解的我其實總是搞不太清楚各個道場和法師, 常常混在一起, 參加這個禪修活動的時候也沒有特別想到聖嚴法師和法鼓山的意義, 倒是我和Nicole第一次報名成功的活動因為聖嚴法師的緣寂而取消, 這樣的因緣才讓我注意到聖嚴法師, 然後緊接而來的是種莫名的親切, 那是種很奇妙的感覺. 直到回到家我才突然想通, 拿起電話打給老弟說: "你知道聖嚴法師像誰嗎?" 老弟說: "像爺爺..." 正是我想的... 那種待人處世的原則, 那種內自省以及利他求善的氣度... 太像了...
談談這個活動. 這是個兩天兩夜的禪修體驗營, 基本上就是個快樂營, 主要是介紹何謂禪, 並經由一些簡單的活動讓我們體驗禪的精神, 活在當下, 慢. 其實回想起來真的很像活再另一個世界. 比如說用很慢很慢的速度走路, 我已經覺得我已經慢到極限了, 但學長走到我前面, 我才知道, 真的, 可以更慢.... 比如說我們早上五點起床, 用慢步精行的方式走在法鼓山的森林裡, 法師要求我們不想過去, 不想未來, 不想風景, 不想蟲鳴鳥叫, 只想自己的存在, 自己的呼吸, 自己的腳步... 比如說要拿著一個裝滿水的水缽走過一個山坡小徑, 水不能滴出來, 然後發現當想加速時水會濺出來, 當在意別人超越時水會濺出來, 當快抵達因高興而疏忽時水也會濺出來, 唯有當我們依著水性而心安定時, 和水對抗的衝突感才會消失. 種種活動都是著重於個人的體驗, 不同人對同一個活動的領悟可能不同, 從別人的領悟分享中也會激發個人的思考.
其實兩天中大約只練習打禪4~5次, 每次約15分鐘, 打坐時一般人都會有各種畫面或雜唸閃過, 原則是"讓它過而不要回應". 法鼓山的法師其實和我刻板印象中的"和尚"形象很不同, 他們很幽默而且很親切, 常常說很多有趣的小故事, 就像打坐的方式也不會說什麼方法一定對, 只求每個人自己舒服.
"身在哪裡, 心在哪裡"是這次學習的重點. 但真正關鍵的是接下來如何在日常生活中練習與執行. "現在所得的, 是過去所造的; 未來所得的, 是現在所做的", 簡短的說, 把握當下! :-)
Although I don't have any religion, I respect most of the religions, as long as the religion leads people to a better world. I heard of certain activities of Zen practice from a friend in the university. I was curious, but didn't really pay attention. Two years ago I noticed of the Zen activity and thought of participating to experience Zen. Due to the intensive traveling schedule, I didn't make it. Finally this year I had the chance to join the two-days camp with Nicole and to take a look of Zen at Dharma Drum Mountain.
I had to admit that I mixed most of the masters and monasteries in my mind. Before participating this event, to me Master Sheng Yen was "one of the famous masters". Seeing him few times in the video, I couldn't explain the feeling of familiarity. Til I went back home, I suddenly knew! I called my brother and asked him "do you know who Master Sheng Yen is like?" Few seconds later, he said "grandfather". Exactly! The deep belief and execution in the principles of treating people and conducting himself in society, including the discipline of examining himself and never blaming others, the decent manner, the virtue of benefiting others first, and etc. are so similar.
Basically this two-days Zen camp is to introduce Zen in an easy way and to let people experience Zen by doing it. Two things to focus were "to live fully in the present" and "slow". The two days in Dharma Drum Mountain were like staying in another world. For example, we were learning how to walk slowly. I thought I already did my best to walk slowly. However when a senior walked in to show me, I realized that I could do it even slower. For example, we woke up at five o'clock in the morning and walked step by step slowly in the mountains. We were asked not to think of the past, the future, the beautiful flowers around, or the cute birds on the trees. We should only be aware of the existing of ourselves at that moment, and think of the current breath and steps, one by one. For example, we were asked to take a bowl full of water to walk along a trail on a hill, without dropping any water. When someone passed me, water dropped a bit. When I wanted to speed up, water dropped a bit. When I almost reached the end point, water dropped a bit. Water dropped whenever my mind/heart was not peaceful. Only when I followed the nature of water and when my mind/heart is in peace, I got the balance without fighting with water.
We were introduced of the method of sitting in meditation as well. It's quite interesting. Lots of pictures and thoughts would fly through our minds during the meditation. However we should just let them pass and don't "response". Zen is a living philosophy. Each person might have different thought and realization from the same activity. One thing I like Dharma Drum Mountain is that the masters there don't subjectively tell you what the "only" right way to do it. Instead, they care whether you are comfortable. They are very humor and always have little stories to tell and share.
There are many wise words leading to liberation. "Put your heart at the moment where your body is" was what we learned by really doing it during the two days. However the following practice and execution in the real lives will be the crucial tasks. "what you have results from what you created; what you will gain hinges on what you are creating." In short, cease the moment! :-)
