Almost Buddhist - 戲‧論

每年到時到候，總會有很多人到觀音廟，向觀音菩薩借財，俗稱「觀音借庫」。這個現象既可悲又可笑。廢話少說，馬上解題。 回歸基本，觀音是一位菩薩，什麼是菩薩？菩薩是外來語，是梵文音譯，意思是「覺有情」。人的事業是為自己謀幸福，菩薩的事業是為他人謀幸福，幫助有情眾生覺悟，遠離輪迴的痛苦。凡是有助眾生覺悟的事情，菩薩一定赴湯蹈火，在所不辭；而無助眾生覺悟的事情，或者說會令人增加煩惱執著的事情，菩薩一定不會出手。非但不會出手，甚至會做逆人意的事情，以熄滅人的貪念，所以菩薩非凡輩。去向觀音菩薩借錢的，是為了自己，還是為了別人？一定都是一些自私為己的眾生，絕對不會是說為別人。因為如果你真的念念為別人謀幸福，懂得佈施，你已經是一位菩薩了，非常富貴，何須去求？去求菩薩的，肯定是有所貪的凡夫。但凡夫有所貪的心，跟菩薩的慈悲利他之心，根本就是相違背的，所以你向觀音借錢，觀音會不會、能不能借給你？ 凡夫不懂真正的「發達」之道──佈施。佈施有三：財佈施，法佈施，無畏佈施。財佈施得財富，法佈施得智慧，無畏佈施得健康。世人所求的，無非都是這三樣東西，但方法都錯了。吝惜錢財，富極有限；教人墮落，必是愚痴；冷漠無情，則體弱多病。一切法由心想生，一味攀緣外求，人生無解，回歸心性，人生圓滿。如何回歸？佈施是起步！說到這裡，你還覺得有興趣，有需要去向觀音借庫嗎？其實你就是你自己心中真正的菩薩啊！

★★★☆☆ I can’t help but wonder why the black (or offensively the niggers) wouldn’t fight against the white to earn their freedom? Why would they opt to be a slave while they outnumbered the white as a matter of fact? What were they afraid of as the American Indians, on the contrary, kept fighting and dying and fighting on to want to be free? And yes, while the black were being treated like a piece of shit, the American Indians were so much like a wolf untamed. Why the difference? The only reason I can think of is that the black were only willing. But why willing? Well… you tell me! Speaking of slavery, which is one of the most shameful and humiliating stuff to human civilizations for sure, I guess it’s not exactly long gone. In fact, we’re all sort of a slave now and then. Have you ever felt like you wanna stop doing something or going somewhere but you just can’t help it no matter how hard you try? Like you don’t feel peace and happiness at all even though you seem to have had

★★☆☆☆ 假如回到十年前，這樣一部電影應該會令我又笑又哭，但現在，特別在學佛之後，在這類愛情故事當中，我已經感覺不到絲毫浪漫或偉大，我看到的全部都是「我愛」所衍生出來的執著，由執著所帶給自己跟別人的巨大痛苦。 一部電影是否好看，很大程度視乎你處於人生的哪個階段去看。但比較客觀地說，這部電影真的沒有什麼可觀之處，唯一欣慰的算是男女主角自然投入的演出。而影片從前半段的輕鬆調皮，到後半段的沉重抑鬱，中間的過度十分突兀。故事開頭是有些許驚喜的，當期望往後會有驚喜的劇情來解釋這份驚喜的時候，展現在眼前的卻又是一個老土的愛情故事！導演或許應該多點向韓國導演偷師，韓國人拍這類愛情故事向來是高手，不論故事多麼老掉牙，總能拍出催人淚下的氛圍來，當中或許音樂扮演著一個重要的角色。這部電影的音樂實在不濟！ 很多世俗人眼中的「好東西」，在佛看來卻是驅動輪迴的「壞東西」，即是「苦本」，「愛」是其中之一。「來時歡喜去時悲，空在人間走一回，不如不來亦不去，亦無歡喜亦無悲」，因為有「愛」，所以有「來」，因為有「來」，所以有「一切苦」，但要靠自力斷「愛」，在這個惡世，幾乎是不可能辦到的事情！男主角最後為女主角戴上戒指那一幕，看得我百般唏噓無奈！

★★☆☆☆ I know, right from the beginning, that Ender’s game is by no means a child’s play. There’s more than meets the eyes. Indeed it’s got a very important message that all human beings should get to learn I suppose, that is, exactly like Prot teases in the sci-fi classic ‘ K-PAX ’, ‘…this policy of an eye for an eye, a life for a life, which is known throughout the universe for its stupidity’, but the way the story’s played out is pretty much a turnoff. ‘Ender’s Game’ seems like a stupid game at first, and as it develops, it gets even more stupid, particularly the zero gravity training part as well as the final simulation. Neither does it feel like a funny show to kids nor a serious sci-fi drama to grownups. You know what, you need extra patience to stay till the end of it, where you’re told, with no surprise, that this is just the end of the beginning! Come on! The ending is a bit sad, and predictable, which may leave us rather pissed off or disappointed. I know we human

★★☆☆☆ 如果做間諜，就好像影片中的那班，換個身分，走來走去，殺殺人，我覺得太過簡單了。當然，殺人絕對不是簡單的工作，除非你已被洗腦成冷血殺人機器，如同影片中那群北韓「技術者」，他們殺人如痲，毫不猶豫，所以我不得不佩服北韓領導人的洗腦本領！ 關於南北韓的電影，我很少看，好像只看過什麼〈 JSA 安全地帶〉，印象不深。對於南北韓問題，我也沒有深究，不過稍微讀過歷史的人，都知道朝鮮半島曾經和現在發生的可悲事情。其實，朝鮮問題不是什麼歷史問題或政治問題，說到底，都是人的問題──人的「貪」、「憎」、「癡」的問題！其中「貪」和「憎」都源自「癡」，所以人「癡」則沒藥醫，佛都難以打救你。而在這部電影裡，我看到很多「癡」人，包括那位有點英俊，但談不上瀟灑的男主角。可以說，這是一部完全沒有「智慧」的電影。 說回電影本身，無論故事、拍攝手法或演員都沒有可圈點之處，結局也完全是意料中事，這些我都有心理準備了，但作為一部動作片，其動作場面真的令人失望，剪接快速，很多動作還來不及看清楚就那麼完了，而且編排得一點也不「酷」，不計過程中的一些不合理之處，最後還有丁點反高潮的味道，跟另一部韓國動作經典〈 殺手代父 〉相距甚遠啊！

Who: Fight The Bear Where: Britain What: Alternative/Indie Rock When: 2013 I don’t care whatever ska rock is, or what it takes to be a band of that genre. Neither do they I guess. I’m talking about ‘Fighting The Bear’, a rather new British rock band having released 3 studio albums already. ’38 Degrees’ is their third and latest, also the one and only album of theirs that I can get to download and have a taste. Tell you what, you’re never going to forget it. It’s an impressive work full of energy, hopes and fun without making any effort to curse, preach, or instigate. Strong vocals; simple, moving lyrics; awesome, zealous guitar riffs and drumming, the best album I’ve ever listened thus far this year! Try it and rock on!