2009年5月31日 星期日

超越...(其實係比人超越)

雖說跑步是個人的運動,是自己同自己的比賽,但,當有一班人一起跑時,總有比人超過的時候....個感覺,當然不爽啦。

話說,S有個中學同學剛剛在東京讀完書返來,話佢閒時都會去唔記得乜野皇家公園去跑步的。佢第一次跑時係跟大團既逆時針方向的,但係,之後次次都掉轉頭,跑順時針....點解?唔係因為佢想鍛鍊唔同既肌肉,而係,咳.....因為佢第一次跑時不停地比阿伯,美少女,OL,甚至阿嬋超越....覺得好瘀,都係順時針跑自尊無咁受傷.....嘿嘿,人家日本人可是很崇尚運動的,中學時成績好只係比人當係書蟲,要運動好先至會受歡迎....東京馬拉松人家果種盛情招待唔止係好客之道咁簡單,佢地真係當馬拉松選手係英雄咁樣尊敬的。


S其實都好習慣比人超越的,仲會好乖地,跑步時永遠會靠埋離馬路遠d既一邊行人路的;而且,覺得比人超越總是會學到野的。

比如星期一,S又再一次比同一位哥仔超越;依個哥仔次次都揹個背囊的(S一直懷疑佢放weight入去背囊練強度),又因為S成日比佢過,所以,哥仔個樣唔係好認到,但係個背囊就好認得!依次S留意到一樣教練其實講過好多次既野,其實背囊哥仔跑步既頻率並唔比S快,但係每一步都比S大多。背囊哥仔當然係高過S的,但係點都無高一倍呀;於是S在背囊哥仔背後偷師,試下加大步幅。哇,真係得,同背囊哥仔個距離立時可以保持到....一陣咁多.... S咁先至第一次掌握到,原來,真正既跑法係可以成隻腳踼高再直落的!跑步竟然可以有飛行的感覺!!!!

(揹背囊跑步既哥仔,如果下次發現有個傻婆用好感激既星星眼望你不突止仲要吊你尾,唔駛驚,佢只係想試下自己可唔可以跑快d姐。)

又話說,星期五S又去跑時,見到一個肥仔著住籃球背心、長到落膝頭既籃球褲,仲要一對高筒籃球鞋來跑,一幅打籃球比人放飛機,結果死死地氣地在屋企樓下跑步既樣...籃男實在太重啦,仲要越跑越慢,S在落橋時一下就跑過佢。

點知,當S跑完一大輪,又再跑返去上橋時,籃男突然出現,全力加速....S望住籃男既背影呆一呆,先明,佢原來係一直在橋底等S,要超越返S來報一箭之仇.....哈,都好矛姐,當時S已經跑左超過5公里,籃男就一直企在度休息.....但係,籃男既能量果然一下子用晒,又係衝果一下就慢落來.....

咁唔公平,S係好唔順氣的!在條奪命長斜照博命跑,博命追;在差d追到籃男時,肥仔又聽到聲再次發力跑!!!!嗚,S結果都係追唔到,到自己既終點就立時乖乖地停低拉筋(唔係就又會抽筋),結束左依場無聊比賽。亦都因為籃男既搞局,S跑出練習之來最快既成績!

結果,咁樣出力跑之後,腳唔攰,反而手臂同肩膀攰到舉唔起手!

睇書有跑手話跑步係全身運動,而且好多時覺得攰其實唔係腳攰而係上身攰的,手攰所以影響到大腦覺得全身攰囉。

啊,明白。


(不過S仍然唔會去gym度做器械的!)

2009年5月29日 星期五

下次.....

時序係咁既,2008年
2月  馮兩努跑到人生第一個馬拉松,時間5小時13分
5月  馮兩努出書《從減肥到馬拉松
9月  馮兩努接受訪問
10月 馮兩努心臟病發過身

跑全馬時,馮兩努只跑左3公里就休克,比人救醒時兩膝都受傷流血。哇,咁大鑊,但佢老友見到只係講「皮外傷姐」,迫得馮兩努自己要對自己既選擇,自己既人生負責。

馮兩努結果都係爬返起身繼續跑,終於以5小時13分鍾完成全馬。

有時,人既一念之差可以有好大既影響。本來,馮兩努想去十一月去參加首爾馬拉松,以自己目標既5小時之內完成全馬。

但係,無下次lu。



好在馮兩努在跌倒果一刻,一翻掙扎後最終都企返身繼續跑。

據說人在死前一刻,自己既一生會如電影片段般重現,相信馮兩努可以同自己講:「我依世人都完成左一個馬拉松。」



又,依世人最後一本書係寫馬拉松....幾好呀!

2009年5月19日 星期二

100

在錢甖入到第十九次時,S跑左100公里!!!

感覺好奇妙呢。

由最初開始計時,要揾自己既最佳均速。跑跑下,發現自己右腳無出力,主要係左腳單邊跑!到最近兩個禮拜,發現自己跑姿錯誤,因為一直係腳尖落地,搞到膝頭痛....

最有趣既係,S跑步跑到抽筋,嚇到魔鬼教練都同S傾,勸S不如下年跑半馬先啦....

Well,S又真係從來未試過因為做運動而抽筋,連當年後生時去踩足全日單車,甚至行足五日山時,都無話搞到抽筋...依家要平衡左右兩邊既力,再加埋改姿勢,真係今世人從來無用過既肌肉都全部要出動,結果,抽筋囉。仲試過隻腳提唔高,差d仆左在度。

嗯,跑步可是女人的終身事業,S會很小心地,安全第一的。依次,真係同自己有交代--

盡力就好。

=========

因為改左新的跑姿,所以,被打回起點。

依家,S既跑步仲不如五年前第一次練跑,真係跑3km已經半死,再跑唔落去。

3km同42km.....嘩,依個距離真係好大呀。

我明明可以一氣過跑到13km的,依家連跑果3km都會搞到抽筋,話比你知唔沮喪都係呃你。但係,為左唔好受傷,為左要跑得更快更有效率,習慣左一世人既跑姿都照樣要改。

嘿嘿,我寧願結果好慘烈比人掃上車,都唔要放棄全馬走去跑半馬。

2009年5月18日 星期一

Canda

In the past, I was poor
I was a widow, having no children
Without relatives and friends
I did not get food or clothing

Having taken bowl and stick
I beg from families to families
Being burnt by cold and hot weather
I went here and there for seven years

Then seeing a nun
obtaining food & drink
I approached her & said:
"Let me go forth into homelessness."

She, Patacara, from sympathy
let me go forth
then, exhorting me
urged me on to the highest goal

Hearing her words
I did her bidding
Her exhortation was not in vain

I'm a three-knowledge woman,
fermentation-free.

- from Therigatha, Verses of Elder Nuns, a collection of earliest arahant nuns struggles and achievement.

2009年5月8日 星期五

關於放棄...

果然係關於放棄,依篇我寫左幾次都寫唔到,睇過今次post唔post到出來。

小blog長期讀者可能都有印象,我已經唔係第一年讀巴利文。

果一個巴利文初班,我已經係讀第二次啦。

巴利文真係超級深,同一個字可以有十幾廿個變身,真係完全認唔到。又要記字,又要記grammar,上完堂既一份功課,閒閒地要做三四個鍾。S試過有一次坐左成晚,先至做左半份,改完之後,滿江紅咁返來....

雖然S不嬲都知道自己無記性,但係,起碼既背誦能力係有的。上次讀時結果搞到一個學期未過已經不停走堂,仲要第二個學期直頭唔返,試都唔敢考....係,連在考試時出現,交一份白巻既勇氣都無。

當然,S有好多好多原因既。

公司有需要我在上海一個月,成四堂無上,光係功課都要用我起碼12個鍾啦,仲要唔識做添,點追?

其實巴利文有乜用途先?巴利文已經係無人用嫁啦,學左又唔會加人工升職,又唔會有野加落resume。又揾唔到食,花咁多時間精力,不如讀吓日文法文西班牙文好過啦!

咁我報巴利文不過見好似幾得意,試下之嘛,原來咁深都唔好玩既... Why so serious??












不過,自己心知肚明,依d都係藉口,都係假既。

巴利文當然唔係心血來潮玩吓啦,依家講緊學一個新既語言喎,個投資當然好大(巴利文既投資結果比想像之中大大大大大大大大大大大大大大大好多),S明知自己記性差都要學,係因為要讀真正的佛說。

佛經翻譯既版本有時候差別好大,有d詞彙真係比d翻譯搞到頭都痛,比如,pañña,ñanā都係比人譯做智慧,但係依兩個字係有d唔同既。如果一個鬼佬真係認真地想學儒家思想,佢一定唔可以只睇翻譯而要立下決心學中文;同樣,S要求自己要學識巴利文來睇佛說。雖然巴利文超級深又古怪,但係莫講話佛只係講巴利文,就算佛講既係火星文,S都要跟住學啦。

而且,S知道,如果今次放棄左,以後每一次上堂法師一講巴利文時,S心中都會暗暗刺痛。依種係好熟悉好熟悉既痛,係每一次S放棄左一樣野時都會有既感覺。係,就係自己失敗左既感覺。

S雖然係運動白痴,但係讀書還可以的。巴利文依個純粹腦力的學習,S都搞到不戰而逃....今次S既自尊心真係被狠狠地刮傷了。




S已經受夠了受夠了。

受夠又要放棄,受夠放棄之後要揾借口開脫,受夠自尊心隱隱作痛,受夠逃避現實了。

所以,同一個課程,重新再學一次,下個月就要考試,S要合格!哈哈,我好似都真係未試過讀書會以合格做目標的,但係講真,今次如果能夠合格,我會真係超級開心的!

做咩姐,唔認真係野就唔好浪費時間去做,要做就要做好佢。

"Never, never, never, never, never give up."

(Leave your old self behind)

(Reincarnate NOW!)

2009年5月7日 星期四

謝志峰

原來,當年我一家人成晚睇住既亞視新聞記者,係謝志峰。



(由1'16"開始睇)


八九年六月三日晚,星期六,好似發左一場惡夢。

未曾親歷六四既年青人,可能唔知道依件事有幾突然。當時雖然大軍壓城,有幾個師既兵力包圍北京,但係,當時都係充滿住樂觀情緒。

班學生係反貪污反官倒,佢地赤手空拳,只係靜坐同絕食,和平、理性、非暴力;去到六月三日,其實,時間拖得耐左,只係覺得學運已經過左高潮,有d悶,唔知何去何從...無人諗到會有坦克衝鋒車真槍實彈,由北京郊一直殺入天安門廣場。

好難以忘懷係偷運出來既片段,見到在天安門廣場外既長安大街,人人努力逃命,仲有人用木頭車推住已經中彈、滿身鮮血既人去醫院。

在咁既情況之人,謝志峰一行人mou在天安門廣場旁既公厕上面,一直用手提電話現場報導。


原來,佢仲係做緊記者呢。

真係唔容易,經歷過依一種trauma性質既事件,加上記者又係多勞少得人工低既職業,難得謝志峰仲係一名記者,而且仲好型地勸喻今時今日否定六四血腥鎮壓的「擦鞋仔」,不要為一時權力埋沒良心,歷史會還六四公道,到時候,他們會沒有顏面對子孫。

仲有更型地講「甘於貧支筆先會硬」。

真係唔容易。

沽名賣直既人有的是,依家記者既質素同受尊敬程度同廿年前真係差天同地。

但,謝志峰做得到。

======

最後撤出廣場的記者:歷史會還六四公道2009年05月06日

飛機降落啟德機場,謝志峰在機艙內失聲痛哭,身旁的記者安慰他,「到了香港,沒事了。」他的眼淚卻無法停下,「嗰一刻我唔係為咗自己嘅安危而喊,係為咗成件事件、成個民族,唔知未來發生咩事而喊。」
1989年,他任職亞視新聞部,一直被喻為 6月 4日凌晨最後撤出廣場的記者,把學生民眾和軍隊的所作所為,全看在眼裏。

他勸喻今時今日否定六四血腥鎮壓的「擦鞋仔」,不要為一時權力埋沒良心,歷史會還六四公道,到時候,他們會沒有顏面對子孫。 記者:張嘉雯

20年前的一事一物,謝志峰仍然非常清晰,廣場內的佈局,娃娃兵的衣着,每個細節,他都一清二楚。
6月 3日晚上,他和亞視新聞部的同事揹着燈架和攝影機,一步一步踩着通花磚,爬上天安門廣場對開的公廁頂。那裏望到整個廣場,附近的馬路充斥着軍隊,不時看到火光,「當初儍吓儍吓,以為係訊號彈,後尾先知係子彈。」


「馬路好多傷者」
他們一直在那裏拍攝和透過長途電話做直播,直到凌晨 4時,才開始撤退,「再唔走,我哋就陷入士兵當中,我哋影咗嘅嘢,都可能傳唔到返嚟。」無數在電視前看新聞報道的香港巿民聽着謝志峰說:「我哋冇辦法留落去,要走,唔係冇帶(錄影帶)返嚟,會盡辦法做報道。」

就在那時,廣場關燈,「我當時覺得好震撼,無論做任何嘢都唔應該熄燈,熄咗燈就冇人知道入面發生咩事。」

黑暗中,他只聽到槍聲不斷。清晨返回廣場,場面很混亂,「見到啲學生走出嚟,軍隊夾住坦克,有啲人(學生)受槍傷,佢哋嘅精神係陷入咗歇斯底里嘅狀態,好驚恐。我當時諗唔到會發生咩事,希望唔好有恐怖嘅事發生,醫院好多傷患,馬路上好多傷者,外圍嘅遭遇戰最厲害,仲激烈過廣場附近。」

「最後一個撤離現場的記者」這個稱號他自言不敢當,他解釋撤走時長安大街及廣場各處仍有不少行家,只是大家不能做現場報道,惟有他的隊伍有手提電話,才讓觀眾有此錯覺。

89民運,讓他深深感受到學生的愛國精神;運動由學生發起,工人、巿民、知識分子,甚至國家機關的辦事人員都相繼加入,及至每個層面、每個階級,足以證明民心所向,「我哋返嚟嗰陣過關,啲人問我有冇錄影帶,我話有,佢(海關人員)就叫我走。」

20年後,六四還沒有得到平反,反而似是而非的所謂「客觀」看法越來越多,有人指運動有外國勢力在背後推波助瀾,謝志峰平心靜氣說,「當時官倒橫行、通脹加劇、貪污嚴重,整個運動有社會基礎。(外國勢力)憑常理一定有,但呢個係簡樸嘅學生運動、愛國民主運動,呢個主體不能否認,碗飯周圍係有烏蠅,但你唔可以就話佢唔係飯。」

「本末應該搞番清楚,事實上社會出咗問題,人民追求民主,唔可以倒果為因,用有外國勢力介入嚟否定呢件事。唔係講緊良心嘅說話,我難以苟同。」對於有人批評在這場運動中,學運領袖爭權奪利,此後生活糜爛,謝志峰說:「人始終係人,有人性嘅弱點,嗰時嗰刻係良知嘅表現,表現出嚟係人性嘅光輝,係唔可以抹煞嘅。」

他沒有想過,事件發生 20年後,仍得不到公道,「比我想像中慢,家啲人越來越長命。當年嘅學生散居外邊,都 40、 50歲,青春血汗、離鄉別井,幾多人喺監獄,幾多人喺裏面鬱鬱而終我哋唔知。佢哋嗰陣好辛苦考入北大、清華,生命光陰就咁冇咗,歷史上有能力嘅人應該還佢哋一個公道。」

要保留歷史證據
他明白要建制內的人說出真相是奢求,只希望有心人盡可能保留當時的歷史證據。他認為民主潮流不可抗拒,台灣二二八事件、文革都得到公論,「我覺得再過 20年,相關利益人士唔喺度,可以有番個說法。」

對於那些當年慷慨激昂,今日否定六四的人,他如是說:「家嗰班擦鞋仔唔好埋沒良心,要有歷史智慧。呢件事遲早會有公道,到時佢哋唔知匿喺邊,點面對自己子孫?一時講唔到乜嘢咪唔好講囉,講啲同當初見到完全唔同嘅嘢,為咗一時嘅權同利,第日日子都幾難過。」

謝志峰的長女 89年 8月出生,他有跟她提及當年發生的事,「如果當時我嘅仔女喺學生入面,係佢哋嘅一分子,我會覺得係光榮,因為佢識得獨立思考,為公義、公平而咁勇敢,我會自豪。」

肺腑之言
籲行家勿因權勢埋沒良心

記者的筆是利器,一筆一劃,勾勒出歷史。 20年過去,六四由「屠城」變「事件」,由「民運」到「春夏之交的政治風波」。仍在傳媒工作的謝志峰,沒有忘記當年廣場上的場面─一個年約六、七十歲的老頭兒,滿頭白髮,擠在學生當中,身上斜掛着布條,寫着「人民日報高級記者」,一方面支持學生,同時爭取機會說出真相。謝志峰奉勸同行不要因為權勢,埋沒良心,「唔好做得咁過份」。


「甘於貧支筆先會硬」
由亞視新聞部轉到港台,謝志峰始終為着公眾的知情權工作,對於有人指「六四屠城」一詞過於煽情、不準確,他說:「但係開槍係事實,坦克係事實,起碼死人係事實。」

「嗰班同學,數以百萬人走出嚟,純粹係中國知識分子嘅純潔表現,邊個會諗到為名為利?只係一腔熱血,中華民族嘅棟樑就咁無咗,有良心嘅人,應該要對得住天地。」

他直言記者要安貧,「家唔係話再講我就炒你、冇得撈,如果仲有說話嘅餘地,都應該慷慨成仁,從容就義……讀書人本來就兩袖清風,做呢行,一萬個得兩三個做老總、做社長,要甘於貧,支筆先會硬。」

他提醒同行不要因為權勢,埋沒良心,「除非人哋搵槍指住你個頭㗎啫,要記住你寫嘅就係歷史,會一路傳開去。」

今時今日,當年一起在前線採訪的行家,有些已晉身傳媒高層,他們旗下的機構,對六四有截然不同的說法,「真係唔好做得咁過份,大家出嚟食飯都好難堪,嗰時啲筆記我仲喺度,當年你唔係咁講㗎喎,啲義憤之言,大家仲可以對得返。」

新聞界與 89民運相關的部份事件
89年 5月 21日 北京戒嚴翌日,本港《文匯報》社論開天窗,只書「痛心疾首」四字
89年 6月 5日 首批赴京採訪的記者回港,在機場受英雄式歡迎;《文匯報》報社外掛輓聯哀悼死難同胞
89年 6月 28日 亞視取得吾爾開希逃離中國後首次講話錄影帶,公司管理層要求把講話剪輯至 7分鐘,經爭取後足本 20多分鐘播放
89年 6月底 《文匯報》出版特刊《血洗京華實錄》;該報社長李子誦因社論「開天窗」被新華社香港分社免職,該報 30多名員工為支持李先後請辭
89年 6月 《大公報》及《星島》分別出版特刊《歷史的見證:天安門廣場》及《北京學運:歷史的見證》
90年 7月 無綫播出新聞部袁志偉獨家訪問李鵬,問題事先提交,引起爭議,袁並成為六四鎮壓後首名跟李鵬握手的記者
94年 亞視管理層禁止新聞部播放西班牙電視台拍攝的《八九天安門事件》,六名資深新聞工作者集體辭職,包括潘福炎、李玉蓮、盧永雄、徐佩瑩、劉國華及呂雲生,當時被稱為「亞視六君子」

資料來源:《人民不會忘記》、《蘋果》資料室

(寫得好!)

2009年5月3日 星期日

中檢

由買左錢甖開始。依家跑左12次,係時候中檢。

總共跑左77.7公里,用左9小時16分鍾15秒。

體重一磅都無減到,不過拜拜to拜拜肉;而且S終於都可以扭得開所有既樽蓋,有一段好長既時間,S係零肌肉,成日都打唔開蓋。

而且,好耐好耐都未試過,可以真係好肚餓,餓到肚都痛的。記得好細個時,應該仲未讀小學,S係分唔到肚餓同肚痛的。當年小S會同阿媽講話肚痛,媽咪比d野食,咦,唔痛啦喎,反覆練習多次S先至分到肚餓同肚痛.......依家真係飽食年代呢,真係好耐未試過會餓到覺得d腸係會郁的。

而最最重要既係,好開心!係整體地開心輕鬆左,感覺良好。

由第一次同教練一齊跑,上斜上到完全透不過氣;到剛才,同一條路,快左4分鍾,仲差唔多全程可以講到野。嘿嘿,果然係教練,見到S既心算一塌胡塗,同S講話要練均速7 min/km,點知S返到屋企一計,原來跑到破自己記錄的6.45min...快果少少原來係好難好難的!

S好鍾意倫敦馬拉松既其中一個信念:
"To have fun, and provide some happiness and sense of achievement in a troubled world. "

對於可以開始長跑依個奇妙之旅,S心中充滿感恩。


各位,ENJOY running!

2009年5月2日 星期六

由馬拉松開始....

當年中一時讀西史,講到馬拉松熱血愛國,為左儘早通知雅典城有敵人偷襲,所以長跑過去,講完戰報之後,力歇而死。

當年,一直以為馬拉松係跑左幾日幾夜的....原來,應該只係大概兩小時。依家最快既馬拉松記錄都係埃塞俄比亞既跑手Haile Gebrselassie在2008栢林馬拉松創出既2小時03分59秒。馬拉松路線條條唔同,無得直接比較,栢林馬拉松出名係大平路,易跑,但由馬拉松依個小鎮到雅典有很多斜路的,馬拉松當年可是為左成千上萬雅典人生死猶關的問題,發揮小宇宙博晒命咁跑的。

但,S看到一個好像很科學的報導,一開始就講,你睇馬拉松就知,無做好準備去跑馬拉松會死的。跟住有個無講名稱既醫生就講,唔好以為「慢慢跑」就無事,咁樣去跑馬拉松,一樣會有筋骨勞損的。

Well,依位「醫生」好明顯無跑過長跑,香港馬拉松有時限5.5小時,要跑完42.195公里,平均時速可是起碼要去到7.8 min/km的。7.8min /km有幾「慢」?「醫生」大可以試下自己落街去運動場跑返十個圏,仲要計時一定要在31.2分鍾之內跑完依4公里囉;嘿嘿,「醫生」仲要明白自己不過跑左全馬既唔夠十分一,自己要有辦法keep住依個「好慢」既速度跑多38公里囉。(又,香港馬拉松已經係好鬆嫁啦,好多地方只比五個小時全馬嫁咋。)

如果S唔係練緊跑既話,都會比依篇「專家」文章大到嫁,人地係「醫生」喎,又點會乜都唔知就隨口亂講呢?「醫生」仲講話跑馬拉松會死喎,又真係有人跑死左喎,馬拉松好危險嫁,我緊係唔會跑啦!

嘿嘿,「醫生」都係人囉。S心諗自己仲有唔知幾多野係比「專家」、「權威」、「科學家」大左而唔知嫁囉。


****

法師上堂時教我地,乜野係觀點(View)呢?

觀點其實係對事實不完全的知識(knowledge of partial truth),比如,法師拎起一隻杯,我地以為我地已經見到晒隻杯,但其實我地只見到隻杯既正面,見唔到杯既背面、杯頂同杯底。本來嘛,我地肉眼無辦法睇到全息影像係無問題的,只要我地明白自己只見到杯既一部份就得啦,但偏偏我地又好自我地,以為自己已經見到隻杯之全部....咁就出事啦。佛說:

Saññaŋ ca ditthiŋ ca ye aggahesuŋ,
te ghattayantā vicaranti loke

持有感官*知識同觀點既人,就係在世界製造問題既人。

(*感官包括:眼看,耳聽,鼻聞,舌嚐,膚觸,心想)


法師講左一個故仔,話說佛時有一個仕女好出名善良有教養,一講起佢,人人都樹起手指公,贊佢温文爾雅。但依位仕女既一個妹仔就懷疑啦,到底仕女真係咁好脾氣,定係因為我地一個二個都好乖,佢根本唔駛發脾四呢?

於是,妹仔就開始日日都仲遲過仕女起身。第一日,仕女只係好温柔地話妹仔,叫佢要早過主人起身;第二日,語氣無咁温柔啦;第三日,仕女失儀地大聲呼喝佢;第四日,仕女乾脆爆粗(!);第五日,我同你一樣,好驚訝妹仔竟然咁唔怕死,仲係遲起身....仕女嬲到攞起枝大掃帚打落妹仔個頭到!

妹仔被打得頭破血流,跑出門口向鄰居哭訴:「你睇,因為我遲起身,仕女打成我咁呀!」

鄰人們大驚,消息一傳十,十傳百;人人都講話,仕女係一個臭脾氣殘酷暴力女!


到底,邊個觀點岩?仕女到底係温柔淑女定係河東暴力女呢??

人人其實都只係知事實既一小部份,但係就個個都以為自己係全知;明明個個都只係見到事實的表面(what the truth appears to be),但係就以為自己以經係如實觀之....你話,又點會唔世界大亂呢?

*****

又話說,兩個僧人見到旗幟飄揚,佢地兩個就開始爭辯,到底係動,定係動呢?兩人爭持不下,於是走去襌師處要佢評理,禪師就話:「係你地個動。」

依個時候有個南傳法師行過,就講:「三樣都唔係,係你地把動。」........
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*****

今日係佛誔的好日子,S把口同手都係唔好動咁多,我地不如去片,睇下真正有智慧既人點講:

The Healing Power of the Precepts
by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

The Buddha was like a doctor, treating the spiritual ills of the human race. The path of practice he taught was like a course of therapy for suffering hearts and minds. This way of understanding the Buddha and his teachings dates back to the earliest texts, and yet is also very current. Buddhist meditation practice is often advertised as a form of healing, and quite a few psychotherapists now recommend that their patients try meditation as part of their treatment.

After several years of teaching and practicing meditation as therapy, however, many of us have found that meditation on its own is not enough. In my own experience, I have found that Western meditators tend to be afflicted more with a certain grimness and lack of self-esteem than any Asians I have ever taught. Their psyches are so wounded by modern civilization that they lack the resilience and persistence needed before concentration and insight practices can be genuinely therapeutic. Other teachers have noted this problem as well and, as a result, many of them have decided that the Buddhist path is insufficient for our particular needs. To make up for this insufficiency they have experimented with ways of supplementing meditation practice, combining it with such things as myth, poetry, psychotherapy, social activism, sweat lodges, mourning rituals, and even drumming. The problem, though, may not be that there is anything lacking in the Buddhist path, but that we simply haven't been following the Buddha's full course of therapy.

The Buddha's path consisted not only of mindfulness, concentration, and insight practices, but also of virtue, beginning with the five precepts. In fact, the precepts constitute the first step in the path. There is a tendency in the West to dismiss the five precepts as Sunday-school rules bound to old cultural norms that no longer apply to our modern society, but this misses the role that the Buddha intended for them: They are part of a course of therapy for wounded minds. In particular, they are aimed at curing two ailments that underlie low self-esteem: regret and denial.

When our actions don't measure up to certain standards of behavior, we either (1) regret the actions or (2) engage in one of two kinds of denial, either (a) denying that our actions did in fact happen or (b) denying that the standards of measurement are really valid. These reactions are like wounds in the mind. Regret is an open wound, tender to the touch, while denial is like hardened, twisted scar tissue around a tender spot. When the mind is wounded in these ways, it can't settle down comfortably in the present, for it finds itself resting on raw, exposed flesh or calcified knots. Even when it's forced to stay in the present, it's there only in a tensed, contorted and partial way, and so the insights it gains tend to be contorted and partial as well. Only if the mind is free of wounds and scars can it be expected to settle down comfortably and freely in the present, and to give rise to undistorted discernment.

This is where the five precepts come in: They are designed to heal these wounds and scars. Healthy self-esteem comes from living up to a set of standards that are practical, clear-cut, humane, and worthy of respect; the five precepts are formulated in such a way that they provide just such a set of standards.

Practical: The standards set by the precepts are simple — no intentional killing, stealing, having illicit sex, lying, or taking intoxicants. It's entirely possible to live in line with these standards. Not always easy or convenient, but always possible. I have seen efforts to translate the precepts into standards that sound more lofty or noble — taking the second precept, for example, to mean no abuse of the planet's resources — but even the people who reformulate the precepts in this way admit that it is impossible to live up to them. Anyone who has dealt with psychologically damaged people knows that very often the damage comes from having been presented with impossible standards to live by. If you can give people standards that take a little effort and mindfulness, but are possible to meet, their self-esteem soars dramatically as they discover that they are actually capable of meeting those standards. They can then face more demanding tasks with confidence.

Clear-cut: The precepts are formulated with no ifs, ands, or buts. This means that they give very clear guidance, with no room for waffling or less-than-honest rationalizations. An action either fits in with the precepts or it doesn't. Again, standards of this sort are very healthy to live by. Anyone who has raised children has found that, although they may complain about hard and fast rules, they actually feel more secure with them than with rules that are vague and always open to negotiation. Clear-cut rules don't allow for unspoken agendas to come sneaking in the back door of the mind. If, for example, the precept against killing allowed you to kill living beings when their presence is inconvenient, that would place your convenience on a higher level than your compassion for life. Convenience would become your unspoken standard — and as we all know, unspoken standards provide huge tracts of fertile ground for hypocrisy and denial to grow. If, however, you stick by the standards of the precepts, then as the Buddha says, you are providing unlimited safety for the lives of all. There are no conditions under which you would take the lives of any living beings, no matter how inconvenient they might be. In terms of the other precepts, you are providing unlimited safety for their possessions and sexuality, and unlimited truthfulness and mindfulness in your communication with them. When you find that you can trust yourself in matters like these, you gain an undeniably healthy sense of self-respect.

Humane: The precepts are humane both to the person who observes them and to the people affected by his or her actions. If you observe them, you are aligning yourself with the doctrine of karma, which teaches that the most important powers shaping your experience of the world are the intentional thoughts, words, and deeds you choose in the present moment. This means that you are not insignificant. Every time you take a choice — at home, at work, at play — you are exercising your power in the on-going fashioning of the world. At the same time, this principle allows you to measure yourself in terms that are entirely under your control: your intentional actions in the present moment. In other words, they don't force you to measure yourself in terms of your looks, strength, brains, financial prowess, or any other criteria that depend less on your present karma than they do on karma from the past. Also, they don't play on feelings of guilt or force you to bemoan your past lapses. Instead, they focus your attention on the ever-present possibility of living up to your standards in the here and now. If you are living with people who observe the precepts, you find that your dealings with them are not a cause for mistrust or fear. They regard your desire for happiness as akin to theirs. Their worth as individuals does not depend on situations in which there have to be winners and losers. When they talk about developing loving-kindness and mindfulness in their meditation, you see it reflected in their actions. In this way the precepts foster not only healthy individuals, but also a healthy society — a society in which the self-respect and mutual respect are not at odds.

Worthy of respect: When you adopt a set of standards, it is important to know whose standards they are and to see where those standards come from, for in effect you are joining their group, looking for their approval, and accepting their criteria for right and wrong. In this case, you couldn't ask for a better group to join: the Buddha and his noble disciples. The five precepts are called "standards appealing to the noble ones." From what the texts tell us of the noble ones, they are not people who accept standards simply on the basis of popularity. They have put their lives on the line to see what leads to true happiness, and have seen for themselves, for example, that all lying is pathological, and that any sex outside of a stable, committed relationship is unsafe at any speed. Other people may not respect you for living by the five precepts, but noble ones do, and their respect is worth more than that of anyone else in the world.

Now, many people find it cold comfort to join such an abstract group, especially when they have not yet met any noble ones in person. It's hard to be good-hearted and generous when the society immediately around you openly laughs at those qualities and values such things as sexual prowess or predatory business skills instead. This is where Buddhist communities can come in. It would be very useful if Buddhist groups would openly part ways with the prevailing amoral tenor of our culture and let it be known in a kindly way that they value goodheartedness and restraint among their members. In doing so, they would provide a healthy environment for the full-scale adoption of the Buddha's course of therapy: the practice of concentration and discernment in a life of virtuous action. Where we have such environments, we find that meditation needs no myth or make-believe to support it, because it is based on the reality of a well-lived life. You can look at the standards by which you live, and then breathe in and out comfortably — not as a flower or a mountain, but as a full-fledged, responsible human being. For that's what you are.