2025年1月26日：【新年团圆饭要吃素怎么办？】What if there’s no vegetarian dish at the Lunar New Year reunion dinner?
⧉ 今天收到一位莲友的讯息，她说：「师父，我在想，农历新年期间可能会遇到两个情况。第一，与家人和亲戚一起吃团圆饭时，大家都不吃素，但我还是得一起用餐。如果我什么都不吃，他们或许会不高兴。这该怎么办呢？」
我回答：「团圆饭一桌菜肴，通常都会有一些蔬菜，只要挑这些吃就可以。菜色那么多，也不会有人特别留意你吃了什么。」
莲友再问：「万一真的没有素菜呢？」
我说：「如果确实没有完全素的菜肴，可以退而求其次，吃‘肉边菜’，或白饭配汤水，稍微意思一下即可。」
莲友又问：「可是要是家人看出我不吃肉、不开心怎么办？」
我说：「这时可以用‘必杀技’——告诉他们：‘不好意思，不是我不想吃，只是前阵子做身体检查，发现有三高，医生建议我少吃肉。’ 这样一来，他们会体谅的。」
我接着补充：「其实也不用太紧张。你也可以提前如实地告诉家人自己吃素。通常家人准备团圆饭时都会顾及大家的需求，特地准备几道素菜，毕竟都是家人嘛。」
莲友问：「如果一不小心吃到了肉，应该怎么办呢？」
我答道：「那就念佛吧！」
莲友听后若有所思地说道：「那我不小心吃到肉时，就对它们说：‘净本师父说，吃肉时可以念佛回向给你们。’」
我开玩笑地摆摆手：「哎呀，这时候就别提我的名字啦，提我可没用！直接念‘南無阿彌陀佛’，这样才能真正消业障！」
接着，莲友又问：「那第二个问题是：过年时收到亲友的红包，直接对他们说‘南无阿弥陀佛’合适吗？要是对方并不是佛教徒，又该怎么应对？」
我回答：「可以‘真俗圆融’。先说‘新年快乐’，再加一句‘南無阿彌陀佛’。‘新年快乐’是随顺世俗礼，‘南無阿彌陀佛’则是随顺真谛、表达祝福。」
「若对方问起这句佛号的含义，你就告诉他：‘这是给你和家人的祝福，愿大家平安吉祥、福慧增长。’相信没有人会拒绝这样的美好祝愿。」
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新年是华人吉祥团圆的日子，少杀生、多茹素最为理想。新春也是一年的开始，以念佛祝福彼此，定能带来更多平安与和乐。
南無阿彌陀佛
≡ 净本法师记录 ≡
English Translation:
【What if there’s no vegetarian dish at the Lunar New Year reunion dinner?】
Today, I received a message from a fellow practitioner who said:“Master, I’m thinking there might be two situations during the Lunar New Year. The first is when I have a reunion dinner with my family and relatives, none of whom are vegetarian. I still need to join them at the table. If I eat nothing at all, they might get unhappy. What should I do?”
I replied:“At a reunion dinner, there’s usually a few dishes of vegetables. Just pick those to eat. With so many dishes on the table, no one is going to pay special attention to what exactly you’re eating.”
She then asked:“But what if there really aren’t any vegetarian dishes at all?”
I said:“If there truly isn’t a completely vegetarian dish, you could compromise by picking out the vegetable portions from meat dishes (‘meat-adjacent veggies’) or just have rice and soup to show you’re partaking.”
Next, she asked:“But what if my family notices I’m not eating meat and becomes upset?”
I replied:“That’s when you use the ‘trump card’—tell them, ‘I’m sorry, it’s not that I don’t want to eat meat, but I had a health check recently and discovered I have ‘three highs’ (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol). The doctor advised me to cut back on meat.’ That way, they’re more likely to understand.”
I added:“Actually, there’s no need to feel too tense about it. You can also tell your family in advance that you’re vegetarian. Usually, when the family is preparing the reunion dinner, they’ll consider everyone’s needs and prepare a few vegetarian dishes—after all, you’re family.”
She then asked:“If I accidentally eat some meat, what should I do?”
I answered:“Then just recite the Buddha’s name!”
Upon hearing this, she pondered and said: “So if I accidentally eat meat, I’ll just say to it: ‘Master Jingben said I can recite the Buddha’s name and dedicate the merit to you!’”
I jokingly waved my hand:“Aiya, at that moment, don’t bring up my name— it won’t help! Just directly recite ‘Namo Amitabha Buddha.’ That’s the real way to clear the karmic obstacle!”
She went on to her second question:“During the New Year, when I receive red envelopes from relatives and friends, is it appropriate to immediately say ‘Namo Amitabha Buddha’? What if the other person isn’t Buddhist—how should I respond then?”
I answered:“We can harmonize the worldly and the spiritual. First say, ‘Happy New Year,’ then add, ‘Namo Amitabha Buddha.’ ‘Happy New Year’ follows worldly customs; ‘Namo Amitabha Buddha’ follows the ultimate truth and expresses a blessing.”
“If they ask what that phrase means, just tell them, ‘It’s a blessing for you and your family, wishing everyone peace, prosperity, and ever-increasing good fortune and wisdom.’ I believe no one would refuse such a wonderful wish.”
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The New Year is a time of auspicious gatherings for Chinese communities. It’s ideal to reduce killing and eat more vegetarian food. Since it’s also the start of a new year, using the Buddha’s name to offer blessings to one another will surely bring greater peace and harmony.
Namo Amitabha Buddha
≡The Diary of Master Jingben≡
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｜南無阿彌陀佛｜
