時間﹕2010年12月17日
地點﹕印度 菩提迦耶 德噶寺
攝影﹕噶瑪善治
報導﹕金吉祥女

上午的日程結束後﹐法王約在十一點半鐘回到德噶寺﹐視察在大殿內食用缽飯的僧眾。

今天在殿中領受缽飯的僧眾一共有365人﹐其中有7名是比丘尼﹐由28位的喇嘛與30位居士﹐在大殿的內外提供行堂與膳食的服務﹔此外﹐現場還有10位的糾察師﹐隨時注意著僧眾是否行法如儀。

今天的菜單有五菜一湯﹐素羊肉絲﹑滷冬瓜﹑南瓜馬鈴薯咖哩﹑菠菜﹑高麗菜﹑與印度扁豆湯﹐外加印度炸餅﹑炸紫菜酥﹑以及果汁飲料。這些色香味俱全的餐點﹐在僧眾進殿之前﹐就由義工們盛入僧缽當中﹐一一排好置於僧眾座墊前的長條紅布上。

僧眾坐定後﹐首先唸誦皈依與發菩提心文以及供養咒﹐然後在行堂的喇嘛向其進行供養儀式後﹐僧眾方開始進食。法王來回地在大殿中走動﹐專注地看著僧眾用餐的一舉一動﹐間或與站立一旁的糾察師﹑攝影師以及記者交談。大殿左側的門外與窗邊﹐則擠滿了法會膳食組的義工﹐他們或站或跪﹐雙手合十﹐目光緊緊追隨著大殿中法王的身影。

約三十分鐘後﹐戒律師開始擊板﹐警示中午的午膳已經結束。這時﹐所有的僧眾同時放下缽碗﹐開始唸誦心經以及迴向文。之後﹐全體起立重整法衣﹐由大殿中魚貫而出。法王則在所有領受缽飯的僧眾都離場後﹐才緩步地坐上自己的法座﹐開始領受缽飯﹐明就仁波切則在一旁陪伴。原本等在門外的膳食組義工﹐此刻都興奮地進到大殿中﹐安靜地看著法王享用他們一早就開始辛苦準備的餐點﹐看著法王一口接著一口地吃著﹐人人的臉上都掛著幸福滿意的笑容。法王也非常善解人意地特意不將所有的食物吃完﹐而讓義工們有機會得到一些法王加持過的食物。

用完餐後﹐法王差人拿來麥克風﹐開始對著留下來的糾察師與行供養的喇嘛們﹐指正剛剛供僧的過失。法王邊說邊示範﹐先走到後面將鋪在地上的地毯掀開﹐提起在墊在其下的紅布﹐接著又大步地走到前面的桌子邊﹐作勢要將桌子抬起，而引來一陣哄堂大笑。原來，法王要指正的是喇嘛在行供養時，不應該將整個僧缽捧起來，而只應提起墊在其下的紅布即可達到同樣的目的，這其實也是設置紅布的意義，至於法王作勢要將桌子抬起，也是在提醒執事的喇嘛們，即使是為仁波切們準備的缽飯，仁波切們的桌子前面也是要設置一條紅布，否則不就也要將整個桌子提起了嗎。

法王最後出人意外的即席演示，為今天僧眾的午膳劃下了一個圓滿的句點。

After the two morning sessions, buses are provided to take all the Bhikshunis and Bhikshus to Tergar Shrine Room for a silent lunch. Today when going towards the Shrine Room the sound of sirens could be heard approaching the monastery, an indication His Holiness Karmapa may have found time in his busy schedule to join the Sangha for lunch, his first time for this Kagyu Monlam.

His Holiness entered through the side door and walked around the Shrine Room inspecting the neatly lined rows of bowls filled with food which young monks, nuns and lay volunteers had prepared beforehand. His Holiness did one circumambulation around the Shrine room walking briskly behind one of the security guards who seemed to have problems keeping up with Karmapa’s quick and lively pace. Then His Holiness sat on his beautifully carved wooden chair and watched as the volunteers pour hot water in the plastic bowls for the Bhikshunis and Bhikshus.

His Holiness, having just come from a visit to the Medical Camp, did not have his chogu with him. It was brought to him by an attendant. His Holiness draped the folded chogu [yellow prayer outer robe] over his left shoulder as he waited for the remaining Bhikshus to enter the Shrine Room , don their chogu, and be seated on their dingwa [a special rectangular maroon cloth carried by Sangha to sit or lie on].

From a distance, in the dim light His Holiness could be seen in his trademark stance of shifting from one foot to another , while he was waiting for people to enter. Finally, everyone had poured in and sat down.

The umze began to chant the offering prayers. His Holiness went to the front door and watched as the Sangha prayed. Then he spoke with some of the volunteers as the Sangha were handed their bowls so they could begin their meal. Before eating everyone took some of the food, such as the rice, and made what is called a chambu [traditional Tibetan food offering to the hungry ghosts].

This tradition was prescribed by the Buddha Sakyamuni himself because at the time when the Buddha walked on this earth there was a hungry spirit who had no food and so she would eat her children. The Buddha told her not to do that and ordered the Sangha to offer food to the hungry spirits at every meal. The chambu is left on the plate until the end of the meal when prayers are said to accompany the offering to the hungry spirits.

His Holiness paced back and forth and watched as the Sangha silently partook of their meal. Volunteers went back and forth offering seconds to those who wanted more. On the very first day the umze [chantmaster] had told everyone to be sure to eat enough as the next meal would only occur the following morning.

At noontime at the sound of the wooden blocks everyone put down their bowls and the prayer for offering food to the hungry ghosts was recited as volunteers came by and picked up the chambu.

His Holiness standing near the volunteers, motioned to them with his hands in prayer posture, thanking them for their kindness in preparing and serving the meal.

After the chambu offering prayer we recited the Heart Sutra with the umze whose voice resonated over the intercom. As everyone got up, removed their chogus and began to exit, His Holiness sat down to have his lunch. Then everyone boarded the buses which took them back to the stupa for the afternoon session of the monlam.