六一

June 1st

今天是“六·一”儿童节，看着街上天真活泼的儿童们，令我想起我曾度过的儿童节。

Today is June 1st, Children’s Day, many children are out on the street playing. Seeing their innocent and smiling faces reminds me of my own experience of this particular day.

在15岁之前，因为没有接受过任何的正规教育，从没有人告诉过孤陋寡闻的我世上还有儿童的节日，直至我15岁上了小学。

Before the age of 15, I did not receive any formal education and was oblivious to what was going on out in the world. I had never heard about the so-called Children’s Day, nor did I know of its existence until I went to elementary school at age 15.

记得那天的天气格外晴朗，我这个已经称不上是儿童的“儿童”，混迹于一群真正的儿童当中，唱着歌，等待着附近的牧民送来我们渴望的酸奶。因为我的年龄太大，我的个头几乎和老师不相上下，却不得不装出“儿童”的模样。现在想起来仍觉得滑稽。后来，我转入了宗塔中学，也意味着我“儿童”时期的结束。

I remember it was a particularly bright and sunny day. While not technically a “child” at my age, I managed to mingle with a group of authentic children; we sang songs together and waited for herdsmen nearby to give us our long-craved yogurt. Being much older, I was almost as tall as the teacher, yet I had to pretend to act like a child. Now as I recall what I went through that day, I still think it’s amusing. Later, I moved on to Zong Ta Middle School, a moment that signified the end of my “childhood” period.

如今，我已迈入不惑之年，了无牵挂、无忧无虑的赤子生涯已成了一个遥远的梦。令我庆幸的是，我已跨入佛门，并得遇良师，使我在有生之年能时时沐浴佛法的甘露。

Today, I’m already in my 40s; the life of a child free from worries, sorrow, or burdens has long become a vague and remote dream. However, what makes me feel most grateful is that I have become a Buddhist and have luckily met many revered teachers, which enable me to be immersed in the Dharma nectar unceasingly for the rest of my life.

不知儿时的伙伴如今怎样？他们是否也如我一般幸福？眼前的这些孩子们又有几个能享受佛法的甘甜？答案一定不会尽如人意。很多儿童因缺乏正确的引导，终如其父辈一般，为业惑烦恼所牵，空耗暇满。

How are my childhood friends doing these days? Sometimes I wonder. Are they as fortunate as I have been? As to the children I saw today, how many of them will be able to enjoy the sweetness of Dharma? The answer may not be entirely satisfactory. Many children, due to a lack of proper guidance, are likely to end up in the same rut as their parents—being dominated by negative emotions and deluded actions—and waste their precious human existence.

我永远不会忘怀自己曾在一个佛教国家度过的一次儿童节，那些无论在家庭，还是在学校，都能蒙受佛法甘露熏陶的儿童们，在舞台上用自己所学到的佛教理念演绎着佛教故事和佛教常识，尽管稚嫩，却给他们幼小的心灵种下了善根，使他们不至于迈上通往恶趣的生活轨迹。如果这种过儿童节的传统能发扬光大，传遍全球，那该多好啊！

How fondly I remember the one Children’s Day that I enjoyed in a Buddhist domain where children were nourished by the Dharma nectar both at home and in school! On their special day they played on a little stage Buddhist stories and teachings. Their performances, though naive and simple, were nonetheless planting virtuous seeds in their minds and would prevent them from veering onto an unwholesome path in life. If this tradition of celebrating Children’s Day can be promulgated around the world, how wonderful it would be!

壬午年四月二十一日　
2002年6月1日　　

21st of April, Year of RenWu
June 1, 2002