《Ajahn Brahm teaches how to overcome sloth and topor》
Devotee： How to overcome sleepiness and pain during meditation?
Ajahn Brahm: If you're meditating and you feel sleepy, then don't fight it.
There's a cause and effect there.
I was sleepy in the jungles of Thailand for many years, went down to Bangkok to do some visas, stayed in Wat Pa Bong, it was a wealthy monastery, a royal monastery. They had a new building where we stayed, had one room, it was an air-conditioned room.
We used to get up at 3 o'clock in the morning, so no one else was using that room at that time of the day, 3 o'clock in the morning, before alms-round. So we managed to borrow the key, and we'd meditate in there, from 3 to maybe 4, 5 o'clock in the morning. In the air-conditioned room, the Westerners were meditating in there, no sloth and torpor, no sleepiness.
The temperature was just right for Westerners. We didn't feel sleepy. From that time on I realised, there's external causes that make you sleepy.
You haven't slept enough, you're catching up on your sleep, your tiredness, you're bored with Ajahn Brahm's talks, all of them, I don't know, but there's external causes.
You look at those simple answers, and you become bright, catch up on your sleep, it's just the right temperature, you have some good food, your body's fit and healthy, then sleepiness doesn't come. In brief, it's not your fault.
Don't blame yourself, it's cause and effect. So if you're sleepy, go to bed. That's the best antidote for sleepiness.
If it's painful, stretch your legs. People just want, no, no, come on, Ajahn Brahm, can't you give us something more spiritual, more psychic, more deep? Sometimes people just want the deep teachings, and they just don't see the obvious answers.
---Ajahn Brahm
2019 HK meditation retreat
《阿贊·布拉姆教你如何克服昏睡睡眠》
信徒：如何克服冥想時的困倦和疼痛？
阿贊·布拉姆：如果你在冥想時感到困倦，那麼不要去抗拒它。
這裡有因果關係。我在泰國的叢林中困倦了很多年，後來到曼谷辦簽證，住在Wat Pa Bong，那是一個富裕的寺廟，皇家寺廟。他們有一棟新樓，我們住在那裡，有一個空調房間。
我們通常在早上三點起床，那時候沒有人使用那個房間，早上三點，在乞食之前。我們借到了鑰匙，從三點到四、五點在裡面冥想。在那個空調房間裡，西方人在裡面冥想，沒有懶惰和昏睡，沒有困倦。
溫度正好適合西方人。我們沒有感到困倦。從那時起我意識到，有外部因素會讓你感到困倦。
你可能沒有睡夠，需要補覺，或者對阿贊·布拉姆的說話感到無聊，這些我不知道，但肯定有外部因素。你看看這些簡單的答案，然後你會感到清醒，補充睡眠，溫度合適，吃一些好的食物，身體健康，這樣就不會感到困倦。簡而言之，這不是你的錯。
不要責怪自己，這是因果關係。所以如果你感到困倦，就去睡覺。這是克服困倦的最好解決辦法。
如果感到疼痛，伸展一下腿。人們往往想，不，不，來吧，阿贊·布拉姆，你能不能給我們一些更精神、更深奧的東西？有時人們只想要深奧的教導，而他們卻看不到明顯的答案。
---阿贊·布拉姆
2019 香港禪修營
《Laziness》
When we let the self lead our lives, we become lazy and unmotivated. It is the ego—the self—that generates laziness. Laziness itself is a manifestation of this constructed “person,” a legal fiction of selfhood.
We must recognize that laziness is not just a passing mood—it is tied directly to the idea of self. It arises from identifying with a separate, individual entity.
If we fail to understand this, we allow ego to guide us—and with it, laziness becomes the dominant force in our lives.
Being attached to laziness is just another way of being attached to the idea of self.
The Lord Buddha taught us clearly: we must know and understand the nature of laziness.
To overcome laziness, we must cultivate selflessness—we must be willing to let go. Without self-sacrifice, we cannot uphold moral discipline (sīla), and we cannot engage in right practice.
Without self-sacrifice, we remain trapped in delusion, indulgence, and heedlessness.
The Buddha understood causes and conditions. The Arahants, too, understood causes and conditions.
They did not let self-view or ego lead their lives. They did not allow laziness to guide them. They completely abandoned laziness.
They recognized the symptoms of the so-called “legal entity” of self and, through wisdom, they stopped laziness. To be truly calm, truly at peace, we must end laziness. Only then will we experience the greatest happiness.
In all our work, we must cultivate joy.
In our education and learning, we must also cultivate joy.
In our manners and conduct, we must be attentive to details. Don’t allow laziness to sneak in.
In our professions and livelihoods, we must also abandon the self. If we do not let go of ego, our livelihood will not be pure. It will be a career driven by self-centeredness.
---Luang Por Ganha
8/4/2025
《懶惰》
當我們讓'自我'主導我們的生活時，我們會變得懶惰和缺乏動力。是自我——這個自我，產生了懶惰。懶惰本身是這個構建的「人」的表現，是一種自我的虛構。
我們必須認識到，懶惰不僅僅是一種短暫的心情——它直接與自我觀念相關。它源於對一個獨立的、個體實體的認同。
如果我們無法理解這一點，我們就會讓自我引導我們——而隨之而來，懶惰成為我們生活中的主導力量。
對懶惰的依附只是對自我觀念另一種形式的依附。
佛陀清楚地教導我們：我們必須認識和理解懶惰的本質。
要克服懶惰，我們必須培養無私——我們必須願意放下。沒有自我犧牲，我們無法堅持戒（sīla），也無法進行正確的修行。
沒有自我犧牲，我們將依然陷入妄想、放縱和漫不經心之中。
佛陀理解因緣。阿羅漢們也理解因緣。
他們不讓自我觀或自我主導他們的生活。他們不讓懶惰引導自己。他們徹底捨棄了懶惰。
他們識別出所謂「個人實體」自我的症狀，並通過智慧停止了懶惰。要真正平靜，真正安寧，我們必須結束懶惰。只有這樣，我們才能體驗到最大的快樂。
在我們的工作中，我們必須培養喜悅。
在我們的教育和學習中，我們也必須培養喜悅。在我們的舉止和行為中，我們必須注意細節。不要讓懶惰潛入。
在我們的職業和生計中，我們也必須放棄自我。如果我們不放下自我，我們的生計就不會純淨。它將成為一種以自我為中心驅動的職業。
---Luang Por Ganha
2025年4月8日
《坐禪時昏昏入睡？》
信徒：坐禪的時候觀呼吸，但觀著觀著，卻睡著了
Luang ta siri: 正念不足。亦都是一個痴心的生起，迷失的生起。在你昏昏欲睡的時候就深長地呼吸。
這個是因為當時我們的心沒有覺知到呼吸，沒有了正念，已經墮落到痴心、 迷失的狀態，所以這個是愚癡的禪修、 禪定
深呼吸。跟著呼吸下去，跟著呼吸出來；長吸、 長呼20次30次來去除昏沉。重新叫醒你的心。這個就是痴心的狀態，亦都是我們沒有了解到五蓋。五蓋中的昏沉、 掉舉、 疑蓋就是痴心。貪蓋屬於貪，嗔蓋屬於嗔。所以就是貪嗔癡。
所以這個五蓋是屬於中等的煩惱。如果我們打瞌睡的時候，就睜開眼，然後深呼吸，讓呼吸又粗又深又長；跟著呼吸入、 出
這個就是愚癡的禪定，心迷糊。
痴就是迷失的意思，也就是蠢的意思
當我們深長呼吸下去，直至我們的昏沉消失了，我們才如常地覺知如常的呼吸
"Fallen Asleep While Meditating?"
Disciple: When meditating, I observe my breath, but I fall asleep.
Luang Ta Siri: This is a lack of mindfulness. It is a rise of delusion and confusion. When you feel drowsy; take deep, long breaths. This happens because our mind is not aware of the breath; we have lost mindfulness and fallen into a state of delusion. This is foolish meditation.
Take deep breaths, following the inhale and exhale; do this 20 to 30 times to dispel drowsiness and awaken your mind. This is a state of delusion, and we do not understand the five hindrances. Among the five hindrances, sloth and torpor, restlessness, and doubt are forms of delusion. Greed and hatred correspond to the hindrances of greed and hatred. Thus, it’s greed, hatred, and delusion.
These five hindrances are considered moderate level defilements. If we find ourselves dozing off, we should open our eyes and take deep breaths, making our breathing coarse, deep, and long. Following the breath in and out, this is the foolish meditation where the mind is confused.
Delusion means being lost or foolish. When we take deep, long breaths until our drowsiness disappears, we can return to being aware of our breath as usual.
《昏沉和散亂都是自私的表現》
昏沉和散亂都是自私的表現， 為什麼？
當我們有自我感，我慢的時候；我們覺得自己重要，因而疏忽大意，放縱自己，沒有約束感官。Luang por ganha 說，這樣我們便很容易會跟著周圍的事情走。我們就會專注力不足，散亂，缺乏定力。
沒有約束感官，就是沒有戒。當沒有戒，沒有剎車制的時候，定就很難生起，心很難平靜下來。
因此散亂是自私的表現
昏沉也是自私的表現。例如我們很早起床，感到很疲倦。有時不是身體累，是心昏沉沒有力量，心懶惰。心執著於睡眠的快樂，以自我為中心，於是繼續睡。這是自私的表現。
吃飽飯後心軟弱無力。我們懶惰於做利己利他的事情，粘著於舒適。這也是自私的表現。
因此心散亂和昏沉，不要縱容它繼續下去。
佛陀在增支部一集中教導，當昏沉睡眠遮蓋我們的心時，我們要發起精進、能量和努力來對治。我們要想辦法決意、抖擻精神。當打瞌睡的時候，佛陀在 AN7.58中就曾教導，
1.假如想睡的念頭生起， 就不要作意它， 不要理它。
2. 不能的話，可以思維佛法。
3.再不能可以出聲讀誦佛法。
4.再不能，可用手拉我們的耳珠，按摩肢體來去除昏沉。
5.如果這樣做睡意不能消除，可起座用水洗眼簾，然後環視四方，仰望星光。
6.再不行，便作意光明想， 例如想像作意太陽的光芒。
7.再不行，便可以收攝六根，意念不向外弛散地行禪。
8. 最後， 便可以有正念地作獅子臥，睡前決意起來的時間， 不要放縱自己怠於睡眠的快樂。
關於掉舉(心停不下來)和後悔， 佛陀教導我們要修習內心的平息來對治。 可以選一個業處， 例如觀呼吸來讓心平靜下來。同時要以放下一切的心，放鬆到極點的心來禪修，因為Luang por ganha 說， ‘禪定只有在沒有自我的情況下才能產生’ 義註也提到， 我們可以透過避免過錯來防止未來生起後悔。 例如透過佛經學習什麼應該做， 什麼不應該做， 什麼是善， 什麼是惡等等。
"Sloth and Torpor & restlessness are manifestations of Selfishness"
Sloth and Torpor & restlessness are manifestations of Selfishness are expressions of selfishness. Why?
When we have a sense of self and conceit, we feel important, leading us to be negligent and indulge ourselves in things, lacking restraint over our senses. Luang Por Ganha says that this makes it easy for us to be swayed by our surroundings. We become unfocused, scattered, and lack stillness.
Lacking restraint over the senses means lacking precepts. When there are no precepts and no brakes, it becomes very difficult to cultivate stillness, and the mind struggles to settle down.
Therefore, restlessness is a manifestation of selfishness.
Sloth and Torpor are also a manifestation of selfishness. For example, when we wake up early and feel tired, sometimes it's not our body that's exhausted, but rather our mind is dull and lacking energy; the mind is lazy. The mind clings to the pleasure of sleep, centered on the self, and thus continues to sleep. This is a selfish expression.
After eating, if our heart feels weak and powerless, we become lazy in doing beneficial things for ourselves and others, clinging to comfort. This too is a manifestation of selfishness.
Thus, we should not allow the mind to remain scattered and dull.
The Buddha taught in the Anguttara Nikaya that when sloth and torpor cover our hearts, we should generate diligence, energy, and effort to counteract it. We must find ways to be determined and invigorated. When feeling drowsy, the Buddha taught in AN 7.58:
If the thought of sleep arises, do not engage with it, do not pay attention to it.
If that doesn’t help, contemplate the Dharma.
If that fails, recite the Dharma aloud.
If that still doesn’t work, pull on our earlobes or massage our limbs to dispel dullness.
If these methods do not eliminate sleepiness, we can rise, wash our eyes with water, and then look around or gaze at the stars.
If that still doesn’t work, we can visualize light, such as imagining the rays of the sun.
If that fails, we can gather our senses and meditate without letting our thoughts drift outward.
Finally, we can mindfully adopt the lion's posture, setting a time to rise before sleeping, and not indulge in the pleasures of sleep.
Regarding restlessness (the mind not settling) and regret, the Buddha taught us to cultivate inner stillnessto counteract it. We can choose a meditation object, such as observing the breath, to help calm the mind. At the same time, we should meditate with a heart that lets go of everything, fully relaxed. Luang Por Ganha said, "stillness can only arise without the self." The commentary also mentions that we can prevent future regrets by avoiding wrongdoing. For example, by learning from the scriptures what should be done and what should not be done, what is good and what is evil, etc.
如果有人說：’唉，很累‘
一般人不會再追問了
但如果是佛教徒，可能會問一條問題：’你是身累，還是心累呢？‘
誒～是有分別的
一般人身心會混作一團，認為身心合在一起就是一個完整的自我。
但佛陀教導， 身體是一部分，感受是一部分，記憶是一部分，意志是一部分，覺知又是另一部分。它們都不斷變異、 不是一個自我
所以身與心是兩回事來的
身累不一定心也累
有時心累身卻不累
但一般人身累心也會跟著累
有修行的佛教徒知道身心是分離兩回事來的
所以心累身不累時會禪修來讓心保持清爽與快樂
身累則直接去讓身體休息
為什麼？因為所謂的心累，就是煩惱之一的昏沉睡眠～
If someone says, "Ah, I'm so tired"
most people wouldn't ask further. But if it’s a Buddhist, they might ask a question: "Are you physically tired or mentally tired?"
Ah, there is a difference.
Most people tend to conflate body and mind, thinking that the combination of the two forms a complete self.
However, the Buddha taught that the body is one part, feelings are another part, memories are another part, will is yet another part, and awareness is a separate part.
They are all constantly changing and there is no 'self'.
So, body and mind are two different matters.
Being physically tired does not necessarily mean the mind is also tired. Sometimes the mind is tired while the body is not.
But generally, when the body is tired, the mind tends to follow suit for non-buddhist.
Practicing Buddhists understand that the body and mind are separate entities.
Thus, when the mind is tired but the body is not, they will meditate to keep the mind refreshed and happy.
But when the body is tired, they will go to take a rest
Why? Because what we call mental tiredness is one of the forms of defilements known as sloth and torpor.