觀心論疏 3.14

3.14

三棄五蓋者，謂貪欲、瞋恚、睡眠、掉悔、疑。通稱蓋者，蓋覆纏綿，心神昏闇，定慧不發，故名為蓋也。前訶五欲乃是五根對現在五塵發五識，今棄五蓋即是五識轉入意地，追緣過去逆慮未來五塵等法，為心內大障。喻如陶師身中有疾不能執作，蓋亦如是。為妨既深，加之以棄，如剪毒樹，如檢偷賊，不可留也。《大品》云「離欲及惡法」，離欲者，五欲也；如前訶惡法者，五蓋也，宜須急棄。此五蓋者，其相云何？貪欲蓋起，追念昔有時所更五欲，念淨潔色與眼作對，憶可愛聲髣髴在耳，思悅意香開結使門，想於美味甘液流口，億愛諸觸毛竪戰動。貪如此等麁弊五欲，思想計校心生醉惑、忘失正念，或密作方便更望得之，若未曾得，亦復推尋，或當求覓心入塵境無有間念，麁覺蓋禪，禪何由獲？是名貪欲蓋相。瞋恚蓋者，追想是人惱我、惱我親、稱歎我怨，三世九惱怨對結恨，心熱氣麁忿怒相續，百計伺獲欲相中害，危彼安身恣其毒忿暢情為快，如此瞋火燒諸功德，禪定枝林豈得生長？此即瞋蓋相也。睡眠蓋者，心神昏昏、六識闇塞、四支倚放為眠。眠名增心數法，烏闇沈塞密來覆人難可防衛，五情無識猶如死人，但餘片息名為小死。若喜眠者眠則滋多，故經云「若多睡眠懈怠，妨未得不得，已得者退失」。若欲勝道，除睡、疑、放逸，論云：「如人被縛將去殺，爾時云何安可眠？又如臨陣白刃間，如共毒蛇同室居，爾時安可睡？」故經云「中夜誦經以當消息」，競共推求，爭出火宅。尺璧非寶，寸陰是競，今修妙道，安可貪眠？勿昏於理，宜須棄之。掉悔蓋者，若覺觀偏起屬前蓋攝，今覺觀等起遍緣諸法。乍緣貪欲，又想瞋恚及以邪癡，炎炎不停卓卓無住，乍起乍伏種種紛紜。身無趣遊行，口無益談笑，是名為掉。掉而無悔則不成蓋，以其掉故，心地思惟謹慎不節，云何乃作無益之事？實可為恥。心中憂悔，懊結繞心，則成悔蓋。蓋覆禪定，不得開發，故云「悔已莫復憂，不應常念著，不應作而作，應作而不作」，即此意也，是名掉悔蓋相也。疑蓋者，此非見諦障理之疑，乃是障定疑也。疑有三種：一疑自、二疑師、三疑法。一自疑者，謂我身底下必非道器，是疑身。二疑師者，此人身口不稱我懷，何必能有深禪好慧師而事之？三疑法者，所受之法何必中理？三疑猶豫常在懷抱，禪定不發，設得永失，此是疑蓋之相也。棄相云何？行者常自省察：「我今心中何病偏多？」若知病者，應先治之。若貪蓋重，當用不淨觀棄。何故？向謂五欲為淨愛著纏綿；今觀不淨膿囊涕唾無可欣樂，此蓋若去心即得安。若瞋恚蓋多，當念慈心滅除恚火。此火能燒二世功德，人不喜見；今修慈心棄捨此惡，觀一切人父母親想，悉令得樂，作是觀時瞋心即息，安心入禪。若睡蓋多者，當勤精進策勵身心，加意防擬思惟法相，莫以睡眠因緣失二世樂，徒生徒死無一可獲，如入寶山空手而歸深可傷歎，當好制心善巧防却也。若掉散蓋者，應用數息。何以故？此蓋甚利，來時不覺，于久始知，今數息若數不成，或時中忘，即知已去，覺已便數。數相成就則覺觀被伏，若不治之，終身被蓋。若三疑在懷者，作是念：「我身即是大富盲兒，具足無上法身財寶，煩惱所翳道眼未開，莫以疑惑而自毀傷。若疑師者，我今無智，上聖大人皆求其法不取其人，雪山從鬼請偈，天帝拜畜為師。若疑法者，我法眼未開未別是非，憑信而已，佛法如海唯信能入。」故經云「雖示種種道，其實為一乘」，莫疑能詮種種之教，但取所詮之實理，離此三疑，其蓋亦棄也。然斯之五蓋即是生死煩惱惡法，經云「煩惱即菩提，生死即涅槃」。然生死涅槃隨眾生迷悟致有二河之別，而理實無生死，五蓋可棄，涅槃之法可求，是則無棄而棄，名棄五蓋也。

Third, abandoning the five hindrances: namely, sensual desire, ill will, torpor and sleepiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt. They are collectively called "hindrances" because they cover, entangle, make the mind-spirit dim and dark, and prevent concentration and wisdom from arising; hence they are named hindrances. The previous reproval of the five desires was the five sense-organs facing the present five sense-objects to produce the five consciousnesses. Now, abandoning the five hindrances is when the five consciousnesses turn inward to the mind-ground, chasing past conditions and anticipating future dharmas of the five sense-objects, which constitute great inner obstacles to the mind. This is like a potter who has an illness in his body and cannot perform his work; the hindrances are also like this. Since they form such deep obstructions, one must additionally abandon them, like chopping down a poisonous tree or catching a thief—they must not be retained. The Daping states: "Free from desires and evil dharmas." "Free from desires" refers to the five desires, as reproved before; "evil dharmas" refers to the five hindrances, which should be swiftly abandoned. What are the characteristics of these five hindrances? When the hindrance of sensual desire arises, one recalls the five desires experienced in the past, thinking of pure, immaculate forms that faced the eyes; one recalls lovely sounds as if echoing in one's ears; one reflects on delightful scents, opening the gates of the fetters and afflictions; one imagines delicious tastes, causing sweet saliva to flow in the mouth; one recalls lovely touches, making one's hair stand on end and one's body tremble. Greedily desiring such coarse and base five desires, thinking and scheming, the mind becomes drunkenly confused and forgets right mindfulness; or one secretly devises expedients, hoping to obtain them again; or, if not yet obtained, one also searches them out; or when one seeks them, the mind enters sense-objects without any intervening thought. Coarse initial thoughts hinder dhyāna—how then could dhyāna be attained? This is called the characteristic of the hindrance of sensual desire. As for the hindrance of ill will: one recalls that this person harmed me, harmed my relatives, or praised my enemies; in the three times there are nine kinds of harm, harboring grudges and resentment against adversaries, with the mind burning, the breath coarse, and anger continuing uninterrupted; with a hundred schemes one watches for a chance, wishing to strike back and harm them, endangering them to settle oneself, indulging one's venomous wrath, and taking relief of feelings as pleasure. When such a fire of ill will burns away all merits, how could the branches and grove of dhyāna concentration grow? This is the characteristic of the hindrance of ill will. As for the hindrance of torpor and sleepiness: the mind-spirit is dim, the six consciousnesses are blocked in darkness, and the four limbs lie limp; this is sleep. Sleep is called an increased mental factor; black, dark, heavy, and obstructed, it secretly comes to cover a person and is difficult to defend against. The five sense-faculties have no consciousness, just like a dead person; with only a sliver of breath remaining, it is called a little death. If one is fond of sleep, sleep will multiply; therefore a sūtra states: "If one has much sleep and indolence, it obstructs what has not been attained from being attained, and causes what has already been attained to be lost." If one desires the superior Way, eliminate sleep, doubt, and negligence. A treatise states: "Like a man bound and led away to be killed—at that time, how could he possibly sleep? Like facing the battlefield amidst naked blades, or dwelling in the same room with a poisonous snake—at that time, how could one sleep?" Therefore a sūtra says: "Recite sūtras in the middle of the night to keep oneself alert"; competing to investigate and seek, striving to escape the burning house. An eight-inch jade disk is no true treasure; a single inch of time is what to contend for. Now cultivating the marvelous Way, how could one be greedy for sleep? Do not be dim to the principle; you must abandon it. As for the hindrance of restlessness and remorse: if gross and subtle thoughts arise predominantly in isolation, they belong to the previous hindrances; here, gross and subtle thoughts arise together, broadly conditioning all dharmas. At one moment they condition sensual desire, then they imagine ill will and false delusion; flaming continuously, restless and unsettled, now rising, now falling, in diverse confusion. Bodily, one wanders aimlessly; orally, one engages in useless banter and laughter—this is called restlessness. Restlessness without remorse does not constitute a hindrance; but because of this restlessness, when one contemplates in the mind-ground without moderation in caution, one thinks: "Why did I perform such useless deeds? This is truly shameful!" Grief and remorse fill the mind, and distress knots around the heart; then it becomes the hindrance of remorse. Covering dhyāna concentration, it prevents it from developing; hence it is said: "Having repented, do not grieve further; one should not constantly brood over it. What should not have been done was done; what should have been done was not done"—this is precisely the meaning; this is the characteristic of the hindrance of restlessness and remorse. As for the hindrance of doubt: this is not the doubt that obstructs the principle by hindering the vision of the truths; rather, it is the doubt that obstructs concentration. There are three kinds of doubt: first, doubting oneself; second, doubting the master; third, doubting the teaching. First, doubting oneself means thinking, "My person is base and inferior; I am surely not a vessel for the Way"—this is doubting one's person. Second, doubting the master means thinking, "This person's bodily and oral actions do not suit my mind; how can he definitely possess deep dhyāna and fine wisdom, so that I should serve him as a master?" Third, doubting the teaching means thinking, "How can the teaching received definitely hit upon the principle?" These three doubts and hesitations constantly abide in one's heart, dhyāna concentration does not arise, and even if attained, it is permanently lost; this is the characteristic of the hindrance of doubt. What is the characteristic of abandoning them? The practitioner constantly examines himself: "Which affliction is currently predominant in my mind?" Knowing the disease, one should first cure it. If the hindrance of greed is heavy, one should abandon it using the contemplation of impurity. Why? Previously one considered the five desires pure, clinging to them with entangled affection; now, contemplating the impurity of puss-sacks, mucus, and spit, there is nothing to rejoice in or desire. Once this hindrance is gone, the mind attains peace. If the hindrance of ill will is predominant, one should practice loving-kindness to extinguish the fire of resentment. This fire can burn away the merits of two lifetimes, and people dislike seeing it; now cultivating loving-kindness, one abandons this evil, contemplating all people with thoughts of them as parents and relatives, wishing them all to attain bliss. When performing this contemplation, the mind of ill will immediately ceases, and one peacefully enters dhyāna. If the hindrance of sleep is predominant, one should exert energetic diligence, encouraging body and mind, attentively guarding against it and contemplating the characteristics of dharmas. Do not, through the condition of sleep, lose the bliss of two lifetimes, living in vain and dying in vain without obtaining a single thing—like entering a mountain of jewels and returning empty-handed, which is deeply lamentable; one should properly restrain the mind and skillfully ward it off. If the hindrance of restlessness and distraction arises, one should apply the counting of breaths. Why? This hindrance is very sharp; when it comes, one does not notice it, and only realizes it after a long time. Now, when counting breaths, if the count fails or one forgets mid-way, one immediately knows it has drifted away; having noticed, one then counts again. When the characteristics of counting are perfected, gross and subtle thoughts are subdued; if one does not cure it, one will be hindered one's whole life. If the three doubts reside in the heart, reflect in this way: "My person is indeed the blind son of a great wealthy elder, fully endowed with the treasures of the unsurpassed dharmakāya, yet covered by defilements, my eye of the Way is not yet opened; let me not self-destruct through doubt and hesitation. If doubting the master: I currently lack wisdom; the high sages and great persons all seek the Dharma without choosing the person—in the Snow Mountains the Bodhisattva requested a verse from a yakṣa, and the Lord of the Gods bowed to an animal as master. If doubting the teaching: my Dharma-eye is not yet opened, and I cannot yet distinguish right from wrong; I rely merely on faith, for the Buddha-Dharma is like an ocean, which only faith can enter." Therefore a sūtra says: "Although various ways are revealed, in reality it is the One Vehicle." Do not doubt the various teachings that express it; simply seize the true principle that is expressed. Free from these three doubts, their hindrance is also abandoned. Furthermore, these five hindrances are precisely the evil dharmas of the defilements of birth and death; a sūtra states: "Defilements are themselves bodhi; birth and death are themselves nirvāṇa." However, birth and death and nirvāṇa differ like two rivers in accordance with sentient beings' delusion and awakening; yet in principle, there is actually no birth and death or five hindrances to be abandoned, nor is there any dharma of nirvāṇa to be sought. Thus, abandoning without abandoning is called abandoning the five hindrances.