養和齋行吟集
林鈺堂
前言
求學時期，曾略學平仄、押韻之道。隨侍 陳師，蒙教示七言絕句作法，也曾習作一二。去年家母慈示：「好的詩偈容易感化人心，其效果往往遠勝長篇大論；您既有此種天份，當善加利用以弘法。」爾來便漸漸以詩偈記述平日之感懷與心得。
修行之路，自動自發踏上，而有油然沛然之思緒與情懷，沿途起伏。此集所錄皆個人於修行途上自然流露心聲之吟唱，故名之為《行吟集》。作品排列之次第，大體依循寫作時間之前後。
此等小品重在闡明修行佛法之體驗與心得；因此，雖也儘量依照規矩使成詩句，卻絕不削足適履，而寧以不入格律的偈言傳真。詩偈精簡，讀者或難深入瞭解其中蘊含，因特補以小跋，略為引伸闡釋，務期法義明晰而便於一般學佛大眾之瞭解。至於特殊之感應經驗，除了以短文記述，更撰為詩偈以銘記其殊勝。此等之作，亦將短文附為相應詩偈之跋。故此，綜觀全集，可說是：「詩中藏文，文中含詩」，允為其特色。
拙作皆是有感而發，真實方錄。由作品附誌之寫作日期，可以看出：有時一日數篇，有時久久停筆。至於寫作之處，亦無定所。即興下筆，出言養和，該處即為「養和齋」，而非必寓所之書房。因此附誌「養和齋於某處」，並非到處有書房也。集中之心聲，除了闡明法髓，傳揚十方，更提供實踐佛法者在修途上的伴隨，使彼等在孤寂向上攀登的艱辛中，得到貼心的安慰與溫馨的鼓舞。
實踐的修行人不好虛誇，不樂多言。體驗日深，蘊釀成精粹的心得之語；為了分享法益，卻極樂於多說、廣談。拙作不斷地自然湧現，便是此種情況下的結果。
一九九九年三月十八日
養和齋 於加州
Singing along the Path
Yutang Lin
Foreword
This book is a collection of my translation of my Chinese poems and gathas that are mostly gathered in the book "Yang He Zhai Xing Ying Ji" (Collection of Poems on the Path from a Study for the Cultivation of Harmony). Hence, this foreword is also a translation of the preface in that book.
During my school years I learned a little bit about intonation and rhyme in Chinese poetry. While attending Guru Chen I was kindly taught about composition in seven-word stanzas (qi yan jue ju), and tried composing a few. Last year my mother told me, "Good poems and gathas could easily move people's hearts; their effects are often more pronounced than long essays and great theses. Since you are gifted in making such compositions, you should make good use of it for the propagation of the Dharma." Since then I have gradually turned to using poems and gathas to record my sentiments and insights that arise naturally in daily life.
Onto the path of Bodhi I have spontaneously stepped forward, and along the way tides of thoughts and sentiments constantly fluctuated. The poems and gathas gathered in this book are all natural outpour of my heart as I proceed on the path of practice; hence, it is named, "Singing along the Path." The arrangement of these works mostly follows the chronological order.
These short works aim at expounding the experiences and insights gained from engaging in Dharma practices. Therefore, even though attempts were made to fit them into the traditional patterns of Chinese poems, the essence has never been sacrificed to satisfy formality. Consequently, gathas, which have no requirement of intonation and rhyme, are preferred in many instances to present the ideas fully. Poems and gathas are succinct; readers may find it difficult to grasp their deeper implications. Therefore, comments are appended to illuminate and explain the Dharma significance for people who are interested in learning more about Buddhist teachings. As to special experiences of inspirations, in addition to writing brief accounts for the record, poems or gathas are composed to inscribe their superior significance. Works of this kind are also presented as poems or gathas with the corresponding account appended. Consequently, from an overview of this book its characteristic may be described as: "Essays are hidden in poems, and poems are contained in essays."
My works spring from inspiration and sentiments, and record only real incidents. From the dates appended at their ends it is obvious that sometimes several pieces were composed in one day while at times there was no writing at all for days. As to the place of my composition, there is also no definite spot. On the wings of inspiration my pen glides over paper to pour out words for the cultivation of harmony; right there is my "Study for the Cultivation of Harmony" but not necessarily the study at home. Therefore, the works are appended as written at "a Study for the Cultivation of Harmony in certain place" even though I do not have studies here and there. Words from my heart as collected in this book serve to bring out marrow of the Dharma for all to share, and to accompany dedicated practitioners on their lonely and arduous climb to the peak of enlightenment so that they would feel heartwarming comfort and encouragement.
A practitioner of deeds would not exaggerate, nor would he enjoy wordy expression. As experiences accumulated and deepened, succinct words of insight are stored and brewed. Yet in order to share the benefits of the Dharma the practitioner would enjoy spreading such words at length to many people in various localities. My works continuously spring forth spontaneously simply as a result of such conditions.
Written in Chinese: March 18, 1999
At a Study for the Cultivation of Harmony in California
Translated: September 28, 1999 Teachers' Day for the Chinese
El Cerrito, California
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