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我是臺灣高雄人。回想自己這一生當中，如果沒有遇到佛法，現在不知道會是個什麼樣子？佛曾說：「末法時期是個鬥爭堅固時期」，光是這個瞋心，如果沒有佛法來調伏，無形中它就會傷害我們；這樣的體會，我在一年又十個半月的軍中生涯裡感觸特別深。
在我的學佛過程中，母親對我的幫助是最大的，她是我研究佛法最好的學習對象，很多關於這方面的資訊，也是從她而得知，這包括得悉上人所創辦的萬佛聖城。
但真正對聖城有進一步的了解，是在一次偶然的機會中，從舊書攤裡找到一本上人的《開示錄》，當讀到上人對育良小學生的開示時，感覺特別的親切，便於一九九二年皈依上人。那時我便希望有朝一日能來聖城修習。
如今很幸運地進入居士訓練班就讀。
聖城令我覺得是一個實踐佛法非常好的地方。因為在這裡一切靠自己，大原則還是以六大宗旨為基礎。以前雖然深信只要堅持一法，必能所作皆辦。但時間是最大的挑戰，日子一久，常常有意無意地覺得，只持一法好像不夠用。這時候向外攀緣的心就容易生起來，總是尋尋覓覓想找一些新鮮的法，或者是尚未聞知的法，這實是沒有在六大宗旨上好好下功夫關照所致。有的時候出坡，如心裡的力量不足時，不免也會起煩惱；不過每每晚上誦到「捨命為佛事」時，心裡就覺得慚愧。所以還是有很多須要磨練的地方等待著我來克服。 |
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My family is from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and I was born and raised in Taiwan. Seeing my life in retrospect, I wonder what I would be like now if I hadn’t encountered Buddhism. The Buddha said, “The Dharma-ending Age is a time when people are strong in fighting.” If we didn’t have the Buddha’s teachings to help us overcome our anger, we would certainly harm ourselves unconsciously. The year and ten-and-a-half months that I spent in the army gave me a strong impression of this.
My mother has helped me greatly in my study of Buddhism. Not only is she an excellent study companion, she has provided me with most of my information. I first learned about the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas from her.
I learned more about the City from a copy of the Venerable Master’s Instructional Talks that I found at a used books stall. I was especially touched by a talk the Master gave to students of Instilling Goodness Elementary School. I took refuge with the Master in 1992 and hoped to one day come to the City to study and practice.
Now I’ve been fortunate enough to enroll in the Laity Training Program at the City.
In my opinion, the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas is a place where the Buddha’s teachings are genuinely practiced. Everyone here relies on himself or herself and tries to follow the Six Guidelines. Although I’ve always believed that devotion to a single method of practice will yield success, time is the greatest challenge. After a while, I can’t help feeling that a single method isn’t enough, and so I start looking around for novel methods to try. This is because I haven’t really applied myself to the Six Guidelines. Sometimes I become afflicted as I do the daily chores, but then when we recite the vow to “renounce our lives to the Buddha’s work” in the evening, I always feel remorseful. There are still many areas I need to work on within myself.
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