不見人影的燈 Lamp that casts no shadow

在心中點一盞心燈 才能真正照亮自己

一個人活在世上, 想做到了無牵挂是不現實的. 但是一點是可以肯定的, 那就是若想活得快樂, 就要不為外界一切所困扰 -- 為自己點一盞心燈, 在心裡照亮自己.

從前, 有一位小尼姑去見師父, 她對師父說: “師父! 我看破紅尘, 遁入空門已經多年, 每天在這青山白雲之間, 吃素禮佛, 暮鼓晨鍾, 經讀得越多, 心中的杂念不但不减, 反而增加, 怎麼办?”

師父說: “點一盞燈,使它不但能照亮你,而且不會留下你的身影,就可以通悟了!”

數十年過去了…….

有一所尼姑庵遠近馳名,大家都称之為 “萬燈庵”,因為其中點满了燈,成千上萬的燈,使人走入其間,仿佛步入了一片燈海,灿烂煇煌.

這所萬燈庵的住持,就是當年的小尼姑. 雖然如今她年事已髙, 并拥有上百的徒弟, 但是她仍然不快乐, 因為尽管她做一桩功德, 都點一盞燈, 却無論把橙放在脚邊, 悬在頂上, 乃至以一片燈海将自己团团围住, 還是总會見到自己的影子. 甚至可以說, 燈愈亮, 影子愈显; 燈愈多, 影子也愈多. 她困惑了, 却已經没有師父可以問, 因為師父早已死去, 自己也就不久于人世.

她圓寂了,据說就在死前她終于通悟.

她没有在萬燈之間找到一生寻求的東西,却在黑暗的禅房裡悟道時,發覺身外的成就再髙,燈再亮,却只能造成身後的影子. 惟有一個办法,能使自己皎然澄澈, 心無挂碍 -- 點一盞心燈.

To light up the lamp within one's heart is the only way to light up oneself

It is unrealistic for a person living in the world to be worry free. But

there is one thing that is certain. That is, if we want to live happily, we

shouldn't be troubled by the outside world---Light up the heart lamp, light up ourselves from within.

Once there was a young nun who sought out the master and said: "Master! I've seen through the illusory world, been cultivating on this path for many years, everyday among these green mountains and white clouds eating vegetarian meals, following the proprieties of the monastery, reading more scriptures, but not only are the distracting thoughts not decreasing, they are increasing. Why is this?"

The master said: "Light a lamp that not only brightens you, but doesn't cast your shadow. Then you will be enlightened!"

Decades later...

There was a monastery that was well known everywhere, people called it "ten thousand light monastery" because within it thousands of lamps are lit everywhere. It was like entering a sea of light, splendidly brilliant.

The abbot of this monastery was the young nun from years ago. She was much older now and had hundreds of disciples. Yet she was still unhappy, because no matter how much merit she performed, how many lamps she lit, her enemy was everywhere--she would eventually meet her shadow somewhere. It is said that a bright light casts a dark shadow; the more lights, the more shadows. She was bewildered and could not consult with the master, because the master had already passed away. And she was already close to death herself.

After she passed away, it was said that she became enlightened just before she died.

She failed to find amidst the thousands of lights what she had been seeking all her life. It was in the darkness of her room that she became

enlightened, discovering that no matter how much external achievement, how bright the lamps, they can only create shadows of oneself. There is a way to brighten oneself, to be without worry---to light the lamp within one's heart.