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首先我想向大家報告的是去年（1998）七月底，法界佛教總會弘法團到臺灣，舉行護國息災華嚴法會時，個人的一些感想。
以前上人曾多次到臺灣弘法，但是都是由臺灣其他的佛教團體諸法所主辦的。這一次的華嚴法會是由臺北法界佛教印經會主辦，也就是說由法總在臺灣的法師帶領上人皈依弟子們，第一次自己籌辦這次法會的所有事宜。
在臺灣雖然說是一個佛教很盛行的國家，但是法總在臺灣的分支道場也是一直秉承上人不攀緣、不化緣、不求緣的家風行事。因此在講究人情世故的臺灣社會裡做事，就有很多的不方便了。在臺北法會場地的租借就一波三折。然後是宣傳的海報，印刷廠也出了差錯；還有在寄給上人皈依弟子的信時，由電腦所印出的郵寄名單，竟然發生了地址對，人名不對，甚至於同一地址收到三、四封不同人名的信件。諸如此類的事情發生，不知道是不是上人在考驗弟子們的辦事能力呢？還是所謂的「魔強法弱多怨害」？難能可貴的是臺中、高雄的法會是在沒有法師帶領下，由當地的居士們發心，通力合作將法會現場佈置起來，也是非常的莊嚴隆重。
這為期十六天的弘法活動，包括有中央研究院的學術研討會，主題是「佛法在西方的新貌」；新竹清華大學的佛學講座，題目是「自性的科學」。還有臺北、臺中、高雄各兩天的「華嚴懺法會」及「幽冥戒」的傳授；以及最後花蓮的佛學講座和花蓮監獄的皈依儀式。這一連串的行程，可說是相當緊湊。想一想：在一個人的一生當中，能夠有幾次這樣的機緣，參與如此的盛會？從北部到中部、南部，再回到東部，走了近一個臺灣島。這期間有晴空萬里、豔陽高照的時候；有清風細雨的日子；到了花蓮竟然是一個強風驟雨的颱風天。每一場法會的會場佈置，義工們都是不辭辛勞、通宵達旦，為莊嚴會場而不眠不休。法會結束了，大眾回家散去後，另一場法會又開始。義工們忙著拆除法會現場，整理物品，封箱打包，再將這些物品送到下一個法會現場去佈置使用。
如此一個法會佈置了又拆，拆了又佈置。一切事物都是從因緣而生，從因緣而滅；萬事萬物無時無刻不在為我們演說甚深微妙法。個中的滋味，眞是點滴在心頭，只有親身體驗，才能體會當中的微妙。
值得一提的是，在這法會行程中，有一位南部的居士，她家中親人往生了；但是她不吭一聲，還是繼續參與全程的活動，盡著她當義工的本份。有位居士搬佛像時被壓破了手指頭，流了很多血，他也是包起傷口繼續工作，毫無怨言。這眞是「流血汗、不休息」，也是眞正行菩薩道。
七月二十二日接機，二十三日一早得知一位法師的俗家，在凌晨深夜時發生了火災；他的妹妹因為逃生不小心，從樓上趺下，現正在醫院加護病房急救。我遵囑立即到他的俗家去查看。
到了現場後，直上三樓他妹妹所住三樓上加蓋的頂樓，也就是起火點。滅火時消防隊所噴的水，在我們到達時，還一直像瀑布似的沿著樓梯間往下流著，可以想像當時的火勢一定很猛。上頂樓查看，積水還可以把整個腳掌淹沒，房間內的東西幾乎都被燒光了。但是有一個書櫃外框已被燒燬，書櫃門上的玻璃也破裂了，而裡面的書竟然毫無損壞地陳列著；走近一看，原來是法界佛教總會所出版的一些上人開示及經典淺釋。而在最上層，有一盒錄音帶，拿起來一看，原來是上人所講解的《大方廣佛華嚴經疏序淺釋》，也是完整如初。我們都知道，塑膠製品在高溫之下一定會變形的。尤其是錄音帶，更是不耐高溫。而上人所講的錄音帶居然好好的未受損傷，這使我親眼目睹了佛法的不可思議。所謂「火不能燒，水不能沒」的事實；佛經所在，即為有佛，我們當恭敬供養啊！
傳授幽冥戒，可說是相當殊勝。很多信眾為了幫多位亡者設立牌位，又礙於一人只能捧一個牌位的限制，因此就很辛勞地從北到南跟著弘法團，幫亡者分別設立牌位，令其蒙益超脫。
我家住臺中，為盡孝道，同時也希望家人有機會參與法會，因此在臺中的法會替親人立了四個牌位。授幽冥戒當天，找了大哥和其女兒，以及弟弟的兒子和我共四人來捧牌位。領了牌位，侄兒突然把他捧的牌位交給我，說他肚子痛，就跑到一旁休息去了。當時怎麼叫他，他就是不進來。那時我手裡同時捧了兩個牌位，心中著實煩惱，因為告訴別人只能捧一個牌位，自己卻捧了兩個，但也無可奈何。
會後本想教訓他，他卻先問我，說：「陳某某是誰？」我說：「你問這個幹什麼？」他說：「我看到阿祖手上捧著一個陳某某的牌位，在前放置其他書籍之書架。放置上人書籍及錄音帶之書架。面拜佛，她身上穿著金色的衣服，好漂亮喔！我好想穿喔！而且還笑著向我招手。」接著我又問：「你還看到什麼？。他說：「我看到一個老和尚從畫像裡走出來，走了一圈後盤起雙腿浮在空中，雙手一隻在上，一隻在下地擺著，然後合掌，再把右手抬起，手掌向前，結果阿祖手上的牌位就飛向老和尚那邊，然後不知道怎樣就不見了！還有很多穿著金色衣服和白色衣服的人，他們手上的牌位也都飛過去就不見了。好好玩喔！好像在看電影一樣。」
在聽完侄兒的敘述之後，身上好像有一股電流激盪而過，可以感受到上人的願力和慈悲眞是不可思議；上人的法身其實是無所不在，隨時隨地都在照顧他的弟子和一切有緣的眾生。相信只要大家能以至誠懇切的心來參與法會，一定可以蒙受到殊勝的利益。
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First I would like to say that these are my personal recollections of the Avatamsaka Assembly for Protecting the Nation and Quelling Disasters held in Taiwan at the end of July 1998 by the Dharma delegation of the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association (DRBA).
The Venerable Master had been to Taiwan many times to propagate the Dharma, but his delegation's lectures were always sponsored by other Buddhist organizations. This time Dharma Realm Buddhist Books Distribution Association in Taipei organized the Avatamsaka Assembly alone. This was the first time that DRBA's Dharma Masters in Taiwan led the Venerable Master's refuge disciples in planning such an event.
Although Taiwan could be said to be a nation where Buddhism is thriving, DRBA's branch temples in Taiwan have consistently followed the Venerable Master's style of not scheming, not exploiting, and not begging. In Taiwanese society, where interpersonal relations are all-important, sometimes it is rather inconvenient to get things done.
Renting the auditorium for the Dharma Assembly in Taipei was quite an ordeal. In printing the announcement posters, the printing company messed up. On the correspondences to the Master's refuge disciples, the computer-generated mailing list had the wrong names. Some addresses even received three or four letters addressed to different people. Several mishaps of this nature occurred. Was this the Venerable Master's way of testing his disciples' ability to handle matters, or was it a confirmation that we live in a time when "demons are strong, the Dharma is weak; many are the wrongs and injuries"?
What is remarkable is that in Taichung and Kaohsiung, the lay people, without a Dharma Master to lead them, took the initiative and worked together to set up and decorate the sites where the Dharma Assemblies were held; the results were exceptional.
The sixteen-day Dharma propagation tour included a seminar on "The New Appearance of Buddhism in the West" at the Academia Sinica and a Buddhist Studies Symposium on "The Science of Our Own Natures" at Ching Hua University in Hsin Chu. The delegation also spent two days each in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung, conducting an Avatamsaka Repentance Assembly and a Transmission of Precepts for the Deceased.
The tour concluded with a Buddhist Studies Seminar in Hualien and a transmission of the Three Refuges at the Hualien Prison. The schedule was very tight.
Think about it: How many opportunities does a person have in a lifetime to take part in such a wonderful program? Going from the north, to the middle, to the south, and then to the east, we traveled the entire island of Taiwan. During that period, there were days of sunny blue skies, days of drizzling rain and soft breezes, and even a day of gusty winds and pouring rain in Hualien.
The setting up and decorating of every site was done by a crew of volunteers who worked night and day, going without sleep or rest to adorn the Dharma hall. After the Dharma assembly was over and everyone had gone home, another assembly would begin. The volunteers busily took down the props and decorations, organized the materials, packed them up, and sent them off to be used at the site of the next Dharma assembly.
In this way they set up each Dharma assembly site, then took it down, then set up the next site. Everything comes about through causes and conditions, and ceases through causes and conditions. All things constantly speak the profound, wonderful Dharma for us. Only those who have personally experienced this will know how wonderful it is.
It's worth mentioning that during the Dharma tour, one laywoman's relative passed away, yet she said not a word and continued participating to the end, fulfilling her duty as a volunteer. Another layman crushed his finger while moving a Buddha image and lost much blood, yet he simply bandaged up the wound and continued working without complaint. These are examples of "shedding blood and sweat, never pause to rest"—genuine practice of the Bodhisattva path.
On July 22 we went to pick up the delegation at the airport. The following morning, we heard that the home of the lay family of a Dharma Master had been burned in a fire. His sister slipped and fell while trying to escape and was in the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital. Upon being asked, I immediately went to his family's home to take a look. When I arrived, I went directly to the third floor, where the fire broke out. The water sprayed by the firemen was still dripping from the stairs. We could imagine how fierce the fire must have been. On the top floor, the water on the ground was deep enough that you could submerge your foot in it. Most of the things in the rooms had been burned to ashes. There was one bookcase whose outer frame had been burned and whose door glass had been broken. However, the books inside were still neatly lined up and completely unharmed. Walking closer, I saw that they were some Dharma talks and Sutra commentaries of the Venerable Master published by DRBA. On the top shelf was a cassette tape. I picked it up: It was the Venerable Master's commentary on the
Preface to the Avatamsaka Sutra—in perfect shape.
All of us know that plastic becomes deformed under high temperatures. Cassette tapes in particular cannot withstand high temperatures. Yet the tapes of the Venerable Master's commentaries were not damaged in the least! I was witnessing the inconceivability of the Buddhadharma with my very own eyes—invulnerability to fire and water. Wherever the Buddhist Sutras are found, the Buddha is to be found; I ought to pay respect and make offerings!
The transmission of the Precepts for the Deceased was really wonderful. Many disciples wished to set up plaques for several deceased people, yet they were restricted to holding one plaque at a time. Therefore, they went to a lot of trouble and followed the Dhanrm delegation from north to south, setting up plaques to benefit and liberate their deceased relatives one by one.
My family is in Taichung, and in order to be filial and at the same time hoping my family would participate in the Dharma assembly, I set up four plaques for my deceased relatives. On the day of the transmission of the Precepts for the Deceased, I asked my older brother, his daughter, and my younger brother's son to hold the plaques along with me. After I had gotten the plaques, my nephew complained of a stomach ache, handed his plaque to me, and went off to rest. No matter how I called out to him, he refused to return. As I held both plaques, I became rather afflicted, for I had told others they could only hold one plaque, and now I was holding two. Yet there was nothing I could do about it. After the ceremony I went to scold my nephew, but he asked me first, "Who is Chen So-and-so?" I said, "Why do you ask?"
He said, "I just saw Grandma holding Chen So-and-so's plaque. She was up in front bowing to the Buddhas. She was Bookshelves where other books were kept. The bookshelf where the Venerable Master's books and tapes were kept. wearing beautiful golden clothes. I wish I could wear clothes like that. She waved to me, too."
"What else did you see?" I asked.
"I saw an old monk walk out of the picture. After walking around once, he sat in lotus posture and floated up in the air, waving with both hands. Then he placed his palms together. When he raised his right hand, palm facing front, the plaque in Grandma's hand flew over to the monk and vanished. There were also many others dressed in golden and white clothes, and the plaques they were holding also flew over and vanished. It was neat! Just like watching a movie!"
Hearing my nephew's account, my body tingled as if from electric shock. The Venerable Master's vows and compassion are truly inconceivable. His Dharma body is everywhere; he is constantly watching over and taking care of his disciples and all living beings who have affinities with him. If we all sincerely participates in the Dharma assembly, we will surely attain wonderful benefits.
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