六月廿二日清晨夢中，看到一個約三歲的小男孩要唱歌表演，他要我扮成聖誕老人陪他。

我就想，做為聖誕老人，我要帶什麼東西給人？
我想，右手托著一條長麵包，左手托著一大一小，兩個瓷的葫蘆瓶，小的裝佛法甘露，大的裝治病的藥。這樣，可以給人飽食，還治好身心的病。

雖然只是夢中的念頭，卻也是真誠的心願。
所以，我請大帥哥（一位在藝術學院就讀的弟子）畫一幅這樣的聖誕老人像，臉是我的樣子，寄電子檔給我。

七月六日接到電郵傳來的初稿圖檔，出乎預料地，是有場景的，聖誕老人在給一個小孩送禮。有了場景就增添了歡慶的氣氛，真是感謝大帥哥的費心。我就建議將小孩的臉畫成大帥哥的樣子，來紀念他的作畫。他說要作成油畫，真是用心。

今天接到電郵傳來的成品，看到聖誕老人滿臉笑容，我覺得是表現出了內心的愉悅！感謝大帥哥的體會及佳作！

 

二〇二三年七月八日
養和齋      於加州

 

In the early morning on June 22, during a dream I saw a small boy about 3-years-old going to perform singing, and he asked me to dress up as Santa Claus to accompany him.

Then I thought, as Santa Claus, what will I bring to people?
I thought, my right hand will hold up a long loaf of bread, and my left hand will hold up two—one large and one small—porcelain containers in bottle gourd shape; the small one contains nectar of Dharma, and the large one contains healing medicines. Thus, people can be satisfied with food and healed in mind and body.

Even though these were merely thoughts during a dream, these are sincere wishes. Therefore, I asked a disciple, a college student of art, to draw such an image of Santa Claus, with my face, and then sent the digital file to me.

On July 6, I received a first-draft file via email attachment. Unexpectedly, the picture has accompanying background, depicting Santa Claus bringing presents to a small boy. With such background added, the picture is filled with a festive atmosphere—I am truly appreciative of the disciple′s thoughtfulness. Then I proposed to draw the boy′s continence in resemblance to the artist′s to commemorate his working on it. He said that it will be done as an oil painting—he is really serious about this endeavor.

Today the finished painting file came via email. Seeing the whole-hearted smiling face of Santa, I felt that his inner delight had been revealed! Thanks to the artistic disciple′s comprehension and nice work!

 

July 8, 2023
El Cerrito, California