与山水老师分道扬镳
给黄山留下三首诗,山水老师就北上崂山看苍茫去了。这下弄得一剑冷清清起来。累了,跟着去,跑不动了。再说山东那边虽是孔孟故里,但经两千年的变迁洗礼,早已尘垢满面,与别地无异。没什么可看了。
继续说说安徽,一座让我喜欢的山:九华山。
东晋南北朝时期,南方人民日子过得还是不错的。他们开始游山玩水,踏青寻奇。由此,九华山进了文化人的视线。汉朝那时候,九华山叫陵阳山。现在当地还有地名叫陵阳镇。属于青阳县。九华山虽离黄山不远,但从运输体系上归属长江。所以地理上,九华山和镇江一样,属于正统江南。
文化人看山总要弄点诗意。南朝时梁陈两朝之间,有几位像山水苍茫这样的诗人看见这里不少山峰居然高出云表,欢呼雀跃起来。在当时没有飞机的年代,站在云上面自然是神奇了。于是他们写诗抒情。后来有一个人将云上的山峰数了一下,一共九座,就把陵阳山改称九子山。
有一年我游玩Blue Ridge Mountains,有天早上从旅馆出来,看见周围诸峰白云缭绕。数数峰顶,恰好10数。当时想给美国人建议一下,改Blue Ridge Mountains 为 "Ten LIttle Soliders" Mountains, 看看这首多活泼:
Ten Little Soldiers (And Then There Were None)
Ten little Soldier Boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine.
Nine little Soldier Boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight.
Eight little Soldier Boys travelling in Devon; One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.
Seven little Soldier Boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.
Six little Soldier Boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.
Five little Soldier Boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four.
Four little Soldier Boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.
Three little Soldier Boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two.
Two little Soldier Boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one.
One little Soldier Boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.
扯远了,回九华山。又过了些年月,李白同学读了山水苍茫的诗,来到九华山。看见那九峰状如莲花,于是在一篇改九子山为九华山联句并序》中写:“妙有分二气,灵山开九华”,因此“九子山”改为“九华山”。
莲花和佛教有缘,佛教大佬听说九华山有九座天然大莲花,就派人过来传教了。九华山由此变成佛山。抄一段介绍吧:
唐开元年间,新罗国(韩国)王子金乔觉渡海来唐,卓锡九华,苦心修行75年,99岁圆寂,因其生前逝后各种瑞相酷似佛经中记载的地藏菩萨,僧众尊他为地藏菩萨应世,被认为是地藏菩萨化身,九华山由此被辟为地藏菩萨道场。受地藏菩萨“众生度尽,方证菩提,地狱未空,誓不成佛”的宏愿感召,自唐以来,寺院日增,僧众云集,香火之盛甲于天下。明清时达到鼎盛。九华山现存寺庙99座,僧尼近千人,佛像万余樽。
游历佛山起来总是遇到许多烧香许愿的。中国人在宗教方面特别实用主义,与做生意一样,从收益多少去分析投资效果。到哪里烧香,先要打听那里的菩萨灵不灵。先弄点小钱买几炷香烧烧,然后和菩萨说合同: 你如果能保着我金榜题名,保着我一本万利,保着我娶到心上人,我会再来给你烧更多的香。
概率原因,自然有愿望实现的。于是信守合同,过来还愿。寺院高兴,将这些事情大肆宣扬: 欸,你知道吗,九华山的地藏菩萨灵,比xx山的地藏菩萨灵多了。
没人管天下地藏菩萨都是一个神。
愿望没有实现的呢? 基本就埋肚里了。你还能干吗?找释迦牟尼打官司退香火钱?门都没有! 对神,大家还是惧怕的。另外,你许愿要干这干那,地藏菩萨什么事后答应你了?再说了,你想娶那么俊的媳妇,那点香火钱也不够呀。
还有就是所谓法事和念经。许多虔诚的佛教徒是认真读经的,很多人还能背诵金刚经和心经。但多数佛众是不读经的,但他们知道释迦牟尼希望他们学习,理解教义。怎么办?花钱呀,出点银子,请和尚帮忙,让他们念经。逻辑也说得过去,老师希望班上同学都努力学习,如果一个同学自己不学习,但他成功设法让别的同学多学习了一小时,老师也是高兴的。
一剑没有谈宗教的意图哈。只是想从文化方面谈谈感想。偶然的机会,我读过唐朝关于景教(就是基督教)的文章。彻底被当时中国文人折服了。大家知道基督教新约有四福音,知道唐朝文人怎么称呼其作者?他们教作者为“法王” :
《四福音书》的作者,均改以“法王”称呼:马太是明泰法王、路加是卢珈法王、马可是摩距辞法王、约翰为瑜罕难法王;其馀如教堂叫作“伽蓝”(或“寺”)、教士自然叫作“比丘”(或僧)、大主教叫“大法王”。上帝耶和华的称呼则取叙利亚文“???? ?alāhā”音译,叫作“皇父阿罗诃”。
也有翻译很传神和准确的,比如下面这段诗篇翻译:
无上诸天深敬歎,大地重念普安和,人元真性蒙依止,三才慈父阿罗诃。
一切善众至诚礼;一切慧性称讚歌;一切含真尽归仰;蒙圣慈光救离魔。
难寻无及正真常,慈父明子淨风王,於诸帝中为帝师,於诸世尊为法皇。
常居妙明无畔界,光威尽察有界疆,自始无人尝得见,复以色见不可相。
惟独绝凝清淨德,惟独神威无等力,惟独不转俨然存,众善根本复无极。
我今一切念慈恩,歎彼妙乐照此国;弥施诃普尊大圣子,广度苦界救无亿。
常活命王慈喜羔,大普耽苦不辞劳,愿赦群生积重罪,善护真性得无繇。
圣子端在父右座,其座复超无量高,大师愿彼乞众请,降使免火江漂。
大师是我等慈父,大师是我等圣主,大师是我等法王,大师能为普救度。
大师慧力助诸赢,诸目瞻仰不蹔移;复与枯燋降甘露,所有蒙润善根滋。
大圣普尊弥施诃,我歎慈父海藏慈,大圣谦及淨风性,清凝法耳不思议。
这段文字的英文是:
All heav'n worships in great awe, All men long for earth's accord,
Man's true nature is assured, Gracious, three-powered, Yahweh, Lord.
Righteous men show true respect, All with wisdom sing Your praise,
All the truthful yield in trust, Saved by You from evil ways.
You are peerless, constant, true, Father, Son and Spirit, one,
Master of all other Lords, Through all time true sovereign Son.
Veil'd on boundless mystery, Search we fully without end,
Never, from beginning, seen, Never by us mortals sensed.
Only You are purest good, Only You true pow'r possess,
Only You remain unchanged, Root of lasting righteousness.
Now we ponder mercy, love, Fill the nations with Your joy,
“Messiah” is Your holy Son And salvation without alloy.
Ageless King and willing lamb Sharing bitter toil and pain,
Pray, remove man's heavy guilt 'Til our nature's freed again.
Holy Son at Your right hand, From Your throne above the world,
Master, hear the call from those In the fire-stream tossed and whirled.
Master, and most gracious Sire, Ruler and good Lord of all,
Teacher, law creator, King Leader, who saves those who fall.
Lord, provide the meek of strength, Eyes on You be fixed thereto.
Drop sweet dew upon the parched, Till our roots be fed in You.
Righteous and adored Messiah, Mercies wider than the seas,
Great and humble Holy Ghost, Laws are our sure verities.(A-men.)