枇杷

Loquat Fruit

厄尔尼诺现象使仲春的天气如同盛夏，天气异常闷热。

Due to the El Niño effect, the spring weather has turned out to be very hot and humid, almost like midsummer.

忽见街上一人肩负竹篓，里面装满金黄的果实，在几片叶子的衬托下，晶莹饱满，令人垂涎欲滴。从未见过如此之物，向人讨教，方知是枇杷。剥开一颗，放之嘴里，清凉鲜美的汁液溢满口腔。如此美妙之果莫非是天人享用之物？一番讨价还价之后，以不菲的价格换得几十余颗。赶快捧回家，作为佐书之“菜”。

On the street, I caught sight of a vendor carrying a basketful of golden fruit. Embellished with green leaves, the fruit looked so juicy and fresh, making one’s mouth water. I had never seen anything like it, and learned after inquiring that they are called loquats. I peeled one open and put it in my mouth. A refreshing and delicious juice filled my mouth—yum! Such tasty fruit must be the treat of the god realm! After a little bargaining, I brought dozens at quite a steep price and hurried home with them, thinking to savor them with my readings.

翻开《白莲花论》，书中曰：“世上有谁能永享快乐？又有谁会永远受苦？未曾感受痛苦的人有多少？得到快乐永远享受的又有几人？”的确，在漫长的人生道路中，既会有快乐，也不乏痛苦。无论何种身份，皆会尝尽酸甜苦辣。只有胜不骄，败不馁，坦然面对人生百味，方为具智之人。法国哲学家拉罗申福科说过：“幸福后面是灾祸，灾祸后面是幸福。”古代也有“福兮祸所伏，祸兮福所倚”的说法。

Turning the pages of the Great Biography of Buddha Shakyamuni, the White Lotus, I read this: “How many people in the world will enjoy everlasting happiness? How many people in the world will suffer endless miseries? How many have never experienced suffering? After attaining happiness, how many have enjoyed it forever?” Indeed, throughout the journey of life, there will be happiness, but suffering will be there as well. Whatever one’s identity is, one is bound to taste the assorted bitter sweetness of life. A person of wisdom therefore must meet life’s vicissitudes calmly: neither becoming arrogant with success nor discouraged by failure. The French philosopher La Rochefoucauld says that the happiness and misery of men depend no less on temper than fortune, mirroring this ancient saying:

Misfortune, that is where happiness depends;
Happiness, that is where misfortune underlies.

可见一切都是相对，一切都是无常的。

We can see that all things are but relative. Everything is impermanent.

无论快乐还是痛苦，当产生强烈的苦乐感时，都应观其本面。这是最有力、最关键的修行方法。

Therefore, whenever we are seized with intense emotion of pleasure or pain in a happy or sad moment, we should look squarely at its essence. This is the most crucial, most powerful way of practice.

想着想着，不知不觉忘了吃枇杷的事。但我在书里尝到了比枇杷更鲜美的滋味。这才是世上最鲜美的枇杷，且经久不腐，即使历经百年、千年，也可永久享用。

While entertaining these thoughts, I forgot completely my plan to enjoy the loquats. Yet from a book I have tasted something more delicious than the exquisite fruit. The teaching is the most delectable loquat in the world, it will never rot, and it is ready to be savored even a hundred or a thousand years later.

壬午年三月十一日 　
2002年4月23日

11th of March, Year of RenWu
April 23, 2002