学佛以后，一直有着写点什么的冲动，可每每思绪来了，却不知从何处说起。感受颇多，无处不在。思起，便感不可思议！今日拾笔，用简陋的文字书写我凌乱的思绪，记录一段跟随恩师仁炟法 师一起朝山的感想，与同修们分享。 Ever since I started to learn and practice Buddhism I always had an impulse of writing something but didn’t know where to begin. So many feelings, they were everywhere. I feel so incredible! Today, I am going to use simple words to express my messy thoughts and share with all brothers and sisters about my feelings during the time I followed Ven. Ren Da for the three-step-one-prostration.
5月22日，我有幸跟随恩师仁炟法师一起朝礼九华山。虽然只是短短的5里的路程，叩头数目却为657个。 这看来似乎简单的叩拜，却让我受益匪浅，感触颇深。 On 22nd May 2011, I had the honour to follow Ven. Ren Da for the three-step-one-prostration toward Jiuhua Mountain. Although it was a short distance of only five Chinese miles, I prostrated 657 times along the way. The prostration may look easy but I benefited a lot and had a very deep feeling about it.
22日凌晨，我和济南义工师兄和信众们一行50多人跟随老法师，从莱芜市和庄镇上崔村继续朝拜之路。很幸运，我能够一路跟随下来，完成了657个叩拜。其 实在朝山之前，我的心中左右为难，思绪万千。一方面，觉得能够有机会跟随恩师拜山真得很难得，很想多多叩拜；另一方面，又想到恩师的身体还没有恢复好，即 使身体健康也是一位70岁的老人了。真地不想让师父这么操劳、辛苦!所以，又忍不住地想让师父少叩几个头，保护好身体…… Early that morning, a group of volunteers and believers from Jinan, some 50 of us followed Ven. Ren Da to continue the journey of the three-step-one-prostration from Cui Village, Laiwu City. Luckily I was able to complete 657 times of prostration along the way. Honestly, I was in a dilemma before I began the journey. On the one hand it was a great pleasure to be able to follow Ven. Ren Da for the prostration, but on the other hand I knew that Venerable had not recovered yet. Even when he was healthy, at the age of 70 years, he should not undergo such a difficult journey. So I could not hold myself from hoping that Venerable would prostrate less number of times and take care of his body.
就这样犹豫着，叩拜却已安静地开始了。当看到恩师身上所散发的那坚定不移的气魄和信心时，之前的担心和左右为难的复杂心情顿时烟消云散。虽然已经70岁 了，师父却与我们年轻人一样充满活力，甚是我们的榜样。师父老人家先迈三步，口中默念三声南无地藏王菩萨圣号，然后叩拜，再默念南无十方三世一切佛法僧三 宝。这看似朴实简单的三步一叩，却不禁让我心生敬畏！ The prostration started silently while I was hesitating. All my worries and complicated feelings were gone when I saw the persistency and confidence of Ven. Ren Da. Despite his age, venerable was as energetic as us youngsters, he was our role model. He walked three steps, recited silently three times Paying Homage to Bodhisattva Kishitigarbha (Earth Store Bodhisattva) and prostrated once. He recited again Paying Homage to Triple Gems of Ten Directions and Three Worlds. The seemingly simple three-step-one-prostration was inspiring!
就这么一拜，在头吻大地那一刻，我的心寂静了。那颗原本被这五浊恶世污染而躁动的心沉了下来，被虔诚的叩拜降服了！这时，我心里有的只有忏悔和感恩。一路 拜下来，竟然很是欢喜。不单单有出了一身汗的畅快淋漓，更有着身心合一，清净安宁的感觉。这是一种从里往外透出的欢喜，是放下、是自在、是欢喜……真得无 以言表！ My heart was silent when my forehead touched the earth. My wandering and defiled heart which was so polluted by this filthy world was conquered by the sincere prostration! I could only feel a sense of repentance and gratitude！The whole journey was so joyful. There was the feeling of happiness after I sweated a lot. I felt so peaceful and pure. My spirit and body combined into one. There were joy, feeling of let go, freedom…it was beyond words!
一路上虽说是柏油路，可也有很多小的石子。在叩拜时，膝盖、手、额头都会被小石子们硌到；而且还会不时有蚂蚁爬到身边。此时，我都会很谨慎地叩拜，不去打扰“蚂蚁们”在我身下悠悠然地路过，小心地给它们让开路。呵呵，它们有幸参加到朝山队伍中来，也是有缘众生啊！ Although the road was tarred all the way, there were quite a lot of small stones. Knees, hands and forehead always got hurt by small stones when we prostrated. Sometimes there were ants crawling beside me, I would try to prostrate prudently in order to avoid disturbing them and give way to them. Ha, ha, they were lucky enough to join the prostration team, they should be blessed!
朝山中途休息时，会感到膝盖和手掌很疼，全身酸酸地，而且肚子还有些饿。可是，再继续开始叩拜的时候，一切问题都消失了。虽然小石子依然硌着，我却坚持继 续叩着。有时会想：“唉呀，这下硌得好疼啊！”但是，当再被硌到时，心中的正念一提起，便鼓励自己道：“没关系，这点疼痛算得了什么啊！与师父那种难行能 行，难忍能忍的头陀苦行精神，我们这点根本不算什么。”就样坚持下，我们最后欢喜地叩拜到了莱芜市苗山镇北苗山村。虽然朝山让我的身体累了、困了、饿了，可是心里甚是开心欢喜，那种畅快的心境真得是难以用简陋的文字淋漓尽致地表达！ During recess I felt pain on my knees and palms, whole body ached and a bit hungry. But all the feelings were gone when we continued our journey. I insisted to carry on despite the pain caused by small stones. Sometimes I thought: ‘oh, this is so painful!’ but my next positive thinking would encourage me: “this is nothing compared with the great spirit of venerable.” With this persistence finally we prostrated until the Northern Miao Shan Village joyfully. Though I was tired and hungry, I felt blissful. The feeling of happiness is totally beyond words!
感恩师父，感恩师兄们的相互帮助、互相支持，让我能够顺利地叩拜完这短暂而意义深刻的朝山之路。让我们大家一起同愿同行，用虔诚地心真诚地叩拜在修行的道路上，一同到达九华山！ I am grateful to Venerable, all the brothers and sisters in the Dharma for helping and supporting each other so that I could complete a short but meaningful journey of prostration. Let us move forward together with a shared vow. With a sincere heart, we will prostrate along the road of cultivation and reach Jiuhua Mountain together!
