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想要作一首曲，或隨意哼個調子，也許並不太難。但若要音調伴上音韻、詞句，其中得花些功夫。更難的是宗教聖曲，如何能把聖人的超俗思想溶入音樂來表達，是需要培養心靈溝通，及心境的修養。
記
得去年秋天，因感慨上人許多美好的偈頌，少有認識的人將其編出曲子來，也遇上了渴望發揚佛曲善信的鼓勵，一時興起，編出了「宇宙白」的曲子。
事實上，音樂在我性情調整及修行過程中，已起了莫大的幫助。記得從小性格急躁，彈起曲子，又急又馬虎，偏又愛彈快的曲子，更是把音全疊在一塊，亂成一團。後來換了一個鋼琴老師，她馬上把我停住：「從今天開始，回家不許你多彈，你就單彈練第一行，右手練完了練左手，很慢很穩重的，一個手指一個音，交待清清楚楚！」這是很沉悶的練習。雖然稍有不聽話，叫我彈一行卻彈了兩行，卻總算定下心來數小時坐在鋼琴前，一個一個音，運足指力仔細地練，也把急性子拉回來了很多，培養了耐性，這亦是後來學打坐的基礎，可以熬著腳痛忍數小時。要把指力練得穩實了才可彈快，這時必須是快而清楚，重音不粗，輕音不浮，甚至一個小符號都不馬虎。這在我今天才領悟到，做人處事亦如是。修行從慢中穩實，把基礎打好；但做事快時，腦子還必須冷靜不亂。動與靜原是一體，只有非常冷靜的腦子，才可以快速的控制許多音符，一個妄想生起，音就亂了。而若在應付複雜事務時能夠雜而不亂，事情定能辦得好。還記得一位老師對我說：「一個人練琴的態度：譬如今天你已經練了一天，第二天再練時，你是否能用第一天的心態，把自己當成完全不懂，老老實實依然地用心練習？還是已胸有成竹，因少少的成績，而把當初的真心忽略了？」
在我重新調整自己學佛的心態，尤其在「冰天雪地」中提起自己「凍斃且蟄眠」的菩提心時，常想到這句話。人往往在初發心時，心念最誠懇。但若干年後，或因厭倦而退心；又或因得了少許成績，而把當初的純真忽略；更或生起狂慢心，就不能謙卑下來虛心學習。所以修行要保持當初的一念真心，且能夠繼續持久，並非容易之事。是否能天天維持當初學佛的心態，虛心向學，每天做個新人呢？
今年初，還是冬天時，在我把作好的「宇宙白」冷藏一年之際，遇到一位師兄弟給我極大的鼓勵，也念及許多希望聽聞萬佛聖城聖曲的信眾，只好把這首「宇宙白」提出來獻醜，陪了幾位小師弟把它唱出來。天天把這首歌詞打入腦際，才發覺到師父二十年前作的「宇宙白」，竟符合了我的現境。且述愚解如下：
「冰天雪地」：天地之冷還不算冷，但人心若冷，比冰雹霜雪還嚴重。活該當初自己不知天高地厚，要嚐嚐這「忍」字有甚好玩，又好打抱不平，在種種考驗之下，才知道功夫不到家，幾幾乎乎想把自己冷藏在冰庫底下。「無數條小蟲凍斃且蟄眠」：在寒冷中，什麼事也不想去做，貪瞋癡的毒蟲未凍斃，倒是蠕動待成長的菩提心將凍斃，又似還在冬眠中。
「靜裡觀察」：把急躁的性子收回之後，只有靜靜的觀察。「動中審諦」：在行動中還應該繼續諦審。「龍爭虎鬥常遊戲」：觀看身邊英雄各顯其才，好像龍虎鬥爭，猶如一幕幕的戲劇。「鬼哭神嚎幻化奇」：戰敗的鬼只有哭泣，而勝利的正神還要嚎嘯地主持正義，識得境界可以遊戲一場，考輸了還得重頭再來，種種得失勝負，猶如空花幻化，無奇不有。「真實義絕言」：真理永遠無法可說，非言語所能辯駁。「不思議，當進趨」：在非言可說、非思可議的情況下，很想把身邊一切一切停頓下來……，可是生死未了，拖著疲累的身體，還要進趨。「大小泯，內外非」：大與小，好與壞，都要把它去除了。「微塵遍，法界周，囫圇個圓融，互相無礙」：只有把大小、好壞種種形相都除去了，微塵、法界，才能達到圓融無礙的境地。
「雙拳打破虛空蓋」：虛空無形，煩惱亦無形，然而人往往被層層的煩惱蓋得透不過氣，還不認識。所以修福修慧，以此二拳來打破頑空的煩惱蓋。「一口吞盡剎源海」：必須有大海的度量，才能容下剎源海。「大慈悲普度，流血汗，不休息。」要有大的慈悲心，才能慈悲普度一切有緣無緣的眾生，血汗流盡都不停止。
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It may not be difficult to come up with a tune or write a song according to our own whim. Setting a poetic composition to music requires a bit more effort. And it is even more difficult when the theme is a religious one: In order to express the transcendental ideals of a sage in musical form, it is necessary to nurture the communication between mind and soul and elevate the state of our minds.
L
ast fall, I felt it was a shame that so few people could compose music for the Venerable Master’s many wonderful verses. Thus, on impulse I composed the melody for the “White Universe.”
In fact, music has been of great help in regulating my moods and in cultivation. I recall being an impatient person ever since I was little. I always played the piano in a hurried and careless manner. I was especially fond of music with a fast beat. So, when I played a piece of music, all the notes seemed to become lumped together in a mass. Later, I changed to a different piano teacher. She stopped me immediately and said, “From now on, you must not play beyond what you are told when you practice at home. Just practice with your right hand, and then with your left hand. Slowly and steadily, play each note clearly.” It was boring and dull to practice that way. Though I didn’t follow her instructions precisely, playing two lines when told to play only one, finally I did manage to settle my mind and was able to sit for hours in front of the piano and carefully play note by note. In the process, my impatience was tuned down tremendously and I developed patience, which served as a basis for sitting in meditation and enduring pain for hours later on. Only after I had practiced every note accurately and steadily would I increase the tempo. Then I had to play fast and clearly, avoiding harshness in the loud notes and vagueness in the soft notes, and not missing a single musical sign. I have only today come to realize that taking care of matters and dealing with people should be handled in the same manner. During our cultivation, we must slowly but surely establish a firm foundation. When quick action is required, our minds must remain calm and unconfused. Moving and stillness are originally non-dual. Only a calm mind can control many notes efficiently. A single false thought will mess up all the notes. If our minds can think about complex things without becoming confused, then we can deal successfully with complicated matters. My teacher once told me about the attitude to take in practicing piano: “Suppose you have practiced for one whole day. When you sit down to practice the next day, can you still have the attitude of the previous day when you knew absolutely nothing and honestly worked hard in practicing? Or will you feel confident and forget your initial true resolve due to the little bit of progress that you have made?”
When I was readjusting my attitude in studying Buddhism, especially when I tried to revive the Bodhi mind that was already “frozen and asleep in hibernation” during the times of “ice in the sky, snow on the ground,” I often thought of these words of my teacher. The initial resolve is often the most sincere. However, after several years one may retreat from it due to frustration, or forget the purity and sincerity of that initial resolve after making some petty gains, or become arrogant and be unable to continue cultivating with a humble mind. Therefore, in cultivation it is not easy to maintain the initial true resolve over a long period of time. Can we maintain the attitude of a beginner and humbly study Buddhism every day? Can we be new people every day?
At the beginning of this year when it was still wintertime, after the music for “White Universe” had been stored away for a whole year, I met a Dharma-brother who gave me enormous encouragement. Furthermore, considering the many Buddhists who hope to hear more songs from the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, I brought out this piece of music. Accompanied by several Dharma-brothers, we practiced singing it. When the lyrics, composed by the Master over twenty years ago, were going around in my brain every day, I found that they were speaking Dharma for my present state. Let me explain:
Ice in the sky, snow on the ground. When the weather gets cold, it is not truly cold. But if one’s mind gets cold, that is more serious than the ice in the sky and snow on the ground. I deserve it since I was naive enough to want to try out this “patience” to see how much fun it would be. After undergoing all kinds of tests given by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, I learned that my skills were far from mature. I almost wanted to bury myself at the bottom of a freezer. Numberless tiny bugs die in the cold or sleep in hibernation. In the coldness, I did not want to do anything. The poisonous bugs of greed, anger and stupidity did not die in the cold, but the new shoots of the Bodhi mind almost froze to death and seemed to be in hibernation.
In the midst of stillness you should contemplate. After this impatient mind was gathered in, I only did quiet observation. And within movement you should investigate. When I am on the move, I should still maintain my calm observation. Dragons spar and tigers wrestle in continual playful sport. Take a look at the heroes displaying their talents, just like dragons and tigers fighting with each other in scene after scene of a play. Ghosts cry and spirits wail, their illusory transformations strange. The ghosts who were defeated cried, while the victorious proper spirits wanted to shout in making a stand for righteousness. Those who recognize the states can enjoy the play, while those who fail the test must start over. All the gains and losses, victories and defeats are like the strange transformations of illusory flowers in space.
Ultimate truth transcends words. Truth can never be described; it is beyond words. Not thought about or talked about, you ought to advance with haste. In the state where everything is beyond words and concepts, I really wanted to put down everything... However, life and death have not been ended. Dragging this tiresome body, I still must advance quickly. With great and small destroyed, with no inside or out. The great and the small, the good and the bad should all be cast away. It pervades every mote of dust and encompasses the Dharma Realm, / Complete, whole, and perfectly fused, interpenetrating without obstruction. Only when we have gotten rid of the appearances of great and small and good and bad can we pervade every mote of dust and encompass the Dharma Realm, and reach the state of complete, whole, and perfect fusion with no obstacles.
With two clenched fists, shatter the covering of empty space. Empty space has no form; affliction has no form either. However, people are covered by myriad layers of affliction to the extent of being suffocated, and yet they do not recognize it. Thus, we should cultivate blessings and wisdom, and use these two fists to shatter the covering of afflictions. In one mouthful swallow the source of seas of Buddhalands. One must have the capacity of the great ocean to be able to swallow the source of seas of Buddhalands. With great compassion rescue all, / Sparing no blood or sweat, and never pause to rest. One must bring forth a mind of great kindness and compassion so that one can rescue all living beings with whom one has and does not have affinities. One cannot stop even if one’s blood and sweat have been exhausted.
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