“Medical treatment for lumbago must take priority” Doctor advises Ven. Ren Da to temporarily suspend his prostration pilgrimage

2016-07-20 16-16-23  来源:  作者： Xi Yuan  点击:次

    仁炟老法师自2011年5月11日重返朝山路以来，带着腿伤、拄着拐杖、推着轮凳，拜过了两个城市，二百多公里。可是，在6月26日拜至临沂市平邑县北仲村，拜到第585拜时，身体不支，被医生严令：暂停叩拜，调养治疗。
    The old monk, Venerable Ren Da, since returning to his three-step-one-prostration pilgrimage on May 11, 2011, despite the leg injury, persisted to carry on the prostration with the help of a crutch and a movable bowing cushion. He went through two cities, covering a total distance of more than 200 km. But, when the pilgrimage reached Beizhong Village, Ling Yi county of Pinyi district, after 585 prostrations that day, Venerable’s physical condition disallowed him to continue any further. The doctor strictly ordered: stop the prostration temporarily, medical treatment has to be on first.

    昨天，在老法师治疗的诊所，我了解到，老法师的左膝、右膝及脚踝部，分别出现不同程度的肿胀，双腿半月板受到损伤，因腰椎间盘突出而导致脊柱变形。看到如此的病情，想想前几天老法师还在朝山路上叩拜、为当地信众主法放生和解惑答疑，老人家谈笑风生，坚持朝山一天不落，一个头不落。要不是看到他拄着拐杖，你真的不会看出他有半点的病痛。这位70岁的老人是如何承受的？我刨根问底，追到跟香义工妙甘那里，问个究竟。妙甘师兄的叙述：
    Yesterday, I was at the clinic where Venerable had his treatment. I was shocked by the fact that Venerable’s two knees and ankles were swollen, both his legs were injured and his backbone was deformed because his vertebra disc slipped. Having seen all these and recalling what he had done a few days ago, I really admire his high level of endurance. A few days ago, he was leading the local devotees in a life-liberation ceremony, answering their questions; he was cheerful and his talks were humorous. He was prostrating persistently. If not for the crutch, no one would have any idea he was having severe pains. There was no sign of illness on him. How did this 70 years-old man manage to withstand and endure the pains？To get to the bottom of it, I asked Venerable’s personal attendant , Miow Kan, and this was what he told me.

    我今年只有21岁，看到师父的艰难和毅力，深受感动。借上学休假期间，发愿給师父跟香，打算跟香两个月。来的时候心情兴奋得不得了，原因有两个：一个是能够照顾我的师父这位古稀之年的朝山老人，二是从网上看到师父总是乐呵呵的样子，想真实地体验一把这个乐呵呵的滋味。结果，来了不到一周，就“真实”地体验了朝山，心，慢慢静了下来。
    “I’m just 21 years old. Before this, I witnessed Venerable’s perseverance in facing hardship and I was deeply moved. This semester break had provided the right condition for me to realize my aspiration to attend to Venerable for two months. For two reasons, I was indeed very excited when I first came to the Temple. Firstly, I would be able to take care of Venerable along the pilgrimage. Secondly, I would be able to experience the joyful smiles which I had seen from Venerable’s pictures on the net. My wishes were answered shortly, here’s the actual experience I had in less than a week.

    体会到朝山的艰辛、看到师父的不容易，那种兴奋感立马消失，变成一种坚强、坚持，一种责任。心想，这份乐呵呵只有师父能有啊！
    “After experiencing the hardship of the prostrating pilgrimage and observing all the tough endurance of Ven. Ren Da, my mind settled down gradually, excitement disappeared. Instead, a strongly sense of duty arose in my mind, firm and persistent. I told myself softly: This noble internal joy could only be acquired by Venerable – a person who really practices the Dharma.

    特别是在6月23日那天，从早上5点就开始下雨，师父却没有穿戴任何的雨具，就这样带着头天就已加重的病痛继续朝山。不瞒你说，我们几个跟香义工真的“很生气”。这天师父坚持拜了352拜。师父身上全部湿透，衣服贴在身上看得到皮肤。师父说了“说什么我们也要坚持下去，朝山不能停止。”师父是这样说的，却不能如愿，师父的腰腿患在不断加重。连续几天阴天下雨，宿营地处处泥泞，师父的篷车里铺的盖的都潮湿得像能拧出水来，可是师父还是天天住进他的篷车，从未怨言。
     “June 23 was a particularly important date. It started raining at 5 a.m. without any raingear Venerable went on with the prostration pilgrimage. This worsened his pain and illness. Frankly speaking, all the attendant followers were indeed “very angry” that morning. Venerable persisted and finished 352 prostrations. By then he was drenched to the skin. He told us, “We have to carry on, no matter what, the prostration pilgrimage mustn’t stop.” But his wish could not be fulfilled. His lumbago was getting from bad to worse. As it had been raining continuously for the past few days, the temporary camp-site was muddy. The three-wheeled cart which was Venerable’s temporary lodging place and his blanket was totally drenched too. But Venerable still stayed in the cart every night without a single complaint.

    就这样，第二天（6月24号）进临沂，临沂信众迎请师父，师父忍着病痛为当地信众解惑答疑。回到宿营地，就赶快和从寺院赶到宿营地的总工程师一行六人召开了寺院建设会议，一天也没得闲。这一天，老法师领众叩拜了722拜。
    “The next day, after leading the pilgrims to perform 722 prostrations, Venerable and the team reached Ling Yi County. The local devotees came to welcome Venerable. Despite the pains, Venerable gave a Dharma talk and answered questions. Back at the camp-site, immediately he conducted a meeting with the chief engineer and five other engineers who came all the way from the construction site of Zhengjue Temple to discuss some issues pertaining to the progress of the temple construction. He was busy the whole day and did not get any rest.

    6月25日，整个拜程是在临沂境内，面对热情的临沂信众，老法师不忍让他们知道病痛难忍，尽管叩拜过程中几次让侍者按压他的病患处，还是忍痛拜完了822。这个数字，是师父身体状况最好时所叩拜的数目。
    “On June 25, the entire prostration pilgrimage was within the Ling Yi county. In the presence of enthusiastic and warm devotees from Ling Yi, Venerable chose to bear with his unbearable pains instead of revealing and disappointing the local devotees. Although his pain recurred a few times, after massaging the affected area by his attendants, he managed to achieve 822 prostrations which was also the record he made when his physical conditions were in perfect shape.