欢喜迎新春 文／美国佛宝寺英文初级禅修班学员　Devi Acosta 　　I hardly ever came to the temple but on December when I was struggling with remorse of something shameful I did-- felt a calling to go to the monastery. I asked my mom if I could go with her and volunteer. And ever since then, I started cleaning weekly on Saturdays and became more involved by taking classes on Mondays. My old wisdom has been refreshed but what has truly changed me is by becoming a vegetarian and "re-learning" kindness and compassion all over again and practicing it. 　　The thought of becoming a vegetarian was from watching a documentary movie but what really helped me put my feet firmly on the ground was when I came to the realization that eating meat is eating a living being. And animal with a life and spirit, virtues and misdeeds, just like us. And who knows--they could have been our parents in our last life! And after about four weeks of going vegetarian, I am determined and keep saying "no" to meat. 　　Another thing that changed me is remembering kindness and compassion. I have already known about it but I had forgotten it. For a while, my kindness and compassion had been limited to a certain amount of people and things. But now my kindness has increased to almost anyone--good or bad--who crosses my path. Sometimes even my enemies. 　　But the thing that changed me the most was putting all of my knowledge into practice. "Knowledge is knowing but wisdom is doing it." And ever since I have attended the monastery, I have been putting my knowledge into practice. I have become less stingy with money and more generous. I have constantly donated wholeheartedly to the temple--even if it is just two dollars, I still give because I know that I owe the temple so much--much more than two dollars. Every dollar counts but what really counts is the good feeling of giving. And that is the same feeling I get when I give money to friends or relatives when they ask me for it. 　　There is so much for me to learn but I have learned so much already--ever since I started coming here to the temple. I am deeply grateful for helping me cope with my troubles, reviving my old wisdom and changing me so much in just three months. 　　（我几乎从未去过寺院，但去年十二月，我做了一件令我惭愧的事，正在和自己的懊悔挣扎之际，我感觉到有一股力量召唤着我到寺院去。于是，我问母亲是否可以和她一起去发心当义工？从那时起，我开始每周六去精舍帮忙打扫，并报名周一的禅修班。我那本具的智慧逐渐被唤起，不过，真正改变我的是开始吃素，以及重头“再”学习慈悲，并加以实践。 　　在看了一部纪录片之后，我就发心吃素了。不过，真正让我下定决心的是──当我开始了解到吃肉就是在吃一个众生的时候。动物有生命和性灵，也有道德与恶行，就和我们一样！而且，他们也许是我们过去世的父母！开始吃素后约四个星期左右，我已完全断绝所有的肉食。 　　另一件改变我的事是：要记得慈悲。过去我虽然也知道慈悲，却早已把它遗忘。有一段时间，我的慈悲只限于某部份的人、事、物。但是，现在我的慈悲几乎已扩展到我所遇到的每个人──不论好坏，有时甚至包含我的敌人。 　　不过，改变我最多的是：把我所学的一切付诸实践。“知识是知道，智慧是实行。”打从到精舍学习开始，我一直都在力行我所学到的。我变得较不吝啬，也变得更慷慨。我一直都很虔诚地布施──虽然仅有两块钱，我还是付出了，因为我知道我得到的多过那两块钱。一块钱也是钱，只是真正的价值在于布施的感受。这和亲友求助于我时，我也给予帮助的感受是一样的。 　　自从来到精舍后，我学到很多，但要学习的东西太多了。很感恩精舍陪我度过难关，重新唤回昔时的智慧，并且在短短的三个月中让我改变这么多。）