还俗

Resuming Secular Life

十分不想写下这个标题！但在这个五欲增盛的浊世，还俗已成为不得不面对的残酷现实。与其避重就轻地逃避这个题目，不如勇敢地正视它。

How reluctant am I to touch upon this subject! But “to leave the monastic order” presents a cruel reality we must face in the current time of five degenerations. Instead of dodging the issue, I may as well look at it squarely and bravely.

今天，听到一位出家十几年的人，为烦恼所缠，已还俗好几个月了。听到这个消息，心里像吃了一只苍蝇般不是滋味。记得在他出家初期，也可算得上是闻思精进、戒律清净、智慧日益增上的典范。他曾说过：“我只要活一天，决不还俗。让我还俗，还不如死掉。”这样一位下了很大决心的人，却食言还俗，十分令人痛心。

A few months ago a monk, beset by afflictions, declared to renounce his monastic life of more than 10 years. When I heard this news today, I got quite upset as if I had swallowed a fly. I recall early on, his ordained peers had regarded him as a model by his diligent study and keeping pure precepts. Once he asserted: “As long as I am alive, I will never leave the monastic order even for one day. For me, returning to the worldly life is worse than dying.” A person who proclaimed his faith with such strong determination still ended up eating his own words and repealed his vow. How can I not feel sick at heart!

他在电话中闭口不谈佛法，却无休止地言及他的生意。当问到他生意如何时，他像饱含 了一大堆苦水，忙不迭地向我倾倒：“如今的生意太难做了！每天8小时，却挣不到十元钱。想起以前出家时无忧无虑的生活，真像在天堂一样啊！唉！！”听了他的苦恼，我真不知该如何应答。

Over the phone, he veered away from discussing the Dharma, but instead tattled endlessly about his business. When I asked how it was going, he started to pour out to me his pent-up miseries: “You know, it’s so difficult to do business these days! My hard labor of eight hours daily earns me less than 10 yuan. The ordained life at the monastery, as I recall now, was so peaceful and worry-free, almost like living in heaven! Alas!!” Hearing his complaints, I have no idea how to respond.

不过令我庆幸的是，他的见解至今尚未改变，对三宝的信心也没有退减，忏悔心恒时不离左右。虽忙于生意，却不离念诵。

But there is some consolation for me: He is still holding onto his views and his faith in the Three Jewels has not waned. He takes every opportunity to do the purification practice and also remembers to recite mantras while busy with his shop.

喇拉曲智仁波切曾有一位很有名的弟子因故还俗，但别人毁谤他时，仁波切却说：“毁谤别人是错误的，他的身体虽然还俗了，心却没有还俗。”

Once, one of Lhala Chodri Rinpoche’s main disciples left the monastic order for some reason. When others condemned him, Rinpoche said: “It’s not right to speak badly about others. Although his body has resumed a worldly life, he has not done so in his heart.”

佛经云：“宁可毁尸罗，切莫坏正见。”《中观四百论》中也说：“宁毁犯尸罗，不损坏正见。”如果见解毁坏，不行忏悔，反而责怪上师三宝，即使身体没有还俗，其内心却已无可救药了。

It is stated in the scripture: “Better to break the precepts than to damage the right view.” In the Four Hundred Verses of Madhyamaka, it says: “One would rather transgress edicts than abandon the right view.” If a person has ruined his right view but, instead of confessing sincerely, he points the finger at the guru or the Three Jewels, then this person’s mind is incurably corrupt, even though his body has not returned to the secular world.

壬午年三月十九日 　
2002年4月30日 　

19th of March, Year of RenWu
April 30, 2002