酸奶

Yogurt Treat

一到夏天，酸奶就成了草原上最美的佳肴。家乡人常爱说一句话：“如果夏天没有酸奶喝，草原上的美景都仿佛缺了颜色。”谁家因为没有牦牛而喝不到酸奶，将是令人沮丧的事。

With the approach of summer, yogurt comes to embody the best delicacy in the Tibetan pastureland. There is a saying in my hometown: “A summer without yogurt is akin to a field devoid of beautiful colors.” Indeed, should “no yak, no yogurt” happen to any household, it is regarded as a lamentable situation.

同所有牧场上的人一样，我对酸奶也情有独钟。因为远离家乡，来到汉地，前几天还心想：这个夏天可能喝不到酸奶了吧？没想到，今天一位居士给我送来了汉地制作的酸奶，居然味道和草原上的酸奶不相上下，有的还在里面加上了水果，更是别有一番滋味。 不由得想起曾经与上师一起吃酸奶的情景。

Like anyone growing up next to a grazing field, I have a special affection for yogurt. This summer, I am staying in the Han Chinese area, a good distance from my hometown; I thought I would be missing the yogurt treat this time around. Thus I was pleasantly surprised today when a lay friend brought me yogurt made in the Han area. It was almost as delicious as that from the high pastureland; moreover, some had fruits mixed in it, rendering a unique flavor. Enjoying it, my mind flew back to the time when I had yogurt with my revered Guru.

那是在2000年6月28日，当时法王如意宝正在南山闭关，并为部分藏族喇嘛传讲大圆满。我带领一群来自美国、新加坡和大陆的四众弟子前去拜见法王。当我们的车沿着崎岖的山路跋涉到南山顶时，满车的人都不由自主地发出惊叹：“太美了！”的确，上师的小木屋在满目的缤纷花朵和蓝天的衬托下，无论从哪个角度欣赏，都是一幅绝佳的风景图。

It was on June 28, 2000. During that time H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche was doing a retreat at South Mountain (Nan San) and had been giving teachings on the Great Perfection to Tibetan lamas. I led a group of monks and nuns as well as lay people from the United States, Singapore, and Mainland China to pay a formal visit to him. Our car made long treks through the rough and rugged mountain passages. Upon reaching the top of Nan San, we saw our Guru’s little cottage surrounded by a dazzling array of colorful flowers; with the vast blue sky as a backdrop, it was a perfect scene from any angle. Indeed, everyone could not help exclaiming: “Oh my, it’s so beautiful!”

我们就在这如诗如画的景致中拜见了上师。那天上师也显得格外高兴，他让人拿出酸奶，在我们每人手上分了一份，他自己也分了一份在手上，并告诉我们说：“这是我年轻求学时最好的食物，今天也分给你们尝尝，这里没有碗，但作为修行人，要不怕艰苦，我们以手为碗，一样可尝出酸奶的美味来。”说完，他就带头津津有味地吃着手里的酸奶。我一边吃着酸奶，一种发自内心的幸福如涌泉般喷薄而出。

It was in this picturesque setting that we all paid homage to our teacher who also appeared to be in a very good spirit that day. He had each one of us served with yogurt onto our hands and he himself took some on his hands too. He said: “Yogurt was the best food sustaining me during my schooling when I was young; I am offering you to partake of it today. Although there are no serving bowls here, as practitioners we should not shrink from hardships. We can still enjoy the delicious yogurt from the bowls of our hands.” And then he started to eat the yogurt from his hand with much savoring. As I was taking mine, happiness gushed from the depth of my heart like a sprinkling fountain.

至今，那天的情景仍像昨天的事情一般清晰。我期待着有一天，能再跟上师一起坐在草原上品尝酸奶的美味。

Today I still remember the scenes of that day as if it had happened yesterday. I yearn for the day that I will be with our Guru again, sitting on the pastureland and enjoying the tasty yogurt.

壬午年四月二十六日　
2002年6月6日

26th of April, Year of RenWu
June 6, 2002