師父上人、各位法師、各位居士及同學們：阿彌陀佛！我是培德中學男校八年級學生李首逸，今年十四歲。我今天要跟大家講的是我受八關齋戒的感想。記得一九九六年的暑假，我（在萬佛城）受過一次八關齋戒，那時候只受了一天而已；當時覺得很不容易。
去年（一九九七）十月份的觀音法會時，萬佛城又傳授八關齋戒。我東想西想，不知道有沒有能力去忍耐。因為在八關齋戒條裡有一條「不非時食」，必須要過午不食－－晚上就不能吃東西了。那時候的我是一個很愛吃的人，所以需要考慮不知道能不能接受挑戰，忍耐饑餓。後來，我終於下定決心，要受八關齋戒。第二天，我爬起來準備好後就去佛殿受了戒。當天晚上吃晚飯的時間到了，同學們都去吃飯而我沒去。可能因為剛剛受戒的關係，肚子一點也不感覺到餓；整整兩個月晚上都沒吃東西。日子一天一天地過去，我的體重也漸漸地減輕了。我從一個一百四十五磅的小胖子瘦到了一百二十五磅，整整輕了二十磅，要不然我現在還是一個圓圓的胖子呢！
最不可思議的就是我以前有哮喘病，天氣冷的時候常常快不能呼吸了。（受完八關齋戒後）上次寒假回家時，氣管不好再加上生病發燒，更不能忍受，我整個人都快炸開了。但是因為有媽媽的照顧，每天煮中藥給我喝，不停地放楞嚴咒的錄音帶給我聽，過了三、四天，我病就好了，咳嗽時氣管也就沒什麼大問題：我的哮喘病就像奇蹟似地好了。寒假完我回來聖城後，老師說這應該是佛菩薩的加被，我聽完後很同意老師的話。這就是我受八關齋戒的感想。
我生病的時候，媽媽就像觀世音菩薩一樣很慈悲地照顧我。為了報答父母的恩德，我們學校舉辦慶生會時，老師都會帶領我們到佛殿誦《父母恩重難報經》。我記得媽媽生日那一天，我外公來我們家，媽媽給外公磕頭，報答父恩。我打電話回去時，跟媽媽說：「妳應該唸《佛說父母恩重難報經》迴向給外婆，因為外婆去世了。」我跟媽媽說唸這部經的主要原因，就是因為作母親的臨產的時候，特別痛苦，血流滿地，如屠豬羊，非常地危險。如果唸這部經迴向給母親，就是報答父母親在痛苦中生下我們，以及乾處兒臥，濕處母眠的養育之恩，使我們生生世世的父母眷屬，都能離苦得樂，往生西方極樂世界的淨土中。阿彌陀佛！ |
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Venerable Master, Dharma Masters, Dharma friends, and classmates: Amitabha! I’m Kevin Lee, a eighth grader of Developing Virtue Boys School. I’m fourteen years old. Today, I'd like to share my experience of taking the eight precepts. The first time I received the eight precepts was in the summer of 1996. Although it lasted only for a day, I felt very uncomfortable.
During the Guanyin Dharma ceremony last October, there was another opportunity to receive the eight precepts. I wasn't sure I had the the endurance to observe them, because of the precept of “not taking food at improper times.” That meant I had to have my meal before noon and could not take any food in the evening. I enjoy eating at that time and had no idea whether I could accept the challenge of being patient with hunger. Finally, I made the decision to receive the eight precepts. The second day, after waking up, I went to the Buddha hall and received the eight precepts. At dinner time, most of my friends went to eat. Probably because I had just received the precepts, I didn't feel hungry at all. This situation lasted for two months. Gradually, I found that I was losing weight. My weight dropped from 145 to 125 pounds. If I hadn't lost those 20 pounds, I would still be a fat boy now.
The most inconceivable thing happened with my asthma. I used to suffer from it whenever the weather turned cold. Over the last winter break (after I had received the eight precepts), I suffered terribly from bronchitis and fever and could hardly endure it. However, my mom took very good care of me. She prepared Chinese herbal medicine and played the tape of the Shurangama Mantra for me to listen to everyday. Miraculously, I got well after 3 or 4 days and was no longer troubled by bronchitis or asthma. After I returned to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, my teacher told me that this was due to the blessing of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I totally believe this. This was my experience with the eight precepts.
When I was sick, my mom took care of me as compassionately as Guanyin Bodhisattva. So that we can repay the kindness of our parents, our teachers bring us to recite the Sutra of the Difficulty of Repaying the Kindness of Parents in the Buddha hall. I remember once on my mother's birthday, my grandpa came to visit us. Mom bowed to him to show her gratitude. During my conversation with Mom, she told me that I should recite the Sutra of the Difficulty of Repaying the Kindness of Parents and transfer the merit to my grandma, who had passed away. I explained to my mom the reason we recite the Sutra. When a woman gives birth to a child, her life is in great danger and her blood spills everywhere as if a pig or a sheep had been slaughtered. When we recite this Sutra and transfer the merit to our mothers, we are repaying them for the suffering they endured for us and the kindness they showed in raising us. This will also help our parents and relatives of all lives to leave suffering, enjoy happiness, and ultimately obtain rebirth in the western Pure Land. Amitabha! |
