藏传仪式礼仪

Late one evening, in the old stone building in Lerab Ling that had been transformed, almost magically, into a Tibetan shrine, Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche gave Rigpa students some advice about how to perform ceremonies. He felt compelled to do this after he witnessed, towards the end of a drupchen, one of the nuns spilling a cup of hot tea all over Sogyal Rinpoche, in full ceremonial regalia. Sadly, none of the translators that day could satisfy Rinpoche, so this is one of the very rare talks Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche has given in English “…because it’s not a teaching, it’s not about Dharma, it’s just about Tibetan traditions” – and the importance of making haste slowly.

某晚夜深时，乌金督佳仁波切在 列绕林 的旧石屋中，为 本觉会 学生讲解举行仪式的一些注意事项。那石屋几乎像施了魔法一样，已改成藏式佛堂。在一次大修接近结束时，他看见一位尼师，将整杯热茶洒在身着全套仪式法衣的索甲仁波切身上，觉得非说不可。遗憾的是，当天没有一位译员能令仁波切满意，因此，这成为乌金督佳仁波切极少数用英语讲的开示之一。「……因为这不是传法，不是讲佛法，只是讲西藏传统」，以及忙而不乱的重要性。

This isn’t a ‘teaching’, it’s about the traditional way of doing things in a Dharma situation. We’re going to look at how our work and activities accord with the Dharma. Of course, someone who just practices alone, a more self-contained kind of practitioner, won’t need to apply these kinds of tradition, because they can do whatever they want. But once a group of four or more monks start living together – what we call a 'sangha' – they must follow the teachings Buddha himself gave in the Vinaya about all the activities they should accomplish as a community.

这不是「教法」，而是讲佛法场合中，传统的办事方式。我们要看看，工作与活动如何与佛法相应。当然，独自修行、较少与外界往来的修行者，无须采用这些传统，因为他们可以随意安排。但一旦四位或更多僧人开始共同生活，也就是我们所谓的「僧团」，就必须遵循佛陀在律藏中，亲自教导僧众共同应行的一切事务。

Right now there are a lot of us here in Lerab Ling for this drupchen. As we perform Dharma ceremonies together, we must always follow the authentic tradition. When we take part in anything to do the Dharma, it’s essential to be both aware and careful. If you are always aware and work carefully, whatever you do will turn out well. But if you are inattentive and restless, everything you do will bear the mark of carelessness. Therefore, first and foremost, you must be careful and aware.

现在，我们许多人来到 列绕林，参加这次大修。共同举行佛法仪式时，必须始终遵循真实的传统。参与任何与佛法有关的事，保持觉察、细心谨慎，都至关重要。如果始终有觉察，认真做事，无论做什么，都会有好结果。若心不在焉、躁动不安，所做的一切，就都会带着粗心的痕迹。因此，首先必须细心、觉察。

So, how do you learn to be careful? You start by thinking through the task you must complete before you act. Think over what it is you need to do. If you don't think first, your hand won’t be able to do anything, right? You must think with the mind before your body can act. To act impulsively the moment a thought arises, is not being careful. Always allow the thought to settle before you act. Pause and consider what needs to be done. Only then will you be able to act carefully.

那么，如何学习细心？首先，在行动之前，想清楚需要完成的事情，仔细思考该怎么做。如果不先想，手就不知道做什么，对吧？必须先用心想，身体才能行动。念头刚起，便冲动行事，不叫细心。行动前，总要先让念头安定下来，停一下，想想需要做什么。只有这样，才能细心行事。

Imagine the thought, “I must pour some tea into the lama's cup” arises in your mind. In that very instant you rush over to the lama and pour the tea. But you don’t do it carefully. So now imagine that instead of acting impulsively, you think about how you are going to pour the tea before you make a move.

想象心中生起「我必须给上师杯里倒点茶」的念头，就在那一瞬间，你赶到上师身边倒茶，却没有谨慎地倒。现在设想，自己不冲动行事，而是在起身之前，先想想怎样倒茶。

• How will you hold the teapot?
• How will you remove the lid of the lama’s cup, remembering it could break if it falls?
• How will you stand? If you’re body shakes because you’re standing awkwardly, it’s easy to spill a full cup of tea.
• If the lama’s table is full, where will you put the cup?

• 要怎样拿茶壶？
• 要怎样揭开上师的杯盖？记得，掉下去可能摔碎。
• 要怎样站立？姿势别扭，使身体摇晃，就很容易洒出满杯茶。
• 若上师桌上已摆满，杯子要放在哪里？

If you’ve thought about all this before actually doing it, you’ll be able to place the cup in the right position on the table with sure hands. This is what being careful means; this is ‘carefulness’.

真正动手之前，如果已想过这一切，就能双手稳稳地将杯子放到桌上合适的位置。这就是细心的意思，这就叫「谨慎」。

If you try to do anything while thinking about something else, you are not being careful. If, while you pour the tea, you think about what else needs to be done, you will spill the tea – you are not being careful. So whatever you do, must be done carefully.

做一件事，却想着另一件事，就不细心。倒茶时，如果想着还有什么要做，就会把茶洒出来，因为你不细心。所以，做任何事情，都必须细心。

This also applies to speaking. If you think about what it is you want to say before you open your mouth, you will communicate well. But if you don’t think before you speak and just blabber ‘spontaneously’, you won’t have a clue what you’re talking about. For example, I want to talk to Philip, but haven’t thought about what I want to tell him. So I go up to him and say, “Hi Phillip...” but have nothing else to say. “Hi Phillip...” on it’s own doesn’t say anything at all! So, you must be careful.

说话也一样。开口之前，先想想要说什么，就能沟通得好。但若不先想，只是「自然地」胡说，你自己都不知道在讲什么。例如，我想和 菲利普 说话，却没有想好要告诉他什么，就走过去说：「嗨，菲利普……」然后无话可说。光说一句「嗨，菲利普……」，什么也没表达！所以，必须细心。

All you red-headed^[1] people act carelessly most of the time. You’re rough and imprecise. If a lama calls for you, you instantly start rushing around. But all that happens is you get into a real tizzy. Then if someone asks you what the lama told you to do, you don't know. That's one example, but I've seen it happen often.

你们这些红头发^[1]的人，多数时候做事粗心，粗疏、不准确。上师一叫，马上开始到处奔忙，结果只是弄得慌乱不堪。如果有人问，上师让你做什么，你却不知道。这只是一个例子，但我经常看见。

Maybe there are lamas who like that kind of behaviour, who think such people are good attendants. But they don’t think, they just do whatever the lama tells them to – like computers. A computer has no thoughts or opinions of its own, it’s a slave to its programming. Which might be a good quality in an attendant, but not when that attendant acts carelessly. Can you answer the question, “Why are you doing what you’re doing?” If I myself don't know what I’m doing, then how can I do it? This point about being careful throughout all your activities is a very important one.

也许有上师喜欢这种行为，觉得这样的人是好侍者。但这些人不思考，只照上师所说去做，像电脑。电脑没有自己的思想或意见，是程序的奴隶。这也许是侍者的一种好品质，可若做事粗心，就不是了。你能回答「为什么做你正在做的事」吗？如果连我自己都不知道在做什么，怎么能做呢？一切活动中保持细心，这一点非常重要。

Now my second point is that any work or activity done in a temple or a monastic environment must be done peacefully by someone whose mind has been tamed. Let’s say your task is to put a glass on the table. To drop it onto the table too quickly is inappropriate and anyway it looks bad. So it’s best to place the glass calmly and deliberately. During a ceremony, especially when there’s a large crowd of people participating, even if you’re very, very busy and in a real hurry, it’s better to walk everywhere slowly. Running looks very bad. But it happened a lot the other day. People were running backwards and forwards and up and down the aisle of the temple hysterically, and they constantly bumped into each other. Even the chöpons we brought from India, who aren’t very experienced or that good, were really flustered. An experienced chöpon knows exactly what will be needed during a ceremony and prepares everything beforehand. They are then able to do whatever’s necessary at the right time, carefully and without panic. If you aren’t prepared, when someone says, “We need some rice!” you'll then have to chase around to find some rice. If you’re asked for water, you’ll have to rush to get some. If you’re asked for fire, you’ll have to light a fire. This is how the kind of pandemonium you had when the cup was spilt is created, with people running in circles and knocking things over. Do things slowly! Even if you’re mind is full and really busy, don’t let that busy-ness out! Don’t let your state of mind affect how you behave. Even when there’s a lot to be done, do it calmly.

第二点是：在佛殿或寺院环境中，一切工作与活动，都应由调伏其心的人，平静地完成。假设任务是把玻璃杯放到桌上，过快地往桌上一搁，不合适，看起来也不好。最好平静、有意识地放下。仪式期间，尤其有很多人参加时，即使非常、非常忙，真的很着急，也最好走到哪里都慢慢走。奔跑看起来很不好。但前几天却常这样：人们慌乱地在佛殿走道上前后奔跑，来来回回，不断撞在一起。连我们从印度带来的供养师，本来经验不多、做得也不算好，也非常慌张。有经验的供养师，清楚知道仪式中需要什么，事先全部备好。这样，就能在适当时间，细心、不慌不忙地完成所需之事。若没准备好，有人说「需要米！」，你才得奔走找米；要水，又得赶忙取水；要火，又得去点火。于是，就形成洒茶时那样的混乱，人们团团转，将东西撞倒。慢慢做！即使心里装满事情，真的很忙，也别把那忙乱显露出来！别让内心状态影响行为。即使有很多事，也平静地做。

If you don’t maintain self-control, your state of mind will make you red in the face, you’ll start shaking and all sorts of similar inconvenient symptoms will advertise your state of mind to all and sundry – this is bad. If you panic inside it shows in your eyes – you blink a lot and your gaze darts all over the place. When you get in a state like that, you can’t hear what’s said to you because your consciousness is somewhere else – you've spaced out. So you should do everything very peacefully and very gently. The busier you get physically, the calmer and more deliberate you should become. Then you won’t drop what you’re supposed to be offering. Or wear your hat the wrong way round. Or pick up a vase of flowers when you’re supposed to be ringing your bell. These things really happen! I’ve seen it with my own eyes! When you get worked up you can never find the right page in the text. As you leaf through your practice, everything looks jumbled up, and all that feverish shuffling only adds to your confusion. So however quick you want to be, however much there is to do, be relaxed about it. Acting instantly on a thought without preparing properly can’t ever be described as ‘beneficial’. That's my second point.

若不保持自制，内心状态就会让你涨红脸、发抖，各种类似的不便表现，会把你的心态展示给所有人，这不好。心里慌，眼睛就会显露出来：不断眨眼，目光四处游移。陷入那种状态，就听不进别人说什么，因为意识在别处，走神了。因此，做一切事，都应非常平静、轻柔。身体越忙，就越应沉着、有条不紊。这样，就不会弄掉该供的东西，不会把帽子戴反，也不会本该摇铃，却拿起花瓶。这些事真会发生！我亲眼见过！一激动，就总找不到法本正确的页数。翻动法本时，什么都乱了，手忙脚乱地翻，只会更加迷糊。因此，无论多想快，无论有多少事，都要放松。念头一起，就立即行动，却没有适当准备，绝不能称为「有益」。这是第二点。

If a ceremony is to be done well, you need more than one person to organize and perform it. Several people must work together, some taking roles in the practice itself, others to serve. When you’re on your own you don’t need a servant or any kind of help in order to drink a glass of water. But in the context of a ceremony, someone is needed to serve water to the master. In fact you need quite a lot of people just to serve the lamas and practitioners. Several levels of participation are required in order to perform a ‘ceremony’. During the drupchens the other day, Sogyal Rinpoche assumed the highest level, and the four people to his right and left undertook the second level. Most of the rest of you participated at the ordinary level. People who prepare and serve tea also fall into different categories. In a ceremony, it would be very bad for Sogyal Rinpoche to have to get up and pour his own tea; it wouldn't be a good ceremony. But that’s what would happen if you didn’t have these different levels of participation and service.

要把仪式办好，不能只靠一个人组织、执行。必须多人合作，有些承担修法本身的职责，有些负责服务。独处时，喝杯水，并不需要侍者或任何帮助。但在仪式中，需要有人为上师奉水。事实上，仅是服侍上师与修行者，就需要不少人。「仪式」需要不同层次的参与。前几天大修时，索甲仁波切处于最高层次，其左右四人承担第二层次；你们其余多数人，属于普通参与层次。准备与奉茶的人，也有不同类别。仪式中，如果索甲仁波切得自己起身倒茶，那就很不好，不能算好仪式。但若没有这些不同层次的参与与服务，就会发生这样的事。

If you don’t prepare everything in advance, then instructions must be given on the spot. And that means a lot of shouting in the temple to tell people what to do. For example yesterday, Sogyal Rinpoche had to write many notes and send them to people in different parts of Lerab Ling to summon them to the ceremony. There was also a great deal of whispering in ears – but many of you seemed to be deaf. All this disturbed the ceremony. Ceremonies should be conducted in an atmosphere that’s calm, like a great lake of tranquility, in which anything that needs doing happens quite naturally.

若未事先准备好一切，就必须现场发指令。这意味着，要在佛殿里大声喊，告诉人们做什么。例如昨天，索甲仁波切必须写很多便条，送往 列绕林 各处，召人来参加仪式。也有许多附耳低语，可你们许多人似乎耳聋了。这一切都干扰仪式。仪式应在平静如广大静湖的氛围中进行，任何需要做的事，都自然完成。

To do a ceremony successfully, it is crucial for all the different levels of participation to be covered, so there are people who take the highest level, the secondary level, the third level, and so on. Of this there is no doubt. And if you don't organize a ceremony in this way, it’ll turn out very badly. Do you understand?

要成功举行仪式，涵盖各种参与层次，极其重要：有人处于最高层次、第二层次、第三层次等等。这毫无疑问。若不这样组织，仪式就会办得很糟。明白吗？

I am not familiar with European traditions and I don't think I’ve ever seen a European ceremony. But based on what I have seen, the Japanese do ceremonies best of all. Every aspect is held with the greatest care. The Tibetan tradition is also good, but these days it’s not upheld that well. Even the ceremonies held at the Dalai Lama’s residence have lost the lustre they used to have. Of the ceremonies organized in monasteries, those held around the previous Karmapa used to be exceedingly majestic. They were done very well. But these days that’s also been lost!

我不熟悉欧洲传统，也不记得自己见过欧洲仪式。但依据所见，日本人举行仪式最好，每个方面都极其细心。西藏传统也很好，只是如今维持得不好。即使达赖喇嘛住处举行的仪式，也失去从前的光彩。寺院举办的仪式中，前世噶玛巴身边的仪式，从前极其庄严，办得很好。可是，如今这些也失去了！

There are many different traditions of doing ceremonies in this world, but as we are concerned with the Dharma and follow the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, our ceremonies follow the Tibetan tradition. There are many ceremonies in the Christian tradition too, aren’t there? But we follow Tibetan way of doing things, which is a little difficult for Europeans and foreigners to follow. But even though it’s difficult, you have to do it.

世上有许多不同的仪式传统。但我们所做与佛法有关，追随藏传佛教，因此，仪式遵循西藏传统。基督教传统里，也有许多仪式，对吧？我们则依藏式方式行事，对欧洲人和外国人来说，稍有困难。不过，即使困难，也必须做。

First of all, as you perform the ceremony you must display great respect. So, for example if you serve tea to the lamas, you must carry the tea and the cups very high – this is the Tibetan tradition. Everyone must also offer kataks. This is also a Tibetan tradition, isn’t it? We often see you Rigpa people lined up along the path holding kataks. Some Tibetans find it quite humorous. “They are copying our tradition! How weird is that?” In America I saw some students offer kataks by holding them in front of their heads, bending over slightly, then after a while putting the katak around their necks themselves! They seemed to think the tradition was about wearing a katak, and thought it was OK to put it on themselves. But in Tibet there is absolutely no tradition of doing it that way. A katak is something you offer to another person, you never put it on yourself.

首先，举行仪式时，必须表现出极大的恭敬。例如，为上师奉茶，要把茶与杯子举得很高，这是西藏传统。每个人也必须献哈达，这也是西藏传统，对吧？我们常见你们 本觉会 的人，沿路列队拿着哈达。有些藏人觉得颇有趣：「他们在模仿我们的传统，多奇怪！」在美国，我见过一些学生献哈达：举在额前，微微弯腰，过一会儿，却把哈达挂到自己脖子上！他们似乎以为，这传统是为了戴哈达，自己戴上也可以。但在西藏，绝没有这种传统。哈达是献给别人的，绝不自己戴。

There are many things like that. According to Tibetan tradition, there is a difference between the kind of person who serves tea to a monk and to a lay person; monks are served by monks, and lay people by lay people. But what I’m talking about today is how monks and nuns serve tea.

这类事情很多。依西藏传统，为僧人奉茶与为在家人奉茶，服务者不同：僧人由僧人服务，在家人由在家人服务。但今天，我谈的是男女出家众如何奉茶。

If you could put an empty cup on Sogyal Rinpoche’s table before he even arrived, this nun wouldn’t have been able to drop his cup. But that isn’t allowed in the Tibetan tradition. In the west, when you go to a formal dinner party, the table has been laid before you sit down to eat. But according to Tibetan tradition we can’t do that. The table must have nothing on it when the important guests arrive. Once they’ve taken their seats, a saucer and empty teacup will be brought in by two different servers and placed on their table. The lid of the teacup will then be lifted, while somebody else pours the tea.

如果能在索甲仁波切到来之前，就把空杯放在桌上，那位尼师也就不可能失手掉杯。但西藏传统不允许如此。西方正式晚宴，在坐下吃饭前，桌子已经摆好。但依藏式传统，不能这样。贵宾到来时，桌上必须空无一物。就座后，两位不同侍者，分别端来杯碟与空茶杯，放到桌上。之后揭开杯盖，由另一人倒茶。

Actually strictly speaking, when really important guests, like the Dalai Lama, are present there’s another stage to offering tea. If we had a big ceremony at my monastery, like the one we had here yesterday at Lerab Ling, I would have been sitting at the front in the central aisle. When the tea was brought in, I would have taken my own small cup from my pocket and, witnessed by everyone in the temple, I would have tasted a little of the guest’s tea, to prove it wasn’t poisoned. Only then would the tea server have proceeded to the throne and served the important guest. We’ve never done it here, but that’s how it’s done in our tradition.

严格说，若有达赖喇嘛那样真正重要的贵宾在场，奉茶还有另一阶段。若在本寺举行像昨天 列绕林 那样的大型仪式，我会坐在中央走道前方。茶端进来时，我会从口袋拿出自己的小杯，在佛殿所有人见证下，尝一点贵宾的茶，证明其中无毒。之后，奉茶者才会走向法座，为贵宾奉茶。这里从未这样做过，但我们的传统如此。

Anyway, first you serve the tea, then the rice – rice must not be offered first! The tea is poured into a cup on the table to the left of the guest, and the rice is placed on his right. You should neither put the tea on the right and rice on the left, or put them both together on the same side.

无论如何，先茶后饭，绝不能先供饭！茶倒进贵宾左侧桌上的杯中，饭放右侧。既不应把茶放右、饭放左，也不应将二者都放在同一侧。

Now, about the lay people who participate. During ceremonies ordinary lay Tibetans are served tea by other Tibetan laypeople. Those serving wear their best hats and a chuba with a brocade shirt underneath. To show off the richness of the brocade shirt, a Tibetan will only wear one sleeve of the chuba, throwing the empty sleeve over his shoulder so that the brocade of the shirt can be seen by everyone. If he puts both his arms into the sleeves of his chuba, his shirt could not be seen. The right sleeve is thrown over his right shoulder, because to leave it hanging casually would be disrespectful.

现在说参与的在家人。仪式中，普通在家藏人，由其他在家藏人奉茶。服务者戴最好的帽子，穿藏袍，里面穿锦缎衬衣。为了显出锦缎衬衣的华美，藏人只穿藏袍的一只袖子，将空袖搭在肩上，让所有人都看见衬衣锦缎。若两臂都穿进藏袍袖里，就看不见衬衣了。右袖搭在右肩，不能随便垂着，那样不恭敬。

The tea must be brought into the temple covered with a piece of brocade. The tea-bearers must stop at the top of the aisle and not serve the VIP guests themselves. Actually each lama has one solpön, who is the personal attendant responsible for serving the lama’s food, and he should stand behind the lama, in the same way Ane-la stood behind Sogyal Rinpoche yesterday. The solpön walks to where the tea-bearer stands near the entrance to the temple, removes the brocade cover and throws it over his shoulder. He then takes the tea to the lama, offers it, then brings the pot back to the tea-bearer who takes it out of the temple. The rice is offered in a similar way. The rice-bearer brings rice into the temple, waits inside the door for the solpön to collect the rice, then take it down the aisle to the guest sitting on the throne.

茶必须盖一块锦缎，端进佛殿。端茶者停在走道入口端，不亲自为贵宾斟茶。每位上师实际上都有一位饮食侍者，也就是负责饮食的贴身侍者；他应站在上师身后，像昨天阿尼拉站在索甲仁波切身后一样。饮食侍者走到靠近佛殿入口的端茶者那里，拿下锦缎盖布，搭在自己肩上；再把茶端到上师面前奉上，然后将壶送回端茶者手中，由他带出佛殿。供饭同理：端饭者把饭送入佛殿，在门内等饮食侍者来接，再由侍者沿走道送给法座上的贵宾。

Nowadays lamas, or monks, or even nuns – actually I don't know if nuns would do this; we didn't have any in Tibet who did. Anyway, lamas or monks drape their zen around their neck from left to right (not right to left), and then hold it between their teeth to cover their mouths, so they don’t breathe over the tea as they pour it.

如今，上师或僧人，甚至尼师——其实我不知道尼师是否这样做，在西藏没有尼师这样做——无论如何，上师或僧人会将披单从左向右，绕到颈边，而不是从右向左，再用牙齿咬住，遮住嘴，这样倒茶时，气息就不会吹到茶上。

Those serving tea must never touch the lama himself, or his hat or other personal belongings, with their bare skin, they should cover their hands with a katak first. Yesterday, Rinpoche’s attendant took his hat in her bare hands. Nobody must touch the hat! It is carried in a box, which is opened facing the lama, who takes the hat in his own hands and puts it on his head himself. And when he takes it off, he returns it to the box and covers it with the cloth himself. Sometimes at this point in the ceremony, he may hold the hat up before putting it back in the box. But he does everything himself! No one else can touch the hat. In Tibet, if someone were to touch it, everyone present would be shocked and exclaim, "Arghhh!!!" This is the tradition.

奉茶者绝不能以裸露的皮肤，触碰上师本人、法帽或其他私人物品，应先用哈达裹住手。昨天，仁波切的侍者直接用手拿了法帽。任何人都不得触碰法帽！法帽装在盒中送来，盒口朝向上师打开，由上师亲手取帽，自己戴上。摘下时，也由他自己放回盒中，盖上布。有时，在仪式这一环节，他会把帽子举起，再放回盒里。但一切都由他自己做！别人不得碰帽。在西藏，若有人碰了，在场所有人都会震惊，惊叫「啊！！！」传统就是如此。

Yesterday Sogyal Rinpoche asked for his Guru Rinpoche hat, someone touched it and confusion ensued. And the box was put on the throne behind Sogyal Rinpoche instead of taken out of the temple.

昨天，索甲仁波切要莲师帽，有人碰了，接着便乱了起来。而且，盒子没有拿出佛殿，却放到索甲仁波切身后的法座上。

In the Tibetan tradition attendants are monks and always wear zen and shamtap. When serving a high lama like the Dalai Lama, the solpön should wear a yellow mask over his mouth, not a katak. If the lama isn’t that high the mask should be white. The Chinese and the Tibetans share the same tradition of yellow being the colour that denotes a high status. So in this case, the solpön should wear a white mask to cover his mouth. But no one else should.

西藏传统中，侍者是僧人，始终穿披单与僧裙。服侍达赖喇嘛那样的大上师，饮食侍者应戴黄色口罩，不用哈达遮口。如果上师地位没有那么高，口罩应是白色。汉藏传统相同，黄色表示尊贵地位。因此，这里饮食侍者应戴白色口罩遮住嘴，但其他人不应戴。

Traditionally there are thirteen kinds of attendant. The first three must be monks.

传统有十三类侍从。前三类必须是僧人。

1. The ‘solpön’, a monk who serves all the lama’s food, drink, tea etc., and looks after the lama's cup and eating utensils, etc.
2. The ‘zimpön’, a monk who is responsible for making the lama’s bed, putting him to bed at night, taking care of his clothes, etc. – everything to do with the lama’s sleep and clothing.
3. The 'chöpon', a monk who arranges the shrine, and so on, makes tormas, and cares for everything the lama needs for pujas – bell and dorje, pumbha, etc.
4. The 'chakdzö' is the general secretary, sometimes called a bursar, or treasurer, who can either be a layman or a lama or a monk.
5. The 'nyerpa' is in charge of the kitchen, but he’s not the cook, he’s the manager. He decides on lunch and dinner menus, then checks them with the lama and orders all the food.
6. The 'machen’ is the cook. He will cook whatever the nyerpa tells him to. During a large ceremony, it is the machen who brings the tea to the entrance of the temple. Actually the job of the machen is crucial because he very publicly takes tea that he has prepared himself, all the way from the stove to the temple, and by doing so prevents anyone else from poisoning it. No one else can be sent to fetch the tea, nor can the machen send the tea with anyone else. Even if he’s really busy, the machen must take it to the temple himself.
7. & 8. The 'drung-nyer' are in charge of the lama’s schedule and are usually the ones who pass messages to him, make requests or ask questions. There must be two drung-nyer in a lama’s entourage, so that if one of them is arranging a meeting, the other can remain with the lama to pass on people’s requests and questions and messages. One drung-nyer must always be with the lama.
   An important point to remember during ceremonies is that if something crucial needs to be said to the lama, you can’t just stand up and talk spontaneously. First you call the drung-nyer and talk to him. Then the drung-nyer approaches the lama and passes on the information. If the lama is sent an important letter, it must be given to the drung-nyer, who will pass it to the lama. This tradition applies specifically to people of high status.
8. The 'gakpa' makes sure that when people enter the room they don’t just sit where they like, he directs them to the right seat. He’s not a bodyguard, he just makes sure everyone sits where they should. But he’s not needed here, in Lerab Ling.^[2]

1. 饮食侍者，僧人，负责上师一切饮食、茶水等，照管其杯子、餐具等等。
2. 寝衣侍者，僧人，负责铺床、夜间服侍就寝、照料衣物等等，一切与上师睡眠及衣着有关的事。
3. 供养师，僧人，布置供坛、制作朵玛，照管上师修法所需一切，如铃杵、宝瓶等等。
4. 总管，有时称财务主管或司库，可以是在家人、上师或僧人。
5. 厨房管事，管理厨房，但不是厨师，而是管事。他决定午、晚餐菜单，呈请上师核定，并采购全部食物。
6. 厨师，厨房管事吩咐做什么，他就做什么。大型仪式中，是厨师把茶端到佛殿入口。事实上，这一职责至关重要，因为他在众目睽睽下，把亲自煮好的茶，从炉边一直端到佛殿，防止任何其他人下毒。不能派别人取茶，厨师也不能让别人送茶。即使再忙，也必须亲自送到佛殿。
7. 及第八类：随侍官，负责上师日程，通常由他们传话、提出请求或询问。上师随从中，必须有两位随侍官；一人安排会面时，另一人便可留在上师身边，传达众人的请求、问题与消息。必须始终有一位随侍官与上师同在。
   仪式中有一点很重要：若有关键事情必须告知上师，不能直接起身，随意开口。应先叫随侍官，对他说，再由他靠近上师传达。若有重要信件送给上师，必须先交随侍官，再转交上师。这一传统，特别适用于地位尊高的人。
8. 引座者，确保人们进屋后，不随意就坐，而是引导到合适位置。他不是护卫，只是确保人人坐在应坐之处。但 列绕林 这里不需要。^[2]

These are the categories of people who are traditionally required to serve high lamas. The tradition was initiated by the great Sakyapa master Drogön Chögyal Pakpa, who was the first lama to emerge as a political leader in Tibet. He was also the Khan’s personal priest. Those who came after him, for example the Great Fifth Dalai Lama and Panchen Rinpoche, followed in his footsteps.

这些是依传统服侍大上师所需的各类人员。传统由萨迦大上师卓贡法王八思巴创立；他是西藏第一位成为政治领袖的上师，也是可汗的私人上师。后继者，如伟大的第五世达赖喇嘛与班禅仁波切，都追随其做法。

Now, how do we behave during a ceremony? When the most important lama walks into the temple, everyone must stand up. But you only stand for the highest lama. Otherwise, if both the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama were at a ceremony, once everyone had stood for the Panchen Lama, there would be nothing left for them to do when the Dalai Lama arrived, right? So everyone must remain seated until the most important person arrives.

那么，仪式中该如何举止？最重要的上师走进佛殿时，所有人都应起立。但只为最高上师起立。否则，如果达赖喇嘛与班禅喇嘛同在一个仪式，大家已为班禅起立，达赖喇嘛到来时，还能做什么，对吧？所以，最重要的人到来之前，大家都必须保持就坐。

What you do here at Lerab Ling is, you stand, bow slightly and fold your hands, but I don’t know what that’s all about. We Tibetans don’t usually do that, but westerners do. You stand with your back slightly bent and you look up with your hands folded in front of your face...

你们 列绕林 这里，是站起来，微微鞠躬，双手合掌；我不知道这是什么意思。藏人通常不这样，但西方人会。你们背微弯，双手合在面前，抬眼往上看……

During yesterday’s ceremony Sogyal Rinpoche was the highest lama and so everyone stood up when he walked in. If everybody were to get up each time any Rinpoche walked in, it wouldn’t be special for them to stand for Sogyal Rinpoche. At a ceremony with the Dalai Lama, even if Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche were to walk in, we Tibetans wouldn’t stand up – we wouldn’t need to! Basically, in such a situation, we don’t get up for anyone other than the Dalai Lama. Only when he arrives will everyone stands up!

昨天的仪式，索甲仁波切是最高上师，因此，他进来时，所有人都起立。如果每来一位仁波切，人人就站起来，那么，为索甲仁波切起立，也就不特别了。有达赖喇嘛参加的仪式，即使怙主楚西仁波切走进来，藏人也不会起立，无须如此！基本上，这种场合，除了达赖喇嘛，我们不为其他任何人起立。只有他到来，所有人才站起来！

Now the seating arrangements. Everybody should either sit facing the front, or in two rows facing each other across a central aisle. Only one person sits facing the door at the end of the central aisle, and that’s the highest lama. And there are never two ‘highest’ lamas, so there should never be two thrones side by side, facing the door. Here in Lerab Ling we’ve never followed that Tibetan tradition. If the Dalai Lama were at a ceremony with the Karmapa and other very high lamas, according to that tradition, only the Dalai Lama would sit facing down the aisle. All the others, including the Karmapa himself, will sit on either side of the aisle facing each other. The attendants and people the highest lama needs around him, sit behind him on his right and left. But they only sit there so they can take care of the lama. When a lama presides over a big ceremony, he’ll never get off his throne to do things himself, and that’s why he needs at least five attendants to do things for him.

现在说座位安排。所有人，要么面向前方坐，要么在中央走道两侧分成两列，相向而坐。只有一个人，坐在中央走道尽头，面向大门，那就是最高上师。绝不会有两位「最高」上师，因此，绝不应有两个法座并列，面向大门。列绕林 从未遵循这一西藏传统。若达赖喇嘛、噶玛巴及其他大上师一起参加仪式，依此传统，只有达赖喇嘛面向走道而坐。其他所有人，包括噶玛巴本人，都坐在走道两侧，相向而坐。最高上师所需的侍者与其他随员，坐在他身后左右两侧。他们坐在那里，只为照料上师。上师主持大型仪式，绝不会自己走下法座办事，因此，至少需要五位侍者，替他处理事务。

When the highest lama enters the temple in a ceremonial procession, his entourage will walk in with him. At the end of the ceremony, the lama can’t leave by himself, right? It would be entirely inappropriate for his attendants to be scattered all over the temple, chatting with friends while the master left alone. That would be quite bad. So the lama’s entourage enters and leaves with him, in an orderly procession. No attendant or servant should walk out of the building before the lama, except the gakpa whose job it is to clear the path. Everyone else must follow the lama.

最高上师随仪仗队走入佛殿时，随从应一同入内。仪式结束，上师不能独自离开，对吧？如果侍者散在佛殿各处，与朋友聊天，却让上师独自离去，那完全不合适，很不好。因此，上师随从应整齐列队，与他一同进出。除了职责是开路的引座者，任何侍者或仆从，都不应在上师之前走出建筑。其余所有人，必须跟随上师。

When a lama like the Dalai Lama, who holds a very high position, processes into the temple, he must be accompanied by two people, one on his right, one on his left, each holding one of his arms. In the case of the Dalai Lama, one of these people would be the prime minister, and the other would be the Ganden Tripa – in other words a high political leader and a high religious leader. The other time a lama might be accompanied by two people is if the lama is old and has trouble walking, in which case his solpön and zimpön will walk either side of him to give the necessary physical support.

达赖喇嘛那样地位极高的上师，随行列进入佛殿时，必须有两人左右相伴，各扶一臂。以达赖喇嘛为例，一位是首席大臣，另一位是甘丹赤巴，也就是一位高级政治领袖与一位高级宗教领袖。另一种需两人陪伴的情形，是上师年老、行走困难；这时，饮食侍者与寝衣侍者走在两旁，给予必要搀扶。

The person who organizes and finances a ceremony will lead the high lama into the temple bearing incense, which is held in a white katak to represent the purity of our minds. Each time we’ve invited the Dalai Lama to our monastery in Bir, I’ve been given the job of bearing the incense. Of course the incense itself is an antidote to bad smells – I’ve heard that bad smells give Sogyal Rinpoche a headache – and also to energize. It seems the Dalai Lama once said, “What is this incense? Who made it? It’s very energizing!”

组织并资助仪式的人，应持香引领大上师入殿。香以白哈达包持，代表心的清净。每次迎请达赖喇嘛来我们比尔的寺院，我都被安排负责持香。当然，香本身能除恶臭，我听说索甲仁波切闻到坏气味会头疼；香也能提神。据说，达赖喇嘛曾问：「这是什么香？谁做的？很提神！」

The incense-bearer could be a layman, but for monastic ceremonies it’s the ‘umze’, or chant master, and the ‘chötrim’, the master of discipline, who walk ahead of the lama waving sticks of incense. The umze and master of discipline are both very important for the ceremony. The umze is most important because he leads the chanting and makes the practice happen. The second most important is the master of discipline who keeps a close eye on the proceedings and makes sure everything is done properly. This is why these two carry incense in the procession. They are followed by two monks playing the gyalings (reed instruments a little like oboes), and the lama, who is accompanied by the parasol holder. The parasol is held over the lama’s head, therefore the lama doesn’t need to wear a hat. These days, though, even in Tibetan monasteries, you’ll see that although he’s walking under a parasol, the lama will wear a yellow hat to protect him from the sun. This is not part of the Tibetan tradition.

持香者可以是在家人；但在僧团仪式中，由领诵师，以及纠察师，持香挥动，走在上师前面。领诵师与纠察师，对仪式都很重要。领诵师最重要，因为他领众唱诵，使修法得以进行。第二重要的是纠察师，密切留意过程，确保一切如法进行。因此，行列中由这两位持香。他们后面，是两位吹嘉令——一种有点像双簧管的簧管乐器——的僧人；再后面是上师，与持伞者同行。伞撑在上师头顶，因此上师无须戴帽。但如今，即使在西藏寺院，也会看见上师虽在伞下行走，却仍戴黄帽遮阳。这不属于西藏传统。

How do we prepare for a ceremony? Let’s say tomorrow we want to hold a big ceremony here in this shrine room. So tonight, you would gather here for a meeting, because the meeting must happen where the ceremony will be held. During the meeting you must rehearse everything that will happen the next day. For example, those involved in the tea service will talk together then rehearse how they will serve the tea. They must decide between themselves who brings it into the temple and who takes it to the lama, etc. The crucial point here is that the rehearsal takes place where the ceremony will happen. If it doesn’t, even if you spend the entire night planning, as soon as you find yourself in the actual ceremony, your references will be entirely different and you won’t know what to do.

如何准备仪式？假设明天，要在这佛堂举行大型仪式，那么今晚，大家应聚在这里开会，因为会议必须在仪式举行之处召开。会上，必须排练次日会发生的一切。例如，奉茶人员先共同讨论，再排演怎样奉茶，彼此决定谁送进佛殿、谁送到上师面前等等。关键是：排演必须在仪式实际举行的地方进行。否则，即使整夜筹划，一进入真正的仪式，所处参照全变了，就会不知道怎么做。

During the meeting you should also make a clear plan of who sits where, so that when everyone arrives, they will be able to find their places in an orderly fashion. You should also think about how people enter the temple. It’s important that there’s no rushing around or commotion – yesterday there was far too much! Especially at the back, where there were many children and other sources of agitation. You shouldn’t rush around like that. Why? Even if there are a couple of people sitting at the front wearing suits and ties, if the back of temple is chaotic, then the atmosphere of the ceremony won’t be special. In fact, it looks really bad! Yesterday there were people all over the place, walking up and down, and chatting.... But during a ceremony, you should avoid talking too much! The atmosphere should be very calm. Too much talking makes it more like the clamour of an Indian festival, with all its singing, music and dancing, or shopping at Chandni Chowk, the busiest market in Delhi!

会上，也应清楚安排谁坐哪里，让大家到来时，能有序找到座位。还应考虑如何入殿。重要的是，不能奔忙、骚动，昨天这种情况实在太多！尤其后排，有许多孩子，以及其他令人躁动的因素。不要那样奔来跑去。为什么？即使前面坐着两位西装领带的人，若佛殿后方混乱，仪式气氛就不庄重。事实上，看起来很不好！昨天，大家到处走动，上上下下，聊天……但仪式中，应避免说太多话！氛围应该非常平静。话太多，就更像印度节庆的喧闹，唱歌、奏乐、跳舞，或像在德里最繁忙的市场月光集市购物！

The quality of the cup should reflect the status of the guest. The highest lama’s cup, for example, should be of the best quality. A less important lama’s cup should be of a lesser quality. And ordinary people should just have ordinary cups. In some Tibetan monasteries very rich people are given tall cups on high stands. If everyone had a cup like that, the high lama would not be shown the respect that is his due. And only the two or three highest lamas at a ceremony should have gold bowls for their food, not everyone! The next level of lama should be given silver bowls, and everyone else ordinary bowls. At the same time, if three or four lamas get the same kind of gold bowl, they will all have been treated in the same way.

杯子的品质，应反映贵宾的地位。例如，最高上师的杯子，应品质最好；地位稍低的上师，杯子品质稍次；普通人，则用普通杯。有些西藏寺院，会给非常富有的人，用高底座托起的高杯。如果人人都用那样的杯子，大上师就得不到应有的尊敬。而且，仪式中，只有地位最高的两三位上师，应使用金碗，不是人人都用！下一层次的上师，应给银碗，其余人用普通碗。同时，如果三四位上师得到同样的金碗，就是受到同等对待。

Don’t mix things up like you did yesterday. If we do a ceremony following Tibetan tradition, tea should be served in Tibetan cups on saucers. Yesterday some people had Tibetan cups while others had a kind of European cup. This is not good. Every aspect of the ceremony should follow one tradition. Mixing European and Tibetan traditions only results in a kind of ‘tukpa’ – a Tibetan soup in which everything, meat, vegetables and other ingredients are mixed together. So you should buy the right cups and bowls, which can then be used for every ceremony.

不要像昨天那样混杂。如果依西藏传统举行仪式，茶就应盛在有杯碟的藏式茶杯中。昨天，有些人用藏式杯，另一些用某种欧洲杯。这不好。仪式每一方面，都应遵循同一种传统。混合欧洲与西藏传统，只会弄成一种藏式汤面，即把肉、蔬菜与其他食材全部混在一起的汤。因此，应该购买合适的杯碗，往后每次仪式都能使用。

Why should we do ceremonies according to the Tibetan tradition? Because we follow the Tibetan religion, and the Tibetan religion must be practised according to Tibetan tradition. Imagine what it would like to hold a Tibetan ritual with the decorations and traditions of the Catholic church. It would be terrible! Or what a Catholic priest would look like sitting on a Tibetan throne, wearing a Guru Rinpoche hat, shawl and so on. What do you think? When a Catholic priest sits on a chair like the one the pope sits on, this is very good. But if the Dalai Lama sat on the pope's chair wearing his Buddha Shakyamuni shawl, imagine how bad that would look!

为什么应依西藏传统举行仪式？因为我们追随西藏宗教，而西藏宗教，必须依西藏传统修持。想象一下，以天主教堂的装饰与传统，举行藏式仪轨，会是什么样？会很糟！或者，一位天主教神父，坐在藏式法座上，戴莲师帽、披披单等等，会怎样？你们觉得呢？天主教神父坐在教宗那样的椅子上，很好。但若达赖喇嘛披着释迦牟尼佛式法衣，坐在教宗的椅子上，想想看起来多不合适！

So we must do everything according to Tibetan tradition. Sometimes though, Tibetan traditions came from tertöns or high lamas who say that they had been to the Copper-Coloured Mountain and seen the way Guru Rinpoche did things. But who knows! For example, one of the tunes played on the gyalings was introduced by a tertön who said it was with that tune that Guru Rinpoche welcomed him to the Copper-Coloured Mountain. There are many instances of Dharma and Tibetan tradition being mixed together like this. For myself, I don't know how much truth there is in any of it.

所以，一切必须依西藏传统。但有时，西藏传统来自伏藏师或大上师；他们说，曾到铜色吉祥山，见到莲花生大师如何行事。不过，谁知道呢！例如，嘉令所奏的一支曲调，由一位伏藏师传来。他说，莲花生大师就是用那支曲调，在铜色吉祥山欢迎他。佛法与西藏传统这样混合的例子很多。至于我，不知道其中有多少真实。

Another important point is that laying a red carpet is a quite common tradition in Tibet, but we don’t have one here in Lerab Ling. A very good quality yellow cloth is sometimes used, with lotuses marking each step.

另一重要点，是铺红地毯在西藏相当普遍，但 列绕林 这里没有。有时也用极好的黄布，每一步所踏之处，都标有莲花。

Some Tibetans say that the sang or smoke offering is a Bönpo tradition, others that it’s a Chinese tradition. I don't know if either is true. All I know is that Tibetans make smoke offerings. Where the tradition comes from, I don't know. Other aspects of the Tibetan tradition were originally copied from India, but the Indians didn't offer smoke, and sang didn’t come from India.

有些藏人说，桑烟供是苯教传统，另一些说是汉地传统。我不知道哪一种正确。只知道藏人作烟供，传统来自何处，我不知道。西藏传统的其他方面，最初仿自印度；但印度人不作烟供，桑烟供并非来自印度。

Another important point is that ceremonies should not take too long. If a ceremony takes the whole day, people get bored, fall asleep, or leave. So ceremonies should be short. When you do a big ceremony, the chanting should be short. You must think carefully beforehand about what will be chanted. If you decide on the spur of the moment to chant an extra long-life prayer, or Tara prayers, or Reciting the Names of Manjushri, or The Prayer That Spontaneously Fulfills All Wishes, and go on adding more and more prayers to the ceremony, what’s the result? Some people will chant, others won't, some will fall asleep, others will start chatting, and so on. So think this through beforehand and give the umze a clear, unchangeable list of what will be chanted during the ceremony. Otherwise, if the umze is suddenly told to chant this, that or the other, and everyone adds their favourite practice at the last minute, it won’t be a good ceremony. “Okay, play that tape!” “No, not that one!” “You there, play this instead!” “No, you go and sit there to help him!” This causes a lot of agitation, which is very bad for a ceremony.

另一重要点，是仪式不要太长。如果占用一整天，人们会厌倦、睡着，或离开。因此，仪式应简短。办大型仪式，唱诵应简短，事先仔细考虑要念什么。如果临时决定，多念一篇长寿祈祷文、度母祈祷文、《文殊真实名经》，或《愿望任运成就祈祷文》，不断加更多祈祷文，结果如何？有人念，有人不念，有人睡着，有人开始聊天，等等。因此，事先想清楚，给领诵师一份明确、不再更改的仪式唱诵清单。否则，临时告诉领诵师念这个、那个，人人在最后一刻加上喜欢的修法，就不会是好仪式。「好，放那个录音！」「不，不是那个！」「你，改放这个！」「不，你坐到那里去帮他！」这会造成很大骚动，对仪式很不好。

When we perform ceremonies, we do everything we can to make it grand and resplendent. Everybody should sit majestically and you should only ever wear your very best clothes. If you don’t, you won’t be majestic. At a gathering of high, middling and low participants, there must be a sense of grandeur.

举行仪式时，要尽一切所能，使之盛大、庄严。人人应庄重端坐，只穿自己最好的衣服。否则，就不会庄严。高、中、低不同层次参与者的聚会，必须有庄严感。

So you must think about how grand you want the ceremony to be. If you want it to be big, how big? We can’t do enormously big ceremonies here, but you don’t have to do all the ceremonies the same way all the time. Some will be very big, some smaller. If each time you do a ceremony you do it in exactly the same way, your tradition will become very fixed and inflexible.

因此，要考虑仪式希望有多盛大。如果想办大，要多大？这里无法举办极其庞大的仪式，但也不必每次都把所有仪式办得一样。有些很大，有些较小。若每次完全照样办，传统就会变得僵化、毫无弹性。

For example, every year there’s a welcoming procession in honour of our arrival. People stand in line on both sides of the road holding kataks, as we are driven down to Sogyal Rinpoche's garden where we drink tea. Then we are lead into the temple – which used to be a tent – where we take our usual seats while someone says something before offering kataks. Every year it’s the same routine and we all know what’ll happen next because that’s the way you always do it. Which is good. But you really should vary it a bit depending on the occasion. Every welcoming ceremony shouldn’t be the same. To mark a particular occasion, you should do something new. Some welcomes should be bigger than others. If a high lama comes, he should have a very splendid welcome that exploits all your resources. For other lamas you can do something smaller. For example, just two or three people might offer kataks as the car draws up. If everyone lines up for every lama who comes here, what happens when a really important person comes? How do you make a really special welcome? You can’t! Because you already do everything! There’s nothing left for you to do to make it special anymore. So before a ceremony takes place, you need to think about these things.

例如，每年我们到来，都有欢迎队伍。人们手持哈达，站在道路两旁，我们乘车下到索甲仁波切的花园喝茶。然后，被引进佛殿，以前是帐篷；在固定座位坐下，有人说几句话，再献哈达。年年相同，大家都知道接下来会怎样，因为你们总这样做。这很好，但确实应该依不同场合作些变化。每次欢迎仪式，不应一样。为突出特定场合，应做些新安排。有些欢迎应比其他更隆重。大上师来，应尽用资源，极其庄严地欢迎；其他上师，可以简小一些。例如，车到时，仅两三个人献哈达。如果每位上师来，人人都列队，那么真正重要的人来到时，怎么办？如何特别欢迎？做不到！因为你们早已把一切都做了，再无其他可使之特别。因此，仪式之前，需要考虑这些事。

For example, you should welcome Chokling Rinpoche fully when he visits Lerab Ling, but when I come, two, three or five people waiting as the car draws up is enough. If everybody who comes here is treated exactly the same way, then there’s no ‘high’ or ‘low’. So right now Rigpa's tradition is that noone is special. In the west when you greet anyone at all, you shake hands, without distinguishing those with a higher status from those with a lower status. But when an extremely important person arrives at Lerab Ling, Sogyal Rinpoche goes all the way up the road to the entrance to greet him, and then escorts him into Lerab Ling personally. For a visitor who isn’t so important, he waits here at the door, and for relatively ordinary visitors, Rinpoche waits in his garden and they are brought to him. Or perhaps Patrick or someone will take the visitor to Sogyal Rinpoche’s room where they sit together and drink tea.

例如，秋林仁波切来 列绕林，应完整隆重地欢迎；我来时，车到时有两人、三人或五人等候，就够了。如果每个来的人，都受到完全相同的对待，就没有「高」「低」之别。因此，现在 本觉会 的传统，是谁都不特别。西方迎接任何人，都握手，不区分地位高低。但极重要的人来 列绕林，索甲仁波切会沿路走到入口迎接，亲自陪同入内；不那么重要的访客，他在这里门口等；较普通的访客，仁波切在花园等，由人带来。也可能由 帕特里克 或别人，将访客带到索甲仁波切房间，一同坐着喝茶。

To drink tea and eat sweet rice with guests when they arrive is a Tibetan tradition. Some members of the Tibetan government have to eat five or six different kinds of food during really elaborate welcoming ceremonies! But if it’s a smaller ceremony like the ones we have here, tea and rice is enough. And if the visitor isn’t important you only offer tea, there’s no need for rice. And after the ceremony is over and the guest is about to leave, there’s no need to offer rice. You only offer it when the guest arrives, not when he leaves.

贵宾到来时，一起喝茶、吃甜米饭，是西藏传统。有些西藏政府成员，在真正隆重的欢迎仪式中，要吃五六种不同食物！若是这里这样较小的仪式，茶与饭就够。若访客不重要，只供茶，无须供饭。仪式结束、贵宾即将离开时，也无须供饭。只在贵宾到来时供饭，不在离去时供。

As you plan a ceremony you must consider the status of every participant. Are they considered to be on the highest level, the second level, or the lower level? You can’t arrange a ceremony in the same way you throw a party at your home, when whoever turns up can do as they please. For a ceremony, you must carefully consider each participant.

筹划仪式，必须考虑每位参与者的地位：属于最高层次、第二层次，还是较低层次？不能像在家办聚会那样，谁来都可以随意。仪式中，必须仔细考虑每位参与者。

Actually, you should even study how ceremonies are held. The Dalai Lama said that before he was enthroned, he had to study the enthronement ceremony for three months! Every day, he went to the hall where the enthronement would take place so he could learn what to do. He was told things like: you must sit here, the cabinet ministers will sit there; at this point you must look in that direction, and smile slightly; here you look to your left and smile a little, but don't say anything; now Ganden Tripa (the highest Gelugpa lama), will approach you and you must touch foreheads, then he’ll bow to receive blessings from your hands, which you must give with both hands; when the others come forward, for example the kalön (cabinet minister), bless them with only one hand; and when all the rest come, bless them with the long blessing stick; when tea is served, don’t drink it immediately; the ‘Great Solpön’ will approach bearing a cup, which he holds quite high, and will offer it to you; that’s when you take the cup and saucer; sip the tea, but don’t drink it all, then put the cup down; next the rice will be offered, take a pinch and offer it three times, then eat a little. This is what his ‘Precious Tutor’ and others taught the Dalai Lama over three months.

事实上，甚至应该学习如何举行仪式。达赖喇嘛说，升座之前，他必须学习升座仪式三个月！每天都去将举行升座的大厅，学习该怎么做。有人教他：你必须坐这里，大臣坐那里；此时要看向那边，微笑一下；这里看左边，略微微笑，但不要说话；现在甘丹赤巴——格鲁派最高上师——会走近，你们要碰额，然后他俯身，接受你以双手加持，你必须用两只手；其他人上前，例如噶伦、大臣，只用一手加持；其余人来，则用长加持棒；奉茶时，不要马上喝，「大饮食侍者」会把杯子举得颇高，走来奉茶，这时你才接杯与杯碟；抿一点，不要喝完，再放下；接着供饭，拈一点，供三次，再吃少许。这些就是他的「至尊导师」等人，在三个月间教给达赖喇嘛的。

You must also rehearse for big ceremonies. Everyone must come together to practise how everything will be done on the day. It didn’t used to be so important to rehearse, or should I say not as important as it is now, because there didn’t used to be video cameras. Just two or three hundred people would witness a ceremony, then it was over and done with. But nowadays, everything is videoed and recorded, and once we’re dead, future students will be able to see exactly how we did each ceremony. And they’ll wonder, “What were those people doing?” So rehearsing a ceremony is even more important these days than it used to be.

大型仪式，你们也必须排演。人人聚在一起，练习当天的一切流程。从前排演没有那么重要，或者说，没有现在这样重要，因为过去没有摄像机。只有两三百人目睹仪式，结束就结束了。如今，一切都录像、记录；我们死后，未来学生仍能准确看见，每次仪式是怎样做的。他们会纳闷：「那些人在做什么？」所以，如今排演仪式，比过去更重要。

In a video of one ceremony – an empowerment of Treasury of Kagyü Mantras given by the previous Karmapa at Tulku Urgyen’s monastery – Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche is shown wearing his hat inside out. He was joking with some tulkus – we don’t know exactly who. But you can’t tell from the footage that he was playing around, you just see him putting his hat on inside out and making a face. That video is still played over and over again. Everybody shows that clip now!

有一段仪式录像，是《噶举密咒藏》灌顶，由前世噶玛巴在祖古乌金的寺院赐予。录像中，宗萨钦哲仁波切把帽子里外翻着戴。他当时在与几位祖古开玩笑，具体是谁，我们不知道。但从镜头看不出他在闹着玩，只见他把帽子翻着戴，还做鬼脸。这段录像，至今仍一再播放，现在人人都放那个片段！

When Sakya Dagchen agreed to visit Kham, Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö began the preparations one year beforehand! He studied the ceremonies, worked out what people should wear and ordered new clothes for everyone who’d need them. He also took all the monks to where the welcome ceremony would take place and questioned them about what skills they had.
One day, one monk said, “I know how to play a special tune on the gyaling.”
“What tune?” asked Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö.
Chiké, who was from our monastery, Neten Gön, replied, “It’s called 'Calling the Beautiful Girls'.”
“OK,” said Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö, “Play it now.”
As Chiké played, Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö listened carefully, then said, “Mmm, yes, that was kind of OK.” Then he added, “Now, go down to where Sakya Dagchen will arrive, start playing the tune on your gyaling and walk up here, as you would on the day. I’ll watch how you do it.”
After Chiké had rehearsed walking and playing, Chökyi Lodrö said, “No, no. You’re no good at it, you walk too fast. You must walk slowly while you play the gyaling. Forget it!”

萨迦达钦答应访问康区时，钦哲确吉罗卓提前一年就开始准备！他研究仪式，安排人人应穿什么，为有需要的人订做新衣。他也把全体僧人带到欢迎仪式将举行之处，询问各人有什么本领。
一天，一位僧人说：「我会用嘉令吹一支特别曲子。」
钦哲确吉罗卓问：「什么曲子？」
来自我们涅顿寺的 赤克 回答：「叫《呼唤美丽姑娘》。」
钦哲确吉罗卓说：「好，现在吹。」
赤克 吹奏时，钦哲确吉罗卓仔细听，然后说：「嗯，是，还算可以。」又说：「现在，下到萨迦达钦将抵达的地方，开始吹嘉令，边吹边走上来，像当天那样。我看看你怎么做。」
赤克 演练边走边吹之后，确吉罗卓说：「不，不，你做得不好，走太快。吹嘉令时，必须慢慢走。算了吧！」

This was how Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö checked how everyone performed their tasks. For example, he noticed a very strong monk and told him to carry the parasol. He then watched him do it and corrected him, “You don’t just hold it, you must turn a little all the time, like this.”

钦哲确吉罗卓就是这样，检查人人如何履行职责。例如，他注意到一位很强壮的僧人，便让他持伞。看他做过后，纠正道：「不是只拿着，必须一直稍稍转动，像这样。」

He even checked Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
“When Sakya Dagchen arrives we must escort him into the monastery in a grand procession. What do you plan to wear?”
“The clothes I’m wearing,” replied Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. “They’re all I have. I don’t have any special ceremonial robes.”
“Well, they’re not good enough,” said Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö. “I’ll have some new ones made for you.”
He then called for his secretary, Tsewang Paljor, and told him to make sure a complete new set of clothes were made for Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

他甚至检查顶果钦哲仁波切。
「萨迦达钦到来时，我们必须以盛大行列，护送他进入寺院。你打算穿什么？」
顶果钦哲仁波切答：「我身上这些。我只有这些衣服，没有特别的仪式法衣。」
钦哲确吉罗卓说：「那不够好，我给你做新的。」
随后叫来秘书次旺班觉，吩咐务必为顶果钦哲仁波切，制作一整套新衣。

This is the kind of preparation that big ceremonies require. We must prepare and train ourselves beforehand. If we don't, what do we do? Nothing!

大型仪式，需要这样的准备。必须事先准备、训练自己。否则，能做什么？什么也做不了！

Here we’re discussing the Tibetan tradition. The western tradition is easy. Men wear a suit and tie and women take off most of their cloth and show a lot of flesh.

这里讨论西藏传统。西方传统很简单：男人穿西装、打领带，女人则脱掉大部分衣物，露出很多肌肤。

I went to the Cannes film festival with Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and Sogyal Rinpoche. We wanted go into a cinema, but the bouncer took one look at our clothes and said, “Your clothes don’t follow the dress code for this event. You aren’t wearing a dinner jacket and bow tie, so I’m sorry you can’t go in.”
To which we replied “Your tradition is an easy one to follow, you just have to strip naked. Even when it’s really cold, women take their coats off before they go in, to show off their flesh and breasts!”
It’s very easy, but I don't follow the European tradition. But each country has its own tradition, and in one part of Africa for example, they stretch their lower lip with a plate.

我与宗萨钦哲仁波切、索甲仁波切，一起去过戛纳电影节。我们想进电影院，门卫看一眼衣服，说：「你们的衣服不合这次活动的着装规定。没有穿晚礼服、打领结，对不起，不能进去。」
我们回答：「你们的传统很容易遵循，只要脱光就行。即使很冷，女人入场前也脱掉外套，露出肌肤与胸部！」
这很容易，但我不遵循欧洲传统。不过，每个国家都有自己的传统；例如非洲某处，人们用盘子将下唇撑大。

Although tradition in itself is not important, here we’re talking about ceremonies that are part of the Tibetan religious tradition, which are important because we are practising the Tibetan religion and its tradition, which have been developed and upheld for more than a millennia.

虽然传统本身并不重要，但这里谈的是西藏宗教传统中的仪式。它们之所以重要，是因为我们修持西藏宗教及其传统，而这些已发展、传承了一千多年。

The tradition of serving rice during a ceremony goes back to when Guru Rinpoche came to Tibet. The people of that time thought that as the lama was coming from India, they’d make him really happy if they served him rice. That’s how it started. Tibetans themselves eat meat and tsampa, but as Indian lamas don't eat tsampa, they thought, “What can we offer?”
“I know,” said King Trison Deutsen, “We’ll offer rice!”
And that’s how the tradition began. Tibetans didn’t eat rice for centuries, only during ceremonies. Of course now it’s different. Back then, it was really hard to get any rice to serve during monastic ceremonies, or for Losar. So whenever Tibetans came across a kilo or two, they would buy it and store it away. They’d then fill their bowls almost to the top with wheat and add a sprinkling of rice to make it look like a full bowl of rice.
When we say, “Argham” and do the mudra, we make an offering of drinking water, which is an Indian tradition. To Tibetans, to offer plain water didn’t seem appropriate. However, offering tea is a universal tradition. But no meat is offered during ceremonies, even though Tibetan food was and is predominantly meat. And rice must be offered.

仪式中供饭的传统，可追溯到莲花生大师来到西藏时。当时人们想，上师来自印度，如果奉米饭，一定能让他欢喜，事情就这样开始。藏人自己吃肉与糌粑，但印度上师不吃糌粑，于是他们想：「能供什么呢？」
赤松德赞王说：「我知道，供米饭！」
传统就此开始。数百年间，藏人平日不吃米，只在仪式中吃。当然，如今不同了。当时，为寺院仪式或藏历新年找到米，十分困难。因此，藏人只要遇到一两公斤，就会买下储存。供时，碗里先放小麦，几乎装满，再撒一点米，看起来像满满一碗米饭。
念「Argham」并结手印时，是供饮水，这是印度传统。藏人觉得只供白水，似乎不太合适。不过，奉茶是普遍传统。但仪式中不供肉，即使过去和现在，藏人饮食都以肉为主。米饭则必须供。

Ceremonies are performed according to Dharma principles. And although ‘good’ or ‘bad’ tendrel, are just concepts, from the Tibetan point of view, to continue performing ceremonies based on dharmic principles is a good tendrel.

仪式依佛法原则举行。虽然「好」「坏」缘起，都只是概念，但从藏人角度，继续依据佛法原则举行仪式，就是好的缘起。

There are many people in the Rigpa sangha, therefore when you hold ceremonies you must perform them well. If you don't, the ceremony will descend into madness – like that ‘disco dancing’ thing you do. When you people dance, you do whatever you feel like. I’ve noticed that if someone can do a particular movement well, that’s the one they tend to repeat, again and again. What feels good to them, I realized, is what they consider to be ‘good’ dancing. They don’t follow a tradition at all. If you can shake your head well, you shake your head; if you can wave your arms up and down like this, that’s what you do. There is only one crucial point that you all attempt to follow: you must move in time with the music. If the music is fast, you move quickly; if it’s slow, you move slowly. Then whatever you do is OK. If the music suddenly speeds up and you continue to move slowly, that’s not good dancing, is it?

本觉会 僧团人多，因此举行仪式，必须办好。否则，就会变得疯狂，像你们那种「迪斯科舞」。你们跳舞，想怎么跳就怎么跳。我注意到，如果某人某个动作做得好，往往就反复做那一个。我发现，他们把自己觉得舒服的动作，视为「好」舞姿，完全不遵循传统。如果摇头摇得好，就摇头；如果能像这样上下挥手，就挥手。你们都试着遵循的关键点，只有一个：动作必须合音乐节奏。音乐快，动作就快；音乐慢，动作就慢。这样，不论怎么动都可以。如果音乐突然加快，你仍慢慢动，就不算跳得好，对吧？

So, that’s that. But there’s still a lot to say. Do you understand?

就这样。不过，还有很多可说。明白吗？

To recap what I’ve said so far:

把目前所说的归纳一下：

1. The most important point is to be careful. You must only act once you’ve thought a task through.
2. Even if you feel mentally very busy and have a lot on your mind, physically you must act slowly and move smoothly. To perform your tasks in accord with the teachings, you must do them slowly and peacefully, especially the activities carried out by lamas and monks who always do things slowly, like Trulshik Rinpoche. When Trulshik Rinpoche turns around, he always turns around slowly. Don’t be speedy! To do things slowly is the best kind of ‘conduct’ for monks and nuns; the best way of doing things.
3. Ceremonies require hierarchy: a first, a second and a third level. If everyone is the same, you can’t perform a ceremony because the whole purpose of ‘ceremony’ will be lost. It’ll become like a student rally, a ‘free-for-all’ with no ceremony at all. In a ceremony, what’s done for the high participants is not done for the low ones. If what is done for Sogyal Rinpoche were also done for Philip, it’d be a terrible ceremony.

1. 最重要的是细心。想清楚任务之后，才行动。
2. 即使心里很忙，装着很多事，身体动作仍须缓慢、流畅。要使任务符合教导，就应缓慢、平和地做。尤其上师与僧人的活动，总应慢慢做，像楚西仁波切。楚西仁波切转身，总是慢慢转。不要急！缓慢行事，是男女出家众最好的「威仪」，是最好的办事方式。
3. 仪式需要层次：第一、第二、第三层次。如果人人相同，就无法举行仪式，因为「仪式」的整个目的都消失了。它会变成学生集会，人人任意行动，根本没有仪式。仪式中，为地位高者做的，不为地位低者做。如果为索甲仁波切做的一切，也同样为 菲利普 做，那会是很糟的仪式。

When I arrived yesterday, everyone stood up, which was a sign that you have no knowledge of Tibetan protocol. Somebody must have told you at some point that whenever a lama walks past, you should stand up, fold your hands at your heart and bow slightly. I don’t know who said it originally, but someone must have. And you continue to follow that instruction blindly. You’ve been programmed and are now just like computers! If I were the highest ranking participant in the ceremony, then of course you should stand when I walk by. If I were going to teach, for example, then you should stand up for me. But if Sogyal Rinpoche is teaching and I just come along to listen, you shouldn’t stand up for me. You only stand up for the person who holds highest rank on that particular occasion. Who that person is depends on the ceremony and the occasion. So you should think about all that when you’re organizing a ceremony. If you’ve stood up several times before the lama arrives, there’s nothing left for you to do to mark his arrival.

昨天我来，所有人都站起来，说明你们不懂西藏礼仪。肯定曾有人告诉你们，只要上师走过，就应起立，心前合掌，微微鞠躬。我不知道最早是谁说的，但一定有人这样说过。你们便盲目遵循。已经被编好程序，像电脑一样！如果我是仪式中地位最高的参与者，当然，我走过时，应起立。例如，我来传法，就应为我起立。但如果是索甲仁波切传法，我只是来听，就不应为我站起来。只为那个特定场合地位最高的人起立。那个人是谁，取决于仪式与场合。因此，组织仪式时，应考虑这一切。若上师到来之前，已经起立数次，那么他到来时，就没有什么可特别表示了。

Even in Dharamsala these day they don’t do it properly. They do what they feel like doing, according to their own bias. So if a Nyingma lama comes in and you happen to be a Nyingmapa, you’ll stand up, while the rest of them remain seated. If Sakya Trizin walks in, the Sakyapas stand, but the others remain seated. So there’s no general rule or standard of conduct. It’s unruly, it's not good! There are no rules and there’s no discipline in Dharamsala. People from many regions and religious traditions come to Dharamsala, and as India is a democratic country, nothing can be done about it. For many ceremonies all the high lamas arrive together, Penor Rinpoche, Sakya Trizin, Ganden Tripa, etc. I, personally, stand up immediately for Penor Rinpoche, but for other lamas I don’t. What should happen is that everyone should remain seated, regardless of who enters, until Dalai Lama arrives. That’s when everyone should stand up. That's how it should be.

如今，即使达兰萨拉，也做得不对。人们依自己偏好，想怎么做就怎么做。宁玛上师进来，你恰好是宁玛派，就站起来，其余人仍坐着；萨迦法王进来，萨迦派起立，其他人仍坐着。没有统一规则或行为标准，杂乱无章，很不好！达兰萨拉没有规矩，也没有纪律。许多地区与宗派的人都去达兰萨拉，而印度是民主国家，也无可奈何。许多仪式中，各位大上师一同到来，如贝诺仁波切、萨迦法王、甘丹赤巴等等。我个人一见贝诺仁波切，就立即起立，其他上师则不起。正确做法应是：不论谁进来，人人仍坐着，直到达赖喇嘛到来，再全体起立。应该如此。

Basically, we’ve started copying the Gelugpas. They think that as their teacher, Ganden Tripa, is Gelugpa, then all the Gelugpas present – they are in the majority in Dharamsala – should stand up. But then all the Gelugpas remain seated when a Nyingmapa walks in. And now we do the same. When three hundred people attend a ceremony, two hundred are Gelugpas, and only one hundred are from the other schools. So, when Ganden Tripa arrives, everyone stands up. But we don't. Why should we? These Gelugpas never stand up for Sakya or Nyingma lamas, why should we stand up for their teachers? This is a very bad tradition.

基本上，我们开始模仿格鲁派。他们认为，自己的老师甘丹赤巴是格鲁派，那么所有在场格鲁派——在达兰萨拉占多数——都应起立。但宁玛上师进来，所有格鲁派又坐着。如今我们也一样。三百人参加仪式，两百是格鲁派，其他宗派只有一百。甘丹赤巴到来，大家站起来，但我们不站。凭什么？那些格鲁派，从不为萨迦或宁玛上师起立，我们为什么要为他们的老师起立？这是非常不好的传统。

During big meetings, tea and rice are served, and before we eat and drink, we say offering prayers. If the person holding the meeting is a Gelugpa, the Gelugpas chant the prayers of offering to Tsongkapa, “I offer to Tsongkapa..." (tsongkapa la chöpa bul...). If he is a Sakyapa, the Sakya prayers to the masters of the Sakya lineage are chanted. If he is a Nyingmapa, the offering prayers to Longchen Rabjam are chanted, and so on. So, while one schools’ offering prayers are chanted, everyone else remains silent. This development in the Tibetan tradition is very bad. In Lhasa everyone was Gelugpa. Now there’s a tiny scrap of democracy involved, people say many different things. The Dalai Lama himself says that it is a very bad tradition. He says that we don’t need to make offerings to specific lamas, only to Avalokiteshvara. So now everyone chants an offering prayer to Avalokiteshvara.

大型会议中，会奉茶供饭，饮食前念供养祈祷文。若主持会议的是格鲁派，格鲁派便念供养宗喀巴的祈祷文：「我供养宗喀巴……」（tsongkapa la chöpa bul……）。若是萨迦派，就念萨迦传承诸师的祈祷文；若是宁玛派，则念供养龙钦绕降的祈祷文，等等。因此，某一派念供养文时，其他人都沉默。西藏传统这种变化，很不好。在拉萨，人人都是格鲁派；现在掺进一点点民主，人们便各说各话。达赖喇嘛自己也说，这是很不好的传统。他说，不必供养特定上师，只要供养观世音。因此，现在人人都念观世音供养文。

Next, when we hold a ceremony, like the one we’ve just had, it isn’t necessary for the vajra master to wear the Guru Rinpoche hat and dagam, but he should wear them for long life ceremonies, drupchens and empowerments. Why? Because during a long life ceremony, when we chant the Seven-Line Prayer and “Hung! Rise up, Padmakara...”^[3] , we consider that the vajra master to whom we are offering has the realisation of Guru Rinpoche. That’s why he must wear Guru Rinpoche’s hat and dagam – which is very uncomfortable in this hot weather, but unique to Guru Rinpoche.

接着，举行像刚才那样的仪式，金刚上师无须戴莲师帽、穿大氅；但在长寿仪式、大修与灌顶中，应当穿戴。为什么？长寿仪式中，念《七句祈祷文》与「吽！莲花生，请起身……」^[3]时，我们视接受供养的金刚上师，具有莲花生大师的证悟。因此，他必须戴莲师帽、穿大氅。这种炎热天气，穿着很不舒服，但它为莲花生大师所特有。

Other ceremonies require the vajra master to wear the Minling hat, with large lotus petals that unfold right and left. Every Nyingmapa lama wears that kind of hat. There are pictures of Dudjom Rinpoche wearing it, but whenever Dudjom Rinpoche was offered a long life ceremony, he would wear the Guru Rinpoche hat. During drupchens and other practices he would also wear it because it signifies that he has the realisation of Guru Rinpoche. It’s important that you know this. If he wore it for absolutely every ceremony, it wouldn't be special. Lamas only wear the Guru Rinpoche hat when they sit on a throne. They won’t even wear it when they sit in a chair. And if the hat is worn, the dagam must also be worn; they are always worn together.

其他仪式，金刚上师应戴敏林法帽，两侧展开大莲瓣。每位宁玛上师都戴这种帽。能见到敦珠仁波切戴它的照片；但接受长寿仪式时，他总戴莲师帽。大修及其他修法时，也会戴，因为它表示具足莲花生大师的证悟。明白这一点，很重要。如果每个仪式都戴，就不特别了。上师只有坐在法座上，才戴莲师帽，甚至坐普通椅子时都不戴。而且，戴这帽，就必须穿大氅，两者总要同时穿戴。

In Varanasi, we held some ceremonies that were attended by followers of all four traditions, Gelug, Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyu. The plan at one point was for everyone to chant prayers of auspiciousness as four monks representing each of the four schools walked through the door. The Nyingma representative was told to wear the Guru Rinpoche hat, so I immediately objected. “This is not a Nyingma tradition, we Nyingmapas would never do this. This hat is only worn by high Nyingma lamas when they sit on a high throne, for example during empowerments. They wear it when they become the lord of the mandala. It would never be worn in a welcome ceremony!”
Someone asked me, “So what kind of hat do Nyingmapas wear?”
“The Nyingmapas have many other hats,” I replied. “There are many different kinds! Like the Rigdzin Chishu (‘General Vidyadhara Hat’) or the Minling Kuchen.”
“Oh, but if we don’t use the Guru Rinpoche hat, this ceremony won’t be so special!” said the first person.
“We want to mark the occasion,” said someone else.
“So we need a hat that’s different from ordinary hats,” another added.
“OK,” I replied. “Then the Kagyupa monk should wear the Karmapa’s Black Hat, the Gelugpa monk should wear the Dalai Lama’s yellow hat, and the Sakyapa monk should wear Sakya Trizin’s hat! My point is that this Guru Rinpoche hat is different, which is something you need to recognize. It is only worn for important ceremonies.”
Noone had anything to say after that.

在瓦拉纳西，我们举行过一些仪式，格鲁、宁玛、萨迦、噶举四派的追随者都参加。有一项安排，是四位僧人各代表一派，走进门时，人人唱诵吉祥祈祷文。有人让宁玛代表戴莲师帽，我立即反对：「这不是宁玛传统，我们宁玛派绝不会这样做。只有宁玛大上师坐在高法座上，例如灌顶时，才戴这帽；成为坛城之主时才戴。绝不会在欢迎仪式中戴！」
有人问：「那宁玛派戴什么帽？」
我答：「宁玛派有许多其他帽子，种类很多！例如持明通用帽，或 敏林古钦。」
先前那人说：「哦，可是不戴莲师帽，这仪式就没那么特别！」
另一人说：「我们想突出这个场合。」
又有人补充：「所以，需要一顶不同于普通帽子的帽子。」
我说：「好，那噶举僧人应戴噶玛巴的黑帽，格鲁僧人应戴达赖喇嘛的黄帽，萨迦僧人应戴萨迦法王的帽！我的意思是，这顶莲师帽与众不同，你们需要认识这一点。它只在重要仪式中佩戴。」
此后，没有人再说什么。

When we make an offering to the lama, we first lay the katak along the length of the table, then put the offering on top of it, in the middle. But when we make a request, we put the katak across the width of the table in front of the lama. When insignificant people give small offerings, the lama will hang the katak around their necks. When a lama offers a katak to a high person, he won’t hang it around the person’s neck, instead he places it on their hands. You must have seen this done when we all say farewell to a lama as he leaves Lerab Ling. Lamas of the same status, like Trulshik Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, don't put kataks over each others’ heads. They exchange their katas by putting them into each other’s hands. The higher of the two holds his hands above and offers his katak first, then the other holds his hands lower and offers his katak second. So when two Tibetan lamas who don’t have much education meet, you’ll see them both bending to try to get their hands lower than the lama they’re meeting. It can take ages for them actually to exchange their kataks.

向上师作供养时，先将哈达沿桌子长边铺开，再把供品置于其上中央。但作祈请时，则在上师面前，将哈达沿桌子短边铺开。普通人献少量供养，上师会把哈达挂到他们颈上。上师向尊贵者献哈达，不会挂在对方颈上，而是放到其手上。上师离开 列绕林，大家送别时，你们肯定见过。同等地位的上师，如楚西仁波切与顶果钦哲仁波切，不把哈达套到对方头上，而是互相放入手中交换。二人中，地位较高者双手在上，先献哈达；另一人双手较低，后献。因此，两位不太熟悉礼仪的藏人上师相见时，你会见到二人都弯腰，努力让自己的手低于对方，可能很久才真正交换哈达。

Ane Sangye Chozom asked me why, after the long life ceremony I took the katak and put it across the throne.

阿尼桑杰秋宗问我，为什么长寿仪式之后，我拿起哈达，横铺在法座上。

At every ceremony, when the lama gets up, the solpön should immediately lift the dagam. You shouldn’t unfold it from below like you did yesterday, but lift it up from the top. The solpön should lift it by the shoulders, then leave it on the shrine in the shape it had been when the lama wore it as he sat on the throne. It shouldn’t be thrown carelessly all over the throne. Before the lama arrives, open the dagam and hang the fold over the side of the throne so it’s held open. At the end of the ceremony, once the Lama has left, stand it up as I’ve just described. The drung-nyer should then lay a white katak across the throne. It should be done immediately because the seat should never be empty, thereby creating the auspicious circumstances for the lama’s return.

每次仪式，上师起身时，饮食侍者应立即提起大氅。不要像昨天那样，从下面展开，而应从上面提。侍者应抓肩部提起，然后将大氅置于供坛上，保持上师坐在法座、穿着它时的形状，不要随意扔满整个法座。上师到来之前，展开大氅，将折边搭在法座侧面，使其保持敞开。仪式结束，上师离开后，依刚才所说，将它立起来。然后，随侍官应将白哈达横铺法座。必须立即做，因为座位不应空着，由此创造上师返回的吉祥因缘。

According to the Tibetan tradition, you should also immediately tie a katak to a pillar in the temple. There are no pillars in this shrine room, but in Tibetan monasteries there are, so you should knot a katak around a pillar as a way of thanking the building. According to Tibetan tradition, this is very important. I heard Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche himself say that putting the katak on the throne so that after the lama has left his throne is not empty, is very important. Tibetans don’t like leaving anything empty. The katak must be white, which is significant because it suggests a white mind, an open mind, a clean mind; it has many meanings.

依西藏传统，还应立即把哈达系在佛殿柱子上。这间佛堂没有柱子，但西藏寺院有，所以应把哈达打结系在柱上，表示感谢建筑。依藏式传统，这很重要。我亲耳听顶果钦哲仁波切说，将哈达放在法座，让上师离开后座位不空，非常重要。藏人不喜欢让任何东西空着。哈达必须白色，这一点有意义，因为象征洁白的心、敞开的心、清净的心，含义很多。

I myself have put the katak on the throne several times – in fact, at every long-life ceremony we’ve ever had. But noone here learns by watching, like Tibetans do, so I have to keep doing it myself. But it’s not my job. It’s the job of the drung-nyer, an attendant of Rinpoche, not mine.

我自己已经好几次，把哈达放在法座上；事实上，每一次长寿仪式都是如此。但这里没人像藏人那样，靠观察学习，所以我不得不继续亲自做。可是，这不是我的职责，而是随侍官、仁波切侍者的职责，不是我的。

The lama to whom the long life ceremony is offered will always need a katak to give to the lama leading the ceremony. He’ll also need another one for umze, to whom he also gives as a blessing a cord with a protection knot. His drung-nyer should put the katak and blessing cord around the umze’s neck. So the drung-nyer must make sure these things are brought to the ceremony.

接受长寿仪式的上师，总需要一条哈达，送给主持仪式的上师。还需要另一条，送给领诵师，并赐予一条有护结的加持绳。随侍官应将哈达与加持绳，挂在领诵师颈上。因此，随侍官必须确保这些物品带到仪式现场。

If a high lama organized and lead the long life ceremony, the lama who received it should make a knot in the katak immediately, then offer the knotted katak to the organizer. So, just before the drung-nyer hands the katak to the lama who lead the ceremony, the lama who received it will tie a knot in it and hang it around the organizer’s neck. The point of this is that everyone present is witness to him tying the knot himself, rather than following the usual practice of a monk tying the knot and the lama just blowing on it. In that situation, even the Dalai Lama will tie a knot himself. And Sakya Trizin too. If they didn’t, the ceremony wouldn’t be special. But it is only done for that one lama.

若由大上师组织并主持长寿仪式，接受仪式的上师，应立即在哈达上打结，再将有结的哈达，献给组织者。因此，就在随侍官把哈达交给主持仪式的上师之前，受供上师亲自在其中打结，再挂到组织者颈上。目的，是让在场所有人见证他亲自打结，而非惯常由僧人打结、上师只吹气。在这种情形，即使达赖喇嘛，也会亲自打结，萨迦法王也是。若不如此，仪式就不特别。但只为那一位上师这样做。

If the organizer is a lay practitioner a blue scarf is offered. A yellow scarf is offered to a monk. There is also the possibility of a red scarf [but Rinpoche didn’t mention who red scarves are for]. The katak is folded in half longwise and rolled up. If the attendant puts it in his bag, it will need a cover. At the end of the ceremony, the drung-nyer takes the katak from his bag, removes the cover and gives it to the lama, who then unrolls it himself, ties the knot, blows on it, and puts it around the neck of the organizer. In the movie about the drupchen held by Sogyal Rinpoche and the Dalai Lama, I saw the Dalai Lama do that.

若组织者是在家修行人，献蓝色围巾；僧人则献黄色。也可能用红色［但仁波切没有说明红色适用于谁］。哈达沿长向对折，再卷起。若侍者放进包里，需要套子。仪式结束，随侍官从包中取出哈达，拆去套子，交给上师，由上师亲自展开、打结、吹气，再挂到组织者颈上。在索甲仁波切与达赖喇嘛所举行大修的影片里，我看到达赖喇嘛这样做。

When the Dalai Lama participates in a ceremony, as soon as he stands up to leave, the drung-nyer immediately stands the dagam up and lays the katak across the throne. I’ve done it many times here, but no one pays attention. Today is the first time anyone has asked about it. Next year you must do it yourself. Don't forget!

达赖喇嘛参加仪式，一起身准备离去，随侍官就立即立起大氅，将哈达横铺法座。我在这里做过许多次，却没人注意。今天第一次有人问。明年，你们必须自己做。别忘记！