酸奶

　　Yogurt Treat

　　一到夏天，酸奶就成了草原上最美的佳肴。家鄉人常愛說一句話：“如果夏天沒有酸奶喝，草原上的美景都仿佛缺了顔色。”誰家因爲沒有牦牛而喝不到酸奶，將是令人沮喪的事。

　　With the approach of summer, yogurt comes to embody the best delicacy in the Tibetan pastureland. There is a saying in my hometown: “A summer without yogurt is akin to a field devoid of beautiful colors.” Indeed, should “no yak, no yogurt” happen to any household, it is regarded as a lamentable situation.

　　同所有牧場上的人一樣，我對酸奶也情有獨鍾。因爲遠離家鄉，來到漢地，前幾天還心想：這個夏天可能喝不到酸奶了吧？沒想到，今天一位居士給我送來了漢地製作的酸奶，居然味道和草原上的酸奶不相上下，有的還在裏面加上了水果，更是別有一番滋味。 不由得想起曾經與上師一起吃酸奶的情景。

　　Like anyone growing up next to a grazing field, I have a special affection for yogurt. This summer, I am staying in the Han Chinese area, a good distance from my hometown; I thought I would be missing the yogurt treat this time around. Thus I was pleasantly surprised today when a lay friend brought me yogurt made in the Han area. It was almost as delicious as that from the high pastureland; moreover, some had fruits mixed in it, rendering a unique flavor. Enjoying it, my mind flew back to the time when I had yogurt with my revered Guru.

　　那是在2000年6月28日，當時法王如意寶正在南山閉關，並爲部分藏族喇嘛傳講大圓滿。我帶領一群來自美國、新加坡和大陸的四衆弟子前去拜見法王。當我們的車沿著崎岖的山路跋涉到南山頂時，滿車的人都不由自主地發出驚歎：“太美了！”的確，上師的小木屋在滿目的缤紛花朵和藍天的襯托下，無論從哪個角度欣賞，都是一幅絕佳的風景圖。

　　It was on June 28, 2000. During that time H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche was doing a retreat at South Mountain (Nan San) and had been giving teachings on the Great Perfection to Tibetan lamas. I led a group of monks and nuns as well as lay people from the United States, Singapore, and Mainland China to pay a formal visit to him. Our car made long treks through the rough and rugged mountain passages. Upon reaching the top of Nan San, we saw our Guru”s little cottage surrounded by a dazzling array of colorful flowers; with the vast blue sky as a backdrop, it was a perfect scene from any angle. Indeed, everyone could not help exclaiming: “Oh my, it”s so beautiful!”

　　我們就在這如詩如畫的景致中拜見了上師。那天上師也顯得格外高興，他讓人拿出酸奶，在我們每人手上分了一份，他自己也分了一份在手上，並告訴我們說：“這是我年輕求學時最好的食物，今天也分給你們嘗嘗，這裏沒有碗，但作爲修行人，要不怕艱苦，我們以手爲碗，一樣可嘗出酸奶的美味來。”說完，他就帶頭津津有味地吃著手裏的酸奶。我一邊吃著酸奶，一種發自內心的幸福如湧泉般噴薄而出。

　　It was in this picturesque setting that we all paid homage to our teacher who also appeared to be in a very good spirit that day. He had each one of us served with yogurt onto our hands and he himself took some on his hands too. He said: “Yogurt was the best food sustaining me during my schooling when I was young; I am offering you to partake of it today. Although there are no serving bowls here, as practitioners we should not shrink from hardships. We can still enjoy the delicious yogurt from the bowls of our hands.” And then he started to eat the yogurt from his hand with much savoring. As I was taking mine, happiness gushed from the depth of my heart like a sprinkling fountain.

　　至今，那天的情景仍像昨天的事情一般清晰。我期待著有一天，能再跟上師一起坐在草原上品嘗酸奶的美味。

　　Today I still remember the scenes of that day as if it had happened yesterday. I yearn for the day that I will be with our Guru again, sitting on the pastureland and enjoying the tasty yogurt.

　　壬午年四月二十六日　

　　2002年6月6日

　　26th of April, Year of RenWu

　　June 6, 2002