賓館
Luxury Hotel
一位居士告訴我說,我去世界各地,都住在最豪華的賓館裏。今天,我一定要請您享受一下五星級賓館的待遇。
A layperson told me that when he travels around world, he always stays at the most deluxe hotels. Wanting me to get a taste of luxury amenities, he insisted on treating me to a stay at a five-star hotel.
就這樣,我被安排進了成都最豪華的錦江賓館。剛下出租,從服務生爲我開門到取行李,已能深深地體會到五星級賓館無微不至的服務,走進賓館,豪華的大廳更是令人耳目一新。走進房間,那價值昂貴的家具,寬敞柔軟的床鋪,潔淨舒適的衛生間,無不令人惬意。
Thus I was booked into the top hotel in Chengdu, the Jin Jiang Hotel. From the moment the cab pulled up, I saw the very meticulous and inpidual services of a five-star hotel—opening the door, helping with the luggage, and so on. Stepping inside the lobby, the glittering decor was eye-catching; in the guest room, the extravagant furniture, roomy comfortable bed, and spotless bathrooms all promised to offer a most pleasant getaway.
走進餐廳,琳琅滿目的中外各式食物應有盡有,挑逗著人們的食欲。在舒緩輕柔的音樂聲中,我度過了一段美好的時光。我想,世間人所公認的最美妙的享受,恐怕也莫過于此了吧。
In the restaurant, there were full spreads of sumptuous foods, be they Chinese delicacies or other exotic cuisines, whetting everyone”s appetite. I had a great time enjoying the feast in soft melodious music and imagined that this experience must border on the topmost pleasures by popular standards of the world.
但我也不由得偷偷計算了一下,我今天的消費相當于幾萬條泥鳅的生命,如果能將這筆錢用于放生,那該多好啊!
However, I couldn”t help but guess how the expenses of my stay could be equated to the lives of tens of thousands of eels. Wouldn”t it be wonderful if this money were used to release live beings instead!
躺在奢華的床鋪上,想起馮夢龍的《喻世明言》中的一個故事,有個富翁白天吃著山珍海味,晚上躺在豪華的床上,卻做著身處地獄的噩夢,令他痛苦不堪。他家的牧童,白天吃著豬狗般的食物,晚上躺在草墊上,卻在夢中享受著天人般的快樂。富翁爲了與牧童交換夢境,不惜白日做工,吃豬狗食,就爲等待一個晚上的歡樂。
Lying on the lush bed, I recalled a story in Feng Menglong”s collection “Stories Old and New”: A certain wealthy man in the daytime feasts on the nicest dishes of every kind, but at night he is plagued by nightmares of being thrown into hell and suffering tremendous torture. His shepherd boy, on the other hand, always has blissful dreams in which he enjoys celestial happiness, even though during the day he eats rotten food and at night sleeps on a pile of hay. The rich man offers to trade dreams with the herd boy. Then the rich man thinks nothing of doing hard labor and eating only putrid food in daytime, as blissful dreams will be waiting for him at night.
最後,當牧童發現雖然白天可以肆意享樂,但晚上飽受痛苦的滋味實在難以堪忍時,也最終做回了自己的牧童。所以,躺在美妙的床上,不一定能做出美妙的夢來,躺在露天的草地上,說不定真能做出什麼新版本的“黃粱美夢”。
The shepherd boy at first indulges himself in all the lavish enjoyments during the day. But then he grows weary of the nightly tortures. When it becomes too much to bear he chooses to return to his shepherd life. Therefore, a luxurious bed will not guarantee a good dream. On the other hand, a makeshift bed on the open meadow may be conducive for a modern version of “golden millet dream.”
想著想著,不知不覺地睡著了。醒來後發現,雖然沒做噩夢,但柔軟的席夢思著實讓我不爭氣的背痛了好半天。
Drifting in my thoughts, I fell asleep. Upon waking up, I discovered that although I did not have bad dreams, the fancy soft bed made my poor back hurt for quite a while.
壬午年五月初七半夜
2002年6月17日
強忍著背痛
書于錦江賓館地毯之上
At midnight, 7th of May, Year of RenWu
June 17, 2002
Written while fighting back pains, on the carpet in the Jian Jiang Hotel