感慨
Sad Reflections
不管是出世間的大成就者們，還是世間的大智者們，往往在生前會遭遇無人理睬的尴尬。仿佛他們的功德在臨死之前並不存在似的。
Many great beings, either accomplished spiritual masters or extraordinary worldly intellects often had to endure uneasy hardships of gaining no recognition during their lifetime. It”s as if their qualities were nonexistent before their death.
一次，智悲光尊者在山上靜修，在見到無垢光尊者的幻化身時，不解地問道：“全知大尊者，我多年來一直祈禱，爲何您今天才現前呢？”尊者回答說：“你們現在都說我是全知，我在世的時候不要說是全知，連基本的吃穿也很困難啊！”
Once Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa, in deep meditation at the mountain hermitage, had a vision of Longchenpa, and he asked: “Oh Omniscient Great Master, I have been praying to you so earnestly all these years, but why do you make your appearance to me only now
” Longchenpa answered: “It is only now that you all address me as the Omniscient One, yet when I was alive; I could not even sustain my own basic needs for food and clothing, let alone be called omniscient!”
的確是這樣，一個具德上師生前常常默默無聞，無人問津。在攝受弟子時，弟子也並不知曉上師的功德，一旦上師辭世，方憶念起上師的偉大，但卻再也見不到上師的身影，只留下無窮的追憶與悔恨。
Indeed, that”s how things go. An authentic teacher usually lives in low profile, without much fanfare and attracting no attention. Even if he receives disciples, they do not fully realize their master”s qualities; it is only after the death of the teacher that the disciples recall the teacher”s greatness. But by then it”s too late, nowhere can they find their teacher again and they are overcome with great remorse and lasting longing.
大恩上師如意寶晉美彭措也曾說過：“我死了以後，你們對我的信心會增上。不僅僅是我，許多人都是同樣。”
Our kindest Guru Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche once said: “Only after I die, will your faith toward me increase. Such things have happened to many others before; I am no exception.”
世間也是這樣，常言說：“良馬易得，伯樂難求。”在智者尚未被人發現之前，其生活狀況都是異常窘困的。
It is the same in worldly affairs, as the saying goes: “There are plenty of fine steeds around, but fine talent scouts like Bole are hard to come by.” Gifted inpiduals often have to suffer from poverty and extreme hardships before being recognized.
貝多芬——這位連接古典和浪漫樂派的音樂巨匠，生前卻遭受了諸多不幸，疾病纏身，經濟困難，以至于寫下《一文錢隨想曲》，其手稿上寫有“爲丟掉一文錢而憤怒，以隨想曲的形式發泄”的字迹，可見其當時困頓交加的狀況。舒曼曾爲此感歎，而寫下了一篇精美的散文。
Beethoven, the great composer who merged the music styles of the classical and romantic eras, experienced many adversities in his life—serious illness, utter poverty, and so forth. He became so outraged when once he lost a mere penny that he poured out his emotions on the piano piece “Rage over a Lost Penny.” How destitute and hapless he must have been! Schumann, deeply moved upon hearing this, wrote an elegant article to commemorate it.
寫下千古名著《紅樓夢》的曹雪芹，生前也是過著“劃羹爲食”的窮酸生活。
Cao Xueqin, who penned the legendary masterpiece The Story of the Stone (A Dream of Red Mansions), had endured impoverishment by living only on weak broth.
古往今來，能像劉備那樣求賢若渴，叁顧茅廬的又有幾人？無數的英雄們都留下了懷才不遇的哀鳴。
Emperor Liu Bei of the Shu Kingdom made three visits to the thatched cottage of Zhuge Liang to request his assistance. His eagerness in seeking talent like a thirsty person for water is scantly seen in the world, now or in the past. Many unsung heroes could only lament that their genius remains unrecognized and their dreams never fulfilled.
生前不予重視，死後即使大肆渲染其豐功偉績又有何用？
If not acknowledged during life, what”s the use of glorious posthumous recognition to a dead person
尤其是修行人，更應當在上師在世之時，意識到上師的珍貴。
To spiritual seekers, it is even more important to appreciate the teacher”s excellence while the teacher is still alive.
壬午年四月十七日
2002年5月28日
17th of April, Year of RenWu
May 28, 2002