纯金

Pure Gold

人们喜欢以金子比喻美好的事物，如“金子般的心灵”、“真金不怕火炼”。也喜欢用金子制成装饰品，让自己更引人注目。

In describing something wonderful, gold is usually used as a symbol, for instance “a golden heart,” or “Truth will prevail through fire just as genuine gold does,” etc. People also like to wear gold accessories in order to catch more attention from others.

纯金的首饰只能装饰外表，而不能提升内心。珍贵的教言却可以改变人的今生来世，并让人最终走向解脱，可谓受益无穷，其价值如同纯金一般，十分珍贵。

Ornaments of pure gold decorate only the exterior; they are unable to adorn people’s inner selves. On the other hand, the sacred Dharma will bring changes in one’s lives, both current and future ones, and ultimately lead beings toward liberation. Considering its limitless benefits, the value of the Dharma is just as precious as the purest gold.

阿底峡尊者在21岁以前，就已精通了内外法门。后来依止那若巴尊者，于尊者前刻苦修学，并通达显密教法。后来经上师、本尊授记，29岁依止西拉日结达的燃灯尊者，3年后，一切自他宗派皆了然于心。

Jowo Jé Glorious Atisha mastered all the inner and outer doctrines by the age of 21. He became proficient in sutras and tantras after diligent study under the guidance of the great Naropa. Later, following the direction given by his teachers and his yidam, Atisha took ordination from the great erudite Silarakshita and was given the name Dipamkara Srijñana. In three years he understood perfectly the essential points of his own and all other lineages.

遵照度母授记，他又乘坐海船，漂洋过海，用了13个月的时间，克服了难以想象的巨大困难，终于到达金洲(今印度尼西亚)，并依止仰慕已久的金洲大师12年。他以虔诚的信心，从上师处获得了纯金般的教言，生起了纯金般的菩提心，并得以面见各本尊金颜。

Following the instruction from Tara, he took a perilous 13-month sea voyage and overcame unimaginable difficulties to arrive at the distant island of Sumatra, in present-day Indonesia. There, with deep and unshakable devotion, he studied for 12 years with the teacher of his long yearning, Suvarnadvipa Guru, or the Master of Gold Isle. Having received his master’s golden teachings, he aroused the golden bodhichitta and witnessed many pure visions of yidams.

之后，羽翼已丰的他以超常的智慧，与13个宗派的外道展开了激烈的辩论，均大获全胜，作为失败方的各派外道，心悦诚服地供养他13幅胜幢。

Atisha returned to India fully accomplished. With his erudition and extraordinary wisdom, he completely triumphed in many heated debates against 13 non-Buddhist extremists. He was offered 13 victory banners from his defeated opponents who were full of admiration and respect for him.

他的美名传遍了四方，并获得名噪一时的戒香寺僧人的极大信赖，他们将该寺18个门的钥匙交与尊者掌管。(在当时，即使掌管该寺的一把钥匙也是莫大的荣耀。)

His glorious fame spread far and wide. He won the total trust of the Sangha at the eminent Buddhist Monastery Vikramasila and was entrusted with the stewardship of 18 keys of the monastery. (During that time period, to be in charge of merely one key of that monastery was regarded as a great honor.)

后来，智慧光国王为迎请阿底峡尊者，以自己的生命换得与身体等重的黄金，凑足了聘师费用。菩提光用此黄金将尊者恭请到藏，并在藏地传法13年。

The Tibetan king of that time, Lhalama Yeshe Ö, in his strong wish to invite Atisha to Tibet, gave up his own life for the amount of gold equal to his body weight. Jangchhub Ö journeyed to India with this gold, offered it to Atisha, and succeeded in bringing the master to Tibet, where he taught the pure Dharma for 13 years.

每当提到金洲大师，阿底峡尊者便异常激动，深有感触地说：“我相续中能生起纯金般的菩提心，都是仰仗金洲大师的加持啊！”

Whenever Atisha spoke of Guru Suvarnadvipa, he would feel the greatest gratitude and said with deep emotion: “The golden bodhichitta that I have generated in my mind all comes from the kindness of Lord Suvarnadvipa!”

当博、金、普三同门祈求阿底峡尊者传授一个最殊胜的法时，他发人深省地说道：“最殊胜的教言是反观自心，最殊胜的行为是不随顺世人，最殊胜的成就是减少烦恼，最殊胜的证相是知足少欲，最殊胜的善知识是击中要害，最殊胜的劝善者是怨魔病痛。”

Once asked by Khu, Ngok, and Drom to transmit the best of all the elements of the path, Atisha replied with these illuminating teachings:

The best instruction is always to direct all your practice inwards.
The best conduct is one that does not conform to worldly ways.
The best accomplishment is a steady lessening of afflictive emotions.
The best sign of practice is having less desire and knowing contentment.
The best spiritual friend is one who hits your hidden faults.
The best incentives to virtue are enemies, obstacles, and the sufferings of illness.

阿底峡尊者等前辈大德，为我们留下了纯金般的教言，如果身至金洲，却空手而返，就真是愚蠢之至了。

Great masters like Atisha have left us rich legacies like pure gold. If we traveled to golden isles only to return empty-handed, what could be more foolish than that?
　　
壬午年七月初六　　
2002年8月14日 　

6th of July, Year of RenWu
August 14, 2002