|
我的故事是微不足道的。我是一個美國在家人，在佛教裡是屬於幼稚園程度的初學者，我住在路易斯安
那州的紐奧良市，平時去一個家庭式的中國寺廟參加他們的活動，在那裡的出家人很友善，很有耐心，而且很照顧我。在他們這種布施的精神裡，我開始收到位於萬
佛聖城的法界佛教總會的活動通訊雜誌、及錄音帶等。
宣公上人明確而直接的話語立即感動了我，雖然他沒見到我，可是我覺得他看透了我。恆長而永久地
––宣公的智慧之語吸引了我的注意力，而且不停的在扣著我顛倒而不定的心門。即使上人圓寂之後，也沒有離開過。
在母親之墓旁結廬修行的這位和尚教了我三件事：
（一）無時間可玆浪費，一天的拖延等於一年的拖延。要將死字掛眉梢上，才不至於浪費我的一生。
（二）讓那些比較合適亦歡喜做佛學學術討論的人去討論。實際行動才是真的。菩提心及崇高的抱負是
很好聽的名辭，可是還是要有人來煮飯掃地才行。修行者的實踐，不帶有什麼神秘的色彩。修行是平常的，例行的，直接的，實際的，而且是不複雜的。修行好就是
膝蓋疼痛。上人讓我們了解腳踏實地，不好高騖遠的重要性。
（三）現代的這個世界是顛倒的，完全不平衡的。真正能讓我們繼續行在正道上而不走上旁門左道的，
唯一的方法就是––守住對我們有作用的規矩。
有一個古老的辦法可以解決現代的問題，要想看透這個新時代的一片摩登混亂，就要尊敬、保存、敬
重，那些古老而傳統的教導。上人很明確的給了我們這些規矩，那正是他的教化。我們的職責只是去遵循和遵守這些規矩。我們無須為上人的圓寂而驚惶。其實你可
以說，在這一生他已為我們死過很多次了。每次上人放下一些執著、欲求，或一些些自我；他就死了一點。想想看：多少個這種小小的死，把上人一點一點的帶近終
點，直至最後的圓寂。上人教導之種子，就在這甚深而自然的寧靜中發芽、繁榮、發展。所有的事物皆昇起又回復，而至於回歸。
|
|
My story is small and
insignificant. I am an American layperson who is at the
Beginner-Kindergarten level of Buddhism. Living in New Orleans,
Louisiana, I attend services in a Chinese home-temple. The Sangha is
very friendly, patient, and helpful to me. It was through this spirit
of giving in the association that I began to receive newsletters,
magazines, and tapes from the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association in the
City of Ten Thousand Buddhas.
I was touched immediately by
the clarity and directness of Master Hua. Even though he could not see
me, I felt he was able to see through me. Constant and
perpetual--Master Hua’s wisdom-message caught my attention and kept
knocking on the door of my muddled and unsettled mind. Even in death he
does not go away.
The monk who cultivated by
his mother’s grave taught me three universal lessons:
1. There is no more time to
waste. To delay one day is to delay one year. Keep death on both
eyebrows, and my life will not be wasted.
2. Leave the academic and
intellectual discussion of Buddhism to others who are better suited or
more inclined. What counts is action. Bodhi resolve and lofty
aspirations are good-sounding terms but somebody better be cooking the
rice and sweeping the floor. A cultivator’s practice is not some
mysterious quality. Practice is normal, routine, direct, pragmatic, and
uncomplicated. Good practice means that your knees hurt. Master Hua
opened my understanding to the importance of staying grounded on Earth
and not flying, unnecessarily, off to Heaven.
3. The contemporary world
today is upside-down and totally unbalanced. The only way we can remain
undistracted and stay on the path is to have rules that we believe will
work for us. There are ancient solutions to modern problems. The way to
see our way through this “new age” modern mess is to respect, preserve,
and honor the ancient and traditional teachings. Master Hua clearly
gave us those rules to live by. That was his effort. Our job is to
follow and obey the rules.
The Master’s death should
not alarming. Actually you could say that he died many times for us
during the course of his lifetime. Each time he let go of some
attachment, or seeking, or some piece of selfishness, he died a little.
Think of how many small deaths he incurred that brought him closer,
each time, to the root of his tranquility. From this deep, natural
peacefulness the seeds of his teaching could sprout, flourish, and
propagate. Everything arises, returns, and is returned.
|
