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《菩提田》

 

BODHI FIELD

我們可以做!
We Can Do It !

郇若慧 文與譯 By Josey Shun

因為機緣聚合,我在1996年底搬入聖城。雖然之前來過聖城幾次,可是剛開始還是不太習慣聖城非常簡單的居住設施。

猶記第一天去廚房報到,我很坦白地告訴廚房鰣執事然法師:「我只會燒開水,泡麵。」然法師看看我,開心地說:「沒關係,你來炒鍋。」我差一點沒嚇昏,連菜怎麼切都不會呢!接下來的廚房日子,然法師說:「來,今天的紅蘿蔔這樣切。」我就把她切好的樣品放一邊,有樣學樣的切,只差沒拿尺來量長短。菜切好了要下鍋,我正很得意的拿著鏟子站在超大號炒鍋前。然法師說:「要先倒油呀!動作要快,燒焦了很難吃的。」即使很快大力地翻炒,還是燒焦了一兩次,幸虧大家快速搶救,才沒有誤事。

我媽媽好奇的問我在廚房做什麼,我很大聲的說:「炒菜啊!」她用充滿懷疑的眼神看我。沒辦法,只好再補一句:「都是別人下菜料,放調味料。」

有一天,良法師和我到法大教室辦些事,當時就覺得這棟百年典雅大樓需要整修了。良法師說:「我們來漆漆前廳和走廊吧!」油漆?修補房子一向是男生的事啊!良法師微笑說:「不需要男眾,我們可以做。」請教了幾位有經驗的男眾,我們就動工啦!補牆洞、磨平、上底漆、選適合的漆,邊做邊學。邊學邊做,越做越歡喜,整棟樓都包了。

站在木框已經被啄木鳥啃得大大小小的洞,洞中還藏著果實的窗戶前,窗子推也推不上,拉也拉不下。我說:「找人來修理吧!」良法師說:「沒關係,窗戶可以拆下來。」她拿支起子拆卸下金屬輪,用工具刀切斷拉索,移掉木隔條,窗戶就拔出來了。窗戶上的玻璃有的破,有的缺。她輕鬆地說:「沒關係,我們可以買玻璃來補上去。」就這樣子,我不但學會漆牆壁,修補木窗框,還會補玻璃了。

住在聖城時,從來也沒想過有一天我會用到在城裡所學到的技巧。第一次和良法師面談時,她說:「你可以來念法大.」那時我心想讀一個翻譯碩士,大概也只限於在佛教界幫忙。沒想到憑著這張文憑,我在一家語言服務公司做全職電話口譯,至今也將近三年了。

不但如此,家裏牆破了個洞,木桌面不平了,都可以自己動手修補。兼職做房地產經紀人,觀看房子的角度也和以前大不相同。

大家公認聖城是所不可思議的學校,針對個人的需求而出課題。原本不會做的,不願做的都變得會做,也願做了。離開這所妙不可言的學校後,面對挑戰時,我就微笑地說:「我們可以做。」 (懷疑嗎?再補一句:「等我學會了,再告訴你。」)


Due to the timing of many factors, I moved into the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (CTTB) at the end of 1996. Although I had been to CTTB a few times before, in the beginning I could not quite adjust to the very simple living facilities.

I remember the first day I turned up at the kitchen, I frankly told kitchen manager, Dharma Master Ran, “I only know how to boil water and make instant noodles.” DM Ran looked at me and cheerfully said, “No problem, you can stir fry the vegetables.” I nearly fainted. I didn’t even know how to cut the vegetables! In the days that followed, DM Ran said, “Come, we will slice the carrots this way today.” I put the samples she sliced in front of me and tried to copy them, almost getting a ruler to measure the length of the cut.

Once we had all the ingredients prepared and ready to cook, I stood in front of the giant wok, proudly holding the shovel. DM Ran said, “You have to pour the oil in first! Work quickly. If you let it burn, it will taste bad.” Even though I quickly stirred with all my strength, I still burned the food a couple of times. Fortunately, people promptly corrected my mistake.

My mother asked me curiously what I was doing in the kitchen. I answered loudly, “Stir-frying!” She gave me a look full of suspicion. Well, I had no choice but to add, “They put in all the ingredients and seasonings.”

One day, when DM Liang and I went to do something in the Dharma Realm Buddhist University (DRBU) classrooms, we both felt that this elegant, hundred-year-old building needed remodeling. DM Liang said, “Let’s paint the lobby and hallway!” Paint? It’s a man’s job to remodel buildings! DM Liang smiled, “We don’t need a man. We can do it.” Obtaining advice from a few experienced men, we went ahead and did it ourselves. Patching holes in the walls, sanding surfaces, applying primer and selecting the right paint, we were learning on the job. The more we did, the more we liked it; we ended up remodeling the whole building.

Standing in front a window whose wooden frames were full of big and little holes woodpeckers had made to hide nuts, we could neither push it up nor pull it down. I said, “Get someone here to fix it.” DM Liang said, “No problem, we can tear down the window.” She removed the metal pulleys with a screwdriver, cut off the ropes with a utility knife, pulled the wooden strips off, and then took the window down. However, there were broken and missing panes of glass. She said casually, “No problem, we can buy some glass to fix it.” Unexpectedly, I had learned not only how to paint walls and repair wooden window frames, but also how to fix broken windows.

While I was living in CTTB, I never thought, even for a moment, that someday I would apply those skills I had learned. At my first interview with DM Liang, she had told me, “You can study at DRBU.” Getting an MA in translation, I figured my work would probably be limited to the field of Buddhism. But I have now been working for a language company as an interpreter over the phone for nearly three years, which originally was something I never imagined I would be doing.

Besides that, any time I find holes in the wall or scratches on a wooden table, I can fix them myself. As a part-time real estate agent, I now look at a house from quite a different angle.

We all agree that CTTB is an incredible school, providing homework to suit each individual’s needs. Whatever you don’t know how to do or are unwilling to do, you will learn how or be willing to do. After leaving this phenomenal school, when I face challenges, I simply smile, “We can do it.” And if anyone has doubts about being able to do it, I say, “I will show how you after I learn how to do it.”

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