歡喜迎新春 文／美國佛寶寺英文初級禪修班學員　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. 　　（我幾乎從未去過寺院，但去年十二月，我做了一件令我慚愧的事，正在和自己的懊悔掙扎之際，我感覺到有一股力量召喚著我到寺院去。於是，我問母親是否可以和她一起去發心當義工？從那時起，我開始每週六去精舍幫忙打掃，並報名週一的禪修班。我那本具的智慧逐漸被喚起，不過，真正改變我的是開始吃素，以及重頭「再」學習慈悲，並加以實踐。 　　在看了一部紀錄片之後，我就發心吃素了。不過，真正讓我下定決心的是──當我開始了解到吃肉就是在吃一個眾生的時候。動物有生命和性靈，也有道德與惡行，就和我們一樣！而且，他們也許是我們過去世的父母！開始吃素後約四個星期左右，我已完全斷絕所有的肉食。 　　另一件改變我的事是：要記得慈悲。過去我雖然也知道慈悲，卻早已把它遺忘。有一段時間，我的慈悲只限於某部份的人、事、物。但是，現在我的慈悲幾乎已擴展到我所遇到的每個人──不論好壞，有時甚至包含我的敵人。 　　不過，改變我最多的是：把我所學的一切付諸實踐。「知識是知道，智慧是實行。」打從到精舍學習開始，我一直都在力行我所學到的。我變得較不吝嗇，也變得更慷慨。我一直都很虔誠地布施──雖然僅有兩塊錢，我還是付出了，因為我知道我得到的多過那兩塊錢。一塊錢也是錢，只是真正的價值在於布施的感受。這和親友求助於我時，我也給予幫助的感受是一樣的。 　　自從來到精舍後，我學到很多，但要學習的東西太多了。很感恩精舍陪我度過難關，重新喚回昔時的智慧，並且在短短的三個月中讓我改變這麼多。）