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六年前（一九九○年）正值謝果福居士生命陷入最黑暗低潮時，一部師父上人講解的「妙法連華經淺釋」如強勁磁石，將陷溺業海就要滅頂的謝居士，倏地一把救起。那深入淺出的法語密契機要，字字扣人心弦。蔽障心智多年的垢穢，自此逐一融銷。連家中九十歲的老祖母亦同受庇蔭，臨終時安然含笑而辭世。有感師父上人普濟群倫的慈悲願力遍及一切處，無時無刻不在攝護我等有情。謝居士乃竭誠發願背誦「觀世音菩薩普門品」，一則期勉生生世世總持不忘佛恩，一則聊表寸心以效師志。
一日，長姊領同謝居士去埔里（台灣南投縣）一座寺廟觀音殿上香，禮拜俯仰間，赫然見到屹立眼前的千手千眼觀世音菩薩和美國萬佛城萬佛殿裡的那尊完全一樣，（同出香港名雕刻家王泰生居士之手）。這莊嚴相好的觀音菩薩像，在這個世界上才只有五尊哪！不可思議。
謝居士皈依後於一九九五年，抽空參訪萬佛誠時，更深刻瞭解了師父為善不欲人知的精神。他老人家整日為救度眾生不惜嘔心瀝血，抱病弘法。自忖螻蟻之力豈能報浩瀚師恩於萬一？於是在觀音菩薩聖誕法會上，謝居士叩首祈願：「在有生之年，只要是師父的道場需要義工，他當克盡棉薄。」不想，隔兩天立刻有了回應，便到高雄六龜法界聖寺圓成心願。啊！真是念念感應念念通。
謝居士目前在萬佛城長住。某日，方丈和尚恆律師問：「學佛受用最大是什麼？」謝居士答：「未學佛，是不知不覺；學了佛，是後知後覺；但願我等十方法界一切眾生有朝一日共知共覺、共證菩提。」 |
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When Layman Guo-fu Xie was going through the darkest period of his life six years ago (1990), he obtained a copy of the Venerable Master’s commentary of the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. Like a powerful magnet, that book pulled him out of the sea of karma in which he was drowning. Every word of the Master’s clear and yet profound commentary penetrated deeply into his heart. They were exactly what he needed. The filth and defilement that had covered and obstructed his mind and wisdom for so long were gradually wiped away. Even his ninety-year old grandmother who lived in their home felt the beneficial influence and was able to pass away with a smile on her face. Inspired by the conviction that the Venerable Master’s compassionate vows to rescue all sentient beings are always and everywhere protecting all of us, Layman Xie sincerely resolved to memorize the chapter on Guanshiyin Bodhisattva’s Universal Door in the Lotus Sutra. On the one hand, he hopes that in life after life he will never forget the kindness of the Buddhas, and on the other it is a token of his wish to follow the Master’s will.
One day his eldest sister asked Layman Xie to go with her to Puli (in Nantou county, Taiwan) to offer incense in the Guanyin Hall of a temple. While he was bowing, he suddenly noticed that the Thousand-handed Thousand-eyed Guanshiyin Bodhisattva image in front of him was identical to the one in the Buddha Hall at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in the United States. (Both were made by the well-known sculptor, Layman Tai-sheng Wang.) There are only five of these adorned Guanyin images in the world. Inconceivable!
When Layman Xie took some time off to visit the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in 1995 after having taken refuge, he had a deep insight into the Venerable Master’s spirit of helping others while remaining anonymous. He perceived that the Master was so completed devoted to rescuing living beings that even when he was sick to the point of vomiting blood, he continued to propagate the Dharma. Thinking of his own puny, mosquito-like strength, Layman Xie wonders how he can ever repay even a tiny portion of his Teacher’s kindness! And so during the celebration of Guanyin Bodhisattva’s Anniversary, he bowed and made a vow, “For as long as I live, whenever a Way-place of the Venerable Master needs volunteers, I will exhaust my paltry strength and do my best to help.” To his surprise, two days later his wish was granted, and he was asked to go help out at Dharma Realm Sagely Monastery in Liugui, Gaoxiong. Ah! There truly is a response to every thought!
Layman Xie is currently residing at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. One day the Abbot, Dharma Master Lyu, asked him, “What is the greatest benefit you’ve gained from learning Buddhism?” He replied, “Before I learned Buddhism, I didn’t understand anything. After studying Buddhism, I finally understand things. I wish that all living beings in the ten directions will one day together gain understanding and realize Bodhi.”
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