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續前期：戰善勇居士，法名果勇
這次佛七我最初的強烈感覺是學佛要深入經藏，開發智慧。非常巧，中午吃飯時便聽到上人的開示－－學佛要學著講經。下午繞佛的時候，我突然感覺得到這麼一個念頭，就說「念念念眾生，才是真正的念佛。」
當時我還不太清楚這是怎麼一回事，所以我思索了片刻，還感覺到我是在打妄想，後來我明白了。對！那個念念念眾生，才是真正的念佛。因為《華嚴經》裡邊講佛菩薩為了救度眾生什麼都能捨；普賢十大願王也開示要令眾生歡喜者，則令一切如來歡喜。何以故？諸佛如來以大悲心而為體故。阿彌陀佛建立西方淨土就是為了救度眾生，使眾生橫超三界出輪迴，離苦得樂，所以能念念令眾生離苦才是真正的念佛，這是我的第一個心得。
第二個心得，是以前我認為我念佛的時候感應了佛來救拔和攝受我，原來這是顛倒願。聽上人開示佛在因地時發了四十八大願，念念為了救度眾生，要是眾生能夠念佛就是得到佛的攝受。原來佛來接我們就像媽媽盼孩子回家；只要孩子一有回家意，媽媽就馬上就來接孩子歸來。
從理上來講，佛的法身是遍一切處；我們在念佛的時候，正是自身的彌陀在起作用了。因為無量光壽是我們的本覺，在起心念佛的時候是始覺，託彼正能顯我們的自性；始本不離直趨覺路，這樣子是最直截了當。明白了這個道理時，我感覺念起佛來就很親切。既然念佛法門這麼殊勝，我希望法師能夠安排一下，可不可以咱們有一個共同修念佛這麼一個時間？把那個念佛堂也充分地起到作用。阿彌陀佛。
師父上人、各位法師、各位大德、各位善知識：
本人姓張名聿煌，是個大老粗，國語講得不好，有什麼不對的地方，謝謝大家原諒。我的法名叫張果煌，一九九二年和我太太一起皈依上人。這一次打佛七，我是從紐奧良搭飛機來到這裡。我是抱著一個很虔誠的心來的。
我進來以後一直跟著大家繞念、靜坐，我覺得很多事情都做得不夠。我頭腦裡面一次一次那個妄念馬上衝進來，很難控制，因而使我深深地體會到我們還是這麼沒有攝心。在念佛的時候，你看我的眼睛也閉得緊緊的，胸部也挺挺的，好像學著大法師那樣，其實頭腦裡面是空虛的。
我深深地體會到我外面的一切都是虛偽的。我的內心深處非常空虛。你知道嗎？佛菩薩的教導，我一點都沒有做到，我非常慚愧。我這次來是抱著慚愧心，向佛菩薩懺悔，向大家懺悔。
我在繞念時，念啊念啊，想啊想之中，想到一種不同我們的境界。對不對我講給大家聽聽看。其實我在念的時候，我想我的外表也是這麼莊嚴，看了還不錯啦，眼睛閉一閉的；我的心看起來還很好，口也還在念佛，但是我的意念很亂，我總覺得我們最主要來修行，難就難在意念裡面。意念怎麼樣克服呢？所以我覺得要請教法師給我大大地教導一下。這個意念就是可能我們造業太重了，是很難降伏這個意念。
在這次靜坐之中，好像經過了今生難忘的事情，也改變我的一生。
我在靜坐的時候，坐、坐、坐，突然我的胸口沉下來，很辛苦很辛苦那樣，跟著我就回宿舍去了。那個和我在一起的朋友，我也不敢打擾他。我只能一個人在床上，那種辛苦是沒有法表達的。我那個時候一直叫著：「菩薩啊！菩薩啊！我真的受不了了；我受不了了，幫忙我、幫忙我。」跟著慢慢地我的精神就什麼都知道了。
很奇怪地，我這有生以來第一次進人到另外的一個境界。那時候的境界就好像我回不來了那樣。你知道嗎？不能夠見到家人那樣。那種心情，哇！苦得不得了！我自己也沒有辦法。那時煩惱一浪跟著一浪起來。我一直講：「菩薩，讓我靜下來。」那時我看到了年輕時－－其實過去我是開餐館－－我看到我賺了那麼多錢，那麼多東西，所有的人的一生，原來是假的、是空的呢！太苦了！太苦了！人真的太苦了！那個時候，以我現在的心情沒有辦法表達出來，我現在就講一點點。
在那一剎那，我覺得我最大、最放不下的是我太太。我欠她太多了。你知道嗎？我有很多話要跟她講，她又不在我身邊。那時我一直叫：「菩薩、菩薩，我很辛苦、很辛苦。」你知道嗎？如果我能夠跳過那一次－－可能是菩薩考驗或者是什麼，我也不太清楚。我如果能夠跳出那個境界－－那個看到人真的太苦了；我們眾生原來大家都是做了一場空。
所以我一直求菩薩讓我靜下來，靜下來。我慢慢睡過去了，睡過去了；我醒過來後，我心裡還是很苦的，很辛苦，我哭了。我爸爸死的時候，我沒有哭得很悽慘；這次我哭得很傷心的了。我這一次真正體會到人生的苦了；我不但體會到我自己的苦，我自己知道所有眾生都這麼苦。我最後總結我自己的經驗，因為我的愛太深了，就因為愛。我想如果那個時候我沒有結婚那該多好！如果不結婚我不會害自己又害他人。所以我希望還有沒愛的人，請你不要去愛了，實在太苦，太苦了，你知道嗎？
我從十六歲開始念佛，我現在才知道我是虛有其表。從現在開始我要好好地帶領我的家人去行善，去修行，直到有一天世俗能夠放下，真的放下；真的放下才能夠解決一切。佛菩薩都在等著我們；佛菩薩非常的慈悲。我也見過很多佛菩薩境界，我深深感受我要學菩薩真正的覺，真正的淨：真正的覺淨。我也希望有一天我能夠真正地做到，真正地做到。
從今以後我想試試，因為這個餐館不是我一個人的，所以我回去以後我有很多事情要做。今天我沒有什麼送給人家，只送一份功過表給大家結緣。希望大家貼在牆壁或者流傳，一個人能勸十個人行善，十個人再勸十個人行善，這樣把我們人間變成淨土。這是我的一個心願，希望大家能夠都做到。最後祝大家，新年快樂、一切如意、心想事成、共登彼岸。謝謝。
比丘恆佐師：
剛才有人問怎麼降服他的心？佛教三藏十二部其實都是教我們怎樣降服我們的心。三藏百多本書寫了很多，可是最方便的方法是念佛法門。我們已經念佛一個禮拜了，沒有人拿得走。有的人打佛七很多次，有的人是第一次。
你參加了一次念佛法會，已經懂得念佛，現在就看你能不能持續下去了。你並不一定得跟大眾一塊兒念，可是最容易的還是跟大家一起念佛。我自己念佛差不多三十年，可是我還覺得跟大家在一起念佛比較容易，也比較清楚，就看我們用不用這個寶。這個寶比什麼彩票都有價值。如果不用，就沒效，好像那個藥一樣；用，就有效：完全在於我們自己。
全文完
滷素粒（8人份）
葉周瑞芬提供
培德女中學生高桂貞中譯
材料：
＊冷凍素粒1包
＊醬油1/4杯
＊冰糖4塊
作法：
1.滾水煮素粒15分鐘至軟，瀝乾。
2.加醬油、冰糖、大火煮滾，倒入1/4杯水。
3.讓水沸騰，轉中火。
4.慢火煮20分鐘至醬油開始蒸發。
5.室溫冷卻，璇刀切成薄片。
6.排盤後加香菜裝飾。
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Continued from last issue:
Upasaka Zhan Shanyong, Dharma name Guo Yong.
During this recitation session I
strongly felt that it is
necessary to penetrate the Sutras deeply and develop wisdom.
Coincidentally, during lunch I heard the Master say in his talk that in
studying Buddhism, we must learn to explain the Sutras. This afternoon
during walking recitation, the following thought came to me:
To be mindful of living beings
in thought after thought
Is true mindfulness of the Buddha.
I wasn't sure what this meant,
so I pondered it for a moment. I felt
that perhaps I was engaging in false thinking, but later I understood:
Yes, to be mindful of living beings in every thought is to truly be
mindful of the Buddha. The Flower Adornment Sutra says that Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas are able to give up everything in order to save living
beings. The Ten Great Vows of Universal Worthy Bodhisattva also
mentions that by making living beings happy, one makes all Thus Come
Ones happy. Why? Because all Buddhas take great compassion as their
substance. Amitabha Buddha set up the Western Pure Land precisely for
the sake of rescuing living beings and enabling them to transcend the
Triple Realm and the wheel of rebirth. Therefore, the constant thought
of enabling beings to leave suffering is true mindfulness of the
Buddha. That is my first insight.
My second insight is this. I
used to think that when I recited the
Buddha's name, the Buddha would come to my rescue. Actually, I had it
backwards. Listening to the Master's talk, I now know that the Buddha
made forty-eight great vows in the causal stage of his cultivation, and
he constantly wants to save living beings. If living beings can be
mindful of the Buddha, they will be gathered in by him. Actually, the
Buddha is like a mother hoping her son will return home. Once the son
thinks of going home, the mother will immediately be there to welcome
him.
In theory, the Buddha's Dharma
body is everywhere. When we recite the
Buddha's name, the Amitabha within us starts to function. Limitless
life and light are our inherent enlightenment. Our initial resolve to
recite the Buddha's name is initial enlightenment. That is what helps
us manifest our inherent nature. When the inherent is not apart from
the initial, we advance straight down the road to enlightenment. This
is the most direct approach. When we understand this principle,
we will feel very comfortable with reciting the Buddha's name.
Lastly, since recitation of the
Buddha's name is such a sublime
practice, I hope the Dharma Masters will be able to arrange for a
regular time when we can all get together to recite. Then the
Buddha Recitation Hall will be put to good use. Amitabha!
Venerable Master, Dharma
Masters, Virtuous Ones, and Good
Advisors:
My name is Zhang Luhuang. I'm a
country bumpkin, so I hope
everyone will forgive me because I don't speak very good Mandarin. My
Dharma name is Zhang Guohuang. My wife and I took refuge with the
Venerable Master in 1992.
I took a plane from New Orleans
to come to this Buddha recitation
session. I came out of great sincerity. I have been practicing walking
recitation and sitting meditation along with everyone else, but I
continue to feel very inadequate. False thoughts keep bombarding
my mind, and it's very difficult to control them. This made me
realize how thoroughly I lack concentration.
When reciting the Buddha's name,
you might see me with my eyes
shut tightly and my back very erect, looking like a great Dharma
Master. Actually, there is an empty hollowness in my mind. This
made me realize that my external appearance is entirely false, and my
mind is extremely hollow. Do you know what I mean? I have not put
any of the Buddhas' and Bodhisattvas' teachings into practice. I
feel deeply ashamed. I have come to this session with a spirit of
remorse, to seek repentance before the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and
everyone here.
As I was reciting and thinking,
a rather peculiar state came into
my mind. I will tell everyone what it is, and you can decide
whether or not it makes sense. I was thinking that as I recited,
I might look very good on the outside, with my eyes closed
and my mouth reciting, but my mind was in turmoil. In our
cultivation, the most important and the most difficult thing is to
subdue our thoughts. How can we subdue our thoughts? I think I
need to beseech the Dharma Masters to instruct me well on this.
It's probably our heavy karma that makes it so difficult to
subdue our thoughts.
During this session, all the
unforgettable events in my life came
up. Attending this session has changed my whole life.
As I was sitting in meditation,
suddenly my chest caved inwards and I
was in great discomfort. I went back to my room. My roommate was
already asleep, and I didn't want to bother him, so I lay down on
my bed. It's impossible to describe the pain I felt. I kept
calling out, "Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva, I can't take it, I can't
bear it. Please help me! Help me!" Gradually, I became fully conscious,
and for the first time in my life I entered a very different kind
of state, from which it seemed I could not return. I felt I could never
come back to see my family again. I was in utter misery and
despair, and I had no way to do anything about it. The waves of
affliction came surging through my mind. I kept asking the
Bodhisattva to help me calm down. At that time I had a flashback
to my years as a young man. I used to run a restaurant, and I saw
myself making all that money and acquiring all those things.
Actually, our whole life is unreal and empty and full of
suffering. People are really too miserable. It's impossible to
express how I felt then. I can only give a rough
description.
At that time, I felt that the
hardest thing for me to put down is
my wife. I owe her too much. I had a lot to tell her, yet she
wasn't here. Under those circumstances, I kept calling out to the
Bodhisattva, saying, "I'm in great distress." I wanted to escape
that situation, but perhaps it was the Bodhisattva testing me,
I'm not sure. I saw our incredible human misery. I saw that,
after all, we are all in a big play that's not
real.
I kept pleading with the
Bodhisattva to help me calm down.
Gradually I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was still in great anguish.
I cried. When my father died, I didn't cry so sorrowfully. This
time I really sobbed. For the first time in my life, I realized
the misery of human existence. Not only did I become aware of my
own suffering, I realized that all living beings are in such
great suffering. The conclusion I drew from all this was that my
love is too deep. How wonderful it would be if I had never gotten
married. If I hadn't gotten married, I would not have hurt myself and
hurt others. So, if you have not found someone to love yet, I
urge you not to get involved in love. It's true agony, true
misery, you know?
I started reciting the Buddha's
name when I was sixteen, but I
have only now realized that I was only putting on a show all that
time. From now on, I'm going to lead my family to do good deeds
and to practice, until one day, I can let go of worldly affairs. Only
when I can truly let go will I be able to resolve everything. The
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are waiting for us. They are extremely
compassionate. I have seen many states of Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas. I want to learn to be genuinely enlightened and genuinely
pure like the Bodhisattvas, and I hope that one day I will truly
be able to achieve this.
After I go back, I have a lot to
do, because there are many
people involved in the restaurant, not just myself. Today I don't
have much to give everyone, except a copy of this chart of merits
and offenses. I hope you will put it up on the wall or pass it on
to someone else and circulate it. If one person can exhort ten
people to do good, and those ten can exhort ten more people, then
we can turn the world into a Pure Land. That is my wish. I hope
everyone will do this. Finally, I want to wish everyone a Happy
New Year. May everything go as you wish, and may we all reach the other
shore together. Thank you.
Bhikshu Heng Tso Shr:
Someone talked about subduing
his mind. The Twelve Divisions of the
Tripitaka are all written to do just that—subdue our minds. The Pure
Land practice is the easiest of all those. There are over a hundred
volumes in the Taisho Tripitaka, and you can bring it all down to the
easiest method of reciting Amitabha's name. So that's what we did
for the last week. And this is something that can't be taken away from
any of us. Many people have already attended a lot of Buddha Recitation
Sessions. For some people this is the first one. But once you've
attended a Buddha Recitation Session, you know the method, and it's up
to you to continue to recite. You don't have to be with the
group. But it certainly makes it a lot easier. Personally I've been
doing this for about thirty years, and it's always much easier,
and I always find much more clarity and much more understanding when
I'm doing it with a group. So, it's up to all of us now to take
this jewel, this method which is much more valuable than the lottery,
and put it to use. If you use it, it's effective. If you don't use it,
it's like anything else, like a medicine, it's not effective; practice
it and it becomes effective. It's up to each of us individually to
continue to practice it.
The End
Vegetarian Gluten Braised with
Soy Sauce (Serves 8)
From the kitchen of
Mrs.
Priscilla Yeh
Chinese translation by Jennifer Kao, Developing Virtue Girls School
Ingredients:
1 package frozen gluten
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 pieces rock sugar
Directions:
1. Cook frozen gluten in boiling water for 15 minutes or until tender.
Drain water.
2.Add soy sauce and rock sugar.Bring to a boil on high heat and add 1/4
cup water.
3. Bring to a boil again, then lower heat to medium.
4.Simmer for 20 minutes or until sauce begins to evaporate.
5.Let cool to room temperature. Slice diagonally into thin slices.
6.Arrange on plate and garnish with cilantro.
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