簡單生活更美好

隨著北蓮的落成，我們許多人都在期待這一天——大搬家。

那天天氣很冷，我急忙把最後的行李推到裝卸區。走近時，我向一位法師揮了揮手，問他是否需要幫忙拿行李。

「我已經準備好了！」他的語氣裡透露出無比的快樂。

「你就只有這些東西嗎？」我指著那兩個行李箱和四個紙箱，驚訝地問道。 「對，還有我的背包。」他轉了轉身。

「天啊！」我在內心驚呼著，因為光是冬季裝備，就占據了我一個行李箱的位置。那一刻，他似乎看出了我的驚訝。

雖然他的簡約風格超出了我的理解範圍，但他的話卻在我心中引起了共鳴。前幾天，我還在為打包行李而煩惱，特別是那些去年只穿過一次的衣服和「我可能需要但實際上沒用過幾次」的物品。那位法師的分享讓我重新審視了「需要」和「想要」之間的界限。當我們把行李抬上車時，我已經想到一、兩件我可以送出去的東西了，或許搬家也是個迎接改變的好方法。

有了上次打包行李的經驗，在我們安頓好後，我決定尋求那位法師的協助來完成我的整理計畫。

「4條圍巾、5條手帕、6頂帽子？」他倒吸了一口氣。

「你知道嗎？如果我爸爸看到這些，他會問我，『你有多少個頭和脖子？』」

「不瞞你說，我覺得我需要四隻手。」我揮了揮一盒我從未用過的筆。我們四目相交，忍不住笑了出來。

那天下午，他分享了自己對於整理東西的體會及看法。如同《菩提道次第廣論》中說的：「若謂受樂令意滿足，然三有樂，任受幾多，非但無飽，後後轉復增長貪愛，由此長夜馳騁生死，經無量劫，受諸至極難忍大苦，然其安樂不及一分。」他說，這些惡性循環的起點，都是不飽足造成的。

搬家的過程中，我們不僅僅是把東西從一個地方搬到另一個地方，而是該透過這個過程，學習放下，進而獲得心靈的自由，騰出更多空間迎接嶄新的體驗與成長。擁有越少，生活越簡單卻越精彩。法師的行誼也讓我想到弘一大師去青島講經時，隨身行李也僅僅一個箱籠而已。我很高興身旁有如此精彩的修行人，讓經典與祖師行誼都變得立體，也能在在策勵我要將所學實踐於生活中。

As our new dormitory is ready, many of us were anticipating for this day – the big move.

It was a chilly day and I scurried to roll my last luggage out to the loading bay. Waving to my roommate as I approach, I asked if she needed any help with her luggage.

“I’m all set.” she said pleased.

In awed, I pointed at the 2 luggage and 4 cardboard boxes.

“Is that all you have?”

“Yes, and my backpack.” She turned to show me.

“But how?” I exclaimed. Its perplexing because my winter gears alone took one full luggage space.

“I don’t have a lot of things. In fact, these are enough. Think about the time and space you’ll need to take care of them? When you have less possessions, you become free, free from the attachment to material things. Best of all, you can spend those time to focus on study.”

While her minimalism is beyond my comprehension, what she said did resonate. Few days ago, I was dreading about packing; clothes that I only wore once last year and the things that were there for ‘I might need it’. Her words inspired me to recalibrate my needs and wants. As we lifted the luggage to the trunk, I could already visualize a thing or two that I could donate. What a good way to welcome change.

With lesson learnt from packing my luggage, after we’ve settled in to our new dormitory, I was determined to seek my roommate’s help with my declutter project.

“4 scarves, 5 handkerchiefs and 6 hats?” She gasped.

“Do you know, if my dad were to see these, he would ask how many heads and necks you have to hang these?”

“And I guess I need 4 hands too.” I waved a box of pens I never used. Our eyes met and we couldn’t help but laugh.

“And I guess I need 4 hands too.” I waved a box of pens I never used. Our eyes met and we couldn’t help but laugh.

「You indulge in pleasures in pursuit of satisfaction, yet with worldly pleasures, you are never satisfied no matter how much you enjoy them. Hence, time after time your craving grows…」 This is vicious cycle, the fault of insatiability.

In the process of moving, we’re not just moving things from one place to another, but also learning to let go, thereby gaining freedom of mind and making more space for new experiences and growth. The less we have, the simpler and more wonderful our life becomes. Her actions also reminded me of the great Buddhist master Hongyi. When he went to Qingdao to give teachings, he only had one luggage with him. I’m very happy to have such wonderful practitioners around me, who constantly encourages me to put what I’ve learned into practice.

翻譯：聞挈