10月28日

說觀音
奚淞 ( 1947~ )

觀音菩薩的另一名號「觀自在」，對我有特殊意義。

多年前，母親重病以至去世。也唯有摯愛的親
人亡故，才真正使人瞭解無常的苦痛。母親的病
與死，像她親手為我打開了一扇窗，面臨無際涯
黝暗，我只有驚慟顫怖的份。

我能度過這段心靈上的崎嶇與黑暗，很重要的
引領力量，便是抄讀心經和畫觀音。

《般若波羅蜜多心經》只有短短兩百六十字，
在浩瀚佛法經典中，像最晶瑩的一顆珠寶，閃爍
著深邃幽光。

「觀自在菩薩，行深般若波羅蜜多時，照見五
蘊皆空，度一切苦厄......」

每回抄讀心經起首語句，不能不感受到一份超
過語言的感動。在這裡，「觀」是觀照並體驗真
實智慧。「自在」是指得到智慧後，便有無上解
脫和自在。在佛教裡，菩薩名號依品德立名，如
果任何人能觀智慧、得自在，他便也配稱觀自在
菩薩。至此，菩薩可以是眾生，自在也可以是自己。

──「世間若有一人受苦，則無人可置身事外。」
這是觀世音菩薩教我的功課。

──「只要一盞心燈燃亮，則即時遠離顛倒夢
想。」這是觀自在菩薩教我的功課。

──選自《三十三堂札記》

October 28

Talking About Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
Song Xi (1947 - )
English translation: Zhi Yue and Ellen Wong

The other name for Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva,
"guanzizai (contemplating at ease)," is especially
meaningful to me. Many years ago, my mother
became seriously ill and passed away. Only after the
death of a loved one did I truly understand the pain
of impermanence. It was as if my mother’s illness
and death opened a new window of boundless
darkness, and I could only face my grief with fear.
I was able to safely pass this dark and rugged
time in my life mainly through finding guidance
and strength through copying and reciting the
Heart Sutra as well as by painting images of Avalokitesvara.
Even though the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra
is short, consisting of only two hundred and sixty
characters, it is the most translucent and precious
pearl thats shines deeply in the vast collection of sutras.
Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva while
    contemplating profoundly the
    Prajna Paramita, clearly saw
    that the five skandhas are empty
    and thus he overcame all ills and
    sufferings...

Every time I transcribed this first sentence of
the Heart Sutra, I could not help but feel touched
beyond words.

Here, “contemplating” means to observe as well
as to experience true wisdom. “At ease” refers to the
state of ultimate liberation and ease that comes after
one attains wisdom. In Buddhism, bodhisattvas are
named according to their virtues. Therefore, anyone
who is able to contemplate with wisdom and obtain
perfect ease can be called “guanzizai bodhisattva.”
In this way, bodhisattvas are sentient beings, and
one can also be at perfect ease.

── from Sanshisan Tang Zhaji (Notes on Sanjusangen-do)