新年快乐 Happy New Year

新的一年，新方向，发愿深入上人的法。

First day of the year, I have decided to set some new goals.

第一，不再吃牛肉。新马两地的佛教徒，都不吃牛肉。在我家，只有我爸，我弟和我吃牛肉；祖父母和我妈已皈依我佛，因此不吃牛肉。因家里供奉观世音大士，所 以肯定不能有牛肉。虽然如此，在新加坡我也极少吃牛肉，除了偶尔吃自助餐或火锅时。在美国，牛肉相对比其他肉类便宜，但我也从不买生牛肉。不过，在麻省理 工，免费食物中经常有牛肉，我为了省却确定是否有牛肉的麻烦，经常一股脑的把免费食物往肚里吞。在马省理工，有一个“牛肉学会”，其目的是鼓励大家吃牛 肉。我为此曾经和一位同学讨论过这“牛肉学会”有没有存在的意义。

Firstly, I have decided to sustain from beef. It is a common practice for Buddhists in Singapore and Malaysia to sustain from beef. In my family, only my dad, my brother and I eat beef; my grandparents and mum (officially Buddhist) do not. Even so, there is definitely no beef at home. Previously, in Singapore and even in America where beef is so cheap, I do not buy beef. But in MIT, beef in very common in free food and I do not want to go through the hassle of finding out whether there are beef in the food or not. In MIT, there is a society got MIT Beef who promote the consumption of beef and I got a healthy discussion with my friend over it.

现在，我当发愿，不再吃牛肉。上人告诉我们，牛只排放大量的甲烷，一种比二氧化碳更污染空气的温室气体。饲养牛只也耗费大量的稻草、玉米及水，严重的破坏生态环境。

Now, I will put in effort to ensure that I sustain from beef, especially when Master Cheng Yan told us that the process of producing beef has the most carbon dioxide emission compared to other meat. Cows too consumed a lot of grass and water.

第二，我要下大决心严守慈济十诫。第一戒最重要，我会很努力。不过，刚不久的臭虫事件，令我有点洁癖，守住第一戒会是个挑战。守住第三戒会最困难，少年血气方刚，不过我会尽全力。

Secondly, I will make an effort to follow Tzu Chi Ten Precepts. The First Precept is the most important and I will try my very best. It will be a challenge since I need to keep my room very clean, especially after the bed-bug incident. The Third Precept will be the toughest to follow, for a young guy, but I will try my ultimate best.

最后，我会努力实践上人的法，希望有机会当上人的第一代弟子。我刚开始“见习”，慈济的菩萨道上，还有很长的路要走。不过，新加坡和波士顿的师姑师伯们对我希望甚高，有他们的陪伴、我深信我一定能做到。

Lastly, I must work hard and strive to be Master Cheng Yan's first generation disciple. I started undergoing "probation" (first step in becoming a Tzu Chi member) this year, SG from Singapore as well as SG and SB in Boston have high expectation of me.

慈济路上您我都不孤独，菩萨道上大家勉励互补。感恩

Gan En