表演

Dance Performance

在人生的舞台上，每个人都是一个舞蹈者。他们的舞蹈有的精彩非凡，扣人心弦；有的却平淡无奇，索然寡味。什么是最优美的舞姿，世间与出世间的人可谓仁者见仁，智者见智。

On the stage of human life, everyone is a dancer. Some dance performances can be thrillingly spectacular, gripping everyone’s attention; while others are just jejune, flat, and dull. If asked to name the most elegant and graceful dance, secular people and spiritual practitioners have different ideas, as the saying goes: “The benevolent see benevolence and the wise see wisdom”.

巴勒斯坦领袖阿拉法特在国际舞台上可谓辉煌一时，他曾建立了自己的国家，并在联合国一手持枪，一手持橄榄果为和平而宣誓。虽然世人对他的举止众说纷纭、莫衷一是，但他也算得上是风云一时的人物了。

The Palestinian leader Arafat dominated the international stage during his time; he established his government and once audaciously pledged for peace at the United Nations by holding a machine gun in one hand and an olive branch in the other. Although public opinions on his conduct vary widely, he was once a big name on the world scene.

如今72岁的他，虽然已经被关押在战火飞扬，濒临倒塌的房屋里。仍然十分珍惜时间，十年来一直坚持晚睡早起，每天只休息4个小时，其余的时间都在为他的“和平”而战，甚至不愿意为刮胡子而耽误时间。他说：“每天用15分钟刮胡子，一个月就是7个钟头啊！”且不论他的努力是否有价值、他的观点是否正确，但这种精神是值得我们借鉴的。

Now, at the age of 72 and living under house arrest in a war-torn, run-down hut, he still does not waste any time. For the past 10 years he has adhered strictly to four hours’ rest per day, going to bed late and getting up early, to devote all his waking hours to fight for his “peace movement,” even to the point of neglecting to shave in order to save a few minutes. He said: “Fifteen minutes per day spent on shaving consumes seven whole hours a month!” Putting aside the issue of whether his effort is worthwhile or if his view is correct, it is worthwhile for us to take note of his vigilance on time.

现在的人，白天忙忙碌碌地在人群中打滚；晚上迷迷糊糊地在被子里昏沉；中间啰啰唆唆地在闲谈中度过。一天有多少时光用于修行？

What is life like for most people these days? During the day it is hurriedly and busily roving among people; at night, it is blearily drifting to sleep in bed; in the middle, it is killing time in endless idle gossip. What portion of the whole day, if any, is committed to spiritual practice?

若能每天早起1个小时、晚睡1个小时，一个月就节约了60个小时，舞蹈者为了跳出动人的舞姿，都不惜勤学苦练，一个修行人没有珍惜时间的概念就太不合理了。

If every day we get up one hour earlier and go to bed one hour later, we will manage to save 60 hours in merely a month. A dancer, wishing to perfect elegant dancing poses, would not hesitate to study persistently and practice painstakingly. A seeker for spiritual liberation, then, should all the more know how to value time; otherwise, it doesn’t make sense.

修行人也应慎重选择自己的角色，不要做表面的修行人。仁达瓦说：“通过精进闻思并断除今生贪执而修，除此之外，再没有令诸佛菩萨欢喜之事了。”

When you decide to be a spiritual practitioner, consider seriously what kind of role you want to play—do not choose the one that is beautiful outside but hollow within. Rendawa says: “Nothing pleases the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas more than your Dharma practice, that is, to listen to and contemplate the Dharma and to meditate diligently in order to cut off attachment to this life.”

生、旦、净、末、丑，不仅仅囊括了世间之人，也包含了各色各样的修行者。表面行善，实无修持的人，只能成为徒增笑料的丑角，甚至不如丑角，至少丑角可以给人带来愉快，而这些人不但于己无利，也祸及于人。

Shen, Dan, Jing, Mo, Chou*, the five characters (in traditional Chinese opera) are said to include all different types of characters in the ordinary world. But these five types are also applicable to the varieties of practitioners. Some practitioners who only assume perfunctory virtuous acts but do not cultivate internal qualities could be called “chou”—jesters, the laughingstock. But it could be worse. A jester in a play can at least bring laughter to the audience; the jesters among practitioners, however, bring no benefit but ruin to themselves and others.

在扮演一个修行者的角色之时，是表演外在千姿百态、哗众取宠而内容空虚的舞姿，还是内在实修实证但外表却平淡无奇的舞姿？实在值得我们深思！

How to perform your part as a spiritual practitioner—to play to the audience with hundreds of fancy movements and postures, or to be guileless but solid in practice and realization? Shouldn’t we ponder these issues deeply?

壬午年四月初七　　
2002年5月19日

7th April, Year of RenWu
May 19, 2002

Translator’s note:
*Characters in In Chinese Opera:
Shen – a young male lead,
Dan – the female leads,
Jing – a fierce or supporting male lead,
Mo – an older male supporting lead
Chou – the jester.