Meditation (4)

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Krishnamurti - Meditation
Bản dịch Vũ Toàn

MEDITATIONS

Jiddu Krishnamurti

Selections made by Evelyne Blau

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Thieàn

Ngöôøi dòch Vuõ Toaøn

Thieàn laø truùt khoûi taâm nhöõng gì ñaõ bieát. Nhöõng gì ñaõ bieát laø quaù khöù. Söï troáng khoâng khoâng ôû vaøo luùc cuoái cuøng cuûa söï huaân taäp, maø ñuùng ra noù coù nghóa laø khoâng huaân taäp gì caû. Nhöõng gì ñaõ ñöôïc huaân taäp chæ coù theå truùt boû trong hieän taïi, khoâng phaûi baèng yù nghó maø baèng haønh ñoäng, baèng vieäc laøm cuûa caùi “ñang laø.” Quaù khöù laø söï di chuyeån cuûa keát luaän naøy ñeán keát luaän khaùc, vaø söï phaùn xeùt caùi “ñang laø” baèng keát luaän. Moïi phaùn xeùt ñeàu laø keát luaän, duø thuoäc veà quaù khöù hay hieän taïi; chính keát luaän ngaên trôû söï thöôøng xuyeân truùt khoûi taâm nhöõng gì ñaõ bieát, vì nhöõng gì ñaõ bieát luoân luoân laø keát luaän, laø xaùc quyeát.

Nhöõng gì ñaõ bieát laø haønh ñoäng cuûa yù chí, vaø söï hieän haønh cuûa yù chí laø söï tieáp dieãn cuûa nhöõng gì ñaõ bieát, nhö vaäy haønh ñoäng cuûa yù chí khoâng theå laøm cho taâm roãng rang.

Meditation is emptying the mind of the known. The known is the past. The emptying is not at the end of accumulation but rather it means not to accumulate at all. What has been is emptied only in the present, not by thought but by action, by the doing of “what is.” The past is the movement of conclusion to conclusion, and the judgement of “what is” by the conclusion. All judgement is conclusion, whether it be of the past or of the present, and it is this conclusion that prevents the constant emptying of the mind of the known; for the known is always conclusion, determination.

The known is the action of will, and the will in operation is the continuation of the known, so the action of will cannot possibly empty the mind.

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Toaøn theå cuoäc soáng cuûa chuùng ta ñeàu ñaët treân yù nghó, laø caùi coù theå ño löôøng ñöôïc. YÙ nghó ño löôøng Thöôïng ñeá, yù nghó ño löôøng quan heä cuûa chính noù vôùi ngöôøi khaùc qua hình aûnh. YÙ nghó tìm caùch caûi thieän töï thaân cho ñuùng vôùi caùi maø noù nghó noù phaûi laø. Chuùng ta soáng trong moät theá giôùi cuûa söï ño löôøng moät caùch khoâng caàn thieát, vaø vôùi theá giôùi ñoù chuùng ta muoán ñi vaøo moät theá giôùi trong ñoù khoâng heà coù söï ño löôøng. Thieàn laø thaáy caùi “ñang laø” vaø vöôït ra ngoaøi noù - thaáy caùi höõu haïn vaø vöôït ra khoûi caùi höõu haïn.

All our life is based on thought which is measurable. It measures God, it measures its relationship with another through the image. It tries to improve itself according to what it thinks it should be. So unnecessarily we live in a world of measurement, and with that world we want to enter into a world in which there is no measurement at all. Meditation is the seeing of “what is” and going beyond it - seeing the measure and going beyond the measure.

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Thieàn laø truùt boû noäi dung cuûa yù thöùc. Ñoù laø yù nghóa vaø chieàu saâu cuûa thieàn, truùt boû toaøn theå noäi dung - yù nghó chaám döùt.

Thieàn laø chuù yù maø trong ñoù khoâng heà coù söï ghi nhaän. Thöôøng thì boä oùc ghi nhaän haàu heát moïi thöù, tieáng oàn, ngoân töø ñöôïc söû duïng; noù ghi nhaän nhö moät baêng töø. Lieäu coù theå naøo boä oùc khoâng ghi nhaän ngoaïi tröø nhöõng gì toái caàn thieát? Taïi sao toâi laïi ghi nhaän moät söï sæ nhuïc? Taïi sao theá? Taïi sao toâi laïi ghi nhaän söï taâng boác? Ñieàu ñoù khoâng caàn thieát. Taïi sao toâi laïi ghi nhaän nhöõng xuùc phaïm? Nhö theá, chæ neân ghi nhaän nhöõng gì caàn thieát ñeå sinh hoaït trong cuoäc soáng haøng ngaøy - nhö moät chuyeân vieân kyõ thuaät, moät ngöôøi vieát vaên, vaân vaân - nhöng veà phöông dieän taâm lyù, thì chaúng caàn ghi nhaän gì caû. Trong thieàn khoâng coù söï ghi nhaän taâm lyù, khoâng coù söï ghi nhaän naøo ngoaøi nhöõng söï kieän thöïc teá cuûa ñôøi soáng, nhö ñeán vaên phoøng, laøm vieäc trong nhaø maùy, vaân vaân, ngoaøi ra khoâng coøn gì khaùc. Töø ñoù söï im laëng tuyeät ñoái khôûi sinh vì yù nghó ñaõ chaám döùt - ngoaïi tröø ñeå sinh hoaït trong tröôøng hôïp toái caàn. Thôøi gian chaám döùt, vaø luùc ñoù coù moät söï vaän haønh hoaøn toaøn khaùc bieät, trong im laëng.

Meditation is the emptying of the content of consciousness. That is the meaning and the depth of meditation, the emptying of all the content - thought coming to an end.

Meditation is the attention in which there is no registration. Normally the brain is registering almost everything, the noise, the words which are being used; it is registering like a tape. Now is it possible for the brain not to register except that which is absolutely necessary? Why should I register an insult? Why? Why should I register flattery? It is unnecessary. Why should I register any hurts? Therefore, register only that which is necessary in order to operate in daily life - as a technician, a writer and so on - but psychologically, do not register anything. In meditation there is no registration psychologically, no registration except the practical facts of living, going to the office, working in a factory, and so on - nothing else. Out of that comes complete silence, because thought has come to and end - except to function only where it is absolutely necessary. Time has come to an end, and there is a totally different kind of movement, in silence.

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Lieäu baïn coù theå thöïc haønh söï tænh thöùc? Neáu ñang “thöïc haønh” söï tænh thöùc thì baïn khoâng chuù yù. Nhö vaäy, bieát ñöôïc mình khoâng chuù yù thì baïn khoâng caàn phaûi thöïc haønh. Baïn chaúng caàn phaûi sang Mieán Ñieän, Trung Quoác, AÁn ñoä, nhöõng nôi raát thô moäng nhöng khoâng thöïc teá. Toâi nhôù coù laàn du lòch baèng xe hôi ôû AÁn ñoä vôùi moät nhoùm ngöôøi. Luùc ñoù toâi ngoài ôû phía tröôùc cuøng vôùi taøi xeá. Ba ngöôøi ngoài phía sau tranh caõi raát soâi noåi veà söï tænh thöùc, vaø hoï muoán baøn luaän vôùi toâi veà söï tænh thöùc laø gì. Chieác xe chaïy khaù nhanh. Coù moät con deâ ñöùng giöõa ñöôøng, vaø ngöôøi taøi xeá khoâng chuù yù cho laém neân ñaõ caùn cheát con vaät toäi nghieäp. Nhöõng ngöôøi ngoài phía sau vaãn coøn tranh luaän veà söï tænh thöùc, nhöng khoâng heà hay bieát nhöõng gì vöøa xaûy ra! Caùc baïn cöôøi, nhöng ñoù chính laø nhöõng gì taát caû chuùng ta ñang laøm.

Can you practice awareness? If you are “practicing” awareness, then you are being inattentive. So, be aware of inattention, you do not have to practice. You do not have to go to Burma, China, India, places which are romantic but not factual. I remember once travelling in a car in India with a group of people. I was sitting in the front with the driver. There were three behind who were talking about awareness, wanting to discuss with me what awareness is. The car was going very fast. A goat was in the road, and the driver did not pay much attention and ran over the poor animal. The gentlemen behind were discussing what is awareness, but they never knew what had happened! You laugh, but that is what we are all doing.

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Trong söï chuù yù hoaøn toaøn cuûa thieàn khoâng heà coù caùi bieát, khoâng heà coù söï nhaän bieát qua hoài töôûng, cuõng khoâng heà coù söï nhôù laïi moät caùi gì ñoù ñaõ töøng xaûy ra. Thôøi gian vaø yù nghó hoaøn toaøn chaám döùt, vì chuùng laø caùi taâm ñieåm töï giôùi haïn taàm nhìn cuûa chính noù.

Ngay khi coù aùnh saùng thì yù nghó tan bieán, vaø coá gaéng höõu thöùc ñeå kinh nghieäm vaø ghi nhôù noù laø ngoân töø ñaõ qua. Maø ngoân töø thì khoâng bao giôø laø caùi noù dieãn taû. Vaøo luùc ñoù - khoâng thuoäc veà thôøi gian - caùi toái haäu laø caùi töùc thôøi, nhöng caùi toái haäu ñoù khoâng coù bieåu töôïng; noù khoâng thuoäc veà con ngöôøi, vaø cuõng khoâng thuoäc veà thaàn thaùnh.

In the total attention of meditation there is no knowing, no recognition, nor the remembrance of something that has happened. Time and thought have entirely come to an end, for they are the center which limits its own vision.

At the moment of light, thought withers away, and the conscious effort to experience and the remembrance of it, is the word that has been. And the word is never the actual. At that moment - which is not of time - the ultimate is the immediate, but that ultimate has no symbol, is of no person, of no god.

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Toaøn theå chaâu AÙ baøn veà thieàn; ñaây laø moät trong nhöõng thoùi quen cuûa hoï, cuõng nhö thoùi quen tin vaøo Thöôïng ñeá hay moät caùi gì khaùc. Moãi ngaøy hoï ngoài khoaûng möôøi phuùt trong moät caên phoøng yeân tónh vaø “thieàn,” hoï taäp trung, ñaët taâm vaøo moät hình aûnh, do chính hoï veõ ra hay do moät ai ñoù maùch baûo qua tuyeân truyeàn. Trong möôøi phuùt ñoù hoï tìm caùch kieàm cheá taâm; caùi taâm cöù laêng xaêng lui tôùi vaø hoï ñaùnh vaät vôùi noù. Hoï chôi caùi troø naøy khoâng ngöng nghæ, vaø ñoù laø caùi hoï goïi laø thieàn.

Neáu moät ngöôøi khoâng bieát gì veà thieàn thì caàn phaûi tìm hieåu thieàn laø gì moät caùch thöïc söï, chöù khoâng phaûi theo ai ñoù; töï tìm hieåu thieàn moät caùch thöïc söï coù theå ñöa moät ngöôøi ñeán choã khoâng coù gì caû hoaëc coù taát caû. Moät ngöôøi caàn tìm hieåu, ñaët caâu hoûi ñoù, nhöng ñöøng mong ñôò.

The whole of Asia talks about meditation; it is one of their habits, as it is a habit to believe in God or something else. They sit for ten minutes a day in a quiet room and “meditate,” concentrate, fix their mind on an image, an image created by themselves, or by somebody who has offered that image through propaganda. During those ten minutes they try to control the mind; the mind wants to go back and forth and they battle with it. They play that game everlastingly, and that is what they call meditation.

If one does not know anything about meditation, then one has to find out what it is - actually, not according to anybody, and that may lead one to nothing or it may lead one to everything. One must inquire, ask that question, without any expectation.

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Ñoái vôùi haàu heát chuùng ta, ñeïp phaûi ôû trong moät caùi gì ñoù, trong moät kieán truùc, trong moät ñaùm maây, trong hình daùng cuûa moät caùi caây, trong moät khuoân maët myõ mieàu. Lieäu ñeïp coù ôû “ngoaøi kia,” hay noù laø moät phaåm chaát cuûa taâm maø trong ñoù khoâng coù haønh vi höôùng ngaõ? Vì, cuõng nhö hyû laïc, hieåu ñöôïc caùi ñeïp laø thieát yeáu trong thieàn.

For most of us, beauty is in something, in a building, in a cloud, in the shape of a tree, in a beautiful face. Is beauty “out there,” or is it a quality of mind that has no self-centered activity? Because, like joy, the understanding of beauty is essential in meditation.

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Thieàn laø truùt boû moïi yù nghó khoûi taâm, vì yù nghó vaø caûm thoï laøm tieâu hao raát nhieàu söùc löïc; chuùng coù ñaëc tính laäp ñi laäp laïi, taïo ra nhöõng sinh hoaït maùy moùc ñöôïc xem nhö moät phaàn quan yeáu cuûa cuoäc soáng. Nhöng chuùng chæ laø moät phaàn, yù nghó vaø caûm thoï khoâng theå naøo nhaäp vaøo söï voâ bieân cuûa söï soáng. Caàn phaûi coù moät caùch tieáp caän hoaøn toaøn khaùc, khoâng phaûi con ñöôøng cuûa thoùi quen, cuûa lieân töôûng vaø nhöõng gì ñaõ bieát; phaûi hoaøn toaøn töï do khoâng coøn nhöõng thöù naøy. Thieàn laø truùt boû nhöõng gì ñaõ bieát khoûi taâm. Ñieàu naøy khoâng theå ñöôïc thöïc hieän baèng yù nghó hay baèng söï thoâi thuùc ngaám ngaàm cuûa yù nghó, cuõng khoâng phaûi baèng söï mong muoán döôùi hình thöùc caàu nguyeän, cuõng khoâng phaûi qua söï töï kyû aùm thò baèng töø ngöõ, hình aûnh, hy voïng vaø nhöõng troø hö huyeãn. Taát caû nhöõng thöù naøy phaûi chaám döùt moät caùch deã daøng, khoâng moät coá gaéng hay löïa choïn, trong ngoïn löûa cuûa söï tænh thöùc.

Meditation is the emptying the mind of all thought, for thought and feeling dissipate energy; they are repetitive, producing mechanical activities which are a necessary part of existence. But they are only part, and thought and feeling cannot possibly enter into the immensity of life. Quite a different approach is necessary, not the path of habit, association and the known; there must be freedom from these. Meditation is the emptying of the mind of the known. It cannot be done by thought or by the hidden prompting of thought, nor by desire in the form of prayer, nor through the self-effacing hypnotism of words, images, hopes and vanities. All these have to come to and end, easily, without effort and choice, in the flame of awareness.

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Chæ caùi taâm tónh laëng môùi hieåu ñöôïc raèng trong moät caùi taâm yeân tònh coù moät söï vaän haønh hoaøn toaøn khaùc bieät, thuoäc veà moät chieàu kích khaùc, thuoäc veà moät phaåm chaát khaùc. Caùi ñoù khoâng bao giôø coù theå dieãn taû ñöôïc baèng ngoân töø, vì noù baát khaû dieãn taû. Nhöõng gì coù theå dieãn taû laø ñeán ñöôïc ñieåm naøy, ñieåm maø baïn ñaõ ñaët ñöôïc neàn taûng vaø thaáy ñöôïc tính caàn thieát, söï thaät, vaø caùi ñeïp cuûa moät caùi taâm tónh laëng.

It is only the still mind that understands that in a quiet mind there is a movement that is totally different, that is of a different dimension, of a different quality. That can never be put into words, because it is indescribable. What can be described is what comes up to this point, the point when you have laid the foundation and seen the necessity, the truth, and the beauty of a still mind.

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Thieàn laø söï voâ tö cuûa hieän taïi, vaø do ñoù thieàn luoân luoân moät mình. Caùi taâm hoaøn toaøn moät mình, khoâng bò taùc ñoäng bôûi yù nghó thì chaám döùt huaân taäp. Nhö theá söï troáng roãng cuûa taâm luoân luoân ôû trong hieän taïi. Ñoái vôùi caùi taâm moät mình thì töông lai - töùc laø caùi thuoäc veà quaù khöù - chaám döùt. Thieàn laø moät chuyeån ñoäng, noù khoâng phaûi moät keát luaän, vaø cuõng khoâng phaûi laø moät cöùu caùnh ñeå ñaït ñeán.

Moät ngöôøi caàn phaûi hieåu roõ vaán ñeà quaù khöù naøy - quaù khöù laø ngaøy hoâm qua, thoâng qua hoâm nay, hình thaønh töông lai töø nhöõng gì thuoäc veà hoâm qua. Lieäu caùi taâm ñoù - keát quaû cuûa thôøi gian, cuûa söï tieán hoùa - khoâng coøn quaù khöù? Ñieàu naøy coù nghóa laø cheát ñi. Chæ coù caùi taâm bieát ñöôïc nhö theá, caùi taâm ñoù môùi chôït hieåu ra moät ñieàu goïi laø thieàn. Neáu khoâng hieåu roõ taát caû nhöõng ñieàu naøy maø loay hoay haønh thieàn thì chæ laø moät söï töôûng töôïng treû con.

Meditation is the innocence of the present, and therefore it is always alone. The mind that is completely alone, untouched by thought, ceases to accumulate. So the emptying of the mind is always in the present. For the mind that is alone, the future - which is of the past - ceases. Meditation is a movement, not a conclusion, not an end to be achieved.

One must really understand this question of the past - the past as yesterday, through today, shaping tomorrow from what has been yesterday. Can that mind, which is the result of time, of evolution, be free of the past? Which is to die. It is only a mind that knows this, that can come upon this thing called meditation. Without understanding all this, to try to meditate is just childish imagination.

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Coù bao giôø baïn thöû, trong ngaøy quan saùt maø khoâng söûa chöõa, bieát roõ maø khoâng löïa choïn, quan saùt yù nghó cuûa mình, nhöõng gì thuùc ñaåy mình haønh ñoäng, nhöõng gì mình noùi, caùch mình ngoài, caùch mình duøng töø ngöõ, cöû chæ cuûa mình - chæ quan saùt?

Have you ever tried, during the day, to be watchful without correction, aware without choice, watching your thought, your motives, what you are saying, how you are sitting, the manner of your usage of words, your gestures - watching?

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Lieäu taâm coù theå trôû neân im laëng? Toâi khoâng bieát baïn seõ laøm gì khi nhaän ra vaán ñeà, khi thaáy ñöôïc söï caàn thieát, söï thaät veà ñieàu caàn coù caùi taâm linh hoaït, vi teá, nghóa laø moät caùi taâm tuyeät ñoái im laëng. Laøm sao ñieàu naøy coù theå xaûy ra? Ñaây laø vaán ñeà cuûa thieàn vì moät caùi taâm nhö theá môùi laø ñaïo taâm. Chæ caùi taâm nhö theá môùi thaáy toaøn theå cuoäc soáng laø moät ñôn vò duy nhaát, moät söï vaän haønh chung nhaát, khoâng manh muùm. Do ñoù caùi taâm nhö theá haønh ñoäng moät caùch toaøn dieän maø khoâng rôøi raïc, vì noù haønh ñoäng töø moät söï tónh laëng hoaøn toaøn.

Can the mind become quiet? I don’t know what you are going to do about it when you see the problem, when you see the necessity, the truth of having this delicate, subtle mind, which is absolutely quiet. How is it to happen? This is the problem of meditation, because only such a mind is a religious mind. It is only such a mind that sees the whole of life as a unit, as a unitary movement, not fragmented. Therefore such a mind acts totally, not fragmentarily, because it acts out of complete stillness.

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Lieäu cuoäc caùch maïng noäi taâm trieät ñeå coù theå xaûy ra ngay laäp töùc? Noù coù theå xaûy ra ngay laäp töùc khi baïn thaáy ñöôïc söï nguy hieåm cuûa taát caû nhöõng ñieàu naøy. Cuõng gioáng nhö khi troâng thaáy söï nguy hieåm cuûa moät vaùch nuùi cheo leo, moät con thuù döõ, moät con raén ñoäc, thì luùc ñoù môùi coù haønh ñoäng töùc thôøi. Nhöng chuùng ta khoâng thaáy ñöôïc moái nguy hieåm cuûa taát caû söï phaân chia xaûy ra khi caùi “ngaõ,” caùi “toâi” trôû neân quan troïng, vaø söï phaân chia giöõa caùi “toâi” vaø caùi “khoâng phaûi toâi.” Ngay khi coù söï phaân chia ñoù trong baïn thì xung ñoät chaéc chaén xaûy ra, vaø xung ñoät laø nguoàn goác cuûa moïi xaáu xa. Nhö vaäy, moät ngöôøi phaûi tìm ra cho chính mình caùi ñeïp cuûa thieàn vì luùc ñoù taâm - töï do vaø khoâng coøn bò ñieàu kieän hoùa - môùi nhaän thöùc ñöôïc caùi gì laø chaân lyù.

Can this radical inward revolution happen instantly? It can happen instantly when you see the danger of all this. It is like seeing the danger of a precipice, of a wild animal, of a snake; then there is instant action. But we do not see the danger of all this fragmentation which takes place when the “self,” the “me,” becomes important - and the fragmentation of the “me” and the “not me.” The moment there is that fragmentation in yourself there must be conflict; and conflict is the very root of corruption. So, it behooves one to find out for oneself the beauty of meditation, for then the mind, being free and unconditioned, perceives what is true.

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Thieàn laø söï truùt boû hoaøn toaøn noäi dung cuûa taâm. Luùc ñoù chæ coù söï hoaït ñoäng cuûa thaân, chæ coù söï hoaït ñoäng cuûa moät cô theå soáng vaø khoâng coù gì khaùc; luùc ñoù yù nghó hoaït ñoäng maø khoâng coù söï nhaän dieän caùi “toâi” vaø caùi “khoâng phaûi toâi.” YÙ nghó laø maùy moùc, moät cô theå soáng cuõng vaäy. Ñieàu gaây xung ñoät laø yù nghó ñoàng hoùa töï thaân vôùi moät trong nhöõng thaønh phaàn cuûa noù ñeå trôû thaønh caùi toâi, caùi ngaõ vaø voâ soá nhöõng phaân chia trong caùi ngaõ ñoù. Caùi ngaõ chaúng bao giôø laø caàn thieát. Khoâng coù gì khaùc ngoaøi thaân xaùc, vaø töï do cuûa taâm chæ xaûy ra khi yù nghó khoâng coøn nuoâi döôõng caùi “toâi.”

Meditation really is a complete emptying of the mind. Then there is only the functioning of the body; there is only the activity of the organism and nothing else; then thought functions without identification as the “me” and the “not me.” Thought is mechanical, as is the organism. What creates conflict is thought identifying itself with one of its parts which becomes the me, the self and the various divisions in that self. There is no need for the self at any time. There is nothing but the body, and freedom of the mind can happen only when thought is not breeding the “me.”

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Ñaëc tính cuûa thieàn vaøo saùng hoâm nay laø voâ, hoaøn toaøn troáng vaéng thôøi gian vaø khoâng gian. Ñaây laø moät thöïc teá, khoâng phaûi moät yù töôûng hay nghòch lyù cuûa nhöõng suy dieãn ñoái nghòch. Moät ngöôøi coù theå phaùt hieän söï troáng roãng laï luøng naøy khi goác reã cuûa moïi vaán ñeà tan bieán. Goác reã ñoù laø yù nghó; yù nghó phaân chia vaø thuû chaáp. Trong thieàn taâm thöïc söï trôû neân troáng vaéng quaù khöù, maëc duø noù vaãn coù theå duøng quaù khöù nhö yù nghó. Traïng thaùi naøy dieãn ra suoát ngaøy; ban ñeâm giaác nguû hoaøn toaøn khoâng coù ngaøy hoâm qua vaø do ñoù taâm ñaït ñeán caùi voâ thôøi.

On this morning the quality of meditation was nothingness, the total emptiness of time and space. It is a fact and not an idea or the paradox of opposing speculations. One finds this strange emptiness when the root of all problems withers away. This root is thought, the thought that divides and holds. In meditation the mind actually becomes empty of the past, though it can use the past as thought. This goes on throughout the day and at night sleep is the emptiness of yesterday and therefor the mind touches that which is timeless.

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Thieàn laø truùt khoûi taâm nhöõng gì ñaõ bieát. Nhöõng gì ñaõ bieát laø quaù khöù. Söï troáng khoâng khoâng ôû vaøo luùc cuoái cuøng cuûa söï huaân taäp, maø ñuùng ra noù coù nghóa laø khoâng huaân taäp gì caû. Nhöõng gì ñaõ ñöôïc huaân taäp chæ coù theå truùt boû trong hieän taïi, khoâng phaûi baèng yù nghó maø baèng haønh ñoäng, baèng vieäc laøm cuûa caùi “ñang laø.” Quaù khöù laø söï di chuyeån cuûa keát luaän naøy ñeán keát luaän khaùc, vaø söï phaùn xeùt caùi “ñang laø” baèng keát luaän. Moïi phaùn xeùt ñeàu laø keát luaän, duø thuoäc veà quaù khöù hay hieän taïi; chính keát luaän ngaên trôû söï thöôøng xuyeân truùt khoûi taâm nhöõng gì ñaõ bieát, vì nhöõng gì ñaõ bieát luoân luoân laø keát luaän, laø xaùc quyeát.

Meditation is emptying the mind of the known. The known is the past. The emptying is not at the end of accumulation but rather it means not to accumulate at all. What has been is emptied only in the present, not by thought but by action, by the doing of “what is.” The past is the movement of conclusion to conclusion, and the judgement of “what is” by the conclusion. All judgement is conclusion, whether it be of the past or of the present, and it is this conclusion that prevents the constant emptying of the mind of the known; for the known is always conclusion, determination.

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Thieàn laø moät trong nhöõng ñieàu nghieâm tuùc nhaát; baïn thieàn suoát ngaøy, ôû nôi laøm vieäc, vôùi gia ñình, khi baïn noùi vôùi ai ñoù “Ta yeâu ngöôøi,” khi baïn nghó ñeán con caùi cuûa mình. Roài baïn daïy chuùng trôû thaønh chieán só, cheùm gieát, daân toäc hoùa, toân kính quoác kyø, baïn daäy chuùng ñi vaøo caùi baãy cuûa theá giôùi hieän ñaïi; haõy quan saùt taát caû nhöõng thöù ñoù, nhaän ra vai troø cuûa baïn trong ñoù; nhaän ra taát caû nhöõng thöù ñoù laø moät phaàn cuûa thieàn. Vaø khi thieàn baïn seõ nhaän ra trong thieàn coù moät caùi ñeïp laï thöôøng, baïn luoân luoân haønh ñoäng ñuùng trong moïi luùc, vaø neáu khoâng haønh ñoäng ñuùng vaøo moät luùc naøo ñoù thì cuõng chaúng quan troïng, baïn seõ laøm laïi - baïn khoâng phí thôøi gian trong söï hoái tieác. Thieàn laø moät phaàn cuûa cuoäc soáng maø khoâng phaûi caùi gì ñoù khaùc bieät vôùi cuoäc soáng.

Meditation is one of the most serious things; you do it all day, in the office, with the family, when you say to somebody, “I love you,” when you are considering your children. Then you educate them to become soldiers, to kill, to be nationalized, worshiping the flag, educating them to enter into this trap of the modern world; watching all that, realizing your part in it, all that is part of meditation. And when you meditate you will find in it an extraordinary beauty; you will act rightly at every moment; and if you do not act rightly at a given moment it does not matter, you will pick it up again - you will not waste time in regret. Meditation is part of life, not something different from life.

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Khi chu du theá giôùi moät ngöôøi coù theå thaáy nhöõng tình traïng khuûng khieáp cuûa söï ngheøo ñoùi vaø nhöõng xaáu xa trong quan heä giöõa con ngöôøi vôùi con ngöôøi; roõ raøng laø caàn phaûi coù moät cuoäc caùch maïng toaøn dieän. Caàn phaûi coù moät neàn vaên hoùa môùi. Neàn vaên hoùa cuõ gaàn nhö taøn luïi nhöng chuùng ta vaãn baùm víu laáy noù. Nhieàu ngöôøi treû noåi loaïn choáng laïi noù, nhöng ñaùng tieác thay hoï chöa tìm ra ñöôïc moät phöông saùch, moät phöông tieän ñeå chuyeån hoùa caùi phaåm chaát thieát yeáu cuûa con ngöôøi, coù nghóa laø taâm. Tröø khi coù moät cuoäc caùch maïng taâm lyù saâu saéc, moïi caûi caùch hôøi hôït beân ngoaøi chaúng ñem laïi bao nhieâu hieäu quaû. Cuoäc caùch maïng taâm lyù naøy - theo toâi laø cuoäc caùch maïng duy nhaát - chæ coù theå coù ñöôïc nhôø thieàn.

As one travels over the world and observes the appalling conditions of poverty and the ugliness of man’s relationship to man, it becomes obvious that there must be a total revolution. A different kind of culture must come into being. The old culture is almost dead and yet we are clinging to it. Those who are young revolt against it, but unfortunately have not found a way, or a means, of transforming the essential quality of the human being, which is the mind. Unless there is a deep psychological revolution, mere reformation on the periphery will have little effect. This psychological revolution - which I think is the only revolution - is possible through meditation.

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Hoaøn toaøn khoâng laø gì caû laø sieâu vöôït moïi ño löôøng höõu haïn.

To be absolutely nothing is to be beyond measure.

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Caùi ñeïp coù nghóa laø tính beùn nhaïy - moät cô theå beùn nhaïy, coù nghóa laø aên uoáng ñuùng, caùch soáng ñuùng, vaø baïn coù taát caû nhöõng thöù ñoù neáu ñaõ ñi xa ñeán nhö theá. Toâi hy voïng laø baïn seõ, hoaëc ñang laøm ñieàu ñoù ngay baây giôø; luùc ñoù taâm chaéc chaén vaø töï nhieân trôû neân tónh laëng moät caùch khoâng hay bieát. Baïn khoâng theå naøo laøm cho taâm tónh laëng vì baïn laø keû gaây roái, vì chính baïn gaëp raéc roái, lo sôï vaø roái ren - laøm sao baïn coù theå laøm cho taâm tónh laëng? Nhöng khi hieåu ñöôïc tónh laëng laø gì, khi hieåu ñöôïc roái ren laø gì, ñau khoå laø gì vaø lieäu ñau khoå coù bao giôø chaám döùt, vaø khi hieåu ñöôïc laïc thuù thì töø caùi hieåu ñoù xuaát hieän moät caùi taâm tónh laëng laï thöôøng; baïn khoâng phaûi tìm kieám noù. Baïn phaûi khôûi söï ngay töø ñaàu vaø böôùc ñaàu tieân cuõng laø böôùc cuoái cuøng, vaø ñaáy chính laø thieàn.

Beauty means sensitivity - a body that is sensitive, which means the right diet, the right way of living, and you have all this, if you have gone that far. I hope you will, or are doing it now; then the mind will inevitably and naturally, unknowingly, become quiet. You can’t make the mind quiet, because you are the mischief-maker, you are yourself disturbed, anxious, confused - how can you make the mind quiet? But when you understand what quietness is, when you understand what confusion is, what sorrow is and whether sorrow can ever end, and when you understand pleasure, then out of that comes an extraordinarily quiet mind; you don’t have to seek it. You must begin at the beginning and the first step is the last step, and this is meditation.

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Söï quan troïng cuûa kinh nghieäm laø gì? Lieäu kinh nghieäm coù quan troïng? Lieäu kinh nghieäm coù theå thöùc tænh moät caùi taâm meâ nguû, caùi taâm ñaõ ñi ñeán moät soá keát luaän, ñaõ bò caâu thuùc vaø ñieàu kieän hoùa bôûi ñöùc tin? Lieäu kinh nghieäm coù theå thöùc tænh caùi taâm ñoù, ñaäp tan cô caáu cuûa noù? Lieäu moät caùi taâm nhö theá - bò ñieàu kieän hoùa ñeán nhö theá, bò ñeø naëng bôûi voâ soá vaán ñeà cuûa chính noù cuøng vôùi tuyeät voïng vaø khoå ñau - coù theå phaûn öùng ñoái vôùi thaùch thöùc? Lieäu noù coù theå? Vaø neáu noù phaûn öùng thì khoâng phaûi phaûn öùng [trong tình traïng nhö theá] laø khoâng thích öùng vaø do ñoù ñöa ñeán theâm xung ñoät hay sao?

What is the significance of experience? Has it any significance? Can experience wake up a mind that is asleep, that has come to certain conclusions and is held and conditioned by beliefs? Can experience wake it up, shatter all that structure? Can such a mind - so conditioned, so burdened by its own innumerable problems and despairs and sorrows - respond to any challenge? Can it? And if it does respond, must not the response be inadequate and therefore lead to more conflict?

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Tình yeâu laø thieàn. Tình yeâu khoâng phaûi laø söï töôûng nhôù, moät hình aûnh ñöôïc yù nghó duy trì nhö laïc thuù, cuõng khoâng phaûi moät hình aûnh laõng maïn maø duïc tính ñaõ xaây döïng; noù laø caùi gì ôû ngoaøi taát caû caûm nhaän cuûa giaùc quan cuõng nhö moïi aùp löïc kinh teá vaø xaõ hoäi cuûa cuoäc soáng. Tröïc nhaän tình yeâu naøy - khoâng coù goác reã cuûa ngaøy hoâm qua - laø thieàn; vì tình yeâu laø chaân lyù, vaø thieàn laø söï phaùt hieän caùi ñeïp cuûa chaân lyù naøy.

Love is meditation. Love is not a remembrance, an image sustained by thought as pleasure, nor the romantic image which sensuality builds; it is something that lies beyond all the senses and beyond the economic and social pressures of life. The immediate realization of this love, which has no root in yesterday, is meditation; for love is truth, and meditation is the discovery of the beauty of this truth.

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Khi chæ coù cô theå soáng maø khoâng coù caùi toâi, thì nhaän thöùc - keå caû qua thò giaùc vaø khoâng qua thò giaùc - khoâng bao giôø bò bieán daïng. Chæ coù söï thaáy caùi “ñang laø” vaø chính söï nhaän thöùc naøy vöôït ra ngoaøi caùi “ñang laø.” Laøm cho taâm roãng rang khoâng phaûi laø moät haønh vi cuûa yù nghó, hay moät tieán trình trí thöùc. Thöôøng xuyeân thaáy roõ caùi “ñang laø” maø khoâng vo troøn boùp meùo thì töï nhieân taâm trôû neân roãng rang khoâng coøn yù nghó, nhöng noù vaãn coù theå duøng ñeán yù nghó neáu caàn. YÙ nghó thì maùy moùc coøn thieàn thì khoâng.

When there is only the organism without the self, perception, both visual and non-visual, can never be distorted. There is only seeing “what is” and that very perception goes beyond “what is.” The emptying of the mind is not an activity of thought or an intellectual process. The continuous seeing of “what is” without any kind of distortion naturally empties the mind of all thought and yet that very mind can use thought when it is necessary. Thought is mechanical and meditation is not.

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Taâm vaø boä oùc cuøng vôùi thaân xaùc trong söï haøi hoøa tuyeät ñoái phaûi laø im laëng - moät söï im laëng coù ñöôïc khoâng do duøng thuoác an thaàn, hay laäp laïi moät soá chöõ duø laø “Ave Maria” hay moät chöõ Phaïn naøo ñoù. Baèng söï laäp laïi, taâm coù theå trôû neân ñaàn ñoän, vaø moät caùi taâm trong traïng thaùi u meâ thì khoâng bao giôø bieát ñöôïc chaân lyù laø gì. Chaân lyù laø caùi luoân luoân môùi - chöõ “môùi” khoâng chuaån, maø thaät ra chaân lyù laø “voâ thôøi.”

Phaûi coù söï im laëng. Söï im laëng ñoù khoâng phaûi laø ñoái nghòch vôùi oàn aøo, hay chaám döùt huyeân thuyeân; noù cuõng khoâng phaûi keát quaû cuûa söï kieàm cheá, töï nhuû “Ta phaûi im laëng,” laøm nhö theá laïi laø moät maâu thuaãn khaùc. Khi baïn noùi “Toâi seõ,” phaûi coù moät thöïc theå quyeát ñònh im laëng, vaø thöïc haønh caùi maø thöïc theå ñoù goïi laø im laëng; do ñoù coù moät söï phaân chia, moät maâu thuaãn, moät söï bieán daïng.

The mind and the brain and the body in complete harmony must be silent - a silence that is not induced by taking a tranquilizer or by repeating words, whether it be “Ave Maria” or some Sanskrit word. By repetition your mind can become dull, and a mind which is in a stupor cannot possibly find what is true. Truth is something that is new all the time - the word “new” is not right, it is really “timeless.”

There has to be silence. That silence is not the opposite of noise or the cessation of chattering; it is not the result of control, saying “I will be silent,” which again is a contradiction. When you say “I will,” there must be an entity who determines to be silent and therefore practices something which he calls silence; therefore there is a division, a contradiction, a distortion.

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Thieàn khoâng phaûi ñôn thuaàn laø chöùng nghieäm moät caùi gì ñoù sieâu vöôït yù nghó vaø caûm thoï haøng ngaøy, vaø thieàn cuõng khoâng phaûi laø söï ñuoåi theo caùc hình aûnh vaø söï haøi loøng. Moät caùi taâm nhoû nhen, noâng noåi vaø oâ taïp coù theå coù vaø coù nhöõng hình aûnh veà yù thöùc môû roäng, cuøng kinh nghieäm maø noù nhaän bieát theo nhöõng gì ñaõ bò ñieàu kieän hoùa. Söï noâng noåi naøy coù theå laøm cho chính taâm thaønh coâng treân theá gian, ñaït ñöôïc danh voïng vaø tieáng taêm. Nhöõng ñaïo sö maø noù ñi theo thì cuõng coù cuøng tính chaát vaø traïng thaùi. Thieàn khoâng thuoäc veà nhöõng thöù nhö theá. Thieàn khoâng daønh cho keû tìm caàu, vì haén seõ tìm ñöôïc nhöõng gì mình muoán, vaø söï an uûi maø haén coù ñöôïc töø nhöõng gì tìm kieám laø thöù giaù trò ñaïo ñöùc thuoäc veà nhöõng lo sôï cuûa chính haén.

Meditation is not the mere experiencing of something beyond everyday thought and feeling nor is it the pursuit of visions and delights. An immature and squalid little mind can and does have visions of expanding consciousness, and experiences which it recognizes according to its own conditioning. This immaturity may be greatly capable of making itself successful in this world and achieving fame and notoriety. The gurus whom it follows are of the same quality and state. Meditation does not belong to such as these. It is not for the seeker, for the seeker finds what he wants, and the comfort he derives from it is the morality of his own fears.

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Duø coù laøm baát cöù gì ñi nöõa, con ngöôøi cuûa ñöùc tin vaø giaùo ñieàu khoâng theå naøo vaøo ñöôïc caûnh giôùi cuûa thieàn. Ñeå thieàn, töï do raát caàn thieát. Khoâng phaûi thieàn coù tröôùc roài töï do seõ ñeán sau; töï do - coù nghóa laø phuû nhaän hoaøn toaøn moïi luaân lyù vaø giaù trò xaõ hoäi - laø ñoäng thaùi ñaàu tieân cuûa thieàn. Thieàn khoâng phaûi laø vieäc coâng ñeå moïi ngöôøi cuøng tham gia vaø caàu nguyeän. Thieàn ñöùng moät mình, vaø luoân luoân ôû ngoaøi voøng luaân lyù vaø ñaïo ñöùc xaõ hoäi. Chaân lyù khoâng coù trong nhöõng gì thuoäc veà yù nghó, hay trong nhöõng gì ñöôïc yù nghó heä thoáng laïi vaø goïi laø chaân lyù. Söï phuû ñònh hoaøn toaøn taát caû cô caáu cuûa yù nghó laø khaúng ñònh cuûa thieàn.

Do what he will, the man of belief and dogma cannot enter into the realm of meditation. To meditate, freedom is necessary. It is not meditation first and freedom afterwards; freedom - the total denial of social morality and values - is the first movement of meditation. It is not a public affair where many can join in and offer prayers. It stands alone, and is always beyond the borders of social conduct. For truth is not in the things of thought or in what thought has put together and calls truth. The complete negation of this whole structure of thought is the positive of meditation.

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Thieàn luoân luoân môùi. Thieàn khoâng coù söï giao tieáp cuûa quaù khöù vì thieàn khoâng coù söï tieáp tuïc. Chöõ “môùi” khoâng dieãn ñaït heát tính chaát cuûa moät caùi hoaøn toaøn chöa heà coù. Noù cuõng gioáng nhö aùnh saùng cuûa caây neán ñaõ taét ñi vaø ñöôïc thaép saùng trôû laïi. AÙnh saùng môùi thì khoâng phaûi laø aùnh saùng cuõ, maëc duø caây neán laø caây neán cuõ. Thieàn coù söï tieáp tuïc chæ khi naøo yù nghó toâ maøu, ñònh hình vaø giao cho noù moät muïc ñích. Muïc ñích vaø yù nghóa maø yù nghó giao cho thieàn seõ trôû thaønh moät troùi buoäc thuoäc thôøi gian. Thieàn - chöa bò nhieãm oâ bôûi yù nghó - coù ñoäng thaùi rieâng cuûa noù, khoâng thuoäc veà thôøi gian. Thôøi gian bao haøm caùi cuõ vaø caùi môùi nhö moät söï di chuyeån töø nhöõng goác reã cuûa hoâm qua vaøo gioøng chaûy cuûa ngaøy mai. Nhöng thieàn laø moät söï khai hoa hoaøn toaøn khaùc. Thieàn khoâng phaûi keát quaû cuûa kinh nghieäm thuoäc hoâm qua, do ñoù thieàn khoâng coù goác reã trong thôøi gian. Thieàn coù söï tieáp tuïc nhöng khoâng thuoäc veà thôøi gian. Chöõ “tieáp tuïc” trong thieàn thöôøng gaây ngoä nhaän, vì nhöõng gì ñaõ laø, hoâm qua, khoâng xaûy ra hoâm nay.

Meditation is always new. It has not the touch of the past for it has no continuity. The word “new” doesn’t convey the quality of a freshness that has not been before. It is like the light of a candle which has been put out and relit. The new light is not the old, though the candle is the same. Meditation has a continuity only when thought colors it, shapes it and gives it a purpose. The purpose and meaning of meditation given by thought becomes a time-binding bondage. But the meditation that is not touched by thought has its own movement, which is not of time. Time implies the old and the new as a movement from the roots of yesterday to the flowing of tomorrow. But meditation is a different flowering altogether. It is not the outcome of the experience of yesterday, and therefore it has no roots at all in time. It has a continuity which is not that of time. The word “continuity” in meditation is misleading, for that which was, yesterday, is not taking place today.

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Thieàn hoâm nay laø moät tænh thöùc môùi, moät söï khai hoa môùi cuûa caùi thieän myõ.

The meditation of today is a new awakening, a new flowering of the beauty of goodness.

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Thieàn laø döùt baët ngoân töø. Söï im laëng khoâng do moät moät töø ngöõ ñem laïi, töø ngöõ laø yù nghó. Haønh ñoäng phaùt xuaát töø im laëng khaùc vôùi haønh ñoäng phaùt sinh töø ngoân töø; thieàn laø giaûi thoaùt taâm khoûi moïi bieåu töôïng, hình aûnh vaø söï hoài töôûng.

Meditation is the ending of the word. Silence is not induced by a word, the word being thought. The action out of silence is entirely different from the action born of the word; meditation is the freeing of the mind from all symbols, images and remembrances.

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Moät caùi taâm khoâng khoâng theå mua töø baøn thôø cuûa söï caàu khaån; caùi taâm aáy xuaát hieän khi yù nghó bieát roõ moïi haønh hoaït cuûa chính noù, chöù khoâng phaûi ngöôøi tö duy bieát roõ yù nghó cuûa mình.

The empty mind cannot be purchased at the altar of demand; it comes into being when thought is aware of its own activities - not the thinker being aware of his thought.

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Vuõ Toaøn dòch xong thaùng 10 naêm 2004

hieäu ñính thaùng 4 naêm 2012