心猿意馬

I have spent many an hour, when I was younger, floating over its surface as the zephyr willed, having paddled my boat to the middle, and lying on my back across the seats, in a summer forenoon, dreaming awake, until I was aroused by the boat touching the sand, and I arose to see what shore my fates had impelled me to; days when idleness was the most attractive and productive industry. Many a forenoon have I stolen away, preferring to spend thus the most valued part of the day; for I was rich, if not in money, in sunny hours and summer days, and spent them lavishly; nor do I regret that I did not waste more of them in the workshop or the teacher's desk. But since I left those shores the woodchoppers have still further laid them waste, and now for many a year there will be no more rambling through the aisles of the wood, with occasional vistas through which you see the water. My Muse may be excused if she is silent henceforth. How can you expect the birds to sing when their groves are cut down?

唐玄奘在五十六歲時想要歸隱少林寺，於是向高宗進表：

　... 斷伏煩惱，必定、慧相資，如車二輪，闕一不可。至如研味
　經論，慧學也；依林宴坐，定學也。玄奘少來頗得專精教義，唯
　於四禪九定，未暇安心。今願託慮禪門，澄心定水；制情猿之逸
　躁，縶意馬之奔馳。若不歛跡山中，不可成就 ...

可見要想成就定學，外在環境也是必要因素。這也可以說明為何自己總是心猿意馬，不得安住。住心尚不能得，何況解脫？任憑一個人如何有修養及智慧，要在人世凡塵中以佛教的修煉方式求得解脫是不可能的。因為要想成就定學，外在環境也是必要因素；「若不歛跡山中，不可成就 」。

　《法華經》的勸持品中提到修煉聲聞乘的比丘們承認自己沒有能力在我們這個世界中廣說《法華經》，這是因為我們這個世界的人多弊惡、傲慢、功德淺薄，內心多懷瞋怒、污濁、諂媚，而且不誠實。只有具備大忍力的菩薩才能在這裡教化弘通這部經典。

　　
梭羅年輕時經常於夏日上午，乘著他的小舟，划到池心，然後躺在舟上，作著他清醒的夢。就這麼載浮載沉，直到他的舟給徐徐的風帶到了岸上，他才起來看看命運之流將他帶到了那裡。他說，在那些日子裡，閑散、無所事事才是最迷人而具有生機的勞動。因為他有的是明媚的陽光和夏日，所以可以大筆揮霍。他往往偷溜出來，寧願把一天中最寶貴的時間就這麼渡過，而不要用在工作室裡或老師的桌前。嗣因他離開湖邊的日子裡，伐木工人把附近的林地攪的荒蕪一片，原來的林間小道沒了，自然也沒了偶爾透過樹林空隙可以瞧見的池水景緻；梭羅的詩興因之沉默，畢竟你如何忍心責備被砍了樹林的小鳥不再鳴唱！