當我年幼時住在寺院裏，每逢除夕便會滿懷希冀地焦急等待新年的到來。
我甚至會徹夜難眠，也許是因為新的心願與企望可能要實現了的緣故吧。而在這個即將來臨的新年，我亦充滿了期待與熱望。新的一年我有一個新的心願：願我能踏上那曾經前往的西方國家的土地，再次領略那裏的風景，並在那裏再次開啟密乘之大門，這是我的新年願望。
回顧過去的一年，我們會憶起一些痛苦與困難的經歷，也會憶起那些歡欣與喜悅的時刻。各種的經歷，無論是困苦與挑戰抑或是欣悅與喜樂，他們都是一種風景，令我們的生命變得豐盛絢麗——它們是我們生命的德行與意義所在。
重拾過去一年的樂與悲是很重要的，因為一個人面對過的困難、經歷過的苦楚，不應被遺忘、被置於一邊、或因其太痛苦而寧願視而不見。應將那些苦與挑戰視為對我們生命的塑造與雕鑿深具意義的象征。
就我個人而言，我面對過一些特殊的困難，尤其是在一九九九年與二零零零年期間，正如各位所知道的那樣。而那些我所面對的困難與挑戰，如今已經變成了我生命中的莊嚴寶飾。
若非如此，也許我至今還是一個寂寂無名的人，但今天我卻因為那些艱難的日子而獲得了聲譽。應視一切的困境磨難為變相的加持，他們能夠莊嚴我們的生命，我們必能從中尋獲利益的果實。為了在即將來臨的一年裏得到更進一步的提升，我們應該善用一切所面臨的困難。因此，通過從中學習，困難便被莊嚴成為了“德行”，即是品格、尊嚴及圓滿。這是最應去實行的珍貴之事。
如果做不到這一點的話，那麼最起碼我們應該學會放下，不要將包袱帶到新的一年裏——應以新生命迎接新的一年！
在二零零六年裏，我經歷了各種挑戰，特別是要負起指導噶舉祈願法會的責任。那真是意味著非常多的責任、困難與思考。但在此除夕之際，一切的挑戰與艱苦都是值得的，因為那是為了你們而承擔的。
所以為什麼要被那些苦厄所困呢？我已經將它們統統拋諸腦後，
今晚，我像水晶一般透明地來到你們面前，我希望你們亦能變得透明而鮮活——莊嚴你的生命吧，
最起碼不要將內心包袱帶進你現前的生活。我們需要空間，所以不要將過去的沈重包袱帶進來，跟過去的一年說再見！
但是需要瞭解的是，不應認為是時間在控制我們，是節日在控制我們。
並非因為時間會來指揮或是節日在操控，而是自己的意願在做主。以新年為契機，我們受到了鼓舞，發心要改變。事實上任何時候只要內心希望，都可以做出改變，因為我們並不是被時間或節日所指揮的。
佛教的主要目的是發現我們那受限制的慣性思維——我們所執持的對於所謂實相的偏激而固執的見地。
佛學的教授便是為了幫助我們消解執著，幫助我們瞭解自身的執著與頑固。
當在修行的路上前進，我們並不是要發展出另外一種見地，而是要逐漸地超越一切見地。
當我們在靈性生活以及日常行為中應用佛法，應採取離於極端執著的態度。
這樣，當在生活中遇到各種挑戰與困難時，才能有足夠的空間容納無常變異與突發事件，而不必被困鎖，反而能夠開始看到希望、可能性與信心。
所以，在這個晚上，很重要的是，要明白我們並不是試圖特別介紹這樣或那樣的見地——我們已經有了足夠多的觀點了。我們所需要的是真正地去體會一顆平和、安穩的心，需要的是智慧的甚深開展。
這並不能以一個人修了多長時間這種或那種的法來計算，而是應該通過一個人生活中所真正發生的情形去看，應該看一個人日復一日、周復一周、年復一年的變化。
也許可以用仁愛與慈悲來衡量，我們可以自問：發展出了更多的提升空間了嗎？為了實現這些提升，我們在日常生活中做出了哪些努力？
我們需要兩樣東西：第一，正確的指引；第二，瞭解何者有益該被接納，而何者無益應該拋棄。
我們應該自己認識到有益為何、無益為何，而選擇取捨，自我幫助。幫助自己學會感恩，幫助自己發展提升，不能依靠誰來告訴你這些，而是靠著跟循那些你應該遵守的指引。關於自我幫助，我們須如何為之呢？
我們一天餵養自己三頓飯，起碼在這三次裏，我們仍然有著照顧這個身體的概念，會有一個是“我”擁有這個身體的想法。這是一種相續的體驗，然而卻沒有可靠的基礎，並沒有一個身體或任何實體存在。
但是我們仍會有一些相關的感覺，可能是意識和心念，會很敏感地被覺察到。如果是這樣，我們就應該幫助那些心念，每天滋養三次。滋養我們的心，令它變得堅強，有信心，令它臻于完善，就像是服用精神維他命一樣。
身體得了感冒會不適，心靈感冒則更難受。也許我們應該關心我們的心靈更甚於身體。
最後，我想說，聽說這次有一千多位海外弟子前來。對我來說，你們就像是千佛來臨，或是一千尊菩薩。事實上我也不知道佛應該長得如何，但這一次我看到佛原來有著不同的樣子：金髮的、黑髮的、棕發的，有的矮有的高。佛陀的各種化身的確是讓我感到神奇！
你們來到這裏，滿懷真誠地參與了噶舉祈願法會，各位的前來讓我充滿了力量，我深受鼓舞，讓我想要做些什麼，我希望能做得更多！ 為了這一股力量，我要感謝你們所有人——謝謝！
過去，我的佛行事業一直有賴於他人，有賴於人們緊密相聯的力量。未來同樣地，需要大家的力量以及密不可分的合作與聯繫。各位對我來說非常重要，於我有著大恩德——也許我對你們也有一點利益。
在此除夕，我衷心地祝福各位，並祈願在未來的一年我們仍然保持著很深的緣分。如若快樂，我們一起分享，若遇困苦，我們共同渡過，我將與大家甘苦與共！
祝大家一切吉祥，新年快樂！
尊貴的第十七世大寶法王噶瑪巴
英文原文刊載於 噶舉滿願 網站，中譯版之任何無意之矢，責任歸於負責校對和刊登工作的本網站．同時，本站十分感謝談師姐義務為本站讀者翻譯此篇法王珍貴的開示．噶瑪巴千諾！
摘錄自
http://www.kkcw.org/teaching/hh_31dec2006_newyear_speech.html
英文原文
http://www.kagyumonlam.org/Monlam2007/monlam_dec_31/dec31gallery_7.htm
The following is translated from a New Year’s Eve teaching given at Tergar Monastery.
” When I was little and living in the monastery, on New Years eve I would be anxious with anticipation waiting for the New Year to arrive. I could barely sleep, perhaps because of the possibilities of new hopes and aspirations. So for this New Year, I also have hope and aspiration. It’s a new hope with the coming of this New Year that I might be able to walk on the same soil, the western continent. Walk through the same landscape and open the door to this intimacy. That is my hope for the New Year.
Looking back at this past year, we can recall experiences that have been painful and difficult. There are also joyful and happy experiences that we can recall. Different experiences, be they difficult and challenging or joyful and pleasant- they are landscapes, tapestries in our lives- something to do with attributes, significance in our lives. It’s important to recall these joys and sorrows that have marked this last year. The point is, the difficulties one has faced, painful experiences, shouldn’t be left by themselves, put aside, or ignored as too painful. The difficulties and challenges should be attributes in molding and shaping the contours of one’s life and be put to meaningful use.
Personally I have faced particular difficulties especially in the years,1999 and 2000( his escape from Tibet), as many of you know. The difficulties and challenges I have faced have become the adornments of my life. Had I not, maybe I would be anonymous- but some kind of recognition can be attributed to those times. Every difficulty can be embraced as a blessing in disguise.
They can adorn one’s life. Beneficial results can be found. What would be most preferable is to be able to use whatever problems one has faced for greater development for the coming year. So they become attributes, human dignity, repleteness, fullness- decorated by being able to learn. That would be the most precious thing to do.
If one can’t do that, then at least one must put aside, let go. Don’t bring a trail of baggage into the New Year- come with new life into the New Year.
In 2006, I have come through many challenges, in particular having taken up the responsibility of steering the Kagyu Monlam. It is quite a lot of responsibility, difficulty and considerations. But this eve, all of those challenges, however difficult have been worth it because they have been done for your sake. So why get stuck with those? So I’ve lefty them behind. Tonight I come to you crystal fresh. I hope that you too can come fresh- decorate and dignify your human life and at least don’t bring a trail of baggage into the your present life. One needs room, so don’t bring a trail of baggage from the past. Say goodbye to last year.
So what we need to consider-is that we don’t view that time is controlling us- that custom is controlling us. Time is not going to dictate change or custom doesn’t have control, but our willingness does. Feel inspired, motivated to change. We use the occasion of New Year to voluntarily serve as the vehicle of change. We can change anytime we want since it’s not dictated by time or custom. So the principal purpose of Buddhism is to see our conditioned habitual view- fanatical fixation of whatever view of reality that we are holding. The teachings of Buddhism help us to undo those fixations. Help us to understand fixation, rigidity. To not develop another view as we go further on the path- but gradually going beyond any view whatsoever.
When we apply Dharma in our spiritual lives and everyday activities, our attitude is free of extreme fixation. When we live our lives, face challenges and difficulties- there is enough room for movement, for activities to just occur. There’s no need to be stuck- rather, beginning to see room for hope, for possibility, for confidence.
So, on this very night it’s important for us to know that we’re not trying to particularly promote this or that view. We already have enough opinions. What we need is genuine experience of peace of mind, stability of mind, development of depth of capacity for wisdom – not dependent on counting how long one has done such and such. But on a daily basis looking at what’s going on in one’s life. What outlook is one developing from day to day, week to week, month to month.
We could use loving kindness, compassion - We can ask what further enhancement have we been able to develop? What have we cultivated in our daily life for that to occur?
One needs two things:
1) Proper guidance
2) Examples of what is wholesome to adopt and what is unwholesome to abandon
Recognizing by oneself what is unwholesome and give it up and recognize what to adopt. Self Help. Help yourself to appreciate, help yourself to develop - not by being dependent upon another to show you, but by embracing the guidelines that you need to follow. In terms of self help, what do we need to do?
We feed ourselves 3 times a day. 3 times or not, we are still having the notion to take care of the body. There is this notion of “I” who owns the body. This lingering experience- there is no fixed reference, not a reference to body or entity. Yet there’s some dependency, perhaps consciousness, mind, alertness that we have experience of. If so, perhaps we need to help that, feed that 3 times a day. Feed the mind in order to be strong, to be confident, to have a mature mind- like mental vitamins.
To catch a physical cold is uncomfortable, but a mind cold is even worse. Maybe we should care for our mind more than our body.
In conclusion, I’d like to say that I’ve heard there are about 1,000 of you from abroad. So to me you are like 1,000 Buddhas, 1,000 Bodhisattvas. Actually I don’t know what a Buddha looks like- what Buddhas are supposed to look like, but this time Buddhas have different shades of hair- blond, black, brown- short ones, tall ones. I’m so amazed at all the variety of ways that Buddhas can manifest.
That you’ve come here and sincerely participated in the Kagyu Monlam- I feel strengthened by all of your presence. I feel invigorated, like I want to do something- I must do more. So for this strength, I’d like to thank all of you- thank you.
It has been in the past that my activities are dependent on others, the connection, the gathered strength of others. In the future also, the strength, the gathering of others’ inseparability, linked. And you’re all very important to me, a source of benefit to me- and maybe I’m a little bit to you.
This eve I extend full hearted good wishes for your well being and wishes that we stay connected in the coming years. If experience is happy, we’ll do it together. If experience is suffering, we’ll do it together.
With this I wish you the very best. Happy New Year.”
H.H. the Karmapa
