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Bodhi Mirror

恆承法師
母女三人同入僧家
D.M. Heng Cheng
Entering the Sangha Together With Her Two Daughters

恆雲法師整理 Compiled by D.M. Heng Yun

宣公上人取秉承二字,賜法名果秉,號恆承。法師俗姓古名炳妹,她與兩女的奮鬥史已詳載於〈福慧聖寺沿革〉一文。

她兩個女兒因受到母親的感召,也都不願結婚,願意修行,用孝順來回報母親的恩德,在美濃你若問福慧聖寺何在,可能少有人能答,但若問起「三母女」何在?那你很容易就會找到福慧聖寺了,因為三人都因守貞潔而知名。

孝順的女兒常常讀一些佛教的書籍給母親聽,其中之一便是《宣化上人開示錄》。當古炳妹聽了上人的開示,受上人高行懿德的感召,便決定將寺廟獻給這位實踐「不爭、不貪、不求、不自私、不自利、不妄語」六大宗旨的高僧大德。一九九二年三月一日,福慧堂舉行隆重的獻寺典禮之後便更名為福慧聖寺。

今年八月十六日,恆承法師與其發心亦將隨母現出家僧相,師法上人修學佛道的兩個女兒,遠自台灣來到美國加州的萬佛聖城,正趕上盛大罕見的水陸空法會。

承法師此行特為求受三壇大戒,不惜八十二歲不良於行(雙腳因早年抬砂石上山建寺,勞苦過度,致患關節炎)的老邁身體,坐在長達十餘小時的機艙中,一路上,求法求戒的興奮之情,令她無法成眠。下機之後,由聖城派出的專車將同行的法師、居士約二十人先載往譯經院用齋。稍事參觀,便乘原車,駛向萬佛聖城。

一生行孝,敬老尊賢的宣公上人早已吩咐,城裡所有出家、在家四眾弟子列隊於山門兩側恭迎,且於萬佛寶殿鐘鼓齊鳴,在大眾恭誦觀音菩薩聖號聲中,將母女三人請至大殿金光晃耀的千手千眼觀音菩薩像前。殿內大眾講求開示,一口客家音的承法師謙虛地說:「我是山裡人,沒智慧,又不會說中國話。希望大家好好修行,學菩薩行,要在佛道上走得很光明。」簡短而懇切的開示,經美惠口譯為國語,再由城內法師英譯,見聞者都深深感動於母女三人純樸真誠,老實修行的風範。

為了先請旅途勞倦後的承法師早作休息,在場大眾合掌致敬之後,恆承法師在美京及美惠的扶持下,由執事法師引導至城內專為老人特設的寮房,安頓食宿。

年齡上,她多了上人數年,上人尊敬她說:「我看待一切老人如自己母親一般。」上人又告訴美京、美惠:「要孝順媽,要向媽學。」其實,這話也是向大眾說的。

九月六日兩位女兒正式落髮為上人座下的出家弟子。九月十二日恆承法師等圓滿了求授三壇大戒,成為比丘尼,入了僧數,受完了大戒,第一個點戒疤的就是恆承法師。在許多年青新戒子興奮地要點戒疤時,不知道什麼時候恆承法師也來了,默默坐在一旁,原來是她發心要點戒疤。年青的戒子尊重老年人,讓恆承法師先點,大家怕她年紀太大受不了,沒想到點了三顆,恆承法師像沒事似的,慈藹天真的臉綻開了笑容,法喜充滿,就如上人說的恆承法師是老來福。在歷盡千辛萬苦後,恆承法師對佛的尊重與信心,讓她擁有一個佛光普照的老來福。


Venerable Master Hua took the two words Bing and Cheng (meaning "inheritance") to give her the Dharma name Gwo Bing, title Heng Cheng. Dharma Master Heng Cheng's layname was Bing-mei Gu.

Influenced by her example, her two daughters Mei-jing and Mei-hwei had no wish to marry; they just wanted to cultivate and repay the kindness and virtue of their mother. In Mei Nung, if you asked directions to Blessings and Wisdom Sagely Monastery, probably few people could answer. However, if you asked where to find "the trio of a mother and two daughters," you would easily get to Blessings and Wisdom Sagely Monastery, because these three people were well-known for their observance of chastity.

The filial daughters often read Buddhist books to their mother, one of which was Instructional Talks by Ven. Master Hsuan Hua. Upon hearing the Ven. Master's instructional talk, Bing-mei was moved by his lofty conduct and noble virtue. She decided to offer her temple to this venerable, virtuous monk who truly practices the six great principles of "not fighting, not being greedy, not seeking, not being selfish, not seeking personal profit, and not lying."

On March 1, 1992, Blessings and Wisdom Temple was offered up in a solemn ceremony, and renamed Blessings and Wisdom Sagely Monastery.

On August 16th, Dharma Master Heng Cheng and her two daughters, who wished to follow their mother in leaving home and cultivating under the Ven. Master, came from Taiwan to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (CTTB) in California, just in time for the rarely seen Water-Land-Air Ceremony.

Dharma Master Heng Cheng came especially to be ordained in the three platforms of precepts. Not sparing her 82-year old body, she sat for over ten hours in the plane. During the trip, her excitement in seeking the Dharma and the precepts made it impossible to sleep. After getting off the plane, she was picked up by a car sent from CTTB and taken to the International Translation Institute for lunch, along with about twenty other Dharma Masters and laypeople from Taiwan. After a brief visit, they were driven to CTTB.

The Venerable Master, who has made a life-long practice of filial respect to elders and virtuous ones, early on instructed all his lefthome and lay disciples to line up at the mountain gate entrance to welcome them. In the Buddha-hall, the great bell and drum were struck, and as the assembly chanted the holy name of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva, the mother and two daughters were led before the shining golden image of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva, with a thousand hands and eyes.

At the assembly's request, Dharma Master Heng Cheng modestly spoke in the Hakka dialect, "I am from the mountains; I have no wisdom, and I don't speak Mandarin Chinese. I hope everyone will cultivate well, and learn the Bodhisattva conduct. Everyone should walk on the Buddha's path with bright clarity." These brief but sincere remarks were orally translated to Mandarin Chinese by her daughter Mei-hwei, and then to English by a CTTB Dharma Master. All those listening were deeply touched by the sincere and honest cultivation of the mother and two daughters.

Wishing to let Dharma Master Heng Cheng rest early after her arduous journey, the assembly joined their palms in respect, and she was led to special quarters for the elderly.

She is several years the senior of the Ven. Master, who expressed his respect for her by saying, "I look upon all elderly people as if they were my own mother." The Ven. Master also told the daughters Mei-jing and Mei-hwei, "Be filial to your mother, and learn from her." Actually, these words were meant for everyone. On September 6th, the two daughters shaved their heads and became left-home disciples of the Venerable Master.

On September 12th, Dharma Master Heng Cheng and the others completed the ordination in the three platforms of precepts, and are now Bhikshunis in the Sangha order: After the ordination, the first one to burn incense on her head was Dharma Master Heng Cheng. As the many younger nuns were excitedly preparing to make incense burns, Dharma Master Heng Cheng approached unnoticed, and sat quietly to one side. She had also brought forth the mind to make incense burns. Out of respect for an elder, the other nuns let her make burns first. Everyone feared that she would not be able to endure it, on account of her advanced age, but to their surprise, she made three burns as if it were nothing at all. Her kind and innocent face broke into a smile, for she was full of the joy of the Dharma.

As the Venerable Master has said, Dharma Master Heng Cheng's blessings have come in old age. After weathering so many ordeals, her faith and reverence for the Buddhadharma has in her old age given her the blessing of being shined on by the Buddha's universal light.

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