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在我未出家之前，我的工作是新聞記者。在六年的記者生涯中，得見人生百態，尤其在採訪意外新聞，報導奪命車禍或意外事件時，常須出入醫院及意外現場，親眼目睹了人的種種生老病死。對於車禍死者在事發後短短數分鐘內就當場氣絕斷命，感觸特別深刻，因此覺得人生如夢，生死事大，唯有修道才能報答父母的深恩。
一九八八年，宣公上人帶領法界佛教總會、法界佛教大學訪問團，抵馬來西亞檳城訪問期間，我有機緣前往求受五戒，當時自覺與上人有緣，也興起從上人剃度出家的念頭，但是卻找不到門徑。次年，自覺因緣成熟，於是向父母請准後，就到檳城一間寺院受持八關齋戒六個月。在這期間勤修夜不倒單，並禮拜上人的法相，有一天晚間夢見上人，不久之後就遇到恆蘇法師，在他的協助下，於九〇年農曆二月八日－釋迦牟尼佛出家日、六祖大師聖誕，從上人出家。
一九九二年九月，於萬佛聖城受三壇大戒。萬佛聖城是禪、教、律、密、淨五宗並修的清淨道場，有機緣來到這裡，我希望自己能好好學戒、習教與修禪，方不負出家修道的本意。
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Before I left the home-life, I worked as a newsreporter. In my six years as a reporter, I saw the various facets of life, especially when I reported on accidents. When I had to cover car collisions involving loss of life or other accidents, I frequently had to go to the hospital or the scene of the accident, and thus I saw the phenomena of birth, aging, sickness and death with my very own eyes. Witnessing the victims stop breathing and die just minutes after the accident, I was deeply moved to feel that life is but a dream, and the matter of birth and death is the most important. Only by cultivating the Path could I repay my parents' deep kindness.
In 1988, Venerable Master Hsuan Hua lead a delegation representing the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association and the Dharma Realm Buddhist University to visit Penang, Malaysia. During their visit, I had an opportunity to receive the five precepts. At that time, I felt an affinity with the Venerable Master, and conceived the desire to leave home under the Ven. Master. However, I did not know how to go about arranging it. The following year, I felt the conditions were ripe, so after obtaining my parents' permission, I went to a temple in Penang and took the eight vegetarian-day precepts for six months. During this period, I vigorously practiced sleeping in a sitting position, and also bowed in homage to the Venerable Master's image. One night I dreamed of the Master, and soon afterwards I met Dharma Master Heng Su. With his assistance, I left the home-life under the Venerable Master in 1990 on the eighth day of the second lunar month, the Day of Shakyamuni Buddha's Leaving Home and the Birthday of the Sixth Patriarch.
In September of 1992, 1 was ordained in the Three-fold Great Precepts at the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. The Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas is a pure monastery in which the Chan, Teaching, Vinaya, Secret, and Pureland Schools are simultaneously cultivated. Having the fortune to come here, I hope to learn the precepts well, study the teachings and practice Chan meditation, so that I will not fail my purpose in leaving home.
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