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| 2012/01/02 20:23:30瀏覽111｜回應0｜推薦0 | ||
The Nine Ordeals (Part 6)
人生沒有一個時刻不在變換，人事物在世間上有時起、有時落，有時就是在很困難的時候，有時卻是很顯達的環境，但是心念不能變，這樣的人才有成功的日子。 There is never a moment when life is not changing. In dealing with people and matters, there are highs and lows. Sometimes we may face great difficulties, sometimes circumstances are exceptional. But only when one's mindset remains constant can one find success.  九惱： 六年苦行  九惱： 乞食空缽 要說佛的煩惱之前，我先和大家分享現在的人。 Before I speak about the Buddha's Ordeals, let me share a present-day story. 因為第六，佛陀曾經「乞食空缽」而回，就是在外面出去托缽，也會遇到全村的人一起不給他飯的時候，何況是我們凡夫的世界。 In His sixth ordeal, the Buddha returned from begging with an empty bowl. When He went out and begging for alms, He found that the entire village refused to give Him food. In the mundane world. 當然人有貧富的境遇，這是不是永遠的呢？不是永遠的！所以我們以現代看來，現在很富有的人，同樣過去也曾經過貧困的時刻。 There are the poor and the rich, but do these conditions last forever? No, they do not! People who are rich now may have been poor or had difficult times in the past. 就說是有一位現在的人，也是醫界的人士，也已經是很權威的胸腔外科權威者，但是現在年紀已經很大了。所以在我們的社會也曾經有人人很羨慕的人生，他是一位好醫師、是一位良醫。 The Man I speak of now is a well-known and respected medical profesional, an expert in thoracic surgery. He is very old now, and has lived a life that is enviable to others. He is a great and kind doctor. 四Ｏ年代他已經讀中學三年級了，家庭非常貧困，父親是一位礦工，母親是一個很賢慧但就是沒受教育，父親也沒受教育，所以他們所過的日子是那麼刻苦。尤其是母親一連串生了七個孩子，家庭環境不好，營養不足，家務事就只有母親這樣操勞，所以母親的身體也很不好。 Back in the 1940s, when he was in 9th grade, his family was very poor. His father was a miner, his mother was virtuous and intelligent, yet neither of his parents received schooling. So they led an extremely tough life. The mother had seven children, one after another. The family was poor, the children malnourished. All the household chores fell to the mother, she was no healthy and got sick easily. 因為母親體弱多病，還要拖著這群孩子，家庭又那麼貧困，所以這位父親對妻子、對孩子，內心都是一個很愧疚的心，無法讓妻兒生活過得好一點。所以他愈是愧疚的心愈是認真工作，早上天未亮就要出門，晚上又很晚才能離開礦坑、炭礦，所以日夜都是在十分黑暗的地方這樣生活。 Because the mother was no healthy and got sick easily. Still, she took care of the kids, they were very poor, so the father felt guilty that he could not provide a better life of them. The more remorse he felt, the harder he worked. He felt the house before sunrise, and did not return until very late. He spend his days and nights in the dark mines. 這樣經過了二十年後，二十年後他的大兒子已經讀中學了，他覺得負擔更重了。家中又有讀中學、也有小學的，所以他更要拼命做。但是畢竟已經經歷了這二十幾年礦坑的生活，有一天他就開始咳嗽，愈咳愈厲害，但是買米都不夠了，哪有辦法看醫師呢？還是帶病進礦坑。 Twenty years passed this way, and his oldest son was in middle school, the father felt his burden more with the children in middle and elementary school, so he worked to his limits .After more than twenty years in the mines, one day he started coughing. It continued to get worse, but they could barely afford rice, let alone a doctor. So he continued working while was sick. 一直到又拖了兩、三年後，他自己覺得是感冒、發高燒了，咳得非常厲害，已經不得不就醫，那時醫師幫他照了Ｘ光，看起來說是「塵肺」。塵肺的意思就是平時在礦坑裡吸了很多石粉或是土粉、炭粉，都吸進肺部了，所以整個肺部都已經硬化了。 Two or three years later, he thought he cough a cold, with a fever ang a very bad cough, he had to go to the doctor. The doctor took an X-ray and said it looked like pneumoconiosis, which effect people who spend a lot of time in mines. They inhale dust from rocks, dirt and coal, which leads to fibrosis of the lungs. 醫師就警告他：「你不能再亂動做事了，你最好是好好休息。」 The doctor warned him to not work anymore, told him that the needed to rest. 在這個時候，這個家庭的重擔又換給誰呢？當然是母親了。太太不識字，身體也不是很好，現在家庭的生活，這個擔子換太太接下來。 Who took on the burden of supporting the family? Of course it was the mother. She was illiterate and had poor health, but she took on the burden of providing for the family. 但是孩子就對父親說：「我不要再念書了，反正我現在中學就快畢業了，畢業之後我就去工作。」父親就很生氣罵他，就對他說：「你知道嗎？我對你們母子，內心是多麼沈重的愧疚負擔？我無法讓你們過好日子，現在又看到你母親那麼操勞，我當然捨不得。但是我為什麼一定要你讀書？不論家庭多麼辛苦，我都一定要你讀書，這是我的心願。」 So the oldest son told his father, "I'm not going to school anymore. I'm almost done with middle school anyway, so after graduation, I'll work." His father angrily yelled at him, "Do you know how guilty I feel? Not being able to provide a good life for my wife and children? And now I can't bear to see your mother worn down by this. You must continue your schooling. No matter how difficult things are at home, I want you to study. This is my wish!" 就開始說自己的故事給他的兒子聽。他說他自己本身出生時，他的母親難產就過世了。他說他的父親－－就等於這個孩子的祖父－－他的父親認為這個孩子帶來家庭的厄運，太太死了、家庭又貧困，這都是這個孩子帶來的。有時心情鬱悶就喝酒，喝了酒就打兒子，一邊打兒子就說：「就是因為你帶來厄運。」所以也不肯讓他讀書。 So he began telling his story to his son. He talked about his childhood. When he was born, his mother died in childbirth. His father thought this child brought bad luck, that his wife's death and the family's poverty were brought on by this child. So when his father was depressed, he would get drunk and beat him. As he beat him, he would say, "This is because you brought bad luck." The father refused to let him go to school. 在這種環境中長大，他自己內心，每次若是對妻兒有愧疚時，他就怨嘆自己沒唸書，但是並不怨嘆父親打他。所以他只有一個心願，不論未來家庭如何貧困，他如何折磨，一定要讓孩子好好讀書，這是父親現在對他兒子的心態。 The miner grew up like that, unable to provide a better life for his own family, he lamented his lack of education, but did not resent his father for hitting him. He only had one wish: No matter how poor his family was and how worn out he was, he would make sure his children had an education. This explained his attitude toward his son. 所以他的兒子知道父親有這番過去的人生，這樣的遭遇，祖父對父親有這種心態，才會造成父親現在對妻兒那種的疼愛，甚至一心，一定要栽培他的孩子讀書，要讀得好。這番心意他了解了，所以他讀書要更用功認真。 So the boy learned about his father's past. His grandfather's opinion toward his father was the source of his father's love for his wife and children, and his determination to put his children through school. Once he understood that he studied even harder. 過了不久，他的父親已經無法呼吸，就往生了。父親往生之後，母親面對著喪夫，而且家貧，一家子還有八口人，怎麼生活呢？母親的身體還是一年一年老了，而且體弱多病，然而求學絕對不能放棄，這是父親的心願。 Not long after that, his father could no longer breathe and passed away. After his father death, his mother had to support a poor family of eight. How would they live? Growing older and weaker each years, his mother was often sick, he could not abandon his schooling because is was his father's wish. 但是家裡母親這樣操勞，他也不忍心，所以他採取雙管齊下，就是一早要去送報紙，然後才去上學。都是沒吃飯就出門，求學常常沒吃飯在過日子，所以有一餐沒兩餐地生活。 But he could not bear to see his mother working so hard, so he decided to both study and work. He delivered newspaper in the early morning and then went to school. He left without eating breakfast, and while he was in school he often missed meals. 有一天，他已經從初中畢業之後，又上高中了，開始在送報紙時，當時即將大學聯考。他讀書也要讀到很晚，又營養不良，又是清早一個冬天，他去送報紙。報紙送到一戶人家前面，那一家門前有圍籬，這座圍籬有大門，大門上就有一個信箱，他要將報紙塞進信箱時，忽然間腦袋一陣暈眩黑天暗地，他只好靠在門上，手扶著信箱靠在門邊。 After he graduated from middle school, he went to high school. He was still delivering papers, right before the university entrance exams. He studied late into the night and was malnourished. One early morning in winter, he was delivering papers in front of a house. There was a gate in the fence and on the gate was a mailbox. As he stuffed the newspaper into the mailbox, he suddenly felt dizzy and everything went black. He had to lean against the gate, with his hand on the mailbox. 這時另一片門打開了，一位女孩子，這個女孩子就是讀北一女，穿著北一女的衣服，開門看到這位在那裡送報紙的年輕人。看他閉著眼睛，她就叫他：「你怎麼了，有沒有事？」他睜開眼睛，跟她說：「我沒什麼，沒事。」但是這個女孩子就對他說：「看你的臉色很差，你是不是很冷，有事需要我幫忙嗎？」他說：「妳能給我一杯熱開水嗎？」女孩子就趕緊進去，到了一杯熱騰騰的豆漿出來。 At this time, the other door opened. A girl stood in the doorway, dressed in the uniform of Taipei First Girls High School. Seeing this young newspaper boy with his eyes closed, she asked, "Are you alright? What happened?" He opened his eyes and said, "Nothing, I'm fine." But the girl said, "You look awful. Are you cold? Can I help you? " He said, "Can you give me a cup of hot water?" The girl rushed in and came out with a cup of steaming soy milk. 看她雙手端著這杯熱騰騰的豆漿，很歡喜，這杯豆漿喝下去，點個頭就趕緊轉身走了，又送報紙去了。路上他一直回憶，自己很懊惱，怎麼一句道謝都沒說。不過他的眼睛看著女孩時，瞄到女孩子姓陳，陳某某，是讀北一女，所以他內心一直想，哪一天我再送報紙時，就能遇到這位女孩子，對她說一句謝謝。 He cupped the cup with both hands and felt joyous. After he finished drinking, he nodded and left quickly to deliver more papers. On his way he kept thinking about it, and left chagrined, why did not thank her? Then he remembered he had seen her nametag from First Girls High School. So he kept thinking if he met her while delivering the papers again, he would thank her. 因為連這句謝謝都沒說，所以心裡非常過意不去，所以每天報紙，如果送到這個家庭，他就在那裡，站個起碼兩分鐘以上，但是都沒有機會。 He felt guilty, so every day when he delivered the paper to her home, he waited for at least two minutes, but he did not see her again. 後來考上醫學院了，就離開了這個地方，就到台北去讀書了。畢業了，也開始當醫師了，他的選擇是胸腔外科。那就是因為他的父親，就是死於這種病，所以他求學就是一個期待，就是要讀醫科，很認真。 After he qualified for medical school, he left home and went to Taipei. After graduation, he became a doctor. He choose thoracic surgery because his father had died from all illness of the lungs. So he had always hoped to study medicine. 一直到在某一家大醫院，擔任胸腔外科的主任，有一天他看到病歷，是一為新的患者來急診，看到病歷時，他想：「咦，這個名字怎麼這麼熟悉？」好想每天都放在心裡的一個名字，就趕緊去看看。雖然歲月經過那麼久了，不過那個輪廓就是那麼熟悉的面孔，所以他就趕緊幫她急救、檢查、照Ｘ光片等等…發現是肺部血管的栓塞，整個都塞住了，他趕緊緊急開刀。終於在很危急，很危險的情形下，把她救回來。 He worked hard until he became the chief of thoracic surgery at a major hospital. One day he saw the medical record of a new patient who came into the emergency room. He thought the name looked very familiar. It was a name that had been on his mind every day, so he rushed to see her. Although much time has passed, her face was so familiar, so he rushed to give her emergency aid. He examined her, ordered X-rays, etc. He found a pulmonary embolism; her lungs blood vessels were clotted. He immediately performed surgery and rescued her from a critical condition. 住院也療養了一個多月，這個女人她就很擔心，家庭環境不太好，開了這麼大的刀，卻沒有來向她收錢，醫師都說那不要緊，等要出院再說。 She stayed in the hospital for over a month, but she was very worried, her family was not well off. She had undergone a major surgery, but no one asked her for payment. The doctor said to not worry and to wait until discharged. 一直到她要出院了，護士就送來一張帳單，她的心裡很擔心：「到底我花了多少錢？我要從哪裡拿出錢來呢？」 When she was about to leave, the nurse brought her the bill. She was very worried about how much it was and how she would pay? 那張帳單結算起來錢數很大，但是一看，下面有寫字，用紅筆特別寫著：「妳的一杯豆漿，已經抵過這段時間所有的醫藥費了，感恩妳的一杯豆漿。讓我有機會表達欠了二十多年的這句『謝謝』。」 It looked like the bill was very high, but at the bottom, she saw something written in red pen, "Your cup of soymilk has already covered this medicine bill. Thank you for the cup of soymilk, I've owed you thank for over twenty years."  善心與惡念 所以這個故事，就是這麼感人。四Ｏ年代的貧窮子，如今成名的醫師，只是感念當時的一杯豆漿，二十多年後救她一命。所以有句話說：「惠我一杯水，報以美食；善小必為，其酬十倍。」那不只是十倍而已。 This story was so touching. The poor child of the 1940s became a famous doctor. Still grateful for the cup of soymilk, he saved her life twenty years later. It is said, "The courtesy of a cup of water, will be repaid with a gourmet meal; a small goodness will be repaid tenfold." This was more than tenfold. 各位，這就是我們平時，就是要累積。不要認為一點善而已，即使你給人一杯水，人家冷，我們趕緊到一杯熱騰騰的水，即使讓他拿在手上溫熱，或是能喝，不要認為這只是一點點善而已。像這個故事，只是一杯豆漿，卻能救他最臨急時的命，非常溫馨。 Everyone, this is what we need to accumulate constantly. Do not be little small kindness such as a cup of water. When others are cold, and we give them a steaming cup of water, to drink or to warm their hands, it is more than just a bit of good. Take this story, it was just a cup of soymilk, but it saved her in emergency, this is very heartwarming. 佛陀雖然成佛了，他在托缽時，對婆羅門，整個村莊都是婆羅門教徒，對佛教是最反感的，他在那裡如何能得到飯呢？所以這就是佛陀他說：「過去生也是一樣有所慳吝，所以慳吝的因，造成現在求不得的苦。只是要求一頓飯，一砵飯都不容易。」 Even after He attained enlightenment, when Buddha begged for alms, he came across an entire village of Brahmins who detested Buddhism, so how could He get food? The Buddha said that, "In His past lives He was just as miserly. His past stinginess was the cause of His present suffering from unfulfilled needs. So even a bowl of rice was hard to come by." 所以布施很重要。 Thus, giving is important.  四攝法： Four All-embracing Virtues: Giving, beneficial conduct, loving words and mutual effort. 布施或是利行、愛語、同事，這叫做四攝法。 Giving, beneficial conduct, loving words and mutual effort are the Four All-embracing Virtues. 布施即使是一點點，也叫做布施；一點點幫助人、利益人，這也要做利行；說一句好話，這叫做愛語；人與人之間互相相處、互相影響，這叫做同事。這在佛陀的教育中，稱為「四攝法」。這也是很重要，這也是在我們的日常生活中要奉行的。 Even just a bit of charity is still giving. Sometime that helps and benefits others is beneficial conduct. Saying a good word is loving speech. When people work together and effect each others, it is cooperative deeds. In the Buddha's teaching, these are the Four All-embracing Virtues. They are also very important in our daily lives. 所以佛陀也有過肚子餓的時候，也有過沒有人要供養他的時候，何況我們呢？所以人落難難免，我們若能即時付出，這是最重要的，所以大家要時時多用心。 Even the Buddha endured hunger when no one made offerings. So of course ordinary men endure hunger, too. It is hard to avoid difficulties, so it is important to give while we can. Everyone, please always be mindful. |
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| ( 心情隨筆｜心靈 ) |
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