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WHEN HE WAS EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD, when he
had reached his eighteenth year, WHEN HE WAS ABOUT TO BE MARRIED, just
when he was about to get married, when he was about to get a wife, HE MET
A BRAHMAN SANGIN. This Brahman Sanghin could refer to a monk from India
or to a monk who cultivates pure practices, because Brahman means pure
practices. This monk of pure practice REVEALED HIS FIVE VOWS TO THE MASTER
THEN TO KUO CH'ING. The Venerable Chih Wei went to Kuo Ch'ing Monastery, Kuo
Ch'ing Monastery of T'ien T'ai. HE RESIDED WITH CHANG AN AND LEFT THE HOME-LIFE.
The Venerable Chang An is A person, and the Master left the home-life with
the
Venerable Chang An. HE RECEIVED THE ESSENTIALS OF THE MIND. He was
transmitted the Mind Dharma. HIS SAMADHI AND WISDOM WERE PERFECTED. At this
time he had samadhi power, and his wisdom power was perfected. HE
CERTIFIED TO THE DHARMA FLOWER SAMADHI. He certified to the Dharma Flower
Samadhi.
HE
WISHED TO FIND A PLACE TO SPEAK DHARMA. He wanted to find a place to lecture
Sutras and teach the Dharma. HE THREW HIS STAFF INTO THE AIR. He threw his walking
staff into the air. IT FLEW TO LIEN CHAN MOUNTAIN IN HSUAN YUAN. His staff flew
by itself to Lien Chan Mountain in Hsuan Yuan. THEN THE MASTER DWELT THERE.
This Venerable one dwelt in that place. HE CALLED THAT PLACE FA HUA,
"Dharma Flower." He named the area Fa Hua Mountain. BY DAY HE LECTURED
AND BY NIGHT HE MEDITATED. He lectured the Dharma Flower Sutra during the
day, and at night he practiced meditation. HIS STUDENTS NUMBERED IN THE
HUNDREDS. There were hundreds of students who studied with him.
THE
MASTER'S BODY WAS SEVEN (Chinese) FEET TALL. This venerable one was seven feet
tall. HIS BUILD WAS VERY ELEGANT. He was built very well, very elegant. EVERY
TIME HE ASCENDED TO THE SEAT. Whenever he sat down to lecture the Dharma, A
PURPLE CLOUD FORMED ABOVE HIS HEAD. A purple cloud of incense hung in the
air above him. IT APPEARED LIKE A JEWELED CANOPY. This purple cloud was like a
jeweled canopy. DAILY IT WENT TO HIS DIVINE ABODE. It was always with him.
HE TRAVELLED EIGHTEEN LI FOR HIS FOOD. He had to travel more than eighteen
li for his food, to go on his begging rounds. EVERYONE SAID HE HAD PSYCHIC
POWERS. People said he had the penetration of psychic powers.
IN
THE FIRST YEAR OF YUNG LU( ) in the first year of the period Yung Lu during the
T'ang Dynasty, HE SAT DOWN IN FULL LOT AND TRANSFORMED. He sat in full
lotus position and went to rebirth.
DURING
THE TIME OF T'AI TSUNG, during the time of Emperor T'ai Tsung of the T'ang
Dynasty, HE WAS INSTALLED AS ONE OF THE FOUR GREAT MASTERS. He was
installed as one of the four great masters. He was one who was installed by
the emperor. DURING SUNG HE WAS GIVEN POSTHUMOUS TITLE OF THE VENERABLE
HSUAN TA. During the Sung Dynasty he was installed with the title of Hsuan
Ta.
A
VERSE IN HIS PRAISE SAYS, HE LEFT THE HOME OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND
ENTERED THE FAMILY OF THE DHARMA KING. He left the home of the Prime
Minister and entered the family of the Dharma. Before he was a Prime
Minister and then he entered the family of the Dharma King. HIS SAMADHI
AND WISDOM BOTH FLOURISHED. He had perfected both his samadhi and wisdom
AND
CERTIFIED TO THE DHARMA FLOWER. He had certified to the Dharma Flower
Samadhi. HIS STAFF FLEW AND WHERE IT STOPPED...He flew his staff to where
he was to live. THE DHARMA DRUM BEAT FOR A LONG TIME. HIS VOWS WERE SMALL,
BUT HIS ATTAINMENTS WERE GREAT. In the beginning his vow-power was small,
but he obtained the Great Vehicle. WAS THIS NOT ONE OF GREAT POWER WHO
HAD COME TO APPEAR? He was probably one of great power who had manifested
to come here and do great Buddha works.
ANOTHER
VERSE IN PRAISE SAYS, ONE WITH GREAT POWER MANIFESTED IN THE BODY OF A
PRIME MINISTER. Sometimes those who are high officials are
manifestations of Bodhisattvas. But a high-ranking official should not be
greedy for being a high-ranking official. If one is greedy, then this is a
manifestation of a demon. Mao Tsai-tung was a Chairman, a high-ranking
official, but he was demonic, so there were problems. CHIH CHE EXPLAINED
THE DHARMA FLOWER SUTRA. Prime Minister Ch'en heard Master Chih Che
lecture the Dharma Flower Sutra and thus HE SOON CERTIFIED TO SAMADHI. He
quickly certified to the Dharma Flower Samadhi. AND QUICKLY ACCOMPLISHED
SINGLE-MINDED PRACTICE. This also means he very quickly accomplished the
single mind. This means he did nothing else but cultivate. He cultivated
with one mind. A PURPLE CLOUD SHIELDED AND PROTECTED HIS VIRTUOUS
TRANSFORMATIONS. There was this purple cloud in the air above him, which
appeared because he had virtuous practices and virtuous transformations.
A RED MIST WOUND THROUGH THE ASSEMBLY OF TEN THOUSAND. There were many
people, who came to his Dharma Assembly for lecturing the Sutras, so the
line says "the Assembly of Ten Thousand." And there was a red
light, which illumined them all. I feel it was like this. But ultimately
there is no real evidence to prove it.
THE FIFTH PATRIARCH
OF THE T'IEN T'AI WAS IMPOSING AND ELEGANT. The cultivation of the Fifth
Patriarch of the T'ien T'ai School was very supreme, very good. MAY
BUDDHISM IN AMERICA BE RENEWED EACH DAY. I hope he will come and teach
America and cause American Buddhism to flourish more each day and become
more accomplished with each day.
The
Dharma Realm of People
The way of people is harmony,
With
merit and error interspersed.
On
virtuous deeds you rise, offenses make you fall,
It
has nothing to do with anyone else at all.
Venerable Master Hua |
