息灭妄想的方法有哪些？除了念佛和止观，观心也能息灭妄想。
What
methods are there to extinguish delusions? In addition to chanting the Buddha's
name and practicing cessation and contemplation, observing the mind can also
extinguish delusions.
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心如流水般念念相续，平常人缺乏观照，总是随着念头东奔西跑。观心就是要认识到心念的虚妄。The
mind flows continuously like water, and ordinary people, lacking observation,
always run around following their thoughts. Observing the mind is to realize
the illusory nature of thoughts.
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心究竟是什么？无非是由一系列经验和概念组成，所以《金刚经》告诉我们：“过去心不可得，现在心不可得，未来心不可得。”这是从时间上透视心念的本质。What
is the mind, after all? It is nothing more than a series of experiences and
concepts. Thus, the Diamond Sutra tells us: “The past mind is
unattainable, the present mind is unattainable, and the future mind is
unattainable.” This perspective reveals the nature of the mind through the
perspective of time.过去心不可得，是说过去已然过去，不必陷入追忆；未来心不可得，是说未来尚未到来，不必随着它跑。在前念过去而后念未生之际，保持中间这段清明的心，所谓“生灭灭已，寂灭现前”。
The
unattainable past mind signifies that the past has already passed and there is
no need to dwell in reminiscence; the unattainable future mind signifies that
the future has not yet arrived and there is no need to chase after it. In the
moment between the passing of the previous thought and the arising of the next
thought, maintain this clear and bright state of mind, as stated: “When the
arising and ceasing cease, tranquility is revealed.”![]()
《楞严经》说：“狂心顿歇，歇即菩提。”临济禅师说：“沿流不止问如何，真照无边说似他，离相离名人不禀，吹毛用了急须磨。”这都是教导我们从观心中认识真心。The Shurangama Sutra says, “When the restless mind ceases, enlightenment
ensues.” Master Linji stated: “How to cease the stream of thoughts constantly
running without ceasing? Only the true mind, as boundless as the void, can cut
off the stream. Detached from forms and names, the true mind remains
unrecognized by the unenlightened. For the enlightened, the wholesome thoughts
must be constantly cultivated, just like ‘a precious sword requires sharpening
after each use.’” All of these are to teach us to recognize our true mind through
observing the mind.
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此外，参话头也能息灭妄想。这是禅宗修行的重要方法之一，话头通常有“念佛是谁？”“父母未生前本来面目是什么？”“无梦无想时主人公是谁？”“一念未生前是什么？”等。
In
addition, investigating a koan can also extinguish delusions. This is one of
the important cultivation methods in Chan Buddhism. Common koan involve the
following questions: Who is chanting the Buddha’s name? What was my original
face before birth? In the state of no dreams and no thoughts, who is the
master? What is it before no thought arises?参话头不可对话头下注解，不可以推理，不可以等开悟，不可以扔掉话头求静，不要给自己讲道理，外界动静一概不管，一路追问下去。When
investigating a koan, we cannot annotate or deduce it; we cannot wait for
enlightenment; we cannot abandon it to seek peace; we cannot reason with
ourselves; instead, we should get to the bottom of it, leaving aside what is
happening outside.
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黄龙禅师对参话头有个比喻：“如灵猫捕鼠，目睛不瞬，诸根顺向，首尾一直。”参话头重在一个“疑”字，祖师云：“大疑大悟，小疑小悟，不疑不悟。”
Chan
master Huanglong offered a metaphor to explain the investigation, “Like a
nimble cat catching a mouse, its eyes unblinking, all senses directed forward,
from head to tail in perfect alignment.”
The
investigation highlights “doubts.” As the ancient masters put it, “Great doubt
leads to great enlightenment; little doubt to little enlightenment; no doubt,
no enlightenment.”要把自己全部身心凝聚在话头上，如活死人一般，不达到这个程度，不算上路。当话头参到得力时，专注一念，心无旁骛，妄想自然无从生起。
One
must become fully immersed in the investigation of these questions, like a
“living dead person.” Without reaching this state, one is not yet on the path.
When one delves deeply into the topic of inquiry, concentrating on a single
thought with undivided attention, delusions naturally cease to arise.作者：济群法师
Excerpted from:
Life’s Suffering and Its Liberation
By Master Jiqun
