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白永發老居士今年七十三歲，生長於中國東北，平時話不多，大家都稱他「白老」。
三年前，白老來到美國萬佛聖城，由於他有充分的莊稼知識，因此成為聖城內最佳農耕技術的顧問。 白老從小就學會打糧種田，田犁得又深又直，一口氣可以把兩百多斤的大米扛起。由於體力一向非常硬朗，所以在城內總是修剪樹木、種菜，不願閒著。另外，一大早，就到城內君康素食餐廳幫忙揉麵、趕餃子皮、剁餡子等。
去年，白老發覺自己肝部有病，在病中，女兒為他誦《地藏經》，也講「殺生的故事」，白老感歎地說：「早知道殺生的果報這麼重，就不殺了。」因為年輕的時候，身強力壯，每逢過年，鄰居都請他幫忙殺豬，從二十多歲到七十歲，算算也宰了兩百多頭豬。這是白老一生中最感到遺憾的一件事。
在遙遠的老家，白老沒機緣聞佛法 ，自從到了聖城，天天接受佛法的薰習，也帶給白老另一個嶄新的生命。
（編按：白老已於一月二十九日中午十二時 六分往生。二月一日剃度，法名果永。）
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Upasaka Mr. Bai Yung-fa, aged seventy-three this year, came from Northeast China and is usually untalkative. Everyone calls him Elder Bai.
After coming to the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas three years ago, due to his abundant knowledge of farming, Elder Bai has become the best technical advisor on farming in the City.
From his youth he learned how to plow and plant the fields and husk the grain, and the furrows he plowed were deep and straight. With one heave-ho he could shoulder 200 jin of rice. Physically, Elder Bai has always been strong. In the City, he is always trimming trees and planting vegetables. In the Jyun Kang Canteen, he would often begin early in the morning, making dough, rolling it, and then chopping the filling and wrapping dumplings.
In his old age, Elder Bai has discovered that he has a liver ailment. While he was sick his daughter recited the Earth Store Sutra for him and told him stories about the merits of refraining from killing. After hearing these stories, Elder Bai sighed and said, "Had I known about how heavy the retribution for killing is, I would not have done any killing." Because in his youth he was strong, he could kill with one blow. Every time during New Year's, the neighbors would ask him to help kill pigs. From the time he was in his twenties until he was seventy he has killed over two hundred pigs. This is the biggest sorrow in Elder Bai's life.
In his remote hometown, Elder Bai had no opportunity to hear the Buddhadharma. But since coming to the Sagely City and receiving the daily influence of the Buddhadharma, Elder Bai has gained a new lease on life.
(Editors' Note: Elder Bai passed away on January 29, at 12:06 p.m. In a leaving -home ceremony held on February 1, his head was shaved and he was given the Dharma name of Gwo Yung, "Eternal Fruition.")
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