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恆興師，香港人，原在香港長洲島經營一家食品店。業餘學習功夫，並好禪坐。一日店中來了一位蔡老先生，豪爽健談，兩人曾作秉燭夜談。蔡先生談起話來引用的都是佛理，原來老先生的母親是宣公上人的皈依弟子。蔡老先生平日耳濡目染也略知上人行儀，對上人十分仰慕，所以對當時尚未出家的恆興師很推崇上人。
恆興師從此便常上大嶼山慈興寺學習佛法及打坐。每次來時，修爐頭、打掃、修理東西，好像照顧自己的家一樣。後來索性結束了業務，搬來寺中常住，二年後出家。
出家後的恆興師更見忙碌，外出學做維那、打法器、講經說法等等。在當家師恆益師外出時，他又代為做飯，飯後並將廚房打掃得乾乾淨淨，給恆益師省了不少力氣。恆興師亦曾應邀到老人院去說法，這時恆益師必定同行，因為他「每次出去講法，都有太多女孩子包圍」。為了保護他初發的菩提心，所以要「看緊點」。
一日，恆興師獨自一人在外挑沙鋪路到天黑仍不回寺。恆益師著急得外出尋找，找到就狠狠地數落他一頓，說：「天黑掉下山怎麼辦？」恆興師仍溫和地答道：「好啦！好啦！我回去啦！」所以恆益師認為他很「耐罵」，是修苦行的材料。現在恆興師常住加拿大華嚴寺，仍講經說法，轉法輪不休止。 |
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Heng Xing Shi, a native of Hong Kong, used to manage a food store at Changzhoudao, Hong Kong. In his spare time he practiced kungfu and liked to meditate. One day an easygoing and outspoken man named Mr. Cai went to his store, and the two of them found much to chat about. Once they even spent the whole night talking together. Mr. Cai often talked about the principles of Buddhism. Since his mother had taken refuge with the Venerable Master Hua, he had often heard about the Venerable Master's deeds and was full of admiration for him. And so he really praised the Master to Heng Xing Shi, who was at that time still a layman.
Heng Xing Shi began going regularly to Cixing (Flourishing Compassion) Monastery on Lanto Island to study Buddhism and meditate. Each time he went, he would fix the stove, sweep the floor, and repair things just as if he were taking care of his own home. Finally he decided to close his business and move to the monastery. Two years later he left the home-life and became a monk.
As a monk he was even busier than before. He went out to learn how to serve as cantor, play the Dharma instruments, give Dharma talks and Sutra lectures, and so on. When the monastery's manager, Heng Yi Shi, was away, he would also cook the meals and clean up the kitchen until it was spotlessly clean, saving Heng Yi Shi a lot of energy. When Heng Xing Shi was invited to speak Dharma at a home for the elderly, Heng Yi Shi insisted on accompanying him, because, "every time he goes out to speak Dharma, he is always surrounded by many young women." In order to protect his initial Bodhi resolve, Heng Yi Shi would "watch over him closely."
One day, Heng Xing Shi was carrying gravel to fix the road and didn't return to the monastery by dark. Heng Yi Shi anxiously went out to search for him and upon finding him, scolded him vehemently, asking him, "What would you do if you fell off the side of the mountain in the dark?" Heng Xing Shi gently replied, "Okay, okay, I'm coming back!" From that, Heng Yi Shi concluded that he was able to bear being scolded and was qualified to practice austerities. Now Heng Xing Shi resides at Avatamsaka Monastery in Canada, where he continues to lecture Sutras and speak Dharma, turning the Dharma wheel without cease. |
