爾時大慧菩薩摩訶薩 白佛言 世尊 惟願爲說 刹那壞相 佛告大慧 一切有爲法 刹那刹那 生滅壞散 大慧 有二種刹那義 謂住刹那 及念刹那 大慧 住刹那者 謂諸有爲 最初生時 卽便壞滅 不待第二刹那 大慧 念刹那者 謂念念中 有生有滅 如燈如幻 如水波浪 大慧 愚癡凡夫 執著此刹那 謂之爲有 諸菩薩摩訶薩 以無分別智 了達刹那 無生無滅 入如實見
ěr shí dà huì púsà mó hē sà bái fó yán shì zūn wéi yuàn wèi shuō chà nà huài xiāng fó gào dà huì yī qiē yǒu wéi fǎ chà nà chà nà shēng miè huài sàn dà huì yǒu èr zhǒng chà nà yì wèi zhù chà nà jí niàn chà nà dà huì zhù chà nà zhě wèi zhū yǒu wéi zuì chū shēng shí jí biàn huài miè bù dài dì èr chà nà dà huì niàn chà nà zhě wèi niàn niàn zhōng yǒu shēng yǒu miè rú dēng rú huàn rú shuǐ bō làng dà huì yú chī fán fū zhí zhuó cǐ chà nà wèi zhī wéi yǒu zhū púsà mó hē sà yǐ wú fēn bié zhì liǎo dá chà nà wú shēng wú miè rù rú shí jiàn
Key Message
Every moment is already in the process of ceasing. When clinging to the impermanence of this kṣaṇa is released, the original place beyond arising and ceasing is revealed.
▸The Chapter on the Instant Moment (刹那品) explores the philosophical significance of the kṣaṇa (刹那) — the minimal unit of time.
The Chapter on the Instant Moment (刹那品) explores the philosophical significance of the kṣaṇa (刹那) — the minimal unit of time. The Buddha divides the instant moment into two types. The 'dwelling moment' (住刹那) is the moment in which a phenomenon ceases at the very instant it arises — ceasing immediately without waiting for a second kṣaṇa. The 'thought moment' (念刹那) is the instant of arising and ceasing within each and every thought — like a flame, like an illusion, like waves on water: appearing continuous but in fact arising and ceasing anew in every moment. A foolish ordinary person clings to these moments and takes them to be real, but a bodhisattva penetrates through non-discriminating wisdom (無分別智) to see that the kṣaṇa neither arises nor ceases.