六一

　　June 1st

　　今天是“六·一”兒童節，看著街上天真活潑的兒童們，令我想起我曾度過的兒童節。

　　Today is June 1st, Children”s Day, many children are out on the street playing. Seeing their innocent and smiling faces reminds me of my own experience of this particular day.

　　在15歲之前，因爲沒有接受過任何的正規教育，從沒有人告訴過孤陋寡聞的我世上還有兒童的節日，直至我15歲上了小學。

　　Before the age of 15, I did not receive any formal education and was oblivious to what was going on out in the world. I had never heard about the so-called Children”s Day, nor did I know of its existence until I went to elementary school at age 15.

　　記得那天的天氣格外晴朗，我這個已經稱不上是兒童的“兒童”，混迹于一群真正的兒童當中，唱著歌，等待著附近的牧民送來我們渴望的酸奶。因爲我的年齡太大，我的個頭幾乎和老師不相上下，卻不得不裝出“兒童”的模樣。現在想起來仍覺得滑稽。後來，我轉入了宗塔中學，也意味著我“兒童”時期的結束。

　　I remember it was a particularly bright and sunny day. While not technically a “child” at my age, I managed to mingle with a group of authentic children; we sang songs together and waited for herdsmen nearby to give us our long-craved yogurt. Being much older, I was almost as tall as the teacher, yet I had to pretend to act like a child. Now as I recall what I went through that day, I still think it”s amusing. Later, I moved on to Zong Ta Middle School, a moment that signified the end of my “childhood” period.

　　如今，我已邁入不惑之年，了無牽挂、無憂無慮的赤子生涯已成了一個遙遠的夢。令我慶幸的是，我已跨入佛門，並得遇良師，使我在有生之年能時時沐浴佛法的甘露。

　　Today, I”m already in my 40s; the life of a child free from worries, sorrow, or burdens has long become a vague and remote dream. However, what makes me feel most grateful is that I have become a Buddhist and have luckily met many revered teachers, which enable me to be immersed in the Dharma nectar unceasingly for the rest of my life.

　　不知兒時的夥伴如今怎樣？他們是否也如我一般幸福？眼前的這些孩子們又有幾個能享受佛法的甘甜？答案一定不會盡如人意。很多兒童因缺乏正確的引導，終如其父輩一般，爲業惑煩惱所牽，空耗暇滿。

　　How are my childhood friends doing these days

　　 Sometimes I wonder. Are they as fortunate as I have been

　　 As to the children I saw today, how many of them will be able to enjoy the sweetness of Dharma

　　 The answer may not be entirely satisfactory. Many children, due to a lack of proper guidance, are likely to end up in the same rut as their parents—being dominated by negative emotions and deluded actions—and waste their precious human existence.

　　我永遠不會忘懷自己曾在一個佛教國家度過的一次兒童節，那些無論在家庭，還是在學校，都能蒙受佛法甘露熏陶的兒童們，在舞臺上用自己所學到的佛教理念演繹著佛教故事和佛教常識，盡管稚嫩，卻給他們幼小的心靈種下了善根，使他們不至于邁上通往惡趣的生活軌迹。如果這種過兒童節的傳統能發揚光大，傳遍全球，那該多好啊！

　　How fondly I remember the one Children”s Day that I enjoyed in a Buddhist domain where children were nourished by the Dharma nectar both at home and in school! On their special day they played on a little stage Buddhist stories and teachings. Their performances, though naive and simple, were nonetheless planting virtuous seeds in their minds and would prevent them from veering onto an unwholesome path in life. If this tradition of celebrating Children”s Day can be promulgated around the world, how wonderful it would be!

　　壬午年四月二十一日　

　　2002年6月1日　　

　　21st of April, Year of RenWu

　　June 1, 2002