简介：林中有两条路　　你永远只能走一条　　怀念着另一条　　隆务贡寺只有不到二十名僧人，十七岁的吉美前往出家当小沙弥的时候，也不知道出家入世哪一条路更好。寺院在山上，幽静而遥远离开山下的喧闹，可是附近十几个大小村子的生老病死，一一要请寺里僧人下山，在低沉的诵经声中，做最初或最后的交接。对于年轻的小沙弥而言，频繁往返在出世入世之间，比起单纯的孤寂或喧闹，更难修炼。吉美来了以后，寺院当中一半的僧人都因为各种原因离开了，重新在世俗的生活寻找一个位置。于是，吉美也开始偶尔问自己：我就这样日复一日念重复的经文么？有没有更有意义的生活方式？　　每一年万物生长的雨季，佛教寺院的僧人们要结夏安居，留在寺院里诵经修行，不可外出。这一年的夏天，只有十一个人的隆务寺里，没有足够的受戒比丘来举行夏安居。寺院决定在今年的夏安居之前，找三个小沙弥受比丘戒。若是问到他，吉美明白这个选择对他来说意味着什么——他看过那两百五十三条比丘戒，他以为出家的沙弥依然可以换下僧衣返回世俗的家，但受戒的比丘除非被驱逐，否则很少有还俗的。他所不知道的是，在这没有回头路的路口，哪里才是他更好的方向。吉美耐心的等待着，漆黑的夜里，吉美把日日诵读的长条经文取出来，在灯下仔细的清理。　　Therearetworoadsinthewoods.　　Youcanonlytakeoneofthem,　　andwonderabouttheotherfortherestofyourlife.　　Longwuisatempleofnomorethan20monks.When17-year-oldJigmebecameajuniormonkthere,hehadnoideawhetheritwasbettertorenounceortojointhesecularworld.Thetemplesitsquietlywithinthedepthsofamountain.Itisfarawayfromthebustlesandhustlesofaboutadozensurroundingvillages.But,onalloccasionsrelatedtopeople’sbirthsanddeaths,themonksareinvitedbyvillagerstoholdsolemnchantingsessionstohelpthesoulsoftheirlovedonesenterorleavethisworld.Forayoungmonklikehim,frequentvisitstothevillagesmakeitmuchhardertopracticeBuddhismandliveinsolitude.Itcouldevenhavebeeneasiertopracticeitinafullysecularenvironment.Infact,sinceJigmehasjoinedthetemple,halfofthemonkshavealreadyleftforvariousreasonsandhaveeachfoundaspotforthemselvesinthesecularworld.Hence,fromtimetotime,Jigmewonders,“MustIchantsutrasdayafterday?Oristhereamoremeaningfulwayoflife?”　　Duringtherainyseasonofayear,allthingsgrow,andallBuddhistmonksstayintheirtemplestopracticeBuddhism.Thisyear,withonlyelevenmonksleft,therearenotenoughjuniormonkstoofficiallyreceivethepreceptsduringthesummerrecluse.Thetempleseniorsdecidetohavethreeyoungmonkstodothis.Jigmeisfullyawarewhatthismeanstohim–Hehasreadthe253precepts.HeusedtothinkthatmonkshadtherighttotakeofftheirBuddhistgarmentsandreturntotheirsecularhomes,butnow,herealizesthatonceamonkreceiveshisprecepts,unlessbeingexpelledbyhistemples,hehasanoverbearingobligationtostay.Conflicted,hedoesn’tknowwhichpathisbetter.Oncehemakesastep,thereisnoreturn.Realizingthis,hepatientlywaitsforananswertodawnonhim.Duringthedarkofnight,Jigmetakesoutthelongrollofsutrathathereadseveryday,andcleansitcarefullybyaflickeringlamp.Thissummer,Jigmehascometothecrossroadsoflife.Ofthetworoadsoutthere,hecanonlychooseone.…