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《法語法雨》

 

DHARMA TALK DHARMA RAIN

法雨心燈照古今(七)
The Dharma-Rain and Lamp of the Mind Illuminates the Past and Present (Part VII)

上宣下化老和尚於1974年冬至1975年春亞洲之行開示精華
Selected talks from the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua’s visit to Asia From Winter 1974 to Spring 1975
比丘尼恆音 英譯 English Translated by Bhikshuni Heng Yin

我最初住觀音洞的時候,就在那個石頭上坐著,也沒一張凳、也沒一張臺,什麼也沒有,就這麼坐到這個──那天我們去看,本來是有這麼一個可以坐人的地方,可以坐人我就給他坐。坐大約有半個多月吧?第二天早就腿不動彈了,這腿就像木頭一樣,一點知覺都沒。慢慢這麼活動活動有半個鐘頭,然後才可以落地。我就想:這麼潮濕,恐怕自己受不了,這裏的潮濕,但是我離開觀音洞,去哪裏呢?也沒有一個相當地點。住觀音洞,還是一個郭寬普介紹我去的;他講這件事,這也有好大人情,才可以住觀音洞。我就想:如果出去不住呢?你能對得住人家介紹人嗎?好潮濕自己沒能住,這麼樣也好像好不忍耐似的的。」好了!我自己就這麼想:「唉呀!死了也不離開觀音洞,由著它了!潮濕就潮濕啦!」所以以後就這麼在這裏住,我自什麼都沒有,吃飯時,就到峰山羅漢石那兒吃。

有一天我去羅漢返來的時候,有一條大蛇,這條大蛇好粗的;牠進了觀音洞,我一回來牠就跑。這後邊有個門,牠從後門就跑;他跑,我就追牠,牠到門口那兒要跑,又想反轉頭來和我來鬥,然後反轉頭來看我,牠又從後邊跑掉了。好大一條蛇!

我在觀音洞的時候,以前本來也無水,洞前,那個廣島做了兩個水池,我沒去之前,這個水池時時都乾的、都沒水。我在那兒住,天天好多水來,這個水好清的;所以果滿飲這個水,說:「這個水好甜的!」

我講給你們聽,今天我不怕講,平常我到哪裏,它都會有水的,就因為我在東北有十條龍弟子。第一次有龍王廟,我帶的有果能、果舜,果佐,果志四個徒弟,那麼有十條龍來歸依我,我就對這十條龍講:「乾旱沒雨落,大約有三四個月了,好乾旱!」我說:「你這龍王都這麼懶,也不落雨!你十條龍想要皈依我,你要先落雨,然後我就收你皈依;你若不落雨,我也不收你皈依!」龍就說:「落雨我們沒有這個權力,要玉皇大帝講,我們才敢落雨;如果沒人講,我們不敢隨便落雨的。」這時我就對他們說:「你跟玉皇大帝講,在哈爾濱有一個出家人,他叫某某,我要叫哈爾濱方圓四十里地以內──大了我不管,就四十里地以內,要落雨;如果明日落到雨,我後天就給你們打皈依,收你們做弟子;如果明日沒雨落,我後天就不給你們打皈依!」好奇怪的,第二天果然就下雨,果然就在哈爾濱周圍四十里地以內落雨,遠了還是沒雨落。那麼第三天,我就給這些龍打皈依;皈依之後,我走到哪裏沒水的地方,它就有水來了。我講給你們聽這個因緣,好像西樂園,本來沒水,等我造好西樂園,後邊就有水來了,就因為我有龍的徒弟。

我到美國,我講給你們聽!我出門是不准落雨的,就是出門坐車到什麼地方去,我都預先告訴我的徒弟,我說:「今天你要管這落雨!如果我們在一路上有雨落,返去我就要罰你在佛前跪七七四十九天,不准起身、不准大便、不准小便、不准食飯──動都不准動,要在那兒跪四十九天。如果沒雨落呢?就不用罰!」同我出門的──好像果護,我就對他講;其實他並沒有這個本事啊!我這麼講,就因為這些龍弟子聽話,我出門,牠們不會落雨的。平常我講給你們聽,你們三步一拜若是誠心,在你們拜的地方,前邊下雨、後邊下雨,你們拜的那個地方不會下雨;也就因為我有龍弟子,你們如果誠心感動他們了,他們就會這麼樣做的。你們感不動,你一邊拜、一邊打妄想,牠們知道:「喔!你們都不修道的!」牠就不會擁護你;你要是有誠心,我這些龍弟子都會幫助你們的。

最後那三、四個月都沒雨落,剛剛在他朋友家裏住個三天,就落了三天雨;不住,天又晴了!本來西雅圖天天都會落雨的,但是他們拜的時候,就沒雨落;不拜,就有雨落。就這麼奇怪的,所以我不是嚇你們,這天龍八部一切的鬼神都聽我講的。

我不要講我怎樣好!初初到香港時,修了西樂園之後,我種好多木瓜樹、好多竹、好多的松樹,種了好多。可第二年,樹木都被風打死了你知不知啊?你記得不記得?那時我就講:「我以後在香港一天,我就不准香港再打風!我離開香港,那我就不管了!」我那時這麼講的。這麼講之後,好奇怪,每一次打風,這個風對著香港來了,風正衝著香港來了,到二十個mile(英哩)就轉到一邊去、十五個mile就轉到一邊去;這麼十幾年,香港沒打過風。等我一到澳洲,一個月之後,喔!香港就打颶風,招牌滿街飛,就打爛好多間屋。人人都不知道這個事,不知道有這個情形。等我到了美國,打颶風山嘯了,震死一百五六十人。這是過去的事情,不過你們都不知道。

香港有一年犯了大乾旱,缺水,不知幾多天才有水;乾旱旱得久了,我西樂園水也來得少了,這樣不得了了!我就叫劉果娟,我說:「你要念佛求雨,三天如果沒雨落的話,我永遠不准你回西樂園!」其實她也沒有本事念佛會求得到雨,我故意這麼同她講,她還好老實的猛念佛。兩天半,落大雨了,以後沒水缺了。其他佛堂就領功,大家就說,我們拜懺靈了、我們念佛靈了、我們念咒也靈了;實際上怎麼樣落的雨,他們都不知道的。

講老實話,叫一個人不死,這個權力我還有。譚普才你知道啊!譚普才皈依我那年是七十七歲,相命的占卦,都卦他那年十二月一定死的,所以他怕死,才皈依我。皈依我之後,就「師父你能叫我多活十年,我幫助你造廟。」我說:「我讓你多活十二年。」不單單十年,以後他九十多歲才死的。你講出來沒人相信的,我很多、很重要的事情無人知道,無人知道是怎麼回事!好像果滿,她到西樂園去,見到那桃樹上好多蟲,她說:「師父,我終於來西樂園拜佛,但是你這麼多蟲,嚇得都不敢動彈了。」弟子答:她就怕蟲。我說:「妳明天來就沒了。」那麼第二天她又上去,一條蟲也沒有。那桃樹平時每個葉子有三十條蟲,地下也好多蟲在那兒爬。第二天她到了,一條也沒了。我並不是用殺蟲水把牠殺了,怎麼樣地牠沒了?就這麼講一句話,沒其他的,只講一句話「妳明天來,就沒蟲了!」這些蟲,就和我的龍弟子去拜佛去了,你們一般人都不知道。

她覺得奇怪,你知道啊?弟子答:她求你的時候我在場,她說:「我有病,我的病很多。」在家裏見到人,講話大聲一點點,她就難過。師父說:「她怕嗎?」弟子答:「怕,她跑到角落去。」

我講給你聽,一條黃鼠狼想要皈依三寶,這黃鼠狼就令她怕,令她見到人就怕,初初她講給我聽,我看看因緣還沒到,本來應該有一百天的病,再三十幾天,我說:「妳等一等,慢慢我給你好的」,就是2月14那天,我說今天妳的病應該好了。妳在佛前跪著拜佛吧!她拜了半個鐘頭,我說:「妳好了,沒事了。」她立刻什麼病都沒了!這黃鼠狼我收牠皈依了,所以她的病就沒了,以前她什麼都怕,就因為那黃鼠狼。

待續

When I first got to Guanyin Cave, I sat on a rock. I didn’t have a bench or a platform. There was nothing at all, so I just sat down there. That day we went to take a look. Originally there was a spot just big enough for a person to sit down, so I sat there. After sitting for about half a month, one morning I woke up to find out that I couldn’t move my legs anymore. They were like wood, without any feeling at all. I had to slowly massage them for half an hour before I could get down. I thought to myself, “This place is so damp! I’m afraid I won’t be able to endure the dampness. However, where can I go if I leave Guanyin Cave? There’s no good place to go. It took Guo Kuanpu’s introduction for me to be able to stay here. He had to rely on his connections so I could live here. If I leave, how can I face him after he made a special referral to enable me to come here? If I told him I can’t stand the dampness, it would seem that I didn’t have very much patience. That’s it! Even if I die, I’m not leaving Guanyin Cave. Let things be as they may. If it’s damp, so be it!” After that, I continued staying there. I had no possessions of my own. When it was time to eat, I went to the Arhat Rock at Feng Mountain to eat.

One day, as I was returning from Arhat Rock, I ran into a huge snake. This snake was very thick, and it had gone into Guanyin Cave. When I arrived, the snake slithered off towards a back entrance to the cave. I pursued it to the entrance, where it paused, trying to decide whether to run or to turn around and fight me. Finally the snake turned around and looked at me, and then slithered away. That was one big snake!

Before I went to Guanyin Cave, there had been no water there. Two pools had been built at Guangdao before I arrived, but the pools were always dry. During the time I stayed there, however, there was plenty of water every day. The water was very pure. That’s why, when Guo Man drank it, she said, “This water is so sweet!”

Today, I’m not afraid to tell you that, no matter where I go, there’s always water there. That’s because when I was in Manchuria, I accepted ten dragon disciples. It was at the Dragon King Temple. I took my four disciples Guo Neng, Guo Shun, Guo You, and Guo Zhi along. Ten dragons came to take refuge with me, and I said to them, “There’s been a drought and no rainfall for three or four months! It’s terribly dry!” I said, “Your Dragon King is so lazy, not letting any rain fall. If you ten dragons wish to take refuge with me, you must first make it rain and only then will I give you the refuges. If you don’t make it rain, I won’t transmit the refuges to you!” The dragons objected, “We don’t have the authority to make it rain. The Jade Emperor has to give the order before we can make it rain. If there’s no order, we dare not casually let the rain fall.” Then I said to them, “You go tell the Jade Emperor that there’s a monk named so-and-so in Harbin who wants it to rain within a 40-li [3 li is approximately 1 mile] radius of Harbin. I don’t care what happens farther than that, but it has to rain within 40 li. If it rains tomorrow, then I’ll let you all take refuge and become my disciples the day after tomorrow. Otherwise, I won’t let you all take refuge!” Strangely enough, the next day it did indeed rain, but only within a 40 li radius of Harbin. There was no rain beyond that distance. The third day, I gave the refuges to those dragons, and since then, whenever I go to a place that has no water, water will come. I’m telling you the circumstances for this. Western Bliss Gardens, for example, used to not have any water. After I finished building it, water started gushing out in the back, all because of my dragon disciples.

Let me tell you something else. After I came to the United States, I have forbidden there to be rain whenever I go out. Whenever I have to take a car ride somewhere, I always tell my disciples ahead of time, “Today, you have to control the rainfall. If it rains while we are on the road, when we get back I will make you kneel before the Buddhas for seven weeks—49 days, without getting up, without using the restroom, without eating. You won’t be permitted to do anything but kneel there for 49 days straight! If it doesn’t rain, then you won’t get punished!” I say this to whoever goes out with me, such as Guo Hu. Actually, he doesn’t have this power. It’s all because my dragon disciples are obedient and don’t let it rain when I go out. I usually tell you that if you are sincere when you do “three steps, one bow” on the road, it will not rain in the place where you are bowing, nor will it rain in front of you or behind you. This is due to my dragon disciples. If you are sincere and move them to help you, they will do this. If you aren’t able to move their hearts, because you have false thoughts as you bow, they will know it and think, “Ah! You are not cultivating the Way!” Then, they will not protect you. If you are sincere, my dragon disciples will all help you out.

In the final three or four months of my two disciples’ bowing pilgrimage, it didn’t rain it all. As soon as they stayed over for three days at a friend’s house, it rained for three days straight. Once they moved on, the sky cleared. It typically rains every day in Seattle, but when they were bowing through that area, there was no rain. When they were done bowing, the rain came again. That’s how strange it was. I’m not trying to scare you, but all the Dharma-protecting ghosts and spirits really listen to me!

I don’t want to brag about myself. However, when I first arrived in Hong Kong and built Western Bliss Gardens, I planted a lot of papaya, bamboo, and pine trees. The second year, all the trees were blown down by a typhoon. Did you know that? Do you remember? At that time, I declared, “From now on, as long as I am in Hong Kong, I will not permit any typhoon or storm to come to Hong Kong. If I leave Hong Kong, then I don’t care.” After I made that statement, each time a typhoon seemed to be heading straight for Hong Kong, it would change course as soon as it came within 15 or 20 miles of Hong Kong, and go off to the side. For over a decade, Hong Kong had no typhoons. After I left Hong Kong and went to Australia, within a month, Hong Kong was hit by a hurricane. Store signs were blown about the streets, and many buildings were destroyed. Nobody was aware of the karma or the circumstances behind this. After I came to the United States, there was a hurricane and a mountain quakes that killed 150-160 people. These are matters of the past, which none of you know about. One year there was a great drought in Hong Kong. Hong Kong tried to regulate the water, but there was no water for several days. As the drought dragged on, even the water at Western Bliss Gardens diminished. This was serious! I called Liu Guo Juan over and told her, “You must recite the Buddha’s name and seek rain. If it doesn’t rain in three days, I will not permit you to return to Western Bliss Gardens ever again!” Actually she didn’t have the power to recite the Buddha’s name and make it rain. I just made a point of telling her that, and she very vigorously recited the Buddha’s name. Two and a half days later, a great rain fell and there was no lack of water. The other Buddhist monasteries claimed the credit, saying, “This is a response from our bowing in repentance,” or, “Our recitation of the Buddha’s name really worked,” or, “Our mantra recitations were efficacious.” In reality, they had no idea why or how it rained.

To tell you the truth, I do have the power to keep someone from dying. Tan Pu-cai knows! Tan Pu-cai took refuge with me when he was 77 years old. The fortune tellers read his fortune, and it said he would definitely die in December that year. He was afraid of dying, so he took refuge with me. After taking refuge, he said, “Master, if you let me live another ten years, I’ll help you build a monastery!” I said, “I’ll let you live twelve more years, not just ten.” He lived to be ninety-some years old. No one believes these stories. I have a lot of important matters that no one knows about or has any idea of how they happened. For instance, when Guo Man went to Western Bliss Gardens, she saw the peach trees crawling with caterpillars and said, “Master, I finally made it to Western Bliss Gardens to worship the Buddhas, but all those caterpillars here make me afraid to move.” [Disciple: She was always afraid of bugs.] I said, “Come back tomorrow, and they’ll be gone.” The next day she came up again, and there was not a single caterpillar in sight. Originally there had been about thirty caterpillars on each leaf of the peach trees, and the ground had been crawling with caterpillars, too. However, the next day when Guo Man came back, there was not a single caterpillar to be seen. I certainly had not killed them off with pesticide. How could they all have disappeared? All I did was say one sentence, no more, and that was: “Come back tomorrow, and they’ll be gone.” You all don’t realize that those bugs went to bow to the Buddhas, along with my dragon disciples. Most people don’t know about that.

Guo Man thought it was very strange. Do you know about this? [Disciple: Yes, I was there when she asked for your help. She said, “I am sick. I have a lot of illnesses.” Whenever she saw anyone at home who spoke in a slightly louder tone of voice, she would get upset.] Was she scared? [Disciple: Yes, she would go hide in a corner.]

Let me tell you the story. There was a weasel who wanted to take refuge with the Triple Jewel. It was this weasel that made her scared whenever she saw people. When she first told me her situation, I saw that the conditions were not yet ripe. The sickness was to last for 100 days, and there were thirty-some days to go, so I told her, “Wait a little while. Gradually, I’ll help you get well.” On February 14th, I said, “Today, you are supposed to get well. Go kneel before the Buddhas and bow.” She bowed for half an hour, and then I said, “You are well now. You have no more illness.” And she immediately had no illnesses! I gave the refuges to the weasel, and that’s why her illnesses went away. She used to be scared of everything because of that weasel.

To be continued

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