平常心 Normality - 開光儀式 Opening-Ceremony

1-2-4. OPENING-CEREMONY開光儀式

People from Udorn invited me to open their brickshop, they wanted to invite 9 monks but I told them I could come by myself . They wanted me to open it, so I told them that one who wants to trade well should speak pleasantly and one should make a sign with big letters, and hang it up high enough for everyone to see clearly, that should work.

有人從烏洞(Udorn)來請我為他們的磚石店開光，他們要我再邀9位和尚，但我告訴他們我自己去就夠了。他們要我去開光嘛！所以我就告訴他們：「一個人想要生意好必須講話要好聽，而且還要做個牌子寫上大大的字，高掛起來讓每一個人都可以清楚看到，這樣就會有效(而不是我去主持個儀式或唱誦一些經句就有效的)。」

I asked them : ‘What does NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO ARAHATO SAMMASAMBUDDHASSA mean’? They didn’t know. Thai Buddhists but they don’t know Buddhism. Well, I explained that NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO means : ‘Homage to the Blessed one’, ARAHATO SAMMASAMBUDDASSA means : One who is far from defilements, far from enemies, enlightened by Himself before teaching us.We should be respectful. Besides respecting the Buddha, husband and wife should live mutually respectful to each other, knowing their duties. And they should be respectful towards their parents, relatives and friends as well . We have to behave respectfully. It is not enough to just say the words NAMO TASSA, thinking they are holy words - that is because people don’t understand. Blessing a sign through chanting is the same : it’s not holy.

If you want to trade well, you should speak pleasantly to your workers and give them a reasonable salary. When you make a lot of profit, then give them a lot. Suppose you have 5 workers, giving each 1000 baht a month, altogether 5000 baht and another 3000 baht is left as profit, this shows you take too much . You give them each a thousand but yourself, you take 3 thousand, no good ! You should take just 1500 baht; the remaining 1500 divide it up between your 5 workers. Like this you won’t have troubles, having to look for new workers all the time. You help them and they will help you.

我問他們：「 “Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa”是什麼意思？」他們不知道？！他們是泰國佛教徒，但卻不知道佛法？！好吧，我只好解釋說：「Namo Tassa Bhagavato是禮敬世尊的意思，Arahato Sammasambuddhassa是指一位沒有煩惱、沒有敵人、自己覺悟而後又能教導我們的人。這樣的人我們應該尊敬祂，但是，除了尊敬佛陀，我們夫妻生活在一起也應該要相敬如賓，要知道自己的本分，同時還應該尊敬父母及親友。我們的行為應該要這樣恭敬有禮才行，只是唱誦Namo Tassa…是不夠的，有人認為這些是神聖的經句，那是因為這些人並不了解佛法。同樣地，藉由唱誦來為一塊招牌扁額祈福也沒什麼神聖(不會因為這樣就真的有什麼神聖來賜福)。那要怎麼做生意才會好呢？

如果你想要生意好，對員工講話就必須客氣還要給他們合理的工資，甚至當你賺很多錢時，應該要多給他們一些。假設你有五位工人，一個月賺8000銖，你給每個人每月1000銖，一共是5000銖，其它3000銖作為自己的利潤，那這樣你就拿太多了。你給他們每人才1000，而你自己拿3000，這不太好！你應該只拿1500銖，其余1500銖再平均分給你的五位工人。你這樣做的話就不會有麻煩，不必常常要找新工人。你幫他們，他們也會幫你。」

I explained like this. They understood. Next I asked them : ‘What does BUDDHAM SARANAM GACHAMI, DHAMMAM SARANAM GACHAMI, SANGHAM SARANAM GACHAMI mean’? They didn’t know. They just repeat it like a parrot. I explained to them that BUDDHAM SARANAM GACHAMI means ‘I take the Buddha as my refuge’, the refuge that can really eliminate danger. DHAMMAM SARANAM GACHAMI means ‘I take the DHAMMA as my refuge’, the refuge that can really eliminate danger. SANGHAM SARANAM GACHAMI means ‘I take the SANGHA as my refuge’, the refuge that can really eliminate danger. To chant or repeat it without understanding like this, is neither magical nor mystical.

我這樣解釋一番，他們聽懂了。接下來，我再問他們：「“Buddham Saranam Gachami, Dhammam Saranam Gachami, Sangham Saranam Gachami.“是什麼意思」？他們不知道？！他們只是像鸚鵡學語般地反複唱誦而已。我向他們解釋說：「Buddham Saranam Gachami是說「我以佛陀作為我的庇護」，這是可以真正消除危難的庇護。Dhammam Saranam Gachamil是說「我以正法作為我的庇護」，這是可以真正消除危難的庇護。Sangham Saranam Gachami是說「我以僧伽作為我的庇護」，這是可以真正消除危難的庇護。但如果只是反複唱誦而沒有像這樣真正了解其意，是既不會有什麼神奇也不會有什麼奧妙的。」

That day, I explained things from all angles. When they understood properly, I asked them : ‘Do you want more rituals ?’.

They answered : ‘It doesn’t matter!’.

那天，我從各種角度去解釋了一些事情。當他們完全了解之後，我問他們：「你們還要更多的唱誦儀式嗎？」他們回答：「沒關系了！」