安然

　　At Ease

　　不管是王孫公子，還是平民百姓，不論身份高低貴賤，生活在世上的人們，在未得究竟境界之前，都會有時歡樂有時痛苦，時而無緣無故地生起悔恨、疲勞、痛苦、憎恨、厭倦等各種煩惱，仿佛全世界都成了生起煩惱的因；時而又歡欣鼓舞，精神煥發，喜不自勝，無憂無慮，渾身洋溢著幸福，仿佛太陽也是爲自己而生存的。無法把握自心的人們，就這樣被輪番交替的酸甜苦辣所驅使。

　　People living in the world—be they nobles or commoners, rich or poor, powerful or lowly—are all subject to mood swings of happiness and sadness unless they have attained the ultimate realization. All kinds of mental afflictions—remorse, fatigue, pain, hatred and apathy—can pop up for no reason at all. Suddenly, the whole world seems to be arrayed against oneself. At other times, a person”s whole being is filled with bliss; one feels upbeat, energetic, joyful, and carefree, as if even the sun exists solely at one”s service. In this way, anyone incapable of taking the helm of the mind is at the mercy of the roller-coaster torture of bitterness and sweetness.

　　作爲修行人，應知道這一切都不過是顛倒夢想而已。“萬法本閑，唯人自鬧”，面對世間的變幻，應保持如如不動的心態。每天的心情不應變化太大。

　　As spiritual practitioners, we should recognize that all these are nothing but confused, phantom displays of the mind, as it is said: “Calm and peace are the nature of things, busyness and disorder are the fabrications of humans.” When confronted with the ups and downs of this world, we should maintain an imperturbable mind and save ourselves from extreme mood swings.

　　學院堪布羅桑群培，在此方面堪稱典範。家裏的陳設十幾年前與現在幾乎沒有變化。小鋼爐、轉經輪、經書、佛像，數得清的幾件用品，整潔地一一擺放，令人不禁油然而生敬意。他時常正襟危坐于床上，不是看書就是修法念經。任世間風雲變幻，永遠以從容的姿態對待。

　　Khenpo Losang Chophel at the Larung Gar is an excellent example in this respect. The furnishings at his place have remained almost the same for over 10 years. His prayer wheels, scriptures, statues, portable furnace, and few articles of everyday use are all arranged neatly and nicely, pleasing to the eye and inspiring to the mind. He often sits up properly on the bed, either reading or practicing. However the world is changing turbulently around him, he is ready to deal with it with equanimity.

　　而像我這種人，從剛到學院向別人借房子，然後修草皮房、板皮房、再到圓木的兩間房，消耗無數精力于毫無意義的事情上。爲這副臭皮囊所累，爲暫時寄居的客棧，進行著無休止的裝修。我時常在反躬自問，何時自己能安心于小小的木板房，端坐于臥榻之上，沈浸在修法的快樂之中呢？

　　What about people like me

　　 Soon after my arrival at the academy, I rented a place first, and then I built a straw house, a sawmill slab house and all the way to a two-room home of solid wood. I spent a lot of energy on these frivolous activities. Burdened by my sack of flesh and bone, and for providing a temporary lodging for it, I kept on remodeling. Quite often, I asked myself: When will I learn to be content with a little plank hut, where I can just sit on the bed to immerse myself in Dharma bliss

　　世間的人們常常是今天與白衣人唱歌，明天與黑衣人跳舞，後天又與紅衣人泡吧……；今天到寺院打禅七，明天去念阿彌陀佛，後天又想灌大圓滿的頂……美其名曰“禅淨密叁修”，結果一事無成。

　　People busy themselves constantly—today it is singing songs with someone in white, tomorrow, dancing with someone in black, and the day after, hitting the bar with someone in red. Or today, doing a seven-day Zen meditation; tomorrow, chanting Buddha Amitabha”s holy name; and the day after, requesting an empowerment on Great Perfection…. Although an impressive label can be given to this kind of approach, for instance, “combining the three practices of Zen, Pure Land, and the Secret Mantra all together,” yet in the end, nothing can be accomplished.

　　真正的修行人應當面對世俗繁華，視若過眼雲煙。如《菜根譚》中所雲：“寵辱不驚，閑看庭前花開花落；去留無意，漫卷天外雲卷雲舒。”

　　A genuinely spiritual person sees the vanities of the world as transient as fleeting clouds. It says aptly in Tending the Roots of Wisdom:

　　Unmoved either by gain or loss,

　　Leisurely he watches the flowers in the garden bloom and fade.

　　Uncaring about either coming or going,

　　Freely the clouds in the sky roll out or fold in.

　　即使身居人聲鼎沸的鬧市，也能保持若入無人之境的心情。

　　Thus abided, even if one lives in a hustling and bustling marketplace, one can still maintain a tranquil mind as if no one is around.

　　壬午年叁月二十五日　

　　2002年5月6日　

　　25th of March, Year of RenWu

　　May 6, 2002

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