看戏

Seeking Entertainment

在这个人心陷溺、物欲横流的世上，只要有点时间和金钱，人们就喜欢到娱乐场所看戏、听音乐，美其名曰艺术熏陶。沉醉其中却没有丝毫的反省和犹豫，仿佛忘了死之将至。

These days, human morality is sinking low and materialism is gaining the upper hand. People with any available time and money would go to popular places to see a film or a show, and term it refining one’s cultural taste. Totally mesmerized by the entertainment, it never occurs to them that they ought to reflect inwardly or to think twice about what they are doing. As to the issue of death, it’s something far too remote to think about.

世尊在因地的时候曾转世为铁室王子，在过水莲节的时候，人们为他举行了盛大的歌舞表演活动。看到周遭的人们喜笑颜开，王子深感悲切地说：“呜呼！世间烦恼众，不稳无喜乐，然此水莲节，反觉乐稳固，此等凡夫众，无惧真稀有。死主遮生路，无虑贪欢乐，老病死怨敌，时时横眼前，定趋来世道，智者谁欢喜？”

In one of his previous lives, the Buddha was reborn as the Prince of Iron Chamber. On the occasion of the Water Lotus Festival, his subjects prepared extravagant shows of dancing and singing to please him. On seeing the jubilant crowds all around him, the Prince instead was saddened and lamented deeply: “Alas! For beings rife with negative emotions, there is not a scrap of stability or happiness. At the Water Lotus Festival, they feel their joy is everlasting. Not having any worry or fear, such ignorance of theirs is indeed startling. The Lord of Death blocks the path of life. Just as one recklessly enjoys happiness, the nemeses—sickness, old age, and death—wait always around the corner. How could a wise person be joyful when facing the rounds of rebirth?”

刘备在临终之际，为使自己历经千辛万苦而创下的蜀汉家业，不至于功亏一篑，谆谆告诫儿子刘禅：“勿以恶小而为之，勿以善小而不为。”先父走后，刘禅早已将忠告抛之脑后，整日寻欢作乐，企图在前人栽种的树荫下乘凉，最终遭致大好河山被人掠夺的结局。当他被软禁于他国之时，仍不知好歹地一边看着宫女的表演，一边厚颜无耻地说道：“此间乐，不思蜀。”丝毫不知亡国之恨，真是令人感慨万分。

Liu Bei, the founding father of the Shu Han Dynasty, established his kingdom through innumerable hardships. To make sure his family lineage would last and not fail him, he earnestly left his son Liu Chan these last words: “Never commit any evil deed however minor it may be; never miss doing any good deed however tiny it may seem.” Liu Chan sadly did not heed the advice in the least. After his father’s death, he cared only to enjoy his ancestor’s fruits of labor, indulging himself in sensual pleasures day and night and eventually, he lost the once-mighty kingdom to enemies. Worse, as he was detained in other states, he still took delight in watching the chambermaids’ dancing and gloated shamelessly: “I’m too delighted to be homesick!” In him there was not the slightest remorse or anguish that his Shu Kingdom had been conquered. What a wretch, it’s utterly lamentable!

有的修行人也一样，终日沉迷于歌舞升平的生活，毫不察觉死主将临，实在与刘禅无异。

Many so-called practitioners, regaling themselves in pleasure all the time, are also entirely oblivious to the imminent arrival of the Lord of Death. They do not fare any better than Liu Chan.

你在台下看戏，殊不知自己也正在人生的大舞台上扮演着自己的角色。如何使之更加丰美、更加完善，是值得我们思考的大问题。

While watching a show, we consider ourselves spectators. But do we recognize that on the larger stage of life, we all are actors performing our own dramas? How to make our own show richer and better to the best of our abilities—isn’t it a big issue worthy of deep pondering!

壬午年三月二十一日　
2002年5月2日　　

21st of March, Year of RenWu
May 2, 2002