Mind and Matter(Nama-Rupa)

心和物(名与色)

"What is mind? No matter. What is matter? Never mind."

什么是心？不是物。什么是物？不是心。

According to Buddhism, life is a combination of mind (nama) and matter (rupa). Mind consists of the combination of sensations, perceptions, volitional activities and consciousness. Matter consists of the combination of the four elements of solidity, fluidity, motion and heat. Life is the co-existence of mind and matter. Decay is the lack of co-ordination of mind and matter. Death is the separation of mind and matter. Rebirth is the recombination of mind and matter. After the passing away of the physical body (matter), the mental forces (mind) recombine and assume a new combination in a different material form and condition another existence. The relation of mind to matter is like the relation of a battery to an engine of a motor car. The battery helps to start the engine. The engine helps to charge the battery. The combination helps to run the motor car. In the same manner, matter helps the mind to function and the mind helps to set matter in motion. Buddhism teaches that life is not the property of matter alone, and that the life-process continues or flows as a result of cause and effect. The mental and material elements that compose sentient beings from amoebae to elephant and also to man, existed previously in other forms. Although some people hold the view that life originates in matter alone, the greatest scientists have accepted that mind precedes matter in order for life to originate.

根据佛教的说法，生命是心和物的结合。心包括了受、想、行和识。物是四大元素的组合，包括了地(固体)、水(流体)、风(动体)和火(热)。

生命是心与物的组合，老是心与物的失调，死是心与物的分解，再生是心与物的中心组合──当肉体死去后，精神力在一个不同的物质状态或身体中形成一个新的组合。

心与物的关系，就好像电池与汽车引擎一样。电池发动了引擎，引擎发动后为电池充电，这样的组合，促成了汽车的运行。同样的道理，物使心作用，心使物活动。

佛教认为生命不只是物质而已，整个生命过程依靠因果来持续和流动。精神和物质两大因素组成了小至变形虫，大至大象，乃至一切众生包括人类在内。虽然，有些人认为生命只是物质现象。但是，有些前卫的科学家已经开始接受，心识于物质形成之前，已经是生命的起源这种观点了。

In Buddhism, this concept is called 'relinking consciousness'. Each of us, in the ultimate sense, is mind and matter, a compound of mental and material phenomena, and nothing more. Apart from these realities that go to form the nama-rupa compound, there is no self, or soul. The mind part of the compound is what experiences an object. The matter part does not experience anything. When the body is injured, it is not the body that feels the pain, but the mental side. When are hungry it is not the stomach that feels the hunger but again the mind and its factors, makes the body digest the food. Thus neither the nama nor the rupa has any efficient power of its own. One is dependent on the other; one supports the other. Both mind and matter arise because of conditions and perish immediately, and this is happening every moment of our lives. By studying and experiencing these realities we will get insight into:

(1)what we truly are; (2)what we find around us; (3)how and why we react to what is within and around us; and (4)what we should aspire to reach as a spiritual goal. To gain insight into the nature of the psycho-physical life is to realize that life is an illusion, a mirage or a bubble, a mere process of becoming and dissolving, or arising and passing away. Whatever exists, arises from causes and conditions.

佛教称这种观点为：「再连接的意识」。我们每个人都存在于心和物里，除了心识范围和物质现象，再也没有别的。我们从心与物的范围里，认识到没有「自我」和灵魂的存在。在精神上，我们也不是对一切都有所认识。比如当我们受伤时，感觉到痛的不是我们的身体，而是精神。当我们感觉到饿时，不是我们的胃觉得饿，而是我们的思惟。但是，我们的思维并不需要补充食物，却能引导身体补充食物。这些都是心与物在作用，它们互相的依赖，相互的支援。在我们的生命中，心与物无时无刻的都在作用。透过对心与物的了解，我们洞察到：

一、我们到底是什么？

二、我们找到些什么？

三、是什么与我们同在或环绕我们，又为什么？

四、什么是我们所欲求达到的心灵目标？

洞察生命的本质后，我们了解生命有如梦、幻、泡、影，即生即灭。一切的生与灭都是因缘的条件反应。