《美食祈禱和戀愛》Chapter 84 (196):巴厘島人的信仰

Ketut went on to explain that the Balinese believe we are each accompanied at birth by four invisible brothers, who come into the world with us and protect us throughout our lives. When the child is in the womb, her four siblings are even there with her—they are represen-ted by the placenta, the amniotic fluid, the umbilical cord and the yellow waxy substance that protects an unborn baby's skin. When the baby is born, the parents collect as much of these extraneous birthing materials as possible, placing them in a coconut shell and burying it by the front door of the family's house. According to the Balinese, this buried coconut is the holy resting place of the four unborn brothers, and that spot is tended to forever, like a shrine.

他繼續說明巴厘島人相信我們每個人出生時都有四兄弟陪伴，他們跟隨我們來到世間，保護我們一輩子。小孩還在子宮的時候，四兄弟甚至已與他同在——由胎盤、羊水、臍帶以及保護胎兒皮膚的黃色蠟狀物爲代表。嬰兒出生時，父母將這些無關緊要的出生物收集起來，放在椰子殼裏，埋在屋子的前門邊。根據巴厘島人的說法，埋入地裏的椰子是未出生的四兄弟神聖的安息地，該地點永遠像神廟般受人照料。

The child is taught from earliest consciousness that she has these four brothers with her in the world wherever she goes, and that they will always look after her. The brothers inhabit the four virtues a person needs in order to be safe and happy in life: intelligence, friendship, strength and (I love this one) poetry. The brothers can be called upon in any critical situation for rescue and assistance. When you die, your four spirit brothers collect your soul and bring you to heaven.

孩子從懂事以來即得知無論他去哪裏，四兄弟都永遠伴隨着他，他們也將永遠照顧他。四兄弟呈現讓生命安全快樂所需的四種德性：智慧、友誼、力量（我喜歡這項）和詩詞。在任何危急狀況，皆可傳喚四兄弟前來救援。在你過世時，四兄弟收集你的靈魂，帶你上天堂。

Today Ketut told me that he's never taught any Westerner the Four Brothers Meditation yet, but he thinks I am ready for it. First, he taught me the names of my invisible sib-lings—Ango Patih, Maragio Patih, Banus Patih and Banus Patih Ragio. He instructed me to memorize these names and to ask for the help of my brothers throughout my life, whenever I need them. He says I don't have to be formal when I speak to them, the way we are formal when we pray to God. I'm allowed to speak to my brothers with familiar affection, because "It just your family!" He tells me to say their names as I'm washing myself in the morning, and they will join me. Say their names again every time before I eat, and I will include my brothers in the enjoyment of the meal. Call on them before I go to sleep, saying, "I am sleeping now, so you must stay awake and protect me," and my brothers will shield me through the night, stop demons and nightmares.

賴爺今天告訴我，他尚未把四兄弟禪修法教給哪個西方人，但他覺得我已做好準備。首先，他教我那四位看不見的四兄弟的名字——"AngoPatih""MaragioPatih""BanusPatih"和"BanusPatihRagio"。他指導我背住這四個名字，此生若有需要，請我的四兄弟幫忙。他說我用不着鄭重其事像祈禱似的和他們說話。我可以用熟悉親切的語氣和我的兄弟們講話，因爲"他們是你的家人啊！"他告訴我早上洗臉的時候說他們的名字，他們就會與我會合。每次吃飯前再說一次他們的名字，讓我的兄弟們一同分享用餐的愉悅。睡前再次召喚他們，說："我要睡了，因此你們必須保持清醒，以保護我。"我的兄弟們整晚將守護我，阻止惡魔與噩夢。

"That's good," I told him, "because I have a problem sometimes with nightmares."

"這很好，"我告訴他，"因爲有時候我有做噩夢的問題。"

"What nightmares?"

"什麼噩夢？"