皈依

　　Taking Refuge

　　世上皈依三宝的人为数不少，皈依的目的也是千差万别。佛教的门内如同一个应有尽有的超市，进来的人各从其志、各得其所，有的人是为了自己的人天福报，有的人是因为畏惧恶趣，有的人是为了自己脱离轮回，有的人却是为了救度众生。

　　Many people have taken refuge in the Three Jewels, yet their motivation for doing so varies enormously. Entering the gate of Buddhism is like walking into a huge supermarket fully stocked with all kinds of goods to satisfy everyone”s needs and likes. Some take refuge in the idea of obtaining the happiness of gods and men; others are motivated by the fear of the lower realms. Some take refuge in the Three Jewels with the aim of attaining freedom from samsaric sufferings; others do so with the wish of liberating all sentient beings.

　　前几种发心属于中小士道发心，而后一种却是殊胜之发心。仅仅为了自身的利益而皈依，如同以摩尼宝换得一颗糖吃，实乃鼠目寸光之举。如果不考虑自身，仅仅为了众生的利益，则如同种水稻不但可以获得谷子，也能够同时获得稻草一样，即使将自身的解脱置之度外，也会水到渠成，不求自得。

　　The first three attitudes are those of lesser and middling beings; only the last one is the supreme motivation of great beings. To take refuge solely for selfish desire is like trading a wish-fulfilling jewel for a piece of candy—very shortsighted indeed. When farmers grow rice, they expect to reap grains of rice, but at the same time hay will automatically become available to them too. Likewise, if a person works wholeheartedly for other sentient beings without any selfish concern, his own liberation will come naturally, even without his asking for it.

　　我们应该扪心自问，皈依的目的是否真是如同每天所说的那样，为度化一切众生而皈依。如果自己都对此有怀疑的话，那么应该重新调整自己的发心，在三宝前，真实无伪地为众生的解脱而再次皈依。

　　Let”s search our hearts to see if we truly mean what we proclaim every day, that we are taking refuge in order to benefit all sentient beings. If the answer is not a resolute yes, then we should readjust our motivation and, in the presence of the Three Jewels, once again take refuge genuinely for the purpose of liberating beings.

　　无垢光尊者有一个皈依的简单仪轨：于三宝所依前供养、忏悔，观想前方虚空中佛陀等三宝如密云般降临，供养外内密等遍满虚空的供品，诚心念诵：“我某某从即日起乃至菩提间为一切众生而皈依上师、皈依佛、皈依法、皈依僧”三遍，通过表示(上师弹指或自己观想)而获得皈依戒。

　　The Omniscient Longchenpa has left a concise sadhana for refuge taking: In front of Three Jewels” representations, we make offerings and confessions. Visualize the Buddha, Dharma, Sanghas, and other deities filling the sky before you. Make cloud-like outer, inner, and secret offerings to them, and say the following: “From this time until attaining the essence of enlightenment, I [say your name], for the sake of all sentient beings, take refuge in the Buddha. I take refuge in the Dharma. I take refuge in the Sangha.” Say this three times from the depths of your heart and with the help of symbols (the teacher snapping his fingers or we ourselves imagining), the refuge vow is attained.

　　这个仪轨简单而有意义，如果诸法师过去没有依照仪轨，仅仅是依凭想象而举行皈依仪式的话，从今也可按此仪轨为他人作皈依仪式。我过去也有不按仪轨的情况，今后一定严格照此执行。

　　This ritual is simple and significant. Some Dharma instructors among you may have held refuge taking in the past by visualization only, without following a sadhana. From now on, you should consider using this text for the ritual of refuge taking, which I will also follow strictly as I have occasionally been slacking in this respect.

　　壬午年六月十五日 　

　　2002年7月24日

　　15th of June, Year of RenWu

　　July 24, 2002