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親羅居士是美國人，本名卡羅斯，法名親羅，今年20歲；出生於德州，但大部份的時間是在加州長大。初遇佛法時，令他產生興趣，可是不知從何入門。一日他到三藩市一家小店去買香，在店裡發現了柏克萊宗教研究所的地址。
1997年他首度去參訪柏克萊道場。道場裡晚課儀式和佛像吸引了他，尤其是阿彌陀佛的立像和千手千眼觀世音菩薩像。一開始他心裡有些疑慮，拿不定主意是否要留在此處學習；冥冥中似乎又有一股無形的力量把他挽留住，這股力量也化解了他的疑慮。於是在1997年9月皈依三寶，次年受五戒。
1998年他住進柏克萊道場，正值恆實法師講《六祖法寶壇經》；聽後就常常有出家修行的念頭。可是這些念頭，老是被擋了回去，讓他猶豫不決。正好小沙彌來到沙加緬度法界聖城受訓，他因緣際會得以和小沙彌相處一起，並到長堤聖寺讀書受訓。
曾經有位法師告訴他，你能親近佛教和正法的機緣是很殊勝的，這得歸功於你有一對善良的父母。這些話令他印象深刻。從小父母無微不至的關懷和照顧，他要以真正的「大孝」來回報他們。
另外是這世界上的苦難太多了，他希望能夠離苦得樂。這兩大因素，更堅定親羅出家的志願，於是今年三月加入「沙彌先修班」，以實際的修行，來完成他的心願。
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Upasaka Qin Luo is an American whose lay name is Carlos. He is 20 years old this year. Born in Texas, he grew up mostly in California. When he encountered the Buddhadharma, he was interested but had no idea where to start. One day when he went to buy incense from a vendor in San Francisco, he found out about the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery.
On his first visit to the Berkeley Monastery in 1997, he was attracted by the Evening Ceremony and the Buddha images, especially the standing Amitabha Buddha and the Guanyin Bodhisattva with a thousand hands and eyes. At first he had his doubts about whether he wanted to study there or not, but an invisible force drew him back and quickly melted his doubts. In September 1997 he took refuge with the Triple Jewel, and the next year he received the five precepts.
In 1998 he moved into the monastery and listened to the lectures on the
Sixth Patriarch Sutra given by Dharma Master Heng Sure. During that time, he often had the thought of leaving home, but just pushed it into the back of his mind. When the young novice monks went to train at the Sagely City of the Dharma Realm in Sacramento, Upasaka Qin Luo had the opportunity of joining them. He later also went to Long Beach Sagely Monastery to study and attend training.
A Dharma Master once told him that it's only because of his parents' goodness that he has had the wonderful opportunity to draw close to Buddhism and the Proper Dharma. These words left a deep impression on him. He recognizes the selfless care that his parents put in for him as a child, and he hopes to repay their kindness.
Secondly, he knows that in this world there is much suffering, and he hopes to bring an end to it. These two reasons strengthened Upasaka Qin Luo's resolve to leave home. In March of this year, he enrolled in the Pre-Novice Training Program, where he will fulfill his resolve through actual cultivation.
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