Holy Ceremonies and Hot Days

　　神圣仪式与大热天

Since the time of the Buddha himself, monks have been called upon to perform ceremonies, to make blessings, or to bring comfort in times of difficulties in the lives of 'lay disciples. The Buddha himself is said to have employed the tradition of soothing the hearts of his disciples with holy water and blessings.

　　自从佛陀那个时代开始，僧侣们就已经被邀请做宗教仪式、祝福或安慰处於困境中的在家弟子。传说佛陀会被邀请做洒圣水和祝幅的传统仪式，以安慰他的信徒。

Because the life of study and ceremony has taken the place of genuine practice for most monks in Thailand, Achaan Chah usually jokes about these ceremonies as diversions on the Path. Nevertheless, he will also use ceremonies when they are helpful. One very hot afternoon he had been invited to town to give a Dharma talk and a blessing ceremony for some devoted lay students. After the preliminary chanting and Dharma discourse, Achaan Chah proceeded to chant over a brass bowl of water connected by a string through the hands of the eight monks accompanying him (remnants of the ancient Hindu sacred thread) to a large image of the Buddha in meditation. The chanting over the water was completed with an offering of candles and incense, and Achaan Chah stood up with a palm leaf to sprinkle this water as a blessing on the house and on those who came to hear the Dharma.

　　由於研究和仪式的生活方式，已取代了大部份泰国僧侣以实际修行的生活方式为主的地位，因此，阿姜 查常常取笑这些仪式是“道”上的干扰物。虽说如此，当仪式有所助益时，他也会利用它。一个炎炎的午后，他被邀请到镇上开示，并为在家弟子们做一场祝福的仪式。开端的课诵和开示过後，阿姜 查继续向穿过陪同他的八位僧侣手里，一直接到佛陀坐像的线所接系的钵水诵念(古印度教遗留的神秘线的仪式)。在供养蜡烛与香之後，加持水的仪式已算圆满，於是阿姜 查站起身来，用棕榈叶将圣水洒在房子四周及前来听法的人身上，作为一种的祝幅。

One young Western monk in the party was growing impatient in the heat and yet more impatient with the ceremony. "Why do you bother with such obviously useless ceremonies like this when they have nothing to do with practicer he whispered to Achaan Chah. "Perhaps because," the teacher whispered back, "it's a hot day and all these people want a cool shower."

　　在仪式中，一位年青的西方僧侣在这炎热的天气中愈来愈不耐烦，尤其对这种宗教仪式更不耐烦。於是他低声地对阿姜 查说：“你为何要为这些对修行毫无意义的事大费周章呢?”阿姜 查低声地回答道:“也许是因为天气热，所以这些人想要冲个冷水澡吧!”