金语

Golden Advice

听说红原的根敦堪布不顾年老体衰，专程从几百公里以外赶至成都，前来看望法王如意宝，我连忙赶到他下榻的农机招待所407房。

In order to request an audience with H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche, Khenpo Gendun from Hongyuan made a special trip covering hundreds of miles to Chengdu, in spite of his old age and frail health. When I heard this, I quickly went to visit him at the Agricultural Machinery Guest House.

那是一间十分简陋的双人房，除了两张陈旧的木床，一张摇摇欲坠的木桌以外，房间内别无长物。尽管如此，他老人家却满脸洋溢着如处天境般的笑容，虽然年界七十，腿脚不方便，却显得红光满面、精神矍铄。

Room 407, where he’s staying, is a shabby and humble double room, sparsely furnished with only two antiquated wooden beds and a wobbly wooden table that seems about to fall apart. Yet Khenpo’s beaming face broadcasts his ease as if he were in the realm of God. Although he is over 70 years old and has difficulty walking, he is still hale and hearty with his glowing ruddy cheeks exuding energy.

我曾在学院于其坐前聆听了《宝性论》、《中观庄严论》等13部大论，他对我恩德至深，我永远也忘不了他手拿长长书夹的瘦小身影。

It was at the Larung Gar Five Sciences Buddhist Academy that I received teachings from him on 13 major commentaries such as the Buddha Nature: The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra and The Adornment of the Middle Way (Madhyamakalankara), etc. How much I owe him for his kindness and tutelage! I will never forget the image of his diminutive figure holding the long, narrow texts.

他年轻时曾在各地求学参访，精通显密经论，但并不以此为满足。他当时在学院的住房离我的木屋不远，时常在深夜两三点，当我一觉醒来时，他的窗户已透出了昏黄的灯光。每次我蹑手蹑脚走近偷看，他都是在全神贯注地钻研经论。记得那年上师从新龙回学院，熙熙攘攘的迎接人流中，唯独他仍手捧经书沉浸于书的海洋之中，显得那么卓然独立。他的精神影响着我，使我在很长一段时间内，时时以他为榜样而不敢懈怠。

When Khenpo was young, his thirst for Dharma drove him to many places to receive teachings from great masters, and he has become well versed in the scriptures and commentaries in sutras and tantras. But he never thought he had learned enough and always continued to study. At Larung Gar, he lived not far from my wooden cottage. When I happened to wake up at two or three in the morning, there was already a dim light coming from his residence. At times I would sneak up to take a look, and I could see him diligently concentrating on reading and studying. I remember one year when our beloved Guru Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche came back from Xinnong, the whole academy was filled with excited well-wishers and bustling activities. Still all the hustle and bustle did not distract him from immersing himself deeply in the ocean of scriptures, which made him even more remarkable and distinguished. His behavior made a strong impression on me. For a long time, I took him as a role model and would not give in to laziness.

我们倾心交谈了很久，他一直用和蔼的目光看着我，使我感到一种深切的温暖。他说他现在一直假装生病，对一切外事不闻不问。整天呆在家里，一心一意只管念咒，十分悠闲。侍者告诉我说，上师自去年到北京高级佛学院传授宁玛教法回来，直至前几天，一直闭关止语。他在门口写着：“我病得非常严重，请勿打扰。”他们准备明天上山，后天又开始闭关。虽然我不知道他修什么法，但估计应该是无上大圆满。

On this day, we have a heart-to-heart talk for a quite a while. He looks at me with such tender and loving eyes that I feel a surge of warmth swelling up in me. He says he is now faking sickness and shutting his eyes to all outside affairs. Leading a quiet life at his place, he devotes himself wholly to mantra recitation. His attendant tells me that since finishing a teaching on Nyingma tradition at the Beijing Buddhist College last year up until a few days ago, his master has been in a completely silent retreat, with this sign posted on the door: “I am seriously ill. No visitors please.” They are going back to the mountain hermitage tomorrow and will start the retreat again the day after arriving. I don’t know what he is practicing, but my guess is the supreme Great Perfection.

他的现状令我异常羡慕。如今的我常常不得不受制于外界环境，但虽然身在城市，心却时常驰往寂地；虽然口中胡言乱语，心里却渴望着止语；虽然内心恒时起心动念，却向往安住的境界。不知晚年能否遂愿，可以像他那样静心修持？

How marvelous and desirable is his current situation! For me now, I still cannot but subject myself to external factors. Deep in my heart I yearn to go to the places of solitude, even when I am living in the city; I yearn for total silence, though I have to talk a lot of nonsense; I yearn for unwavering awareness, though my mind always rushes here and there. I wonder if all these wishes can be realized in my later years, that I could settle down and practice just like him.

其实我们每个人都应该这样，精力充沛时应博学多闻，一旦法融入心以后，就应像他那样实修。如果一直停留在表面修善的分别妄念中，何时才能安住呢？

We really should emulate him—to study a great deal when we have the energy, and to practice thoroughly once the Dharma has penetrated the heart. If we keep following the discursive thoughts of superficial virtue, when can we rest in the nature of the mind?

壬午年四月初四　　
2002年5月16日

4th of April, Year of RenWu
May 16, 2002