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「我從西南這股道上去了。山頂上有一墎仙人掌，是紅色的。嗯，仙人掌不是青的嗎？怎麼是紅的哪？就見你從東南那座山上走了過來，手指仙人掌，說：『三哥，你把這個吃它吧。這是還陽草。』是還陽草？這我得吃它。秦始皇派五百童男、五百童女找到日本國也沒找到還陽草，這回叫我碰上了！」
「我一點一點掰下來，從梢到根都吃了。這東西吃著嘛又甜還又香，世界上沒有比還陽草再好吃的東西了！吃著吃著我把這棵紅的還陽草都吃了。」
「我從來沒食黑過，這回可食黑了。我也沒叫你吃一些啊，沒有！我把它都吃了。醒了以後，覺得渾身輕鬆有力，吐血的病也好。從那以後，身體一天比一天強壯了。」
上人說：「這都是佛菩薩在暗中保護你啊！」
上人：「景學、淑雲，你爸爸這一輩子從來不佔便宜，寧可吃虧。糧慌那年，讓餓死也不去偷。你爸爸撿到別人掉的東西都不要，坐在地上等著丟東西的人回來再還給人家。」
我和上人說：「糧慌那年，別人成幫結夥出去偷生產隊的玉米，以為『法不責眾』。我爸爸說：『我們不要幹那種事。』一開始挨餓，我們都喝稀粥，一頓一個人喝七、八大碗，肚腸喝得溜薄，越喝越能喝。我爸爸一看，說：『這不行，不能再喝稀的了，要吃乾飯。』從那以後，每頓飯一個人分著吃一碗乾飯。就這樣，『三兩三』的年頭也熬過來了，糧慌那年我十歲。」
上人：「景學，多陪陪你爸爸。人老了，有人在跟前說話心裡敞亮。」
「我爸爸沒唸過一天書，連他自己的名字都寫錯，可是他會看會講〈水滸〉、〈三國演義〉、〈封神榜〉、〈七俠五義〉，這些古書他都能看能講。不過，他現在不講那些老骨董的故事了，現在爸爸天天看經書、念佛，有時還講佛教故事。」
上人：「你爸爸前生是一個寺院的方丈，只因他打了妄想。什麼妄想呢？他想來生多要幾個孩子，那麼佛菩薩只好滿他的願了，於是乎就派他的弟子做他的兒子、女兒囉！」
上人：「三太，怎沒聽見妳說話？」
母親：「我沒有什麼說的。我們都挺好的。現在我們都老了沒有什麼貢獻。」
樹老焦梢月牙稀，
人老毛腰把頭低；
黃瓜老了一包籽，
茄子老了兩層皮。
上人笑了：「三太什麼時候也學會作詩了？誰都有老的時候，老了就念佛！」
上人：
人間眷屬佛國魔，
由來大聖多坎坷。
迨至彼岸回頭看，
返迷歸覺謝提婆。
景學：
大德行願驚鬼神，
金石為開一念眞。
悟性填平多少浪，
灑掃心田永無塵。
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"I took the path that headed towards the southwest. On the summit of the mountain was a red cactus. That's right, cactus should be green, so how could it be red? Then I saw you approach me from the southeast peak. Pointing at the cactus, you said, 'Third Elder Brother, eat it, for it is the Vitality-Restoring Herb.'"
'"Vitality-Restoring Herb? This one I must eat. Emperor Shi of the Qin Dynasty sent five hundred male youths and five hundred female youths on a quest to Japan, and they did not find this Vitality-Restoring Herb. Now I've come across it!'
"I plucked it bit by bit, and ate it all from stem to root. This plant had a taste that was sweet and fragrant. There is nothing in this entire world that tastes better than the Vitality-Restoring Herb! Bite by bite, I ate that entire, red Vitality-Restoring Herb.
"I'd never eaten without sharing before, but that time I ate selfishly. I did not even invite you to eat some, no! I ate it all myself. After I woke up, my entire body felt relaxed and invigorated, and I stopped vomiting blood. Ever since then, my body has become stronger every day."
The Venerable Master said, "The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are protecting you from behind the scenes!"
The Venerable Master continued, "Jinxue, Shuyun, your father never took advantage of others in his life; he would have preferred to be taken advantage of. During the year of famine, he would have preferred to starve to death than steal. Your father would not keep anything he found which was lost by someone else; he would sit on the ground to wait for the owner to return and retrieve the lost property."
I told the Venerable Master, "During the year of famine, other people got together to steal corn from the production team, thinking, 'The law will not punish the populace.' My father said, 'We will not do such a thing.' Going hungry from the start, our family drank diluted porridge, with each of us drinking seven or eight big bowls per meal. As our stomachs quickly digested them, we drank more and more. Upon seeing this, Father said, 'This will not do; we cannot drink this watery thing any longer, we must eat dry rice.' From then on, for every meal, each of us took a ration from a bowl of plain rice. That was how we endured the years of 3.3 Liang*. I was ten years old then.
The Venerable Master said, "Jinxue, spend more time with your father. He is getting old and having someone to keep him company and to talk to will make his mind open and bright."
I said, "Father never attended a day of school, and even makes mistakes in writing his own name, but he can read and discuss books like
Heroes of the Water Margin, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, The Epic of Divine Appointments, and
The Seven Heroes and Five Righteous Men. He can read and discuss all of these classics. However, now he does not talk about these ancient stories anymore. Nowadays, Father studies the Sutras, chants the name of the Buddha, and sometimes even tells Buddhist stories."
The Venerable Master said, "Your father was the Abbot of a temple in his past incarnation. Having a false thought was his only undoing. What was this false thought? He wanted to have lots of children in his forthcoming incarnation. As such, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas had to fulfill his wish, so they directed his disciples to be reborn as his sons and daughters."
The Venerable Master said, "Third Sister-in-Law, how come we haven't heard you speak?"
My mother replied, "I don't have anything to say; we have all been pretty well. Now that we are old, we have no more contribution to make.
"When a tree gets old, the leaves at the branch tips are sparse, and the moonlight shining on the tree dwindles.
When a person gets old, his waist pulls his head down low.
When the cucumber gets old, it becomes a bag of seeds.
When the eggplant gets old, it turns into two layers of wrinkles."
The Venerable Master laughed, "When did my Third Sister-in-Law learn to compose poetry? Everyone eventually grows old, and when one grows old, one ought to chant the name of the Buddha!"
The Master continued:
One's retinue in the human world are demons in the land of Buddha.
The path of the sages has always been full of challenges.
Upon finally reaching the shore, turn around and look.
Turn away from confusion to return to enlightenment and thank Devadatta.
By Jinxue:
Ghosts and gods are intimidated by the vows and practices of those of great virtue.
Metal and stone will break open for a concentrated thought that is true,
While the enlightened nature can pacify and level countless waves
As well as cleanse the meadow of the heart so that it is forever immaculate.
*3.3 Hang equals 3-3/16 liang, or approximately 3-1/2 ounces. That was the amount of food each Chinese received during those years when the government rationed food severely.
The End
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