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阿姜蘇美度:
在他人生的多數時間，尤其最後十年，他都面對著極大的生理困苦，即使如此他的存在仍然使感到人一股力量，感覺到他純淨真誠的心。這一切都來自於對無常變化著的人類身體狀況的捨心。
我們在英格蘭的Amaravati
（永生），剛建好一座佛寺，完全交接設在今年七月四日。我得馬上回英國，就是為這事做準備。這座寺興建了五年間，它的建成全是基於信眾的樂捐，因此它出自於那些恭敬佛教，有心為佛教奉獻人的善心、信心和布施心。看到英格蘭出現這樣的道場，真是太好了！從中你可以看到英國人對佛教，尤其是對佛教禪修的興趣到甚麼程度。佛教的心胸是敞開的，是包容而非排斥，因此生活在英國，我們與那個國家的各種佛教團體、基督教團體、其他宗教團體都有著良好的關係。在那個國家，我們處理與其他團體的關係時，不標異現奇，而是從瞭解中來學習，來與人與環境尊敬和諧地相處。
宣公上人離世前，
將距此不遠位於紅木谷的一塊地贈送給我們。從設在那裏的無畏寺，我可以看到在過去三、四年中，阿姜帕沙諾、阿姜阿瑪拉，全力發展這座個廟，使它成為一塊修行，恭敬佛法，依著佛法生活的土地。看到加州有這種情形出現，真令我高興。我衷心鼓勵、支持他們對這座廟的奉獻。當初上人贈送給我們這塊地時，我感覺非常意外。因為那時我剛到美國，很想拜訪上人；我已經三，四年沒回來了。我問阿姜阿瑪拉能否安排一下，他與恒實法師聯絡，想知道上人在何處，怎樣才能見到他。我到加州時，上人正在南加州醫院中接受密集治療，我和恒實法師去了南加州。那時我得知上人贈地給我們僧團的意願，我們非常欣喜。此舉出自於大布施心、大信任心，以及對比丘生活，聞法獻身修學佛法的大恭敬心。
在我看來，強調獻身投入非常重要。最近我去了奧立崗州的Benedictine修道院，我問方丈最近有沒有年輕人來投身為僧侶。他說，「年輕一代沒有獻身投入精神。」這一看法很有趣。他說，「以前的人一旦入了門，就會一生獻身投入；現在不同了，人的想法變了。」你們回味一下這個觀點。在我看來，獻身投入宗教生活是絕對必要的，強烈的獻身投入感，使我度過了許多困難。這些困難出自於我的內心，出自於世界與身邊的社會環境，獻身投入會給你一種力量；如果你缺乏獻身投入的目標，你就不會有這種力量，你多少是在跟著衝動走，這會有副作用；獻身投入使你忍耐下去。我出家後有些最困難痛苦的經驗，後來變成了最富於力量的經驗。從長遠看，只要能忍耐下去，能學著擴展心量，學著去應付內心感情習性，和外界團體社會帶來的困擾，你就抓住了每一個機會，來使你的慧根自我培養、強化。等到了某個階段，你感情的平衡就會達到堅固不可動搖的程度。
我體會到，若在生活中沒有某種願力，沒有面對、承受考驗的意願，要達到那樣的力量程度是不可能的。心靈上的許多力量，都來自於人在這個世界，這個星球上的這些困苦經驗。
我今天還要講兩場；現在結束這一場，相信你們是會樂意的。我只想再次表達來訪萬佛城的歡喜心情，在安排行程時，我特地要求這樣的機會；對於聖城慷慨布施給我們紅木谷無畏寺，此行這也是我心情的表達。這種寺廟與寺廟間的交流，對我來說很重要，因為這表現出良好修行的價值。我們可以隨喜對方的善行，相互支持道業。現在我結束思緒，祝福你們每一位，祝福你們從聖城正舉行的法會中，得到最大的利益和力量，願你們投注於其中，有決心，從一切私心和痛苦中得到解脫。謝謝！
待續
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AJAHN SUMEDHO:
In his mind, he knew how not to fall into the negative state
and always sustain that sense of attention and openness to
the flow of experience that he was inevitably receiving in
his life. Much of his life and especially the last ten years
of it, he dealt with lots of physical difficulties and
problems. Yet even then, one felt the power of his presence
and the purity and the serenity of his mind-these come
through despite the changing conditions of the human body
that we have.
Now we have a temple that we finished
building in England, in Amaravati. This temple will be fully
consecrated on July the Fourth of this year. I am returning
to the U.K. to prepare for this event. This temple was built
over the past five years, just on the free will donations of
faithful Buddhists, so it is itself something that came into
being through good will, faith and generous impulses of
human individuals who have developed this respect, interest
and commitment to the Buddhist teaching. It's very wonderful
to see such a place rising up in a country like England. You
can observe a certain amount of interest by the British
themselves, especially in Buddhist meditation. There's an
openness of heart in Buddhism that includes and does not
exclude, so that we find ourselves living in the U.K.,
having good relationships with various Buddhist groups and
Christian groups and other religious groups that exist in
that country. Our relationship with those in that country is
not one where we try to exert ourselves in any special way,
but one of learning to live in a respectful and harmonious
way in relation to people and the environment.
I can see that in our monastery here in
Abhayagiri. Venerable Master Hsuan Hua, before his death,
gave us this piece of land in Redwood Valley, not very far
from here. Over the past three or four years, Ajahn Pasanno
and Ajahn Amaro have both commitment themselves to
developing this forest monastery as a place where the
Buddhist teaching can be practiced, lived and respected.
Just to see this happening in California is. also something
that brings me joy and I wish to encourage and support their
commitment to this monastery. When Master Hsuan Hua offered
the land to us, it was an enormous surprise to me because I
was just coming to the U.S. at the time, and I particularly
wanted to go and see Master Hsuan Hua. I had not been to the
U.S. for about three or four years, so I asked Ajahn Amaro
if he could arrange that. He contacted Venerable Heng Sure
and we tried to consider where the Venerable Master would be
at the time and how I could meet him. By the time I arrived
here in California, he was already in intensive care in a
hospital in southern California. So I went down to southern
California with Venerable Heng Sure. During that time I was
informed of the Master's wish that this land be donated to
us, to our order of monks. His gift is greatly appreciated,
because it was given out of great generosity, great trust,
great respect for our lives as monks and in order to provide
opportunities to hear the Dharma and to commit to the
practice of the Dharma.
To me, it is very important that
commitment is emphasized. I was recently at a Benedictine
monastery in Oregon asking the Abbot there if any young men
are entering the order these days. He replied, "The younger
generation cannot make commitments." That was quite
interesting. He said, "It's not like the old days where once
you entered you could commit yourself for life. This is not
the way people think anymore." I mention his comment in
order to give you the opportunity to think about what he
said. I found that commitment to monastic life, for me, was
absolutely necessary. Strong commitment has been able to
carry me along through the different troubled times, both
those in my own mind and those in the world and the society
around me. Commitment gives us a kind of strength that we
don't have if we don't commit to anything. Without
commitment, we would more or less follow our impulses, which
would lead to another kind of result. Commitment does hold
you in; some of the most difficult and painful experiences
in my monastic life have been the most strengthening. In the
long run, just by bearing with, enduring, learning how to
expand your mind, learning how to cope with the difficulties
of internal emotional habits and the external problems in
the community and society, you are giving your wisdom
faculty every opportunity to develop and strengthen itself.
At some point, you reach an emotional balance that seems
strong and unshakable.
I realize that without some form of
determination in life and a willingness to put up with and
endure tribulations, of course that kind of strength is not
possible. A lot of spiritual strength comes through these
difficult, troublesome experiences that human beings have in
this realm, on this planet.
I again want to express my pleasure to be
able to come to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. I
particularly requested this opportunity when I was planning
my itinerary, and my presence here also serves as an
expression of gratitude for the generosity extended by CTTB
to our monastery in Redwood Valley, Abhayagiri. This kind of
cooperation among monastics means a great deal to me,
because it shows the value of good Dharma practice. We can
rejoice and delight in each other's goodness and support
each other's journey. So I'll end my reflections at this
time and extend my best wishes and blessings to every one of
you. May you gain great benefit and great strength for this
time here at CTTB, for the ceremony that's taking place. May
it give you that commitment, that determination, and a
freedom from all selfishness and all suffering. Thank you.
~ To be continued
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