Vipassana: 100 Hours of Meditation in 10 Days to Learn Impermanence | 內觀：透過10天共100小時的冥想，學習無常
This is written in English first, then translated into Mandarin by AI. 這段文字先用英文撰寫，再由人工智慧翻譯成中文。
To me, the 10-day Vipassana course is a vacation, intense work, and a mental exercise. It’s a big commitment to take 10 days off without any connection to the world, focusing solely on this practice. Yet, it has been immensely rewarding in many aspects of my life. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be able to do it.
對我來說，這十天的內觀課程既是度假，也是密集的工作和心靈鍛鍊。要連續十天放下與外界的所有聯繫，專注於這項修行，這是一個很大的承諾。然而，它在我生活的許多方面都帶來了巨大的回報。我很感激能有這樣的機會去做這件事。
No Any Forms of Communication 禁止任何形式的交流
During the course, I feel very calm, content, and happy. Everyone must practice Noble Silence — no talking, eye contact, reading, writing, or communicating. No cell phones either. This helps me stay present, not thinking about the future or the past. Thanks to Noble Silence, I don’t need or desire to present myself to anyone.
在這個課程期間，我感到非常平靜、滿足和快樂。每個人都必須遵守「高貴的沉默」：不說話、不接觸眼神、不閱讀、不寫作或交流，也不能使用手機。這幫助我專注於當下，不去思考未來或過去。由於高貴的沉默，我不需要也不渴望向任何人展示自己。
Despite being physically restricted to a small area, I feel free, liberated, awake, and stress-free.
儘管身體上被限制在一個小區域，我卻感到自由、解脫、清醒且無壓力。
Excruciating Pain has a Purpose 劇痛的意義
That said, it’s not pain-free. It’s the opposite. I’ve had moments of excruciating pain. Practicing 100 hours of cross-legged sitting meditation (Lotus position) is physically challenging. Moreover, starting from Day 5, you’re asked to sit without moving for one hour, three times a day (Adhitthana).
雖然自由與解脫，但這並不是無痛的。事實恰恰相反，過程我感到很多劇痛。練習100小時的盤腿打坐（亦稱蓮花坐）在身體上是個挑戰。此外，從第5天開始，每天三次，每次一小時要求不動地坐著（巴利文：Adhitthana）。
However, the pain has a purpose. In Vipassana meditation, the pain is a tool to practice the mindset of impermanence (Anicca). It’s necessary to experience the pain to understand impermanence.
然而，這些痛苦是有意義的。在內觀禪修中，痛苦是練習無常（Anicca）心態的工具。必須經歷痛苦，才能理解無常。
The Unique Power of Vipassana 內觀的獨特力量
In Pali, an ancient language of Buddhism, the word ”Vipassana” means “seeing things as they really are.”
在巴利語，一種古老的佛教語言中，”Vipassana”的意思是「如實觀察」。
What is Vipassana? It’s a meditation technique that helps you realize the impermanent and selfless nature of reality by experiencing it directly. How does one experience this reality? By observing their own bodily sensations acutely and objectively.
什麼是內觀？這是一種冥想技術，幫助你通過直接體驗來認識現實的無常和無我本質。如何體驗這種現實？通過敏銳且客觀地觀察自己的身體感覺。
Through Vipassana, you’ll notice your bodily sensations rise and pass. They don’t last forever. You’re asked to treat every sensation with an equanimous mind. This means treating every sensation neutrally, whether it’s pain or joy.
透過內觀，你會注意到自己的身體感覺升起又消逝。它們不會永遠存在。你被要求以平等心對待每一種感覺。這意味著無論是痛苦還是喜悅，都要中立地對待。
Experiencing the impermanent nature of bodily sensations without reacting to them emotionally helps you dissociate from worries, desires, anger, and other emotions. You develop a sense of detachment from your worries, desires, anger, and other emotions, you stop reacting to your cravings and aversions, reaching peace, calmness, and contentment.
體驗身體感覺的無常性，而不情緒化地反應，有助於你與憂慮、欲望、憤怒等情緒脫離關聯。你會逐漸對這些情緒產生一種分離感，不再對渴望和厭惡作出反應，從而達到和平、平靜和滿足。
The power of Vipassana lies in understanding impermanence on an experience and empirical level. Intellectually, we know we shouldn’t hold on to anger or desires to obtain inner peace, but how? Vipassana helps you let go of cravings and anger with specific practices.
內觀的特別之處在於在經驗和實證層面理解無常。從理智上，我們知道不應該執著於憤怒或欲望以獲得內心的平靜，但如何做到呢？內觀通過特定的練習幫助你放下渴望和憤怒。
Course Overview 課程概述
Rules 規則
Every new student must complete a 10-day course, abiding by five precepts: no killing, no stealing, no lying, no sexual misconduct, and no intoxicants. Practicing Noble Silence is essential.
每位新學員必須完成為期10天的課程，遵守五條戒律：不殺生、不偷盜、不妄語、不邪淫和不飲酒。高貴的沉默是必須遵守的。
Daily Schedule 每日時間表
You wake up at 4 AM. The first meditation session starts at 4:30 AM. There are a series of meditation sessions throughout the day, totaling 10 hours daily. The day ends with a 1.5 hour discourse and a final group meditation. Lights out at 9:30 PM.
你早上4點起床，第一個冥想課程在4:30開始。整天有一系列的冥想課程，每天總共冥想10小時。一天的結束是一個1.5小時的講座和最後的集體冥想。晚上9:30熄燈。
Meditation Guide and Discourse 冥想指南和講座
The discourses, session guides, and chanting are pre-recorded by Goenka. An Assistant Teacher supervises the course but doesn’t teach the class. They answer students’ questions at noon or after the final group meditation.
講座、課程指導和頌經由SN葛印卡老師預先錄製。助理教師監督課程但不授課。他們會在中午或最後的集體冥想後回答學生的問題。
Food 食物
You eat a delicious full breakfast and lunch made by volunteers. You’re not supposed to eat past noon, but new students can have an apple and simple millet mush.
你會享用由志工準備的美味早餐和午餐。過了中午就不應該再吃東西，但新學員可以吃一個蘋果和簡單的麵茶。
Why Is It Effective? 為什麼它有效？
I was quite impressed by the well-designed course curriculum for several reasons:
我對這個精心設計的課程內容印象深刻，原因有幾點：
- Noble Silence cuts off any possible stimulation or triggers, forcing you to look inward and observe your mind. Patterns of the mind and old baggages start to emerge. 高貴的沉默切斷了任何可能的刺激或誘因，迫使你向內看，觀察自己的心靈。心智模式和舊有的包袱開始浮現。
- The meditation curriculum is progressive. It starts with observing normal, natural respiration (Anapana), then sensations around your nose and nostrils, narrowing down to just the nostrils and area above the upper lip. It progresses to observing whole-body sensations, scanning symmetric parts of the body, scanning from head to toe, scanning inside the body (Vipassana), and ends with compassion meditation (Metta) on the last day. 冥想課程是漸進式的。從觀察正常自然的呼吸（Anapana）開始，然後是觀察鼻子和鼻孔周圍的感覺，再縮小範圍到僅觀察鼻孔和上唇部位。接著進步到觀察全身感覺，掃描身體對稱部位，從頭到腳掃描，掃描身體內部（Vipassana），並在最後一天以慈悲冥想（Metta）結束。
- The technique is non-sectarian, avoiding any mantra or idolatry, making it accessible to all religions. Evening discourses promote a Buddhist view but stress that you don’t need to accept the theory to benefit from the practice. 這個技術是非宗教性的，避免了任何咒語或偶像崇拜，使其對所有宗教信仰者都可以接受。晚上的講座推廣佛教觀點，但強調你不需要接受這個理論，也能從練習中受益。
- Written instructions are everywhere to minimize communication with staff or others, although you can still ask questions if needed. 到處都有書面指示，盡量減少與工作人員或其他人的交流，雖然如果有需要你仍然可以提問。
Phenomena & Revelations 現象與啟發
The Second Law of Emotions: Action & Reactions 情緒的第二法則：行動與反應
In the first few days, everyone’s mind is flooded with thoughts. It’s called the Monkey Mind — a restless and capricious mind lacking control. I’ve noticed that the most frequent and least helpful thoughts are the lingering emotions from habitual responses to unresolved past events.
在前幾天，大家的心中充滿了各種想法。這被稱為「猴子心」：一種不安和多變，缺乏控制的心。我注意到，最常見且最無益的想法，是對未解決過去事件的習性反應所留下的情緒。
The more I let my emotions drive me, the stronger actions I take as my habitual responses. As these responses intensify, the emotions linger longer, disturbing my peace. It feels like the second law of motion: action and reaction. The more emotionally driven my actions are, the stronger the reactions, leaving lasting scars on my mind.
越讓情緒驅動我，我就越會依循習慣性反應行動。隨著這些反應的加劇，情緒會停留得更久，干擾我的平靜。這感覺像是運動的第二定律：作用與反作用。越是被情緒驅動，我的行動越強烈，反作用也越強烈，在我的心中留下持久的傷痕。
For instance, I got upset with a few friends right before Vipassana. I let anger drive my actions, speaking rationally but with anger as my underlying intention. These thoughts kept bothering me during Vipassana until I made peace with them.
例如，在參加內觀之前，我與幾個朋友發生了爭執。我讓憤怒驅使我的行為，雖然我理智地說話，但我是被憤怒驅動的。這些想法在內觀期間一直困擾著我，直到我與它和解。
There’s a saying, “When you point one finger at others, three fingers point back at you.” I realized that whatever forceful emotions I impose on others will come back to haunt me.
有句話說：「當你用一根手指指責別人時，三根手指指向自己。”」我意識到，無論我對他人施加多麼強烈的情緒，這些情緒最終會回來困擾我。
You must always digest and resolve emotions instead of burying them.
你必須總是消化和解決情緒，而不是埋藏它們。
Facing My Fear 面對恐懼
During the one-hour sitting meditation (Adhitthana), everyone typically has some visions — past memories or people they care about, sometimes something they fear the most.
在每次一小時的打坐（Adhitthana）期間，每個人通常都會有一些幻象 ：過去的記憶或關心的人，有時是他們最害怕的東西。
For me, I had visions of cockroaches crawling over my body. I’m terrified of roaches. Yet, Vipassana teaches you to treat every feeling with an equanimous mind. With that, I was able to reduce my fear of roaches over time. I could sit with it without moving for most of the one-hour sessions.
對我來說，我看到蟑螂爬過我的身體。我很害怕蟑螂。然而，內觀教你以平等心對待每一種感覺。藉此，我能逐漸減少對蟑螂的恐懼。我能在大多數一小時的課程中保持不動地與這些恐懼共處。
Dissecting the Pain 剖析痛苦
The pain in the first few days is almost unbearable, requiring constant movement. However, by Day 3 or 4, the pain quiets down. I asked our Assistant Teacher, Michael Kwok, how to reduce the pain. He said, “Dissect the pain. Analyze the pain. That makes pain seem smaller and more bearable.”
前幾天的痛苦幾乎難以忍受，需要不斷地移動。然而，到第三或第四天，疼痛逐漸平息下來。我問我們的助理老師Michael Kwok，如何減少疼痛。他說：「去剖析痛苦，分析疼痛。這會讓疼痛感覺更小，更容易忍受。」
I tried, and the pain started to peel off. Behind every pain, there’s usually a focal point and a vibration that amplifies it. Once the pain is analyzed and understood, it feels less painful. This approach applies to other life events too. Dissecting animosity, anger, or setbacks makes them easier to cope with.
我試了這方法，疼痛外皮開始剝落。每一種疼痛背後，通常有一個焦點和一種放大的振動。一旦疼痛被分析和理解，它就不那麼疼了。這個方法也適用於其他生活事件。剖析敵意、憤怒或挫折，使它們更容易應對。
Each One-Hour Sitting is a Lifetime 每次一小時的打坐就是一生
For me, the pain or numbness from the legs never fully goes away. I secretly crave the chanting at the end of each sitting. That craving disrupts the balance of an equanimous mind. Until one time, I realized I shouldn’t crave the end. Suddenly, all the pain went away. Once I stopped craving the end of the sitting, I became very calm and patient. I accepted the reality of living with the pain, and the pain disappeared.
對我來說，腿部的疼痛或麻木從未完全消失。我暗自期待每次打坐結束時的頌經。這種渴望破壞了平等心的平衡。直到有一次，我意識到我不應該渴望結束。突然間，所有的疼痛都消失了。一旦我停止渴望打坐的結束，我變得非常平靜和耐心。我接受了與疼痛共處的現實，疼痛也隨之消失。
This is analogous to life. We’re all working hard to achieve a goal — retirement savings, building a successful company, achieving a social status. We think there’s an end to our suffering, but there isn’t. As long as we live, there will be pain. If I accept the pain, I can find my inner peace.
這跟生活很像。我們都在努力達成一個目標 ：退休儲蓄、建立成功的公司、達到社會地位。我們認為痛苦會有結束，但其實不會。只要我們活著，就會有痛苦。如果我接受痛苦，我就能找到內心的平靜。
Earn More Bullet Time to Detach and Dissociate 賺取更多的「子彈時間」來分離和脫離
In Buddhist thinking, the concept of “I” or “mine” is an illusion. Everything is impermanent, including self, so sensations don’t belong to anyone. For example, I feel pain, but the pain isn’t mine since I’m constantly changing. This idea also applies to daily emotions. Observing an emotion objectively helps detach from the emotion, so we don’t react to it directly.
在佛教思想中，「我」或「我的」的概念是一種幻覺。一切都是無常的，包括自我，所以感覺不屬於任何人。例如，我感到痛苦，但痛苦並不屬於我，因為我在不斷改變。這個觀念也適用於日常情緒。客觀地觀察情緒有助於從情緒中分離出來，這樣我們就不會直接對其作出反應。
A real-life example of bullet time: I received a message that made me a bit angry on the day I left Vipassana. I observed my sensations — heat on my face, heavy breathing, clenched fists. Soon, the sensations dissipated like passing clouds. I looked at the message again and felt no anger. Amazing!
我有一個真實的「子彈時間」的體驗：在離開內觀的那天，我收到了一條讓我有點生氣的消息。我觀察自己的感覺：臉上的熱度、沉重的呼吸、緊握的拳頭。很快，這些感覺像過去的雲一樣消散了。我再次看了這條消息，感覺不到生氣，非常神奇。
Sleep, Insomnia, and Lucid Dreams 睡眠、失眠和清醒夢
During the course, I usually become quite tired and sleepy around 8 PM. We have 7 hours of sleep from 9 PM to 4 AM, which is supposed to be enough. However, most people get insomnia, perhaps because our minds are so awake during meditation. The trick to feeling rested, with or without sleep, is to remain aware of bodily sensations on the bed. This helps you feel rested and fall asleep soon.
在課程期間，我通常在晚上8點左右變得相當疲倦和睏倦。我們有從晚上9點到早上4點的7小時睡眠，這應該是足夠的。然而，大多數人會失眠，可能是因為我們在冥想期間的心靈非常清醒。感到休息好的技巧是，無論是否入睡，都保持對床上身體感覺的覺知。這有助於你感到休息好，很快入睡。
Dreams are different in Vipassana too. In adulthood, I’ve been dreamless. Actually I believe I just didn’t remember my dreams. In Vipassana, I started to remember my dreams, which reflect my subconscious. These dreams become a portal to access my subconscious. That seems what Meditation does: it opens up the subconscious.
內觀中的夢也不同。在成年後，我以為我通常沒有夢。但現在，我相信我只是沒有記得這些夢。在內觀中，我開始記住我的夢，這些夢反映了我的潛意識。這些夢成為進入我潛意識的門戶。這似乎是冥想的作用：它打開了潛意識。
Meditation also brings back very old memories, some 15–20 years old, which I haven’t thought of for a decade. These memories, buried in my subconscious, bubble up to the surface during Vipassana.
冥想還帶回了非常久遠的記憶，有些是15到20年前的，我已經十多年沒有想到過這些記憶。這些埋藏在我潛意識中的記憶在內觀期間浮現出來。
Mind-Body Connection 心靈與身體的連結
Western therapies focus primarily on the mind, often overlooking the mind-body connection. They attempt to rationalize mental issues but don’t always lead to healing. Vipassana, on the other hand, views the mind-body connection holistically and provides a practice for true healing
西方療法主要關注心靈，往往忽略了心身連結。他們試圖理性化精神問題，但並不總能帶來治癒。而內觀則是從整體上看待心身連結，並提供了真正治癒的練習。
All-Time Low Stress Level 出生以來最低的壓力狀態
During the course, I hit my all-time low stress level. Thanks to Noble Silence and 10 hours of meditation daily, I lived in the present, not worrying about presenting myself to others. This relieved all stress, contributing immensely to my happiness.
在課程期間，我達到了有史以來最低的壓力水平。得益於「高貴的沉默」和每天10小時的冥想，我活在當下，不想過去或未來，也不再擔心向別人展示自己。這消除了所有的壓力，極大地提升了我的幸福感。
On the 10th day, we got our cell phones back and no longer observed Noble Silence. Hearing someone talk immediately raised my stress level. It won’t drop to the previous low without the same circumstances. Now, I’m more aware of stress sources and actively avoid unnecessary ones.
在第10天，我們拿回了手機，不再遵守高貴的沉默。聽到有人說話，壓力水平立即上升。如果沒有相同的環境，壓力水平不會降到之前的低點。現在，我對壓力來源更加敏感，並主動避免不必要的壓力。
Integrating Back Into Life 重新融入生活
I was resistant to reconnect with the world, so I kept my phone off for one more day. I’ve been using a few meditation apps since 2017, but I didn’t appreciate the full benefits of meditation until I experienced Vipassana. My headaches sometimes return after Vipassana, but I’ve learned to deal with them properly — not with Advil or coffee. They were mostly due to stress, and meditation helps alleviate them from the root.
我對重新與世界連接感到抗拒，所以我多關了一天的手機。自2017年以來，我一直使用一些冥想應用程序，但直到體驗了內觀後，才真正體會到冥想的全部好處。內觀後，有時頭痛會復發，但我學會了正確處理 — — 不用Advil或咖啡。這些頭痛大多是由壓力引起的，冥想從根本上幫助減輕了它們。
I’m more content, happy, and aware now than before. The world can go on without me, but I can still contribute to it. While I understand that any active contribution will bring pain and cravings, I now know how to cope — with an equanimous mind.
現在的我比以前更滿足、更快樂、更有覺察力。世界可以在沒有我的情況下運轉，但我仍然可以為它做出貢獻。我明白，任何積極的貢獻都會帶來痛苦和渴望，但我現在知道如何以平等心應對。
