勞作的佛法 The Dharma of Menial Tasks

The Dharma of Menial Tasks

　　勞作的佛法

The practice here is not really that difficult, although some people do not like to do it. In the early days of WatBa Pong, there was no electricity, no large meeting hall or dining room. Now that we have them, we have to take care of them; conveniences always give rise to complications.

　　在這里修行其實並沒有那麼困難──雖然有些人並不喜歡。早期的巴蓬寺沒有電，沒有大型的殿堂或齋堂。現在，我們已經有了，就應該好好照顧──種種的方便往往會帶來問題。

We each have various responsibilities in the monastery. Taking care of huts and bathrooms is important. Simple things are important, like cleaning the hall and washing bowls for elder monks, keeping huts and toilets clean. What is dirty, beginning with the body, we should recognize as such, but we should still keep them clean.

　　在寺院里，我們每一個人都有職事。照顧茅蓬與浴室很重要。一些簡單的工作也很重要，例如：清掃殿堂、幫較長的僧侶洗缽、保持茅蓬和廁所的乾淨。是髒的──首先從我們的身體開始，我們應該要知道，可是，仍應該保持它們的整潔。

This is not crude or menial work; rather, you should understand that it is the most refined. Each activity done fully, mindfully, for its own sake, is an expression of our practice, of our Dharma.

　　這並不是粗重或卑賤的工作，相反地，你應該了解，這是最細緻的。將每一個工作都圓滿地、正念地做好，它的目的，是一種修行與佛法的表現。