初见佛法僧三宝

公年十三岁。祖母周太夫人弃世。公随父扶柩回乡安葬。请僧作佛事。公初见佛即拜。看经则喜。睹僧恭敬。一切法器把玩不舍。若有感悟而不自知之状态。

宣化偈曰：
永言孝思古今传。慎终追远报恩虞。
仰承三昧加持力。河沙罪业悉消蠲。

First meeting with the Triple Jewel — 
the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha

When the Master was thirteen, his grandmother Chou died and he accompanied his father to escort the coffin back to Hsiang-hsiang County for burial. The Sangha was invited to perform Buddhist rites. Upon first seeing an image of the Buddha, the Master immediately bowed; the sight of the Sutras elated him and when he met the Sangha, he acted with deference. He tried each of the ceremonial instruments and did not want to stop playing them. It was as if he had suddenly come to an understanding, and yet he himself did not appear to be aware of it.

The verse says:
Eternal words and filial thoughts are transmitted from past to present.
He carefully performed ancestral rites, sincerely repaying compassion. 
Relying upon samadhi's power of aiding and maintaining,
Offenses as numerous as Ganges sands were completely wiped away.