看戲

　　Seeking Entertainment

　　在這個人心陷溺、物欲橫流的世上，只要有點時間和金錢，人們就喜歡到娛樂場所看戲、聽音樂，美其名曰藝術熏陶。沈醉其中卻沒有絲毫的反省和猶豫，仿佛忘了死之將至。

　　These days, human morality is sinking low and materialism is gaining the upper hand. People with any available time and money would go to popular places to see a film or a show, and term it refining one”s cultural taste. Totally mesmerized by the entertainment, it never occurs to them that they ought to reflect inwardly or to think twice about what they are doing. As to the issue of death, it”s something far too remote to think about.

　　世尊在因地的時候曾轉世爲鐵室王子，在過水蓮節的時候，人們爲他舉行了盛大的歌舞表演活動。看到周遭的人們喜笑顔開，王子深感悲切地說：“嗚呼！世間煩惱衆，不穩無喜樂，然此水蓮節，反覺樂穩固，此等凡夫衆，無懼真稀有。死主遮生路，無慮貪歡樂，老病死怨敵，時時橫眼前，定趨來世道，智者誰歡喜？”

　　In one of his previous lives, the Buddha was reborn as the Prince of Iron Chamber. On the occasion of the Water Lotus Festival, his subjects prepared extravagant shows of dancing and singing to please him. On seeing the jubilant crowds all around him, the Prince instead was saddened and lamented deeply: “Alas! For beings rife with negative emotions, there is not a scrap of stability or happiness. At the Water Lotus Festival, they feel their joy is everlasting. Not having any worry or fear, such ignorance of theirs is indeed startling. The Lord of Death blocks the path of life. Just as one recklessly enjoys happiness, the nemeses—sickness, old age, and death—wait always around the corner. How could a wise person be joyful when facing the rounds of rebirth

　　”

　　劉備在臨終之際，爲使自己曆經千辛萬苦而創下的蜀漢家業，不至于功虧一篑，諄諄告誡兒子劉禅：“勿以惡小而爲之，勿以善小而不爲。”先父走後，劉禅早已將忠告抛之腦後，整日尋歡作樂，企圖在前人栽種的樹蔭下乘涼，最終遭致大好河山被人掠奪的結局。當他被軟禁于他國之時，仍不知好歹地一邊看著宮女的表演，一邊厚顔無恥地說道：“此間樂，不思蜀。”絲毫不知亡國之恨，真是令人感慨萬分。

　　Liu Bei, the founding father of the Shu Han Dynasty, established his kingdom through innumerable hardships. To make sure his family lineage would last and not fail him, he earnestly left his son Liu Chan these last words: “Never commit any evil deed however minor it may be; never miss doing any good deed however tiny it may seem.” Liu Chan sadly did not heed the advice in the least. After his father”s death, he cared only to enjoy his ancestor”s fruits of labor, indulging himself in sensual pleasures day and night and eventually, he lost the once-mighty kingdom to enemies. Worse, as he was detained in other states, he still took delight in watching the chambermaids” dancing and gloated shamelessly: “I”m too delighted to be homesick!” In him there was not the slightest remorse or anguish that his Shu Kingdom had been conquered. What a wretch, it”s utterly lamentable!

　　有的修行人也一樣，終日沈迷于歌舞升平的生活，毫不察覺死主將臨，實在與劉禅無異。

　　Many so-called practitioners, regaling themselves in pleasure all the time, are also entirely oblivious to the imminent arrival of the Lord of Death. They do not fare any better than Liu Chan.

　　你在臺下看戲，殊不知自己也正在人生的大舞臺上扮演著自己的角色。如何使之更加豐美、更加完善，是值得我們思考的大問題。

　　While watching a show, we consider ourselves spectators. But do we recognize that on the larger stage of life, we all are actors performing our own dramas

　　 How to make our own show richer and better to the best of our abilities—isn”t it a big issue worthy of deep pondering!

　　壬午年叁月二十一日　

　　2002年5月2日　　

　　21st of March, Year of RenWu

　　May 2, 2002