烤肉

　　Barbecuing Meat

　　偶爾聽得一新鮮吃法，實在令我瞠目結舌。據說此爲日本人發明的“烤肉”：先將待斃之牛捆嚴，再以一木板狠擊其臀部，直至其腫脹至每一毛細血管均充滿血漿。取其臀部之肉，用于燒烤，其味鮮美無比。說此之人津津樂道、唾沫飛揚，仿佛已聞到牛肉之“芬芳”。我想，那些在享受烤肉的人們也一定紅光滿面、神采飛揚，何曾想到牛之慘狀？

　　想起不久前于報紙上看到的一則消息。日本人發明了一種“盆景貓”，將年幼之貓置于玻璃瓶中，上面以玻璃管導入營養液，下面以玻璃管導出排泄物，貓長大後，充滿玻璃瓶，便形成各種形狀的“寵物貓”。據說，該“寵物貓”一上市，即供不應求。有誰爲可憐的貓將在狹窄的玻璃瓶內度過余生而生起一絲悲心呢？

　　I once heard about a new way of cooking meat that completely dumbfounded me. This special way of grilling meat, allegedly invented by some Japanese, involved first securely tying the condemned animal so that it could not move, and then smacking its butt forcefully with a wooden plank until the butt became swollen and red from expanded capillaries. The plasma-rich meat was then sliced for barbecuing, guaranteed to be extremely tender and juicy with no comparison. The person describing this got all excited and dwelled upon it with great relish, as if he had sniffed the sweet odor wafting from the grill. I could imagine those epicures wolfing down the roasted meat with great gusto, their faces blazed with satiation and high spirit. But had they considered the utter misery of the poor cow

　　“誰道群生性命微，一般骨肉一般皮，勸君莫打枝頭鳥，子在巢中望母歸。”不知白居易的這首詩能否喚醒一些麻木的心靈？

　　“Who can say other creatures” lives are low or worthless

　　 They too have flesh, bones, and feelings. I exhort you to refrain from killing birds in nests in trees. The baby birds there are waiting for their mother to come home.” Will this poem, written by Bai Juyi, awaken the numbed, unfeeling hearts

　　即使世人看來低賤的動物，也同樣具有感覺器官，同樣擁有妻室兒女。爲何這些人竟沒有一絲恻隱之心？而且，因果報應不虛，是亘古不變的真理，不顧死後即將面臨之下場，實乃愚夫所爲。

　　All creatures, even those regarded as inferior by humans, have sense organs, mates, offspring, and loved ones. How can these people lack the slightest sympathy

　　 And be aware that the principle of cause and effect, a truism since ancient times, is always infallible. People just act without giving any thought to the consequences they”ll soon face upon death. Aren”t they foolish!

　　我實在無意貶低日本人，但如此發明實在令人遺憾，爲何人類的曆史總揮不開幹戈的陰影？爲何互相殘殺的悲劇總是周而複始地上演？“欲知世上刀兵劫，但聽屠門夜半聲。”這也是衆生之共業所致。如果前世沒有虧欠，也不致遭如此果報，自食其果，實在無法抱怨。但冤冤相報何時了啊！我奮筆疾書，望世人能明鑒此理。

　　I absolutely don”t mean to put down the Japanese who thought of the barbecuing method. But this kind of invention is regrettable, to say the least. Why are humans constantly at war with each other throughout history

　　 Why does the tragedy of killing one another have to repeat itself

　　 The saying goes: “Should you seek the clue for catastrophes of human bloodshed, just listen to the wails coming out from the slaughterhouse at midnight.” What we are experiencing now is nothing but the combined effects of all our past actions. There is no foul consequence without past misdeeds in previous lives. One reaps only what one has sown; therefore no one has the right to complain about fate. But alas, when will these vicious cycles of seeking revenge on each other ever end

　　 I feel so affected by these issues that I have to write them down even if hurriedly here. May people in the world come to a clear understanding of these principles!

　　壬午年四月十五日 　

　　2002年5月26日 　

　　14th of April, Year of RenWu

　　May 26, 2002