佛教重文化，是精神文明，是高度的精神文明。佛教能夠全面如實地闡明宇宙人生的真相，通過實踐修持，而得到實証法性理體––人人平等而具足的佛性，而圓成佛果！本地風光，非從外得。古今中外的哲人，入佛門而深造者多矣！但法運興衰自有時，按其實質而論，眾生善根成熟，有能聞法受持者，正法才住世。清末以來，由於知識界的信受奉行，佛教興盛了近一個世紀。清末「六君子」中，譚嗣同、康有為、梁啟超，都是通達佛學的。梁啟超的弘法論著較多。其後即有楊仁山居士，出辦金陵刻經處和支那內學院於南京，法化大盛。禪宗耆宿虛雲老和尚、月霞法師、來果和尚，並重於世。律宗則慈舟律師與弘一大師，分化南北，兩位律師，還都受持弘揚《華嚴經》。慈舟律師常講《華嚴經》，他的三位高足，淨嚴法師、明心法師和尼眾大德通願法師，都能講《華嚴經》。弘一大師，則常書《華嚴》精要句，還輯集《華嚴集聯三百首》。淨土宗印光大師，被公認為蓮宗十三祖，在靈岩山寺建立道場，創辦弘化社，廣印流通經書，大扇蓮風，法澤廣被。太虛大師，盛弘法相唯識學，創辦武昌佛學院，提倡人間淨土、人間佛教。諦閑大師，弘傳天臺教觀於四明觀宗講寺，講席之盛甲神州，聞法護持者，多一時名流，辦弘法社，以培育講師，為中興天臺宗之祖。其門人倓虛大師，建叢林於各處，與寶靜法師，將天臺教觀弘傳到香港。法相唯識學，其時，在上海興教弘法的名流，如王一亭、朱子橋、關絅之、黃涵之、歐陽石芝（創辦功德林素食處）、狄平子、丁福保（開設醫學書局，出版經書，提倡素食衛生）、聶雲台居士等，都為佛教的盛弘作出貢獻！
浙江海鹽縣江味農居士，是一位博學淹貫、精通教理、人格高尚、確有修証的大德！他的晚年，是在上海度過的。在袁世凱竊國稱帝時，曾禮聘他去當秘書長，高官厚祿，他堅拒不就。在「一二‧八」日本轟炸上海之前，江老組織居士們，在慈厚北里省心蓮社，禮大悲懺一個月，消除業障。他告訴大家說：上海人將有業報，在大世界附近及匣北地區，都將有死屍一大堆！所以我們要至誠禮懺，以祈消業免難。他有一個正在抱病的學生，何清仁女居士，江老觀照她，您業障很重，一定要參加禮懺！重以師命，何居士扶病前往，好不容易有一天禮懺畢，她難過的什麼似的，手心足心都出水，好容易撐著病體到禮懺圓滿。那天江老告何曰：您知道嗎？您最難過的那一天，本來就是您死的日子呀！現在過去了，恭喜您！何居士那年，才只三十六歲，她後來活到九十多歲。精誠修持三寶加持之力，有如此者！後來，江老的預言都應驗了。大世界附近和匣北，都落了炸彈，傷亡慘重。闡北的世界佛教居士林，就毀於此時的！何清仁居士，感激師恩，一直侍奉到江老生西。江老的遺著和他的經書，都保藏在何家。《金剛經講義》，是江老最精湛的名著。范古農居士贊為金剛經註解中，前無古人的傑作！我們印這部講義時，就是清仁居士提供樣本的。《大乘止觀述記》，也是江老極為精要的記錄。
當我十五歲初信佛教時，時常請教大德聶雲台居士，他是一位實業家，在他赴美考察後，回國辦紗廠，是第一任上海市商會會長，在國內首創八小時工作制者（在那時，工廠中的工時很長，工人們遭到不合理的待遇和生活）。他老中年學佛，依教奉行。在身心修養、家庭教育、治國平天下的理論和實踐上，都有湛精的闡發，且躬行實踐，不尚空談，尤為難能可貴！他組織聶氏家庭集益會，編印《聶氏家言旬刊》和選刊，融儒歸佛，切實履踐，力圖改變當時奢侈腐敗的社會風氣，而移風易俗，成砥柱中流！深得印光大師的贊許和推重！就在印光大師的弘化社中，出版聶老所著的《人生指津》、《學佛篇》、《廉儉救國說》……。在印光大師來滬，在護國息災法會講七天開示時，就下榻於聶老家中。《廉儉救國說》一文，當時《申報》曾以封面全幅全文登載，不僅為當時的救世藥言，在今天還是十分切要有用的！當前我們國家正在開展的防腐倡廉、廉政建設，確是為改革開放、經濟建設鋪平道路的必要措施！「以儉養廉」、「廉公有威」這兩句名言，是意義深遠，值的深思的。廉必須輔之以儉。如果生活奢侈，嗜欲眾多，貪享受、愛虛榮，怎能保持廉潔的操守呢？真夠廉潔了，才能無私奉公，辦事公正，無所畏懼，這樣自然人見欽敬，威信卓著了！聶老以佛法來融攝和提高我國儒家的修齊治平的理論與實踐，並修持淨業、指歸淨土，這與蓮宗十三祖印光大師如出一轍，他確是做到了「出世間的完人」，是我衷心崇仰的良師！他老於一九五四年，捨報生西，是居士界學習的楷模！
上海「覺園」這個居士道場，是南洋華橋簡昭南居士以其坐落在常德路北京路、西相當於哈同花園那樣大的私人花園……南園全部捐給佛教，做為居士道場。以東南部的一大半土地分塊出售，希望佛教界有財力者來買去建住宅，那時還是用銀元的時代，共售得十五萬多兩銀子，即在沿常德路的一小半路中，用此所得款建造三大殿、香光堂、亭台樓閣、蓮花池、九曲橋……清幽莊嚴的佛教淨業社居士道場，統稱覺園。當時還有兩株菩提樹呢！解放後上海還有佛教青年會等八個居士團體；到六十年代，合並為園覺內的上海佛教居士林了。覺園在文革中被上海無線電二十一場全部佔用，花園全部破壞，直到一九八七年後才開始逐部收復；預計在葵酉年底可將三大殿全部收回，恢復原先的天王殿、大雄寶殿、功德堂的原式。遵照趙樸初居士的建議，功德堂中將供設上海護法諸大居士簡昭南、王一亭、關絅之、黃涵之、朱子橋（辦佛教賑災善舉最多最力者）、聶云台、方子藩居士等的永久蓮位，以永紀念。覺園以居士林為主體來繼承和維護。至此，在上海佛教的繼承和發展史上又寫下了一頁新的篇章！ |
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Buddhism emphasizes culture at the spiritual level and can entirely explain the truth of the universe and life itself. Through practical cultivation, the noumenal substance of the nature of dharmas can be verified. The Buddhanature and the opportunity to attain Buddhahood which everyone is equally endowed with are innate and not obtained from outside. Many philosophers of ancient and modern day, both Asian and Westerns, have studied Buddhism. Although the fate of the Dharma has its own course of rise and decline, in truth, when living beings’ good roots are mature, then they can hear and accept the Dharma and the Proper Dharma abides in the world. Towards the end of the Qing dynasty, because the intelligencia had faith and actually practiced, Buddhism flourished for nearly a century. Among the “Six gentlemen,” Tan Citung, Kang Youwei, and Liang Qichau, all understood Buddhism. Liang Qichau wrote many books to propagate Buddhism. Later when layman Yang Renshan established Jin Ling Sutra-printing company and Chinese Buddhist Academy in Nanqing,
Buddhism flourished greatly. The mighty elders of the Chan School, Elder Master Hsuyun, Dharma Master Yuexia, and Master Laiguo were all contemporaries at that time. The mighty elders of the Vinaya School, Vinaya Master Cizhou and Great Master Hongyi taught in the south and north respectively. Both Vinaya Masters upheld and propagated the Avatamsaka Sutra. Vinaya Master Cizhou often lectured on the Avatamsaka Sutra. His three foremost disciples, Dharma Master Jingyan, Dharma Master Mingxin, and the greatly virtuous Bhikshuni Tongyuan all could lecture on the Avatamsaka Sutra. Great Master Hongyi wrote out many passages from the Avatamsaka Sutra which were compiled into a book called “Collection of Three hundred matching Couplets from the Avatamsaka Sutra.” In the Pure Land School, Great Master Yinguang, the thirteenth patriarch of the Lotus School, established a Way-place at Lingyen Shan Monastery and set up a Dharma-propagation Society that printed and distributed Sutra texts on a large scale, spreading the Lotus in particular and the Dharmain general. Great Master Taixu extensively propagated the study of Consciousness Only in the Dharma Marks School. He founded a Buddhist Academy at Wuchang, advocating a Pure Land among people, Buddhism in human life. Great Master Dixian transmitted the Tiantai teachings and contemplations in Siming at Guanzung (Contemplative School) Lecture Monastery and his lecture series drew unprecedented crowds including many important personages. He founded the Dharma-propagation Society in order to train lecturers so as to further the patriarchal line of the Tiantai School. His disciples included Great Master Tanxu, who set up large monastic complexes in many locations, who together with Dharma Master Baojing, brought the Tiantai teachings and contemplations to Hong Kong.
The Buddhist dignitaries who were propagating Buddhism in Shanghai, such as Wong Iting, Guan Jiongzhi, Jian Jaonan, Huang Hanzhi, Ohyang Shizhi (who founded the Forest of Merit and Virtue Vegetarial bookstore, published Buddhist Sutras and texts and promoted vegetarianism for health), Nie Yuntai, and so forth, have all made great contributions to Buddhism.
In Zhejiang in Haiyan county Layman Jiang Weinong, a top scholar who was well-versed in the teaching principles, was an imposing man of great virtue who certainly had some accomplishment in his cultivation! Toward the end of his life he lived in Shanghai during the period when Yuan Shikai usurped the throne. He was invited to be Secretary of State, a high office carrying with it all the amenities, but he flatly refused. During the “December eighth” incident, before the Japanese burned Shanghai, Elder Jiang assembled the laypeople and at Tsehoubei district at the Xingxin Lotus Society. They bowed the Great Compassion Repentance for a month in order to dispel the karmic obstructions. He told everyone that the people of Shanghai were about to meet their karmic retribution and that near Dashijye and in the Tsabei district there will be piles of corpses. That is why, he explained, they should be extremely sincere in bowing the repentance so that the karma could be eradicated and difficulties avoided. He had a student named Laywoman He Qingren who was ill and Elder Jiang told her, “Your karmic obstructions were very heavy. You definitely must attend the repentance. Honoring her teacher’s directive, Laywoman He attended despite her illness. One day after the repentance bowing was over, she was extremely uncomfortable; the palms of her hands and soles of her feet were perspiring profusely. She felt so sick that it was very difficult to finish the bowing session. After the bowing session was over Elder Jiang said to her: “Do you know on that day when you felt so bad it was because in fact you were supposed to die on that day! But you got through it. Congratulations!” At that time Laywoman He was only thirty-six years old; she lived to be over ninety. It was due to her intense sincerity in cultivation and the aid she received from the Triple Jewel that this happened! Afterward, Elder Jiang’s prediction turned out to be true. The areas of Dashijye and Tsabei were bombed, leaving vast numbers dead and injured. The World Buddhist Lay Forest at Tsabei was destroyed at that time. Laywoman He Qingren, wishing to repay her teacher’s kindness, attended upon the Elder Jiang until he passed away [to the Western Land]. The books Elder Jiang wrote and the Sutras he collected still remain with the Ho family.
The most famous commentary the Elder Jiang wrote is the Commentary on the Vajra Sutra. Layman Fan Gunong praised it as being unprecedented! When we printed that commentary, it was Layman Qingren who provided the manuscript.. Discussion of the Great Vehicle Stopping and Contemplating is another excellent writing by Elder Jiang.
When I was fifteen and had just begun to believe in Buddhism, I regularly studied with Layman Nie Yuntai. He was an entrepreneur who apprenticed in America and then set up a textile factory when he returned to China. As the first President of the Shanghai Commerce Association, he put through the eight-hour work day reform act. (At that time the work hours in factories were long and living conditions and wages were terrible). Elder Nie began to study Buddhism when he was middle-aged and faithfully put the teachings into practice. He was exceptionally energetic in enacting the principles of cultivating his own character, of educating within the family, of regulating the country and of bringing peace to the universe; it wasn’t just idle theory. He founded a Nie Family Beneficent Society and published a Nie Family Newsletter three times a month. He joined the principles of Confucianism and Buddhism in his own person and stood so firm that he was instrumental in changing the social trend of being extravagant and decadent and was able to improve public morals! He was highly praised by Great Master Yinguang. It was Great Master Yinguang’s Propagating and Transforming Society that published Elder Nie’s articles “Direction of Life.” “Chapters on Studying Buddhism,” “Discourse on Saving the Nation Through Incorruptibility and Frugality” and so forth. In fact Great Master Yinguang stayed in the home of Elder Nie while he lectured at a week-long Dharma Assembly for Protecting the Country and Dispelling Disasters. As to the article “Discourse on Saving the Nation Through Incorruptibility and Frugality,” it was printed in its entirety in a newspaper. Not only did that article have a curative effect on the world at that time, it is still entirely appropriate to the situation today. Now there is a movement in our country to prevent corruption and promote incorruptibility and so the policy of incorruptibility is certainly a necessary step in paving the way to developing the economy.
The two slogans of “Frugality fosters incorruptibility” and “An incorruptible Official is Influential” have deep and far-reaching meanings; it behooves us to reflect on their value. Incorruptibility must be supported by frugality. If you lead a very luxurious life with many desires and are fond of vanity, then how can you yourself be incorruptible. Only if you are incorruptible will you be able to be public-spirited and unselfish. Then, in handling public matters, one will not be afraid and people will naturally respect one as a trustworthy eminent individual! Elder Nie used Buddhism to enhance the culture of our country in applying the Confucian principles of cultivating oneself, educating the family, rectifying the nation, and bringing peace to the universe, as well as cultivaing and maintaining pure karma and returning to the Pure Land. This is identical to what the Thirteenth Patriarch of the Lotus Society, Great Master Yinguang, did. Elder Nie was truly a “perfect person who had transcended the world.” He is a good teacher whom I wholeheartedly admire. This elder, who passed away in l954, is a model whom all laypeople can follow.
The lay Way-place called “Garden of Enlightenment” in Shanghai, donated by Layman Jian Jaonan, a Chinese national from Southeast Asia, was located on the corner of Changde and Beijing Road. It was his own private garden named Southern Garden, about the size of Hatong Garden. He donated the entire southern garden to Buddhism and it became the lay Way-place. In the southeast section of this garden was a big piece of land which he subdivided and put up for sale, hoping that Buddhists would buy the lots and build houses. At that time we were still using silver dollars and the sale of the lots brought in 150 ounces of silver. He used this money to build the three large halls as well as a Fragrant Light Hall, towers and pavillions, lotus pond, a winding bridge, and so forth along Changde Road. This tranquil and adorned Buddhist Lay Way-place is called “Garden of Enlightenment.” At that time there were two Bodhi trees there as well. After the liberation in Shanghai there were eight lay organizations including the Buddhist Youth Society. In the l960’s these eight groups combined to form the Shanghai Buddhist Lay Forest located at the “Garden of Enlightenment.” The “Garden of Enlightenment” was occupied during the Cultural Revolution by the 21st Radio Factory of Shanghai. The entire garden was destroyed. It was not until l987 that portions of the complex started to be repossessed. In the near future the three large halls will be entirely repossessed and the Heavenly Kings Hall, the Jeweled Palace, and the Hall of Merit and Virtue will be restored to their original form. Following Jao Puchu’s suggestion, permanent memorial plaques for Laymen Jien Jaonan, Wong Iting, Guan Jiongzhi, Huang Hanzhi, Ju Zichiao (who contributed generously to the Buddhist-sponsored projects during times of disaster), Nie yuntai, and Fang Zifan will be placed in that hall. “Garden of Enlightenment” Lay Way-place will assume major responsibility in maintaining the renovated complex. This marks a new page in the history in the development of Buddhism in Shanghai. |
