尋道路迢迢
文／澳洲寶林禪寺英文研經班學員 Lee Ann Green
Meditation, peacefulness, quietness has been appealing to me for many years however I have found technique an obstacle, never quite finding the state of mind which I thought I should be in. I was hoping meditation would somehow turn off a busy life for a while and escape reality. My life is busy. I have a family and great friends, I am a Principal of a mainstream Primary School and school for Deaf and Hearing Impaired children, I am a tai chi practitioner and instructor and I have many interests which all seem to compete for the hours in a day. I just craved the opportunity to turn off. I thought that is what meditation would do for me. So off to the Bao Lin I went.
It has taken a while but I am beginning to understand that in fact my craving for escape through meditation was probably misguided or ignorant. Instead of turning off through meditation I am actually turning on and connecting more authentically with reality than ever before. With the combination of mediation techniques along with the Dharma lectures the Abbess has helped me to more readily accept the way things are and use meditation to heighten awareness and understand the true nature of things. I have been guided to reflect on how Buddhism applies to my day to day life.
As most of my waking day is spent at school my thoughts naturally gravitate towards my role as a Principal; and I can always find an application where the Dharma lectures provide both insight into, and a way to perfect practice through my work. These include using mediation to seek the reality of complex matters; breath counting before making significant decisions or chairing important meetings, as I have found that it brings many benefits like slowing my heart rate, calming my mind and helping me to achieve a positive frame of mind which combine to help me make wise and well considered decisions. I also try to focus on compassion when dealing with difficult people so I can keep their wellbeing as an important outcome and reflect on what I need to learn from them.
Respectful and kind relationships are great foundations for a vibrant community and there are clear similarities between the Four Tenets of Chung Tai and the core values for relationship building I strive to cultivate as a principal. At our school we endeavour to build partnerships with parents so that we may build on children’s natural talents that have been lovingly and thoughtfully shaped in the home and pre-school. I have great faith in my teachers’ ability to create a harmonious environment that will enable children to reach their academic potential and achieve success throughout their school education.
Coming to the Bao Lin has enabled me to experience the combination of Dharma, meditation, and lectures in a meaningful way that has led to a significant impact in my life. I am reflecting on my work at a deeper level than ever before. I am astounded just how relevant and necessary Buddhism is to everything I do.
（靜坐、平靜與安詳，是多年來所嚮往的；但是，我發現靜坐的技巧沒那麼簡單，所以從未找到過我想要的心境。我的生活非常忙碌，有家庭、不少好友，並在小學及聾啞學校擔任校長，學習及教授太極拳，加上興趣廣泛，所以每天都像在和時間賽跑。我真的渴望歇息一會，我認為禪修可以讓我暫時逃離現實，於是來到寶林禪寺。
禪修一段時間之後，我終於開始了解，想用靜坐來逃避現實是錯的；它不但沒有讓我逃避現實，反而讓我比過去更加貼近現實。住持法師的禪修指導及佛法開示，讓我能坦然接受現實，藉由靜坐提起覺性，認清事物的真相，並引導我如何將佛法落實在日常生活裡。
白天在學校，念頭都放在如何當個好校長，在這當中，我總能從佛法中得到啟示，並在工作中圓滿修行。例如，透過靜坐來釐清複雜的事；在作重大決定或主持重要會議前，先修數息觀，讓自己心跳減緩、平心靜氣，並幫助我作出具有智慧且面面俱到的決定。面對不好相處的人，我也試著用慈悲心，維護他們的福祉，同時反思還有什麼能向他們學習的。
人與人之間相互的恭敬與慈悲，是一個蓬勃社會的重要基石。再者，中台四箴行與教育行者所該具備的核心特質，有著明顯的共通性。在學校，我們盡力與家長交流，以期發掘孩童在家中和學齡前就已具備的天賦。我深信學校教師們能營造一個和諧的學習環境，讓孩童不僅能發揮潛能，更能在學校教育中榮獲佳績。
來到寶林，讓我體會到禪修與教理融合的意義，對我的人生帶來深遠的影響！現在，我比過去更能深刻地觀照我的教育工作。我十分驚喜地發現，原來生活上的每件事都和佛法息息相關！）
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