I remember when I was in the army in 1999, I had to walk for 15 minutes to the train station to take the train to camp and upon arriving, a further 10 minutes from the train station into the camp and my unit. I was wondering what to do with the daily 25 minutes of walking and decide to chant sutra. That was the period where I got no homework to do, no quizzes to prepare and no formulas to remember. I can not read while walking. Hence chanting seems to be the best thing to do.
我记得在九九年服兵役时，每天需要步行十五分钟到地铁站，之后再从下站的地铁站步行十分钟到达兵营以及单位。我拿捏着每天二十五分钟的步行，该如何打发，并决定边走边诵经。服兵役这段时期，没有任何功课要做，没有测验要准备，没有公式要记。又不能边步行边阅读，因此，诵经似乎是成了最佳的选择。
Why do I need to chant? Back in 1999, my understanding of Buddhism is limited. My grandmother told me once that if you chant a lot of sutra, when you are dead and cremated, there will be many relics. That time, I thought that it is good to have relics, so I decide to chant.
为什么我选择诵经？九九年时，我对佛法是一知半解。祖母曾经告诉过我，如果人生诵过很多经文，往生以及火化后，会有很多舍利子。当时，我认为有很多舍利子是件好事，所以决定诵经。
It started with chanting the Great Compassion Mantra thrice daily. Later, after realizing that there is still time left during the walking journey, I added the chanting of the Heart Sutra thrice daily as well.
我开始每日诵念大悲咒三遍。后来，发现步行时还有空余的时间，便加上心经，也是每天诵念三遍。
Come to think of it, that is close to 9 years of continuous chanting. No wonder, during Lisa's funeral, several SGs and Andy told me that my chanting skills are good. After 9 years of daily practice, I remembered the sutras by heart a long time ago. I learned a few new Mantras at Lisa's place and was able to pick it up pretty fast and eventually chant them by heart at Lisa's funeral.
不知不觉，已有近九年不间断的念诵。这也就难怪，为何在理珊的助念及葬礼仪式上，数位师姑和Andy不约而同的告诉我，我诵经诵得好棒。九年间日复一日的诵念，经文早已背了起来。在理珊的助念仪式上，学了几部新的经文，也学得相当快，最终能够在理珊的葬礼仪式上，不用观看经书而能诵念。
I was looking through my old pictures that day and came across this picture below. It was taken in my previous lab on 5 Jul 06. If you look closely, there is a big logo of Tzu Chi, partially hidden, just on the right side of the big monitor. I took it from lecture hall 10-250, wondering when Tzu Chi ever had events in MIT.
那一天，我在游览旧照片时，从新发现下边的这张照片。这张照片的地点是我读硕士时的实验室，并拍摄与零六年七月五日。仔细观看照片，在电脑银幕的右边有一个很大的慈济标志，部分被隐藏起来。那时我从10-250讲堂取走的。那时我还怀疑，慈济几时在麻省理工有活动。
我记得在九九年服兵役时，每天需要步行十五分钟到地铁站，之后再从下站的地铁站步行十分钟到达兵营以及单位。我拿捏着每天二十五分钟的步行，该如何打发，并决定边走边诵经。服兵役这段时期，没有任何功课要做，没有测验要准备，没有公式要记。又不能边步行边阅读，因此，诵经似乎是成了最佳的选择。
Why do I need to chant? Back in 1999, my understanding of Buddhism is limited. My grandmother told me once that if you chant a lot of sutra, when you are dead and cremated, there will be many relics. That time, I thought that it is good to have relics, so I decide to chant.
为什么我选择诵经？九九年时，我对佛法是一知半解。祖母曾经告诉过我，如果人生诵过很多经文，往生以及火化后，会有很多舍利子。当时，我认为有很多舍利子是件好事，所以决定诵经。
It started with chanting the Great Compassion Mantra thrice daily. Later, after realizing that there is still time left during the walking journey, I added the chanting of the Heart Sutra thrice daily as well.
我开始每日诵念大悲咒三遍。后来，发现步行时还有空余的时间，便加上心经，也是每天诵念三遍。
Come to think of it, that is close to 9 years of continuous chanting. No wonder, during Lisa's funeral, several SGs and Andy told me that my chanting skills are good. After 9 years of daily practice, I remembered the sutras by heart a long time ago. I learned a few new Mantras at Lisa's place and was able to pick it up pretty fast and eventually chant them by heart at Lisa's funeral.
不知不觉，已有近九年不间断的念诵。这也就难怪，为何在理珊的助念及葬礼仪式上，数位师姑和Andy不约而同的告诉我，我诵经诵得好棒。九年间日复一日的诵念，经文早已背了起来。在理珊的助念仪式上，学了几部新的经文，也学得相当快，最终能够在理珊的葬礼仪式上，不用观看经书而能诵念。
I was looking through my old pictures that day and came across this picture below. It was taken in my previous lab on 5 Jul 06. If you look closely, there is a big logo of Tzu Chi, partially hidden, just on the right side of the big monitor. I took it from lecture hall 10-250, wondering when Tzu Chi ever had events in MIT.
那一天，我在游览旧照片时，从新发现下边的这张照片。这张照片的地点是我读硕士时的实验室，并拍摄与零六年七月五日。仔细观看照片，在电脑银幕的右边有一个很大的慈济标志，部分被隐藏起来。那时我从10-250讲堂取走的。那时我还怀疑，慈济几时在麻省理工有活动。
Anyway, this Feb mark my first year with Tzu Chi. Unknowingly, times flies. I am sure that I will have many more years with Tzu Chi.
今年二月，不知不觉间，我便加入慈济满一年。我深信，我与慈济的缘还有很多很多年。
今年二月，不知不觉间，我便加入慈济满一年。我深信，我与慈济的缘还有很多很多年。
1 comment:
Your work space makes mine in NUS look tiny!
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