魏藝菲2025年7月3日講於萬佛聖城萬佛殿
All Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Venerable Master Hua, Dharma Masters, and all Good and Wise Advisors, Amitabha! I am Monica and it is my honor to tie dharma affinities with everyone. In the past three weeks, I’ve attended Sudhana Retreat and Buddha Root Farm Retreat. It has been an enriching and nurturing experience, and there is a lot more to digest and process. So, I would like to use this opportunity to organize my thoughts and share some of my reflections with you all.
諸佛菩薩、宣公上人、諸位法師、善知識，阿彌陀佛！我是Monica（魏藝菲），非常榮幸能有這個機會和大家結法緣。這三周裏，我參加了善財參學中心七天禪修營和佛根地禪修營，對我來說是一次非常充實且滋養心靈的經歷，裏面的內容還需要慢慢消化。所以，我想借這個機會整理一下自己的思路，也跟大家分享一些心得體會。
I firstly attended the Sudhana Retreat and this year, the theme is quantum mechanics and Yogācāra. At first sight, these two topics seem to be irrelevant to each other—one is cutting edge science while the other is Buddhist philosophy. Oftentimes, when we think of science, we are reminded of its materialistic perspective that the world is made of matters only, whereas Buddhism, especially Yogācāra, emphasizes the role of consciousness. So, how do these two seemingly contradicting perspectives fit together? Interestingly enough, the study of quantum mechanics actually breaks the conventional materialistic confine of classical physics, thus, serves as a bridge between the scientific world and the Buddhist reality.
我首先參加的是善財中心禪修營，今年的主題是「量子力學與唯識學」。這兩個聽起來八竿子打不著的領域——一個是現代科學尖端，一個是佛教哲學思想——其實有著很有意思的交集。我們通常會把科學和唯物主義聯繫在一起，認為一切都是物質構成的；而佛教，尤其是唯識學，強調的是意識的作用。這兩個觀點看似矛盾，但有趣的是，量子力學正好打破了傳統物理中那種機械唯物的框架，在某種程度上，反而為科學世界與佛法的世界搭起了一座橋樑。
But before we dive into quantum mechanics, we could spend some time thinking over the similarity between science and Buddhism. Despite the different attitude toward consciousness, at certain levels, both science and Buddhism can be seen as a construct to explain reality, striving to understand the truth. In fact, a famous scientist says that science is a study of the cause and effect of the natural world. For instance, Newton experienced the phenomena of an apple falling down to his head, he started to ponder the reasons or the causes behind this effect. Similarly, Buddhism offers a complicated system of karma to explain the causes and effects of all phenomena, which is broader than the mere materialistic world. Even though most scientists deny consciousness and any other spiritual aspect of existence, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist, but only because those aspects are beyond the materialistic measurement which is the only measurement they have developed. Therefore, they are not comfortable with things beyond their measure, which is a natural human tendency—we do not like things that are out of our control, and we usually deny those things.
但在深入探討量子力學之前，我們可以先花點時間思考一下，科學與佛教之間其實也有某些共通之處。儘管兩者對「意識」的態度不同，但在某個層面上，科學和佛教都可以被視為解釋現實的系統，都是在探索真理的道路上前行。事實上，有位著名科學家曾說，科學是研究自然界因果關係的學問。比如牛頓被蘋果砸到後，不只是接受現象本身，而是進一步探討背後的因和緣。類似地，佛教用「業力」系統來解釋一切現象的因果關係，這個系統比純粹物質世界還要廣闊。雖然大多數科學家否認意識或精神層面的存在，但這只是因為它們超出了當前科學能測量的範疇，並不表示它們不存在。這也反映出人類的傾向：我們不喜歡無法掌控的東西，所以往往會否認它。
Moreover, the methodology scientists develop to investigate the cause and effect corresponds to the Buddhist approach. Scientific method starts with observation of the physical world, for example, an apple falling down. Then scientists come up with some hypothesis to explain the observation—in the same example, Newton proposed the law of gravity. In order to find out the trustability of the hypothesis, they design countless experiments to test it out. If the results are repeatedly the same, and are applicable to explain all relevant phenomena, then the hypothesis becomes a reliable theory until novelty appears and shifts or modifies the current paradigm. So, science in general is not a truth by itself, but an interpretation of reality that makes sense to people. From that regard, Buddhism is interestingly scientific. When Buddha awakens to the ultimate reality, he expounds the Dharma to help all sentient beings to be awakened. And all the great masters and patriarchs followed his teaching and got awakened. Yet, for us as followers of Buddha, until we actually experience the great awakening, the Buddha’s teachings remain as a hypothesis to experiment with and test out. So, in the Kālāma Sutta, one of the texts in the Pāli Canon, Buddha suggests, “Now, Kālāmas, don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and to happiness’—then you should enter and remain in them.” For any teaching, one must not blindly believe in it, instead, one should carefully examine the principle behind and test it out.
此外，科學家用來研究因果關係的方法，也與佛教的實踐方式十分相似。科學從觀察自然現象開始，比如蘋果掉落，然後提出假設來解釋這個現象，比如「萬有引力」。接著，通過反覆實驗，驗證假設是否可靠。如果結果一再重複，並能解釋類似現象，那它就變成一個被接受的理論，直到新的發現出現，對其進行修正。同樣地，佛陀覺悟後所說的法，也是後世弟子逐步實踐、體驗、印證的。對於我們而言，佛陀的教法如果尚未親證，其實也還只是一個「假設」，需要我們去實踐和驗證。正如《卡拉瑪經》中佛陀所說：不要因為傳統、經典、邏輯、推理、名師等等就去盲信一件事，而應當自己去體會：「這些法是否善巧？是否無害？是否被智者所稱讚？是否能帶來安樂？」如果是，那就值得我們修學。
The implication of this teaching is profound. It does not imply that we as cultivators should have doubts when we practice. Rather, the faith required in the process of cultivating, especially in the initial state, is the confidence or willingness to test the theory out in our own experience, thus wholeheartedly commit to the practice. In fact, the only reference point we have is the existential experience right now in the present mind ground. Buddhist teachings, from that regard, is an experiment in the mental lab-the mind ground, and each individual can work only in their own mind ground but not others.
Therefore, Buddhism is not superego, meaning that it is not something that the society, culture, even religion superimpose on us as a cage confining us and judging us all the time. Yet many people just take Buddha’s teaching as some sort of social norm—if we follow it, then we are good people, but if not, we are bad people. However, Buddha doesn’t judge people as morally good or bad. When he mentioned wholesome karma versus unwholesome karma, he didn’t mean it as a moral categorization. All he is concerned about is whether we are suffering or not, and wholesome karma leads to liberation, whereas unwholesome karma leads to affliction. Far from judging sentient beings as good or bad, Buddha sees all sentient beings as potential Buddhas with inherent illuminating Buddha nature. The reason why we couldn’t realize our nature is that we are confused and afflicted by all the narratives and projections we made up that covered our bright nature. As Shurangama Sutra says, our ignorance initiates from adding understanding on top of understanding which penetrates through all levels of our current experience, so, if we can gradually remove all the “added understanding” the self created, nature will reveal itself. Thus, Master Hua said that he is not bringing Chinese Buddhism or any “isms” to the West, he is bringing humans back to their human nature.
這段教導的含義非常深遠。它並不是讓我們在修行時懷疑一切，而是說我們修行初期所需要的信，是一種願意親自去體驗、去印證教法的信心。也就是說，我們要將佛法當作實驗理論，在自己內心的實驗室中去實際操作。實際上，我們唯一可靠的出發點，就是當下這一念的現前經驗。從這個角度來看，佛法就是一門關於「心地實驗」的學問，而每一個人都只能在自己這塊「心田」上動手，無法替別人耕耘。
因此，佛法並不是一種「超我」，不是社會、文化、或宗教強加在我們身上的某種道德規範，也不是用來評判好壞的標準。很多人誤以為學佛就是做個「好人」，不學佛就是「壞人」，但佛陀其實並不以「好」或「壞」來評判眾生。他講「善業」與「不善業」，只是從是否導致苦或離苦的角度出發。善業導向解脫，不善業則導向煩惱。佛陀所關心的，是我們是否在受苦，而非道德標籤。他看到一切眾生皆具佛性，皆有成佛的可能。我們之所以迷失，只是被自己所製造的種種妄想、執著、投射所遮蔽。正如《楞嚴經》所說，無明的根本在於「以知立知」——我們不斷在原本的覺知上疊加判斷和解釋。這些「多餘的理解」層層覆蓋，形成了對本性無明的遮蔽。如果我們能夠漸漸剝除這些附加上去的「理解」，那原本的本性就會自然顯露。宣公上人也說過，他並不是把中國佛教或某種「主義」帶到西方，而是希望帶人類回到他們本有的「人性」。
That human nature is right there in our present awareness and in fact, the “mind-only” school by its name, proposes that our current perception of reality is all made from the mind only, and there isn’t a “world” out there beyond our awareness of it. And actually, there is no way to prove it wrong because any attempt to prove it wrong is already in the process of our consciousness. If we examine it, we will find that every human experience is processed by our mind. In the Avatamsaka Sutra, it says “The mind is like a skilled artist, capable of painting all worldly phenomena. The five aggregates arise entirely from it; there is nothing it does not create.” Therefore, even though scientists in general deny or avoid talking about consciousness, their denial is a reflection of that consciousness. And interestingly, the study of quantum mechanics breaks their denial and almost forces them to deal with consciousness face to face, though many still don’t admit it or don’t care.
這種「人性」，其實就存在於我們每一念當下的覺知中。唯識學的意思也在此——一切現實都是「識」所變。換句話說，我們對世界的所有經驗都是心識顯現的結果，並沒有一個離開我們覺知而獨立存在的世界。而這種觀點其實無法被「證偽」，因為任何試圖否定它的行為，本身也已在意識中發生。正如《華嚴經》所說：「心如工畫師，能畫諸世間。五蘊悉從生，無法而不造。」即使科學家避免談論意識，他們的否定，本身就是意識的表現。
In a simplified language, the quantum system is described by a wave function developed from Schodinger’s equation, which consists of infinite possibilities of different states and is constantly ongoing. According to the lecturer, wave function does not assign definite properties (position, momentum, etc) to physical entities. In fact, the real nature of the wavefunction is still unknown, all they know about is that the wave function square is a probability. So, it describes the probability of a superposition of multiple values of the entity. Superposition refers to the ability of a quantum system to exist in multiple states simultaneously until measured. This contrasts with classical physics, where an object can be in only one state at a time (e.g., a light switch is either on or off). Quantum superposition applied to macroscopic objects resulted in a paradox known as the “Schrodinger’s cat”. Schrödinger’s cat is a thought experiment in quantum mechanics that illustrates the concept of superposition. In the experiment, a cat is placed in a sealed box with a radioactive atom, a device that can release poison, and a Geiger counter. If the atom decays, the Geiger counter triggers the release of poison, killing the cat. If the atom doesn’t decay, the cat lives. Until the box is opened and the cat is observed, it exists in a superposition of being both alive and dead. Most importantly, our observation or measurement collapses the wave function, reducing its infinite possibility into a single state. This conclusion is supported by the Double-Slit Experiment. In simple words, when observed, the light behaves like particles, but when it is not observed, it behaves like waves. So, whether the light is wave or particle depends on the observation. This is where consciousness get introduced to the system. Measurement is an act of consciousness, and that consciousness plays the role of bringing about wave function collapse. But of course, this is just one of the many interpretations of quantum mechanics and many scientists still don’t accept the idea of consciousness as the cause of wave function collapse. But I am not interested in going into details about that.
用簡單的語言來說，量子系統是由薛定諤方程式所發展出的「波函數」來描述的，而這個波函數包含了無限種不同狀態的可能性，並且是持續進行、不斷演化的。根據講者的說法，波函數並不會為物理實體賦予確定的屬性（比如位置、動量等等）。事實上，波函數的真實本質至今仍是未知的。科學家們所知道的，是波函數的平方表示一種概率。換句話說，波函數描述的是一個粒子處於多個值的疊加狀態的概率。所謂「疊加態」，指的是一個量子系統在被測量之前，可以同時存在於多個狀態中。這和經典物理的觀點形成鮮明對比——在經典物理中，一個物體在任一時刻只能處於一個確定的狀態，比如開關不是「開」就是「關」。當量子疊加的概念被應用到宏觀世界時，就出現了著名的「薛定諤的貓」悖論。「薛定諤的貓」是一個量子力學中的思想實驗，用來說明「疊加態」的概念。在這個實驗中，一隻貓被放進一個密封的盒子裏，盒子中還放有一顆放射性原子、一個可以釋放毒氣的裝置，以及一個蓋革計數器。如果原子發生衰變，計數器就會觸發毒氣釋放裝置，貓就會被毒死；如果原子沒有衰變，貓就還活著。在盒子未被打開、貓未被觀察之前，它就處於一種「又死又活」的疊加狀態中。而最關鍵的是：我們對系統的觀察或測量會使波函數「坍縮」，也就是從原本無限的可能性中收束為一個具體的狀態。
這個結論在「雙縫實驗」中也得到了支持。簡單來說，當我們去觀察光時，光表現得像粒子；但當我們不觀察時，光就表現得像波。所以，光到底是「波」還是「粒子」，竟然取決於我們是否去觀察它。而正是在這裏，「意識」這個概念被引入了整個系統。因為「測量」本身就是一種「意識行為」，而這個「意識」正是促使波函數坍縮的關鍵因素。當然，這只是量子力學眾多詮釋中的一種，許多科學家仍然不接受「意識導致坍縮」的觀點。不過我本人對這些技術細節並沒有特別想深入討論的興趣。
Up to now, the connection between quantum mechanics and Yogacara is quite obvious. Even though they don’t overlap perfectly, the quantum system serves as a good metaphor to describe the Yogacara thinking. The eighth consciousness is just like the wave functions where infinite possibility is stored as a continuous stream of potentials in that energy field. Upon contact, where the sense organ, the sense object, and the consciousness meet simultaneously, the wave function collapses, and all the seeds from the eighth consciousness come to the six consciousness by association. More interestingly, the collapse of wave function is not irreversible, as long as we stop observing or measuring, it stops collapsing, which gives us the hint to liberation. In terms of cultivation, when dharmas arise in our mind, whether it is thought, feeling, emotions, etc.., if we do not pay extra attention to it, we won’t charge it with momentum, and therefore it will just pass through without collapsing. However, if the mind moves toward it, from just observing, to grasping, with intention of wanting or avoiding, the karma is created and new seeds are being planted. Therefore, when we talk about liberation or enlightenment, it is not something far away or abstract from our experience, but rather, it is freedom of the mind at the very present moment. So far, from what I have learned, freedom means the space of the mind to observe without added understanding, especially attachment. What arises at the present moment of our mind is already karmic, liking or disliking included, the freedom lies in our responses toward the arisal. Instead of reacting in a habitual way of grasping and getting entangled, we can respond with loving kindness and equanimity. From my personal experience, the key toward equanimity is a deep relaxation of mind, body and heart. And a key element of relaxation lies in the non-judgmental mind and the confidence in our own Buddha nature. For my current experience, it is not about not having any personal opinion or preferences, but more about when I see myself being
judgmental, not judging that judgmental self either, because it is usually the second layer of reaction that drags me down the road of affliction. In the end, the insight from Shurangama Sutra is still powerful. If our ignorance is an added understanding upon understanding, then all we need to do is not to add understanding on top of understanding, at all levels as we can. No matter how much affliction or confusion we have, we can always start with not adding further affliction and confusion.
從這個角度來看，量子力學與唯識學之間的聯繫就變得相當清晰。雖然兩者不能完全對應，但波函數可以類比為阿賴耶識，它存儲著無量的種子與可能性。一旦感官與對象和識同時接觸，波函數「坍縮」，業種顯現。更有意思的是，只要我們不觀察、不干預，這個「坍縮」就不會發生。在修行上，這代表著：當念頭生起時，只要我們不去執著、不去賦予它能量，它就會如幻化過；但若我們介入、追逐、抗拒，它就會形成新的業力。解脫，其實就是這一刻心的自由。
對我個人來說，修行中最寶貴的，就是慢慢學習在一念之間放鬆下來。不是壓抑念頭，而是溫柔地覺察它，並給予自己不評判的空間。尤其是，當我發現自己又在批判自己時，我試著也對那個「批判自己的自己」說：「沒關係，我看見你了。」我們很多的煩惱，其實都來自第二層、第三層的反應。所以修行的路，很多時候就是不斷減少「加法」。回到《楞嚴經》的啟發，如果我們是「以知立知」地累積無明，那我們就可以從「不再加知」開始修行。不再加解釋、不再加評判、不再加抗拒。就從當下這一念開始，我們就可以輕輕放下——不是放棄，而是放鬆；不是壓抑，而是允許。
Amituofo! May we all be at ease and find joy in practicing Dharma!
阿彌陀佛，願我們都能在佛法中找到安心的力量，也在修行的路上，越來越接近那份原本就屬於我們的喜悅與自在！