余於五十年代前後，曾於上海市佛教青年會的《覺訊月刊》上，撰寫過《課餘隨筆》，並未留稿，十年動亂中，佛教書刊多付劫火。在撥亂反正後，承溫州好友宋智明居士，從倖存的佛刊中，輯集其大部分，油印成冊。在八十年代的美國加州《萬佛城金剛菩提海》中，連續轉載。當時的四眾高行、佛化史事，得以部分流傳。而且雜誌體裁，理事交參，亦頗為同仁們所喜愛。今者，政策英明，像運回升，國內的佛教期刊芬馥競秀。今又欣看《浙江佛教》之創刊，承主編約稿，遂決定續寫《隨筆》，並借此與海內外師友推敲法義，策進行解焉。
「緣起性空」是佛教最基本的觀點，貫穿一切法，也包括世間的一切事物莫不如此！法運興衰，皆由時節因緣。《四十二章經》說的「觀興化，如四時木。」即此意也。大法之將興也，常有祥瑞，高賢輩出，感應昭彰。法運之將衰也，靈感湮寂，賢善罹厄，魑魅橫行…。毀寺逐僧、陷害賢良者，竟無明顯的報應，不少人往往因此懷疑而退心。佛陀既有威德神通，要覺世度生，為什麼佛教會遭到破壞呢？其實，這是當時眾生的共業所感。生逢盛世，眾生福德淳厚，有能受持奉行經教而得度者，佛法乃興，並致世間於治平。但也有不信者、毀謗者，這又是共業中之別業，當時運不濟，眾生福薄，法運當衰，這是共業所致；其中困辱，罹厄者，則是共業中之別業。他們是由於自身的定業違緣，也許已經是重報輕受了，還卻了宿業債，以後也許並不壞。「禍福倚伏」，其為非作歹害人者，他的後果往往獲報甚慘！其中錯綜複雜的因果律，有長期性、複雜性、隱顯性，而決定是恰如其份，毫厘不爽的！本人有親身經歷，於此確是心安理得，體會良深，僅以掬誠奉告於並世賢達。
佛教確是大有利於人生者！對於佛教能夠信受奉行的人，都是宿有善根，且都是多生善根之所致啊！可是，富貴和欲樂享受是迷人的！一轉世生了富貴家，就往往是「一世修，一世丟了！」在我確鑿的見聞中，在浙江省就有兩位生有自來的人，一位是周勤禮女士，她出生於富裕家庭，大學畢業，嫁給銀行家寧波人劉品三先生做媳婦，自是過著錦衣玉食的富家生活。後來忽然想遊天台山，就由我的兩位知交趙翠平、張炳初居士陪同去的。一進天台高明寺，她竟全知寺中的所有殿堂庭宇的全貌，熟門熟路地如同自己的家園。她深深的感覺到自己的前生，就是這裡的修行人，但還沒有全通宿命。她便問寺中還缺少什麼？答還須一口大銅鐘，她就慨助了一口數萬元錢的大銅鐘。可是，就做了這麼一件大功德；以後，一直在國外，惜未再深修，現在在巴黎是一位著名的鋼琴家，過著豪華的生活。
又，在八十年代，我在杭州經辦印經書之時，姚嘉鐮居士幫助我做了許多校對寄發等工作。他是南京大學法文系畢業的。我曾問他的學佛因緣，原來他是從姊夫祖父鮑養田的事實，而對佛教深信不疑的。他的太親翁鮑老，是紹興的望族和首富，一生過著豪富的生活。年輕時游鎮江「江天寺」，一進寺門，恍同家園，全知其中的房舍設施；行到了一處，宿命現前了，嗄！我原來就是這裡的某某方丈啊！他的善根畢竟深了，晚年自敲木魚誦三皈依中逝世。雖為善終，但確實而論，還不一定是已經了生脫死呢！以上兩位真人真事，還都是不同的程度的「一世修、一世丟」！以時下人的根器，要得「當生成就之佛法」，那只有具信、願、行念佛求生彌陀淨土的徑路修行，橫超法門了！ |
|
I used to write "Casual Thoughts in My Spare Time" for the "Enlightenment Monthly" published by the Shanghai Buddhist Youth Association in the 1950s. I did not keep the manuscripts, and most of the Buddhist publications were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. After the dust settled, a good friend of mine, Upasaka Zhiming Song of Wenzhou, retrieved most of my writings from the debris and put them in print. In the 1980s, these articles were republished in the U.S., in the monthly journal Vajra Bodhi Sea from the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in California. This helped to make known the virtuous deeds of Buddhist monks, nuns, and laity, as well as various Buddhist anecdotes.
Since that journal deals with both theory and practice, it was appreciated by many of my fellow cultivators. Now that the government has changed its policy on religion, the publication of Buddhist periodicals is blossoming. I was pleased to see the first issue of Buddhism in Zhejiang come off the press. The editor-in-chief also invited me to resume writing "Casual Thoughts" to contemplate on the profound Dharma and to validate the understanding and practice of Buddhism with fellow cultivators in China and overseas.
"All things arise from conditions, but are empty in nature" is the most fundamental concept in Buddhism. It characterizes all dharmas, and nothing in this world falls outside of it. The rise and ebb of the Buddhadharma has its conditions. As it says in the Sutra in Forty-two Sections: "I look upon the prosperity of the teaching as upon a tree during four seasons." There are usually auspicious signs and numerous virtuous cultivators when the Dharma propers. When the Dharma declines, miracles are no longer seen, the virtuous ones suffer, and ghosts and demons are on the loose everywhere. Sometimes people lose faith because those who ruin temples, drive away the monks, and harm the good do not immediately receive their retribution. They wonder: If the Buddhas have transcendental power and vow to enlighten living beings, why would Buddhism be destroyed like this? In fact, the hard times are due to living beings’ collective karma. When there is general prosperity and people have abundant blessings and are able to attain liberation by practicing the Teachings, Buddhism flourishes and the world is at peace. As for people who disbelieve and slander the Dharma, that is their own individual karma on top of the collective karma. If there is general hardship and living beings have scarce blessings, such collective karma will cause Buddhism to decline. If there are those who suffer from severe hardship at that time, it is due to their own fixed individual karma. Yet perhaps Buddhism has already helped alleviate severe retributions. Once they have paid off their debts, things might turn around. Each person's fortune and woes in life are caused by his own behavior. The law of causes and effects is complex yet accurate. It's workings can be long-term, intricate, obvious or unrecognizable. I realized this from my personal experiences and sincerely wish to share it with everyone.
Buddhism can really benefit people a lot! Those who believe and practice are able to do so because of good roots planted in many life times. Yet, the charm of wealth, power, and pleasure can be tempting! If one is born with a silver spoon in one's mouth, one can very easily lose sight of the proper path. Consequently, the merit earned in one lifetime can all be lost in another. I know some examples of this in the Province of Zhejiang.
One is Mrs. Jinli Zhou, who was born in a well-to-do family and married banker Mr. Pinsan Liu from Ningbo after she graduated from the university. One day in her comfortable life, she decided to visit Tiantai Mountain. Two of my acquaintances Cuiping Zhao and Bingchu Zhang went with her. Once Mrs. Zhou stepped into Gaoming Temple, she was as familiar with the building as with her own home. She deeply felt that she had been a cultivator there in a previous life. But she did not know the exact details. After finding out what the temple needed, she donated a huge copper bell worth tens of thousands of dollars. But that was all. Later she lived luxuriously as a famous pianist in Paris, and never followed up on Buddhist practice.
The other example is the grandfather-in-law, Mr. Yangtian Bao, of Upasaka Jialian Yao, who helped me with proof-reading and mailing when I printed Buddhist Sutras in Hangzhou. Mr. Yao's involvement and faith in Buddhism came through what happened to Mr. Bao. Mr. Bao was from the richest and most distinguished family in Shaoxing and was very wealthy all his life. When he visited Jiangtian Temple in Zhengjiang as a child, as soon as he stepped in the gate he felt that he was at home, and he knew the temple inside out. When he walked to a certain spot, he perceived: “Oh, I used to be the abbot here!” His good roots were deeper, and he passed away reciting the Three Refuges in his old age. Although it ended well, still he might not actually have broken free of death and birth.
From these two true stories, we can see how one can easily consume in a lifetime all the merit one earned in another. With the condition of our faculties, the only way to have some accomplishment in this lifetime is to have faith, to make vows for rebirth in the Pure Land, and to practice by constantly reciting Amitabha Buddha's name. This is the Dharma-door for getting out of the Three Realms quickly! |
