律法師、各位法師、各位居士：
我今天奉了大和尚的指示，要我今天晚上和大家見見面，和大家介紹一點我與宣公老法師的連繫過程；但是我因為年紀大，講話不清楚，希望各位多多原諒。
我剛剛接到恆律大和尚送給我一本宣公老法師追思紀念的專集，我把它打開一看，他功德是非常的偉大，他在世界上做了大量的貢獻，是不可說言的境界，即是大菩薩乘願再來的。
我自從一九九五年六月七日，得到宣公老和尚涅槃的消息，我們在中國上海的教友，都感到非常的悲傷。這一天我們圓明講堂正在紀念圓瑛老法師，有兩三千人都知道這個悲痛的消息。我們這一天就在上海圓明講堂將紀念圓瑛老法師紀念會，改為悼念宣公大德長老法會。有兩三千人專門念一堂佛，紀念宣公老和尚。吃過飯，打了一場普佛，來紀念宣公老和尚。這一天有很多的教友，原在圓明講堂參加法會，都參加了這個紀念宣公老法師的紀念大會，或參加普佛。
這一天，中國佛教協會趙樸初會長，唁電的兩句話：「苦海舟沉，人天眼滅」，非常地哀悼。
上人生前說：「我從虛空來，回到虛空去。」這也是《金剛經》中的要義。我希望在座的各位法師、居士，把老法師最後「我從虛空來，回到虛空去」的話，請大家記在心中，隨時隨地都離不開老法師的遺教，隨時隨地都像親近老法師一樣分不開地。
這什麼意思呢？就是說虛空廣大圓滿，週遍法界，我們每一個人都不能離開虛空，我們能生存在世界都靠著虛空；沒有虛空，我們就不能生存。我們做了老法師的弟子們，經常得到老法師的教導，把老法師所講的種種話，要記在心中間，那我們就時時刻刻、在在處處都能見到老法師如在目前。
老法師在這兩句話下面，還有幾句話，他不是說「諸佛的母親──華嚴經」、「正法的妙用──楞嚴經」、「如來的家法，就是正法眼藏」，老法師最後這三句話是什麼意思呢？就是說《華嚴經》希望大家多唸、多看、多研究，這是諸佛母親，能夠出生無量的諸佛。諸佛的母親，《華嚴經》；正法流遠呢，就是《楞嚴經》。《楞嚴經》裡講什麼道理呢？講非常主要的道理。所以要使正法永遠常流下去，永遠不息，就可以多研究《楞嚴經》。老法師所講的多少「不」，希望大家一生中間把老法師所講的不爭、不貪、不求、不自私、不自利、不妄語中六個「不」字，都記在心中間，多研究《華嚴經》，多看看《楞嚴經》。諸佛的母親、正法的妙用、佛教的家風，大家記在心中。這就是宣化老法師雖然過去了，他的遺教，他的法語，還有很多留在世間，還有很多的事業，都在世間，希望各位法師，都在恆律法師和恆實法師、各位老師兄領導下，團結起來，把老和尚的事業，更加發揚廣大發達，更加一天比一天興隆起來；才不辜負老法師一番的心血，做了許多的功績，交代各位。
因為我今天沒有很好的準備，剛剛翻開追思紀念文章看一看，老法師的幾句話非常非常重要，真是如來的正法眼藏，真是真理；希望大家把老法師這幾句話，永遠記在心中間，就是我們時時刻刻不離老和尚的教導，時時刻刻紀念老和尚講的願望。所以他十八大願中間，最後的一個願，就是他所有的願，統統得到得到圓滿成功。所以各位如能照這樣做下去，就是老法師十八大願中所講的，他真正得到各位弟子們大力支持、大力擁護。
因為時間關係，我不多講，我跟老法師多年的交情，不是一句、二句話講得完，我想在座各位已經都看到、聽到我們多年的交情，我這次怎麼來的呢？我收到恆律法師一再的邀請。我在上海百忙中間，無論如何我要到萬佛城來給老法師送行，祝他老人家發的願，獲得滿願，法會順利，佛事莊嚴，一切如意。謝謝各位。最後感謝恆律法師、恆實法師、在座各位法師，謝謝大家！Bye-bye. Sayonara!（再見！）
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（一）
高僧赴美結良因， 舊友新知格外親；遠涉重洋弘聖教，鵬飛異域播梵音。
如來寺裡如法行，萬佛城中萬事興；
功德圓滿光史冊，千秋偉業耀當今。
（二）
妙覺山前鐘鼓聲，達摩鎮畔有高僧；
度輪長老悲心切，宣化沙門慈願深。
廣施門開興水陸，無遮會啟利有情；
廣大宏誓深似海，乘願重來渡眾生。
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Dharma Master Lyu, all Dharma Masters, and all laypeople:
T oday I received the Abbot’s instructions asking me to meet with everyone tonight and talk about the development of my relationship with the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua. However, because of my advanced age, I cannot speak clearly, so I hope all of you will forgive me.
A little earlier Abbot Heng Lyu gave me a copy of the memorial collection in honor of the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua. As soon as I opened the book and began to read, I realized that the Venerable Master’s merit and virtue are extremely great. He made a great contribution to this world. His state cannot be expressed in words. He certainly was a great Bodhisattva who came back riding on his vows.
Ever since June 7, 1995, when we received the news of the Venerable Master Hua’s Nirvana, many Buddhists in Shanghai, China, have felt extremely sad. On that day, at the Yuan Ming Lecture Hall we happened to be commemorating the Anniversary of the late Elder Dharma Master Yuan Ying. Two to three thousand people were present, and they all heard this sad news. So right in that Dharma Assembly, we began a memorial ceremony for the Greatly Virtuous Elder Master Hsuan Hua. Two to three thousand people recited the Buddha’s name in the morning in memory of the Venerable Master Hua. After lunch, we also held a universal bowing session in memory of the Venerable Master. On that day, many Buddhists who had come to the Yuan Ming Lecture Hall to attend the Dharma Assembly all participated in the memorial ceremony for the Elder Dharma Master Hua and in the bowing ceremony.
That day was just as Chairman Zhao Puchu of the Buddhist Association of China described in his telegram of condolence: “It’s as if the ship has sunk in the sea of suffering, and the eyes of humans and gods have been put out.” We all felt extremely grieved.
The Venerable Master said when he was alive, “I came from empty space, and I will return to empty space.” This is also the essential meaning of the Vajra Sutra. I hope all the Dharma Masters and laypeople who are present will remember in their hearts these last words of the Elder Dharma Master, “I came from empty space, and I will return to empty space.” At all times and places, do not be apart from the Elder Dharma Master’s last teaching. It should always be inseparable from you, just as when you used to draw near the Elder Dharma Master.
What does it mean? It means that empty space is vast, great, and perfect, pervading the entire Dharma Realm. None of us can be apart from empty space. We rely on empty space to exist in the world. Without empty space, we wouldn’t be able to exist. As disciples of the Elder Dharma Master, we often received teachings from him, and we should remember in our hearts all the things he said. If we do that, then at all times and places we will be able to see the Elder Dharma Master as if he were right in front of us.
The Elder Dharma Master also said some other things after that sentence. He said, “The mother of all Buddhas is the Flower Adornment Sutra”; “The wonderful function of the proper Dharma is the Shurangama Sutra”; and “The Tathagata’s Dharma is the Proper Dharma Eye Treasury.” What is the meaning of these last three statements of the Elder Dharma Master? He hoped that everyone would spend more time reciting, reading, and studying the Flower Adornment Sutra, which is the mother of all Buddhas and can give birth to all the limitless Buddhas. So, the Flower Adornment Sutra is the mother of all Buddhas. To perpetuate the proper Dharma, use the Shurangama Sutra. What principles does the Shurangama Sutra discuss? It talks about very fundamental principles. If we want the proper Dharma to stay forever and never decline, we can spend more time studying the Shurangama Sutra. The Elder Dharma Master talked about many “no’s.” I hope everyone will remember for their whole life the six no’s that the Elder Dharma Master spoke about—no fighting, no greed, no seeking, no selfishness, no self-benefitting, and no lying. I also hope everyone will spend more time studying the Flower Adornment Sutra and reading the Shurangama Sutra. The mother of all Buddhas, the wonderful function of the proper Dharma, and the tradition of Buddhism—everyone should remember these in their minds. Even though the Elder Dharma Master Hsuan Hua has already passed away, his teachings and his words of Dharma are still very much in the world. Much of the work that he has done is still in the world. I hope that all of you Dharma Masters will unite under the leadership of Dharma Master Heng Lyu, Dharma Master Heng Sure, and your elder Dharma-brothers, so that you can propagate and expand the Venerable Master’s endeavors, causing them to become ever more flourishing with each passing day. Only then will you not be ungrateful for the Elder Dharma Master’s bitter toil. His numerous achievements have been passed on to you.
I was not very well prepared for today’s talk. I just opened the memorial collection and skimmed through the essays. Those statements of the Elder Dharma Master are extremely important. They are truly the Tathagata’s Proper Dharma Eye Treasury. They are the genuine truth. I hope everyone will cherish these words of the Elder Dharma Master in their hearts forever. Then we will never be away from the Venerable Master’s teachings for a moment. At all times we will be remembering the Venerable Master’s wishes. Among his Eighteen Great Vows, the last one is that all his vows will be fulfilled. If all of you can follow this, then the Venerable Master will truly obtain the full strength and complete support of his disciples in realizing his Eighteen Great Vows.
Due to the limited time, I will not say too much. My friendship with the Elder Dharma Master goes back many years, and it cannot be summed up in a couple of sentences. I think all of you have seen or heard about our friendship of many years. How did I come this time? I received repeated invitations from Dharma Master Heng Lyu, and so despite my busy schedule in Shanghai, I was determined to come to the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas to bid farewell to the Elder Dharma Master, to pray that the vows he made will be fulfilled, that the ceremonies will be orderly and splendid, and that everything will turn out well. Thank you all. Finally I’d like to thank Dharma Master Heng Lyu, Dharma Master Heng Sure, and all the Dharma Masters who are present. Thank you, everyone! Bye-bye. Sayonara!
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(1)
A lofty Sanghan came to America to create good causes
Whether old friends or new acquaintances, everyone liked to draw near him.
He crossed the vast ocean to propagate the holy teaching.
He flew to a distant foreign land to spread the pure sound.
In Tathagata Monastery, people cultivate in accord with the Dharma;
In the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, the myriad things flourish.
The perfection of his merit and virtue will shine in the pages of history.
His great deeds that will endure for a thousand autumns illuminate the present time.
(2)
The bell and drum are struck at Wonderful Enlightenment Mountain.
In the town of Talmage, there was an eminent Sanghan.
The Venerable Elder To Lun's compassion was earnest.
The Shramana Hsuan Hua's kind vows were profound.
Opening the door of extensive giving, he hosted the Water Land Ceremony.
With an assembly open to all without restriction, he benefited sentient beings.
His vast, great vows are as deep as the sea.
We hope that, riding on his vows, he will return to save living beings. |
