Sunday, October 18, 2015

禅宗大德故事 Zen School Bhadanta Tales - 小偷与月亮 The Thief & The Moon



   

良寬禪師(1758-1831, 良寛, Ryokan),日本曹洞宗僧。
俗姓山本。字曲,號大愚。
江戶時代後期(清乾隆二十三年,1758),出生於日本的越後國出雲崎。幼時受到良好的漢文化教育,18歲在光照寺削髮為沙門。

Ryokan (1758–1831) is, along with Dogen and Hakuin, one of the three giants of Zen in Japan. But unlike his two renowned colleagues, Ryokan was a societal dropout, living mostly as a hermit and a beggar. 
He was never head of a monastery or temple. 
He liked playing with children. 
He had no dharma heir. 
Even so, people recognized the depth of his realization, and he was sought out by people of all walks of life for the teaching to be experienced in just being around him. 
His poetry and art were wildly popular even in his lifetime. 
He is now regarded as one of the greatest poets of the Edo Period, along with Basho, Buson, and Issa. 
He was also a master artist-calligrapher with a very distinctive style, due mostly to his unique and irrepressible spirit, but also because he was so poor he didn’t usually have materials: his distinctive thin line was due to the fact that he often used twigs rather than the brushes he couldn’t afford. 
He was said to practice his brushwork with his fingers in the air when he didn’t have any paper. 
There are hilarious stories about how people tried to trick him into doing art for them, and about how he frustrated their attempts. 
As an old man, he fell in love with a young Zen nun who also became his student. His affection for her colors the mature poems of his late period.

http://www.fo5.cn/gushi/fo/22/435.html

良宽禅师住在山脚下的一座茅棚里。
ZM Ryokan lives in a reed shed at the foot of the hill.

一天晚上,小偷光顾他的茅庐,结果没有发现一样东西值得去偷。
One night, a thief came paying a visit, but can't find anything of value to steal.

这时良宽从外面回来,碰见了小偷。
At this time, Ryokan just return and met the thief.

他平静地对小偷说:“你也许是长途跋涉而来,不该空手而归。就把我身上的衣服当礼物送给你吧。” 
He calmly said to the thief: You might have come a long way, can't return empty handed. I gift you the clothes that I am wearing.

说完脱下衣服,交给小偷。
After saying these, he took off his clothes and handed them to the thief.

小偷不知所措,便拿了衣服溜走了。
The thief don't know what to do, just took the clothes and slipped away.

良宽赤裸着上身坐在门前的石台上,望着一轮皎洁的明白,心里沉吟道:“可怜的家伙,要是可能的话,我愿意把这美丽的月亮也送给他!”
The naked Ryokan went to sit at the stone platform at his front door, looking at the round of pure and bright white, sighing from his heart, said: Poor fellow, if possible, I wish to gift him this beautiful moon!

夜色退去,天渐渐亮了。
Night colors slowly fade and sky gradually brightened.

禅师走出茅棚,来到石台前。
ZM walked out of his reed shed, to the stone platform.

他刚要坐下,忽然发现昨夜赠给小偷的那件衣服,竟被折叠得整整齐齐,放在石台上。
Just as he sat down, he suddenly noticed the clothes he gifted to the thief the night before, were folded and stack neatly on the stone platform.

良宽禅师用自己的慈悲心肠感化了小偷。
Ryokan's kind and compassionate mindset touched and influenced the thief.

他送给小偷的,不仅是一件衣服,还有一轮明月。
What he gifted to the thief is not only clothes, also a bright moon.

这明月就是善念,就是觉悟正道。
This bright moon is Kind and Good mindset, that is realised True Path.

唯有自己心中有明月,清彻晶莹的月光才能照彻他人的心灵。
Only the bright moon inside our hearts, clear crystal moon then can shine on others' hearts and souls.
~~~~~~~~~~

四無量心 - 慈悲喜舍 The 4 immeasurable heart - kindness, compassion, joy, selfless giving.

Practicing Boddhicitta!

Is Ryokan poor because he lacks sentient materials that many took for granted as necessities for their survival?

Remember that Sakyamuni Buddha said: Above and Below the Sky, I reign supreme! 

GM Lu is saying about vows of Boddhicitta now, speaking in Seattle temple's Saturday group cultivation session.

Are you also tuning in?

Cheers all

Om Guru Lian Sheng Siddhi Hom
Lama Lotuschef

No comments:

Post a Comment