果實 Fruit Tree

〖果實〗

當微風吹過一棵正開著花的果樹時，有些花朵會散落在地，有一些花苞則仍留滯在樹上，長成小小的青色果子；當風再一次吹來，一些青色果子也會隨之掉落，在它們掉落之前，有些已接近成熟，有些則已經熟透。

人，就像在風中的花朵和果實，也在生命的不同階段中「墮落」。有的在胎中就夭折；有的僅在出世幾天後就死了；有的在世幾年還未成年便去世；有的男女英年早逝；而有的人卻壽終正寢。當我們想到人的時候，應該連帶想起風中的果實——兩者都是非常不穩定的。

我們的心也一樣，當法塵生起，在心中糾纏和「吹」一陣子後，心于是「墮落」了——就跟風中的果實一樣。

佛陀了解除一切事物不穩定的性質，他觀察果實在風中的情形，以此反觀他的弟子——比丘及沙彌們，他發現：基本上，他們也是一樣不穩定！怎麼可能有例外呢？這就是一切事物的本然。

Fruit Tree

When a fruit tree is in bloom, a strong gust of wind will blow some of its blossoms to the ground. Those that don’t fall will eventually grow into small green fruit. But then another gust comes and some of them will fall, too. As for the rest, they will grow to become fruit nearly ripe, or even fully ripe, before they fall. And so it is with people. Like flowers and fruit in the wind, they, too, fall in different stages of life. Some people die while still in the womb, others within only a few days after birth. Some people live for a few years, then die, never having reached maturity. Some die in their youth. Still others reach a ripe old age before they die. When reflecting upon people, consider the nature of fruit in the wind - both are uncertain. Our minds are also uncertain. A mental impression arises, draws and blows at the mind, and then the mind falls - just like fruit.

The Buddha understood this uncertain nature of things. He observed the phenomena of fruit in the wind and reflected upon the monks and novices who were his disciples. He found that they, too, were essentially of the same nature - uncertain! How could it be otherwise? This is just the way of all things.