A Pre-Buddhist Meditation System and its Early Modifications by Gotama the Bodhisattva (II)

本文主要透過(雙念經)(Dvedhavitakka-sutta)的研究以評估喬達摩(Gotama)於菩薩時期對於沙門襌修體系的貢獻。整部經是二篇不同教說的組合體，其一篇文中所譯資料的第一部份，另外是第二和第三部份。資料的第一部份呈現出二種傳承的混融，傳承之一是佛陀關於二類心念的教說，第二種述說喬達摩於菩薩時期對於這二類心念的實際奮鬥過程。依據第二種傳承，喬達摩對欲念、恚念、害念諸種惡念進行負面批評(adversely criticising)，因而捨棄諸種惡念；然後透過正面評價以開發相對的出離念、無恚念、無害念三種善念。負面批評和正面評價二者的內容分別是關於善念和惡念之有利影響和有害影響，並且與般若(panna)、涅槃(nibbana)沒有關連。第一部份原本為一篇獨立的教說，而且不能視為第二和第三部份的前行序章。但我們沒有理由懷疑在包含於第一部份的傳承中，喬達摩重視意戒甚於身戒的真實性，這是喬達摩偏離於傳統沙門襌定修習的一點。第二和第三部份說明喬達摩修習以獲得覺悟(bodhi)和其他諸明(vijja)的襌修體系。四種色襌(rupajhana)是此體系的重要組成部份。他依循的襌定公式(jhanaformular)略去了發現於最上現法涅槃論者(Parama-ditthadhamma-nibbanavadin)之色襌公式中的「最上現法涅槃」一詞，這項改變最早是由修習無色定(Arupya-samapatti)的苦行者所提出的，後來喬達摩接受了這項改變，公式的其他部份則保留不變。「我」(atta)一詞是後來喬達摩成佛之後，於說法時捨去。這顯示了喬達摩依循傳統的襌修方法，並且獲得相同於先前由其他沙門所體證到的襌定狀態，但他對樿定狀態的評估有所不同。他像無色襌者(Arupyavadin)一樣，拒絕了將各種樂受(vedana)作為涅槃--最終極的精神目標--的解釋，相反地，他只重視淨念等心靈特質，它們能夠讓他在第四襌中經驗到不苦不樂的捨受。他正確地辨識出這種襌定狀態為到達較高精神目標的方法。他不重現任何暫時離苦的主觀快樂經驗，所以他能夠捨棄對不苦不樂受的執著，但不像無色襌者一樣，他並未進入空無邊處等襌定狀態。因此，他保持的心靈狀態是捨棄對任何所觀對象之心靈反應的執著，因而是完全覺醒的，全然專注的。這種心靈狀態是對沙門文化的特殊貢獻，而且是他最重視者。他應用這種心靈狀態以獲得三明(vijja)，其中之一是覺悟(bodhi)完滿的智慧。覺悟的第一種表達是關於漏(asrava)之絕對客觀的和完全的了知，這種了知使他脫離一再重覆的生死輪迴，而且他知道自己已獲得解脫，永不再生。喬達摩獲得的這種解脫可以稱為「心解脫」(cetovimutti)。透過特定的心靈狀態之助，以趨進和獲致覺悟，喬達摩完全離開了沙門們走過的道路，並且革新了沙門的精神世界。

關鍵字

特殊的心靈狀態；三明；慧解脫；心解脫

並列摘要

In the present article we have mainly studied the Dvedhavitakka-sutta for evaluating Gotama the Bodhisattva's contribution to the sramana system of meditation. The entire sutta represents an amalgam of two different pieces of teachings, one of which is recorded in the First Part of the translated materials and the other is contained in the Second and Third parts of the same. The First Part of the materials presents an intermingling of two traditions; one of these traditions is concerned with the Buddha's teaching about the two types of thoughts while the other narrates the actual strivings of Gotama the Bodhisattva regarding the same two types of thoughts. According to the second tradition Gotama got rid of the evil thoughts of desire, malevolence and violence by adversely criticising them and then he developed the opposite good thoughts of renunciation, benevolence and compassion through appreciative deliberations. The contents of both the adverse criticism and the appreciative deliberations are concerned with the wholesome and unwholesome effects of the good thoughts and the evil thoughts respectively, and in no way associated with panna and nibbana. The First Part was originally an independent piece of teaching and cannot be regarded as a prelude to the second and third parts. But we have no reason to doubt the authenticity of the tradition contained in the First Part that Gotama valued the mental morality more than the physical morality. It is one of the points in which Gotama deviated from the traditional spiritual practices of the sramanas. The Second Part and the Third Part give an account of the meditative system by practising which Gotama attained bodhi and other vijjas. The four rupa jhanas constituted an important part of this system. The jhana formulas he followed omit the term parama-ditthadhamma-nibbanam found in the rupa jhana formulas of the Parama-ditthadhamma-nibbanavadins. This change was first made by the ascetics practising the Arupya-samapattis, and Gotama later accepted it. The rest of the formulas has been preserved unaltered. The term atta was dropped later by Gotama the Buddha when he preached the dhamma. This shows that Gotama followed the traditional meditative techniques and attained identical jhanic states previously realised by the other sramanas but his evaluation of the jhanic states was different. He, like the Arupyavadins, rejected the interpretation of the various pleasant feelings (vedana) as nibbana, the ultimate spiritual goal. On the other hand he alone appreciated the mental qualities of purified mindfulness etc. that enabled him to experience the neutral feeling of adukkhamasukham in the fourth rupa jhana. This jhanic state he rightly recognised as a means to higher spiritual goal. He did not value any subjective pleasant experience which was temporarily free from dukkha. So he was able to get detached from the feeling of adukkham-asukham, but unlike the Arupyavadins he did not enter into any trance-like state of infinite space etc. Consequently the mental state in which he remained was detached from mental reaction to any object observed and so was fully alert, perfectly mindful and concentrated. This mental state was a unique contribution to the sramana culture and was most valued by him. This special mental state he applied to gain three knowledges (vijja), one of which was bodhi, the complete and perfect wisdom. The first expression of the bodhi was the absolutely objective and complete knowledge concerning the asravas. This knowledge took him out of the cycle of repeated births and deaths. And he knew that he had become liberated, never to be born again. The liberation which Gotama attained may be termed 'cetovimutti'. By going for and attaining bodhi with the help of the special mental state Gotama completely broke away from the trodden path of the sramanas and revolutionised the spiritual world of the samanas.