|
恆樸師是越南人，移民加拿大卡加利城。1986年初，衆人集資在卡城買房子作佛堂共修；恆樸師亦參與此項盛舉。同年六月上人到卡城弘法，恆樸師聽了上人開示大受感動，即皈依在上人座下。大衆趁此機緣把佛堂供養上人。上人首肯後，信衆歡喜踴躍，慶幸卡城終於有一個正信道場。
上人指派弟子常住華嚴聖寺，每天講經說法吸引很多信衆前來學佛。開始時恆樸師會放逸，上午到廟裡，下午就溜去打牌。常住的法師特別勗勉她修行要不怕辛苦，才能成大器。
1987年萌出家之念，來聖城住了兩個星期，看到很多西方人在此過著清苦的生活，深覺慚愧。回家後即不睡床，只睡地上；每日三時起身作早課；嘗試日中一食。影響所及三個孩子亦隨著吃素。
從此恆樸師日日誦經、禮懺，摒除一切交際應酬。正如古人所說：「不妝面，不嬉戲；吃齋念佛，說慈悲語。」1993年又萌出家之念，四月份來聖城拜萬佛寶懺後即留下在廚房幫忙。同年九月正逢三壇大戒，恆樸師終於滿出家之願。1995年9月受具足戒。
上人說：「修行要常懺悔。」恆樸師依教奉行，每日定時在佛前禮佛求懺，期能蠲除業障，早生淨土。
|
|
Heng Pu Shi is a native of Vietnam
who emigrated to Calgary, Canada. In 1986, a group of laity
collected funds and bought a house in Calgary to serve as a
Buddhist temple, a place where people could practice. Heng
Pu Shi also took part in this endeavor. When the Venerable
Master went to Calgary to propagate the Dharma in June, Heng
Pu Shi was deeply moved by the Master's words and promptly
took refuge with the Master. The lay group decided to offer
their temple to the Master. When the Master accepted, they
were delighted, for Calgary finally had a Way-place based on
the Proper Dharma.
The Venerable Master sent his disciples to stay at the
temple, which was named Avatamsaka Monastery. They gave
Sutra lectures and Dharma talks every day, attracting many
people to come to study Buddhism. At first Heng Pu Shi was
rather lazy. She would go to the temple in the morning, and
then slip away in the afternoon to play cards. The resident
Dharma Masters tactfully exhorted her at opportune times,
telling her that cultivators who wish to become vessels of
the Way must not fear hardship.
In 1987, wishing to leave the home-life, Heng Pu Shi came to
the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas for two weeks. Seeing the
many Westerners who were able to endure the City's austere
lifestyle, she was ashamed. Upon returning home, she started
sleeping on the floor instead of in bed, rose at three each
morning to do morning recitation, and tried eating only one
meal a day. Influenced by her example, her three children
also became vegetarian.
From that point onwards, Heng Pu Shi began reciting Sutras
and bowing in repentance daily and cancelled all her social
engagements. As an old saying goes, "she neither made
herself up nor indulged in amusement; she ate only
vegetarian food, recited the Buddha's name, and spoke kind
words." In April she came to the Sagely City to bow the Ten
Thousand Buddhas' Repentance, and stayed on to help in the
kitchen. In September when the Three-fold Ordination
Ceremony was held, Heng Pu Shi finally fulfilled her wish to
leave the home-life. She was fully ordained in September
1995.
The Venerable Master said, "In cultivation, one should
constantly repent and reform." Heng Pu Shr took his advice.
She bows to the Buddhas in repentance every day, seeking to
eliminate her karmic hindrances and be reborn in the Pure
Land soon.
|
