一九九三年三月三十一日,由於長堤聖寺大殿新建落成的因緣,上人請洛杉磯當地護法居士胡果相,對大眾說明法界佛教總會洛杉磯分道場-金輪聖寺、長堤聖寺成立的前後經過,隨後上人並補充說道:
長堤聖寺前後的經過,你們都應該知道。每個道場怎麼樣來歷,怎麼樣的沿革,我都記得很清楚。你們大家都知道了長堤聖寺的來源了嗎?
將來我都把所有道場變成不動產,不必要的房地產,我就都把它變賣了,保留下來的,都是作永遠的西方佛教道場,任何人,任何時候也不可以把它變賣了,我要立這個憲法。所有我的徒弟,你們要知道,你師父是窮的,你們也都應該跟著我受窮的,不應該有錢。一有錢,麻煩就來了,就不修行了;一有錢,就掛著吃喝玩樂,無所不為了。不像我現在在這兒,一張紙都用它好幾天。我相信我的徒弟,沒有一個是這樣的,他們大約都是自由國家來的,對金錢也不懂得怎麼樣節省,所以我不給他們留太多錢,我也不希望有太多錢,你們大家明白我了嗎?
我還可以告訴你們一件事情,因為我出家以來,注重要翻譯經典,還有也注重教育。所以這麼多年以來,人家送給我的果儀,我儲蓄了這麼多年,儲蓄了二十五萬,我保存著預備拿出來做教育的獎學金,培植出家人和在家人讀書的。無論出家人、在家人,有力量讀書的,我都可以供一供他們。雖然很少的,也可以供幾個人讀書,我們就這樣子。所以也有出家人,也有在家人,現在去讀博士的,讀學士的,讀 master(碩士),大家也都不知道,好像果廷、果真,都是由我獎學金撥出來的,給他們去讀書,還有一些在家人。我現在告訴你們,你們各位供養我的錢,我可以說是很節省的。在這三十多年之內,儲了這麼多錢,現在還供一些學生讀書,這是我用錢的地方。今天雖然人不多,我告訴你們大家,不然你們不知道我的錢都幹什麼用了。
還有因為當時有一個果明,他講話、聲音、相貌和我的態度差不多,也這麼老氣橫秋的樣子,講起來好像似模似樣的,可惜他死得太早了,我也撥出五萬塊給他做獎學金,這五萬塊錢,可以給在家人、出家人做獎學金,這是我一生的願力!
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On March 31, 1993, on the occasion of the completion of the Buddha Hall at Long Beach Sagely Monastery, the Venerable Master asked a Dharma-protecting layperson from Los Angeles, Gwo-Syang Woo, to tell everyone the background of the temples of Dharma Realm Buddhist Association in Los Angeles--Gold Wheel Sagely Monastery and Long Beach Sagely Monastery. Then the Venerable Master added:
That is the history of Long Beach Sagely Monastery, which all of you should know. I remember the history and background of every one of our temples very well. Is everyone clear about the background of the Long Beach Sagely Monastery?
In the future, I will treat all the temples as real estate. We will sell those properties which we do not need, and the remaining properties will become Buddhist temples in the West forever. No one should ever sell those properties. I will set up the rules and by-laws to ensure this. You who are my disciples should know that your teacher is poor, and you ought to follow me in poverty, and not have any money either. Ah! Once you have money, the troubles come and you cannot cultivate. Once you have wealth, you will want to eat, drink and be merry - and you will not stop at anything. That is not like from my practice of using the same napkin for many days. I do not think a single one of my disciples does that. Probably they are all from free countries and know very little about being thrifty. For that reason, I am not going to leave too much money for them. I myself do not wish to have a lot of money either--do you all understand me?
There is one more thing I may tell you. Ever since I left the home-life, I have regarded the translation the Sutras as important, and I have also emphasized the importance of education. Therefore, in all of these years, I have been saving up the donations that people made, and I saved up $250,000. I was planning to use it as scholarships for left-home people and laypeople to study. I was willing to give a scholarship to anyone who would study, whether he was a left-home person or a layperson. Although the money was not much, it could still support several people to pursue their studies, and that's what we used it for. So now there are both left-home people and laypeople working on their Ph.D.'s, Bachelor's, and Master's degrees. For example, you all were not aware that Gwo Ting, Gwo Jen and some laypeople are studying under the aid of this scholarship fund. I will also tell you now that I have been very thrifty with your donations. Over the past thirty years, I have saved up this much money and now it is providing some people with an opportunity to study. This is how I have spent the money. Today, although not that many people are here, I have told everyone about this; otherwise you would not know how I have used this money.
Furthermore, there was a person named Gwo Ming. The way he talked, his voice, his appearance and his mannerisms were all pretty similar to mine, and also his air of being old beyond his years. Ah! When he spoke, what he said was both eloquent and sophisticated. What a shame he passed away so soon! He died too early. I have also allocated fifty thousand dollars as a scholarship in memory of him. That sum of money can also be used to provide laypeople and left-home people with a chance to study. This has been my lifelong vow!
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