嗡嗡

Buzz Buzz

在藏族的谜语中，是这样形容蜜蜂的：不是老虎却有老虎的花纹；不是犏牛却有犏牛的声音；不是老鼠却钻老鼠的地洞。不管如何，在很多人眼里，蜜蜂是辛勤劳作的象征。

A riddle in Tibet describes bees in this way: It is not a tiger, but it has a tiger’s fur patterns; it is not a yak, but it sounds like a yak; it is not a rat, but it can fit in a rat hole. Bees, however portrayed, seem always connected with diligence and hard work in the eyes of many people.

早上吃糌粑时，来了一只大蜜蜂，不停地转绕并发出嗡嗡声。按照藏族的说法，如果一人被蜜蜂转绕，就表示这是他中阴身的亲人未得解脱，中阴法王开许其以蜜蜂之身来寻求善法。藏族人在此时一定会念一些观音心咒、金刚萨埵心咒之类的咒语，以超度这些不甘的亡灵。

While I was having tsampa this morning, a huge bee appeared, hovering around me with a buzzing hum. According to Tibetan belief, the bee that circles a person is a relative yet to be liberated in the intermediate state; allowed by the Lord of the Bardo Realm, the relative comes to search for the Dharma in a bee’s body. At this time, Tibetans will always recite the Avaloketesvara mantra or the Vajrasattva mantra, etc., to bless these restless spirits.

“你是我的哪一位亲人呢？”回答我的是一阵“嗡嗡”声，阴阳间的交流只能以这种方式进行，近在咫尺，却无法以语言沟通，这是多么的无奈！我无言以对，只有竭力念诵心咒、佛号，以告慰“亲人”。

“Dear little bee, which relative of mine are you?” But my question was met only with a series of buzzing notes. Though the living and the dead were right next to each other, there was no language to communicate except by a humming sound. How sad! I could say no more but tried my best to recite mantras and Buddha’s names, in order to benefit this “relative” of mine.

一些佛经中对此另有说法，《宝箧庄严经》中云：“大悲尊主观世音菩萨至斯里兰卡，见耶扣谋杰大城市粪便处住有成百上千种昆虫，尔时观音菩萨化为蜜蜂形象，发出嗡嗡声，义为顶礼佛陀，其余虫类听此亦随念顶礼佛陀，从而以智慧金刚摧毁二十种萨迦耶见，终皆成菩萨，名为口香，往生到极乐世界。”“也许你是佛菩萨的化现，那么请问您的‘嗡嗡’声包含何等密意？”回答我的仍是“嗡嗡、嗡嗡”。

Still other sayings have been found in the sutras, for instance the Karandavyuha Sutra records this episode: When the great compassionate Bodhisattva Avaloketesvara went to Sri Lanka he saw that thousands of creatures were living in piles of excrement at the corner of the city Yekoumoujie. Avaloketesvara then appeared in the form of a bee and made a buzzing sound as homage to the Buddhas. Hearing it, all the creatures there also made the sound to pay homage to the Buddhas. Henceforth they were able to destroy 20 kinds of sakaya-dithi (self-grasping) with the wisdom diamond and all became Bodhisattva named Fragrant Lip, and were all reborn to the Pure Land of Great Bliss.” “Perhaps you are the emanation of a Buddha or a Bodhisattva. Please tell me, then, what’s the hidden meaning in your buzz?” But again, the reply was still the buzzing hum.

无论它是前来求助的中阴身，还是普通的旁生，或者是诸佛菩萨的化现。我想，没有比祈祷三宝更好的做法了。

Whatever my visitor’s true identity—a bardo being seeking help, an ordinary creature, or the emanation of the enlightened ones—I think I can offer no better reception than to pray to the Three Jewels.

无论我们在花园中观赏五彩缤纷的鲜花，还是在草原上饱览一望无际的原野，时常会碰到微小可爱的生灵，玩赏兴奋之余，不要忘记轮回众生的境遇，更不要忘记怙主三宝的恩德。

While we are in the garden enjoying beautiful flowers or feasting our eyes on the immense green field, we will also see many tiny bugs or cute creatures. At this time of our leisure and delight, remember how sentient beings are cycling in samsara and always bear in mind the kindness of our protector, the Three Jewels.

壬午年七月十三日 　
2002年8月20日 　

13th of July, Year of RenWu
August 20, 2002