My first dream of the world that is gone: in my dream, I saw that there were a lot of reptiles in the forest and in the garden. I also saw that I was flying in flying mode, going to the deserted takashimaya, the shopping mall that I frequently visited in the past, and I was so sad to see that.
I usually dream about different things. After I bought so many leather bags, I have dreams where I am almost swallowed by crocodiles in the swamp. I quickly recite the Buddha’s name, and he comes to rescue me just in time.
During our sleep, the emotional center and the visual cortex are highly active, while the prefrontal cortex is less active, which explains why dreams can feel emotional and illogical.
Dreams may help process and store memories, filtering important information from daily experiences. Do you agree with that? Dreams also allow the brain to process emotion, trauma and stress in a supportive environment. Some researchers suggest that dreaming evolves as a way to rehearse responses to danger.
Some argue that the brain frequently generates stimulated threats in dreams. Examples include chasing, attacking, or feeling these emotions. This enhances threats recognition, sharpens instincts, improves avoidance strategies, helps find escape routes or solutions, and reduces panic in real crises by practicing fear responses.
For example, a person who dreams of being chased by a predator might wake up with a heightened sense of vigilance, which could have provided a significant advantage for early humans.
Someone nervous about a presentation might dream of forgetting their speech or being laughed at. Though distressing, this could help them mentally prepare for the worst-case scenario, making the actual event feel less intimidating.
Dream of abandonment might help individuals process attachment fears, making their life separation slightly easier to navigate.
Being attacked in a dream could heighten the brain's ability to react faster in real confrontations.
Students often dream of failing tests, which may motivate them to study harder or confront their fear of failure.
Unlike real-life race, dreams allow us to practice dangerous situations without actual consequences. Studies show that people who frequently dream of threats may exhibit quicker physical responses to sudden dangers.
Many dreams are bizarre e.g. crying, talking animals. People with no exposure to real threats, e.g. life-long city-dwellers, still have chase or attack dreams. Anxiety disorders involve excessive nightmares which don’t seem adaptive.
If dreams are a form of mental rehearsal, we can use them constructively. Becoming aware in a nightmare can allow you to confront fears deliberately. Example, turning a pursuing monster into a harmless creature.
In my dream, I’ve been almost swallowed by the alligators after buying three leather bags. After that, I make myself not to buy any leather goods.
Some of the dreams we feared seems may reveal that we have unresolved real-life anxieties to address. Some therapists use nightmare-disciplining techniques to rewrite traumatic dreams.
While not all dreams are about fear, the recurring theme of threats in dreams across cultures suggests an evolutionary role in preparing for survival. Whether as a hard-wired defense mechanisms, or a by-product of memory processing, dreams likely help us navigate challenges, making them a fascinating blend of biology and psychology.
Christine
“一切有为法，如梦幻泡影，如露亦如电，应作如是观”是《金刚经》中最著名的偈颂之一（出自第三十二品“应化非真分”），以诗化的比喻揭示了佛法对世间万象本质的深刻洞察。以下从不同角度解说其内涵：
1. 核心释义
- “有为法”：指一切因缘和合、有条件、有造作的现象（包括物质、情感、思想等），具有生灭、无常的特性。
- 六种比喻：
- **梦**：虚幻不实，醒后即空。
- **幻**：如魔术幻化，看似真实实则虚假。
- **泡**：如水泡刹那生灭，喻事物短暂。
- **影**：依赖外境而无自体，如影子依光而生。
- **露**：清晨露珠，太阳一出即消散。
- **电**：闪电转瞬即逝，喻变化急速。
- **“应作如是观”**：教导修行者应以这种视角观察世界，破除对现象的执着。
---
2. 哲学深意
- **缘起性空**：一切现象皆因条件聚合而暂时显现（缘起），并无独立不变的实体（性空）。如梦境依赖心念，露珠依赖温度湿度，本质是空性。
- **破“法执”**：不仅要对“自我”放下执着（我空），还要认识到连佛法本身也是工具（法空），不可固守概念。
- **中道智慧**：不否定现象的存在（“假有”），但也不认为其永恒真实（“真空”），达到“色即是空，空即是色”的圆融。
---
3. 修行指导
- **对治烦恼**：认识到名利爱憎如梦幻泡影，自然减少贪嗔痴。
- **活在当下**：露与电的比喻提醒生命无常，应珍惜当下而不陷于过去未来。
- **观照实相**：通过禅修培养“觉知”，看破表象的迷惑，直见本心。
---
4. 现代意义
- **超越物质主义**：在快节奏社会中，提醒人们勿被物质欲望绑架。
- **心理疗愈**：用“如梦观”看待挫折，可减轻焦虑与执念。
- **生态智慧**：万物相依相生，破除以人类为中心的坚固分别。
---
5. 常见误解
- ❌“一切虚无，不必努力”
✅ 正解：并非否定现象的作用（“妙有”），而是放下对结果的偏执，如《金刚经》强调“应无所住而生其心”。
- ❌“否定情感与美好”
✅ 正解：是教人以超然心态体验生命，如欣赏梦境而不沉溺。
---
总结
此偈是《金刚经》空性思想的浓缩，并非消极的虚无，而是指向一种超越二元对立的自由——在纷繁世界中保持清醒与慈悲。正如禅宗所言：“终日吃饭未曾咬着一粒米，终日着衣未曾挂着一缕丝”，看破幻相，方能真实生活。
No comments:
Post a Comment