|
《地藏菩薩本願經》是佛教中的「孝經」；地藏王菩薩是菩薩中最孝順的菩薩。一個星期持續誦《地藏菩薩本願經》，稱唸地藏菩薩聖號，令很多人覺悟要效法地藏菩薩的孝順精神來行孝，並救度累劫的父母出離三途六道之苦。在美國西方世界，很多人連「孝」字都不曾聽聞，更遑論行孝。孝是做人的根本，本立而道生。上人悲心切切，教化衆生，亦以「孝」字為下手處。所謂「人道盡，佛道成。」茲值地藏七圓滿，與會者各抒所感，字字懇切，發人深省。望讀者閱後，能發菩提心，誠如上人所言，以「真孝」——成佛，來報答父母之恩。
比丘尼恆悅師：
王隆琴 中譯
唸《地藏經》時我常想起一些片段，如第十品所言：「迴向法界的功德是不可思議的。」誦經時我總是把功德迴向給每一個人。我們日日新，時時去除我們的毛病，正如春天的流水。上個星期我們看了一些關於中國大陸的幻燈片我才明白了上人所說的：「佛法在中國已經不存在了」，所以上人才來西方弘揚佛教，使佛法在西方世界，尤其是美國能光大起來。
廚房給了我些舊的苜蓿種子；我並沒有用它，因爲天氣太熱的緣故，種了容易死。在打七的時候，我種了一些舊的種子，但是沒有人吃舊「種」發出來的芽，因爲太難吃了：忘了享福是消福，受苦是了苦。上人常說即使疲倦時我們仍舊要用功修行，那是考驗我們耐心的時候。每個人都要努力用功，來使佛教一天一天地興盛起來，這便是真正地把功德迴向給整個法界。
來自加拿大的親龍居士：
陳亦凡中譯
我的法名叫親龍，現在「沙彌先修班」受訓，希望很快就能出家做沙彌。這次的法會，我沒有特別的感應，不過有一些心得。前幾天我夢見母親，她對我是有一點失望，對我感到蠻難過的，這是有原因的。
我在地藏七之中所得的感應是：我的父母一直對我很慈愛，而多年來我一直沒能夠盡孝；我花了很多年才醒悟到這一點，父母親對我一直一直非常地照顧，花了很多心血，而我卻沒有辦法回報父母的恩德於萬—。所以我現在覺得唯一能夠報答父母恩，只有在上人座下出家。如果我能夠出家修行的話，這樣我的父母就能夠得到真正的利益。
這次法會中，我特別請了一部《地藏菩薩本願經》給我的父母，讓他們能夠唸誦這部經。爲什麼我要請《地藏經》給我的父母呢？因爲我母親曾經問過很多有關佛教的問題。她對佛教概念相當不熟悉，比方說：輪迴、因果、三世……等等，這是她從來沒有接觸過的概念，所以她有很多問題，而我卻沒有辦法圓滿完整地答覆她。我覺得《地藏經》能夠給她很好的答案，因此我特別請了這部經給她。
我父母親問過我，過去世的事情從來沒有接觸過，爲什麼我們要爲過去的事情煩惱擔憂呢？我覺得《地藏經》和上人的淺釋，可以很圓滿地答覆他們的問題。我希望讓他們多接觸佛法，這樣就能夠對佛法有較深入的認識。
我之所以要請《地藏經》，另外一個原因是《地藏經》談到孝道。在西方國家，我們幾乎不曾聽到這個字眼。我的母親在聽到我說這個英文字的時候，還不知道怎麼樣正確地發音，因爲我們根本沒聽過孝道。但是孝道在佛法裡是很重要的觀念，這是我要請《地藏經）給我父母的另外一個原因。
今年三月二十五日，在我落髮之前，我在舊金山和父母親長談過，當時我哭起來。我對他們說，這些年來我真是不孝；我非常感激他們對我所做的一切，並且我對他們下拜，我的父母覺得很奇怪。
如果大家看電視，就會發現在美國對父母師長盡孝的觀念是非常欠缺的，我記憶中是這樣子的。所以我們在美國，甚至在全世界，應該要重視孝道，這樣才能夠重建我們的根本。
我希望能夠好好地學習，將來可以弘揚佛法，教化西方人要做到慈悲、孝順等等。我也希望將來能夠辯才無礙，目前我還不能夠做到這一點。所以我要鼓勵大家好好學習佛法，深入研究《地藏經》，這是非常重要的。
待續
|
|
The Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store
Bodhisattva (Earth Store Sutra) is a Buddhist sutra on
filial respect. Earth Store King Bodhisattva is the most
filial Bodhisattva among all Bodhisattvas. Reciting the
Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva and this
Bodhisattva's holy name continuously for a week woke up a
lot of people. These cultivators have decided to emulate the
Earth Store Bodhisattva's filiality and free their parents
from numerous past lifetimes from the pain of the three evil
ways and six paths. Many Americans have never even heard of
the word "filiality," let alone practice it. However,
filiality is the foundation to being human, the keystone to
the Way. On the basis of filial respect, the Venerable
Master Hsuan Hua taught and transformed living beings
compassionately. "One becomes accomplished on the path to
Buddhahood as one fulfills the duties of a human being."
Each participant's heartfelt words and experiences are worth
pondering. I hope that readers will bring forth the resolve
for Bodhi as they read these insights. As the Venerable
Master had essentially said, we should repay our parents'
kindness with true filiality, that is, to realize Buddhahood.
Bhikshuni Heng Yue Shi :
Chinese translation by Linda Wang
While reciting the Earth Store Sutra, some lines always
appear in my head, such as those of the Tenth Chapter, "The
merit and virtue of making transferences to the Dharma Realm
is inconceivable." Every time I recite a sutra, I transfer
merit and virtue to everyone. We work on eliminating our
flaws every day and every moment, doing so consistently like
the flowing water during springtime. Last week we saw some
slides on China. It was only then that I understood the
Venerable Master's words, "Buddhadharma no longer exists in
China." That's why the Venerable Master came to the West,
propagating Buddhism so that Buddhadharma flourishes,
especially here in America.
The kitchen manager gave me some old alfalfa sprout seeds. I
didn't use them because the weather's too hot; they'll die
instantly. During the seven-day session, I had planted some
old seeds but no one wanted to eat the unsavory vegetables
grown from the old seeds. We forget that to enjoy blessings
is to expend blessings, to endure suffering is to end
suffering. The Venerable Master said that we should continue
to work hard despite fatigue. In fact, circumstances in
which we're exhausted are genuine tests of our patience.
Everyone should work hard at making Buddhism flourish by the
day, which is to sincerely transfer merit and virtue to the
entire Dharma Realm.
Upasaka Qin Long from Canada:
Chinese translation by Yvonne
Chen
My name is Qin Long, I'm part of the Sangha Laity Training
Program, hoping to become a novice fairly soon. I never
really had any special responses from this session, except
for a few insights. I had a dream earlier in the week. My
mom was upset with me but for good reason.
What did I gain through this session? I gained a lot of
insights by reflecting on different aspects of my parents'
kindness and ways that I've been unfilial to my parents.
It's taken a long time for me to realize just how much my
parents have done for me over the years. They've taken a lot
of my suffering away from me and eased the blow of some of
my retributions during my teenage years. I don't think I
could ever repay their invaluable kindness. The only way to
repay their kindness, I believe, is to leave the home-life
here under the Venerable Master.
Through leaving home, doing well in my cultivation and
learning a lot, I may repay my parents by teaching them
Dharma. I see how they can apply Dharma in their everyday
lives. One thing I did during this session was to request a
copy of the Earth Store Sutra to give to my parents so that
they may read it.
Why the Earth Store Sutra? My parents, particularly my mom,
have been asking me about different aspects of Buddhism. One
is reincarnation, the workings of retribution and how our
present life ties into our past and future lives. She's
never encountered these kinds of ideas before. She's had a
lot of questions that I've had a difficult time answering.
The Earth Store Sutra explains this a lot better than I do.
My mom and dad have wondered about why one should have to
deal with things that one doesn't even remember from one's
past lives? Why should one even have to worry about it?
These are questions that someone with little wisdom like
myself can hardly answer sufficiently. So I thought it would
be better to pass on this Sutra with the Master's
commentary. Maybe this would open my mom and dad up a little
more to the Dharma and allow them to understand more of
where I'm coming.
Another reason for getting this sutra in particular is that
it talks about filial piety. "Filial piety" are words that
we don't even hear in this country. I had to get my mom to
repeat these words; she didn't know how to pronounce them.
It's just something that we don't hear. I explained to her
that respect for your parents is very important in Buddhism.
Along with that, before I shaved my head and took the eight
precepts on March 25, I had a real long talk with my
parents. We went to San Francisco for a few days. I ended up
breaking down and crying to my parents about how sorry I was
for all the years of misbehavior and ingratitude. At one
point, I told them that I should've been bowing to them.
They thought that was really strange, but that's how much
appreciation and realization I've had regarding everything
they've done and how I was lacking. In the western world we
don't talk about filial piety much. I haven't watched TV
much in the last year, but I'd imagine that filial piety,
respect for parents, elders and teachers are values absent
from news and different programs. These are values that have
taken a beating in this country ever since I could remember.
At the same time, these are values that we really need to
learn in this country, actually in the world over too. We
need to get back to the fundamentals to rebuild our nature
and ourselves, returning to what's important before we stray
off too far. The best way that I feel I can contribute to
this is to examine the Earth Store Sutra and learn the
Buddhadharma well. Maybe someday I will have the wisdom to
help spread the Dharma and teach Westerners and others about
kindness, etc.—if I ever become an eloquent enough of a
speaker; I'm not quite there yet.
I urge everyone to cherish this time that we've had, to
reflect on filiality and investigate the Earth Store Sutra
deeply because this is an important and good sutra to live
by.
To be continued
|
