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1995年7月，我從臺灣來萬佛城參加上人的荼毗大典，之後我留下來在舊金山的君康素食館幫忙大約一年半。在這段期間，曾兩次夢見上人：第一次上人說早課不能遲到，妳想去西方極樂世界，早課遲到西方極樂世界的門就關起來；另一次上人說他的電話線很長，可以聽到我們有沒有作早課。我謹記上人的教誨，所以在這五年裡早課只遲到兩次，一次因為鬧鐘的電池沒電了，一次因生病打點滴，兩天沒作早課。
因上人的慈悲教誨，我們這些年紀大的人也能安住道場，學習佛法，甚至出家；我也能在1998年上人出家紀念日那天剃度，今年傳三壇大戒時登壇受具足戒。
今年4月初決定回萬佛聖城拜萬佛寶懺，但在寶懺開始前業障現前，腿上的靜脈曲張又發作了，痛得沒法穿鞋走路，針炙、按摩都沒效。同修們說：「妳腳痛得這麼厲害，怎能參加拜萬佛呢？」我說：「妳們放心，有萬佛這麼多尊佛，他們定會保祐我，滿我的願拜完萬佛。」結果在萬佛懺頭三天腳還是痛，拜得很辛苦，可是第四天就沒那麼痛了；第七天痛已減輕一大半了，拜完腳痛好了九成！
我每早3點起來拜佛到早課，晚上下殿拜佛至10點15分。因為年紀大了，學習能力有限，什麼也不會，所以只能以禮佛來供養佛。
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In July 1995, I traveled from Taiwan to the
City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (CTTB) to attend the Venerable
Master's cremation ceremony. Afterwards, I stayed on to help
out at Jyun Kang Vegetarian Restaurant in San Francisco for
a year and a half. During that time, I dreamt of the Master
twice. In the first dream, the Master said, "Don't be late
for morning recitation. If you want to go to the Western
Paradise and you are late for morning recitation, the gate
to the Western Paradise will close on you." In the second
dream, the Master said, "I have a very long telephone line.
I hear it when any of you miss morning recitation." I have
carefully remembered the Master's instructions and not dared
to forget them. In the past five years, I have been late to
morning recitation only twice, once because the battery in
my alarm clock ran out, and once because I was sick and
hooked up to the IV (for intravenous feeding) for two days.
Under the Venerable Master's compassionate teaching, we
seniors have also been able to live in the monastery to
study and practice the Dharma, and even enter the monastic
life. On the Memorial Day of the Master's Leaving Home in
1998, I had my head shaved and renounced the household life.
This year, I shall receive full ordination in the threefold
precepts.
I had decided in early April this year to participate in the
Jeweled Repentance Before Ten Thousand Buddhas at CTTB.
Before the Repentance, however, my varicose veins swelled
up, and the pain was so great that I could not even put on
shoes or walk. Acupuncture and massage had no effect. My
Dharma sisters said, "How can you bow the Repentance when
your feet are in such pain?" I said, "Don't worry. All the
ten thousand Buddhas will certainly protect me and grant me
my wish of bowing the Repentance Before Ten Thousand Buddhas."
It was indeed painful and hard to bow for the first three
days of the Repentance. The pain seemed less on the fourth
day. By the seventh day, the pain had diminished by more
than half. By the end of the Repentance, the pain was
nine-tenths gone!
I rise at three o'clock every day and bow to the Buddhas
until morning recitation. After the last ceremony in the
evening, I continue bowing until quarter past ten. Being
old, it's hard for me to learn anything and I don't have
much ability. That's why the only way I can make offerings
to the Buddhas is to bow to them.
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