感慨

Sad Reflections

不管是出世间的大成就者们，还是世间的大智者们，往往在生前会遭遇无人理睬的尴尬。仿佛他们的功德在临死之前并不存在似的。

Many great beings, either accomplished spiritual masters or extraordinary worldly intellects often had to endure uneasy hardships of gaining no recognition during their lifetime. It’s as if their qualities were nonexistent before their death.

一次，智悲光尊者在山上静修，在见到无垢光尊者的幻化身时，不解地问道：“全知大尊者，我多年来一直祈祷，为何您今天才现前呢？”尊者回答说：“你们现在都说我是全知，我在世的时候不要说是全知，连基本的吃穿也很困难啊！”

Once Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa, in deep meditation at the mountain hermitage, had a vision of Longchenpa, and he asked: “Oh Omniscient Great Master, I have been praying to you so earnestly all these years, but why do you make your appearance to me only now?” Longchenpa answered: “It is only now that you all address me as the Omniscient One, yet when I was alive; I could not even sustain my own basic needs for food and clothing, let alone be called omniscient!”

的确是这样，一个具德上师生前常常默默无闻，无人问津。在摄受弟子时，弟子也并不知晓上师的功德，一旦上师辞世，方忆念起上师的伟大，但却再也见不到上师的身影，只留下无穷的追忆与悔恨。

Indeed, that’s how things go. An authentic teacher usually lives in low profile, without much fanfare and attracting no attention. Even if he receives disciples, they do not fully realize their master’s qualities; it is only after the death of the teacher that the disciples recall the teacher’s greatness. But by then it’s too late, nowhere can they find their teacher again and they are overcome with great remorse and lasting longing.

大恩上师如意宝晋美彭措也曾说过：“我死了以后，你们对我的信心会增上。不仅仅是我，许多人都是同样。”

Our kindest Guru Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche once said: “Only after I die, will your faith toward me increase. Such things have happened to many others before; I am no exception.”

世间也是这样，常言说：“良马易得，伯乐难求。”在智者尚未被人发现之前，其生活状况都是异常窘困的。

It is the same in worldly affairs, as the saying goes: “There are plenty of fine steeds around, but fine talent scouts like Bole are hard to come by.” Gifted individuals often have to suffer from poverty and extreme hardships before being recognized.

贝多芬——这位连接古典和浪漫乐派的音乐巨匠，生前却遭受了诸多不幸，疾病缠身，经济困难，以至于写下《一文钱随想曲》，其手稿上写有“为丢掉一文钱而愤怒，以随想曲的形式发泄”的字迹，可见其当时困顿交加的状况。舒曼曾为此感叹，而写下了一篇精美的散文。

Beethoven, the great composer who merged the music styles of the classical and romantic eras, experienced many adversities in his life—serious illness, utter poverty, and so forth. He became so outraged when once he lost a mere penny that he poured out his emotions on the piano piece “Rage over a Lost Penny.” How destitute and hapless he must have been! Schumann, deeply moved upon hearing this, wrote an elegant article to commemorate it.

写下千古名著《红楼梦》的曹雪芹，生前也是过着“划羹为食”的穷酸生活。

Cao Xueqin, who penned the legendary masterpiece The Story of the Stone (A Dream of Red Mansions), had endured impoverishment by living only on weak broth.

古往今来，能像刘备那样求贤若渴，三顾茅庐的又有几人？无数的英雄们都留下了怀才不遇的哀鸣。

Emperor Liu Bei of the Shu Kingdom made three visits to the thatched cottage of Zhuge Liang to request his assistance. His eagerness in seeking talent like a thirsty person for water is scantly seen in the world, now or in the past. Many unsung heroes could only lament that their genius remains unrecognized and their dreams never fulfilled.

生前不予重视，死后即使大肆渲染其丰功伟绩又有何用？

If not acknowledged during life, what’s the use of glorious posthumous recognition to a dead person?

尤其是修行人，更应当在上师在世之时，意识到上师的珍贵。

To spiritual seekers, it is even more important to appreciate the teacher’s excellence while the teacher is still alive.

壬午年四月十七日 　
2002年5月28日 　

17th of April, Year of RenWu
May 28, 2002