开光

Consecration Ceremony

今天，多芒寺新筑成的释迦牟尼佛塔举行开光典礼。恰逢藏历六月十一日。今天和十三日，也是一年一度供护法的日子，来自上下罗科马乡九个村的几千信众，身穿节日的盛装，驾驭着剽悍的骏马，聚集在左当草原上。

Dhomang Monastery held a consecration ceremony today for its newly finished Stupa of Shakyamuni Buddha. The date happened to be June 11 in the Tibetan calendar, which along with the 13th marks the annual Offering Day to Dharma Protectors. Dressed up in festival outfits and riding their strong horses, people from the nine villages of greater Luokema Village congregated on the prairie of Zuo Dang.

方圆两公里的草原上扎满了各色帐篷，科罗河在阳光的照射下，波光粼粼，折射出宝石般的耀眼光芒；四周的山峦青翠欲滴，宛如锦缎织出的帷幕；山雀在林中婉转地歌唱，仿佛天界传来的音乐。这如同仙境般的土地也是吸引我四十年前探出母体，迫不及待地来到人间的地方。

A variety of tents were set up two miles around the prairie. Under the full sun, ripples from the Ke Luo River sparkled brilliantly like shining jewels; the lush greens of the surrounding mountains resembled brocade draperies. Birds chirped in the woods, their melodious tones were like celestial music. Forty years ago, it was exactly such an exquisite, heavenly surrounding that attracted me, when I could hardly wait to emerge from my mother’s womb to arrive in this world.

熏烧柏树枝的桑烟袅袅升腾，汉子们手持护法旗，一边转绕，一边将龙达凌空抛洒。不一会儿，整个草原就成了龙达的海洋。

As the offerings proceeded, pine braches were burned and its smoke spiraled up into the sky. Men holding flags of Dharma protectors performed circumambulation while tossing the prayer flags (lungtas) toward the sky. Shortly after, the whole prairie turned into an ocean of lungtas.

在一顶可容纳上千人的大帐篷里，男众们再次发愿戒酒、不杀生，去年他们都如此发愿，起到了很好的效果。在过去的一年里，几乎没有发生过滥杀无辜的情况，大家都以饮酒杀生为耻，使这个以前以出产牦牛闻名的地方减少了不少恶业。

In a huge tent that could accommodate up to a thousand people, many men took oath once again to refrain from drinking and killing. Similar vow taking was done last year and it has brought impressive results, as there were hardly any cases of indiscriminate killing of the innocent in the past year. People have come to see drinking and taking lives as shameful conducts; now in this place once infamous for yak meat production, there are fewer offenses.

空气中减少了血腥的气息，显得更加澄净；河水中不再流淌着牛羊的鲜血，显得更加清冽；美丽的草原上不再传来牲畜的哀鸣，显得更加宁静。如果，我此时尚在娘胎，一定会再次选定这个地方作为我的出生地，因为我深深地眷恋着这片聚集着善良人们的地方。

As the bloody atmosphere of the past has abated, the air seems more refreshing and pristine; the river, no longer running with the blood of sheep or yaks, appears more limpid and cool; the pretty field, free from the distant wails of animals, feels more peaceful. Were I still in my mother’s womb I, for one, would certainly pick this place again as my birthplace, as I am deeply in love with this land full of people blessed with kind and tender hearts.

壬午年六月十一日 　
2002年7月20日 　

11th of June, Year of RenWu
July 20, 2002