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比丘尼恆持：
下面講一則故事，1972年上人住在金山禪寺時，我們幾個人在那裡閉關，不出門。每天功課是聽經、翻譯經典、拜懺、做早晚課。有一天收到請帖，是日本鈴木師父（不是鈴木大拙）那來的，說他自己得了癌症想要傳法給美國人自己幾乎不能言語了，很嚴重，但要傳法。
我們感到莫名奇妙，可是上人說：「我不管他的佛教與中國傳統佛教有所不同；為了他的傳法人，我贊成他把他的宗教傳到美國，給美國人，因此我們都得去。」後來上人帶我們這些個弟子去了。
日本傳法的時候要上山，所以在廟上有一個地方往上走去，然後傳法人與被傳法的人在一起，那時就傳法了。我們聽不到也看不到，然後被傳法的美國人就來說了：「剛才我們的師父傳很妙的法給我，他說沒有高，沒有低，什麼都是原有的，什麼都是空。」
接下來大家可以發問題，有一個看來粗裡粗氣的人問：「今天早上我在剪腳趾甲的時候，剪下不知道放哪裡。」那個美國受法人不會回答，故意講別的，說：「我知道你；你是不是在廚房做事？」那人不罷手，回說：「我在廚房做事跟我所問的問題有什麼關係？」貝克師父沒有回答，就帶他到自己那兒去喝茶，按日本茶道喝，又讓他看自己太太的相片。
我們一向不出門，現在看他的法跟我們在上人那所學的佛法又不同，所以不敢發問。師父就跟比丘說：「其實貝克師父的智慧比你們高幾百倍，只是他的戒律弱一點，比你們差一點。」我們回金山寺後上人要知道我們的心得，馬上跟我們開會。
上人說：「他講天，你就說地；他講黑，你就講白；那一剎就有機會開悟。把最要不得的東西放在最重要的地方，就看我們能否領會到。」上人又說：「忽然在天，忽然在地，就是流轉在六道輪迴。」
現在講到最後的部份，就是佛法在美國目前的情況。總括地說，如果做到上述所應具備的條件，美國人應該是可以接受中國傳統佛教的；事實上在美國四十年來，幾乎沒有中國法師有能力度美國人，也就是還未做成功。上人做到了，三十多年來度了很多美國人。他說傳法到美國必須要靠中國人，當初善根在中國，有如現在善根到美國，是漸進的發展。美國不懂中國的語言、文化、行為，不若中國人家庭多數信佛，所以開始時在西方要靠中國人護持佛教，護持傳統佛法；要有一段時間紮根，讓美國人自己也能結果。菩提達摩到中國，當時沒人瞭解。中國人排斥他，甚至要殺他，但時間證明他對佛教的價值是很重要的。上人在美國，按照上面所說的條件都具備了。雖受很多人排斥、不認識，相信未來在歷史上可以證實上人在美國的這期間，會是佛教在西方所佔最重要的地位。我個人是西方的佛教徒，希望正法佛教真正帶到西方了，在西方紮根結果；不論東方人、西方人，我們一起合作，努力把這件事做得成功。阿彌陀佛！
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Bhikshuni Heng Chih:
Now I'll tell a story. In 1972 when the Venerable Master was staying at Gold Mountain Dhyana Monastery, several of us were in seclusion there. We did not leave the monastery. Every day we listened to lectures on the Sutras, translated Sutras, bowed in repentance, and did the morning and evening ceremonies. One day we received an invitation from the Japanese Suzuki Roshi [not D.T. Suzuki], who had cancer and was going to transmit the Dharma to an American disciple. He was so ill that he could barely speak, yet he had to transmit the Dharma.
We were quite puzzled, but the Venerable Master said, "It doesn't matter to me that his Buddhism is different from traditional Chinese Buddhism. For the sake of his Dharma heir, I want to show my approval that he is transmitting his religion to the United States and to an American. Therefore, we should all go." Thus the Master took all of us disciples with him.
In Japan when the Dharma is transmitted, people who are involved go up into the mountains. Therefore, in that temple there was a place that the Dharma transmitter and the transmittee could walk up to together. The Dharma transmission took place, but we could neither see nor hear it. Then the American who had received the Dharma came down and announced, "Just now our Teacher transmitted a very wonderful Dharma to me. He said that there is no high or low, that everything is inherently existent and empty."
Then there was an opportunity to ask questions. One rough-looking fellow asked, "This morning I cut my toenails and then didn't know where I ought to put the nail clippings." The American Dharma heir [Baker Roshi] didn't know how to respond, so he said, "I know you—don't you work in the kitchen?"
The man was unsatisfied and retorted, "What does my working in the kitchen have to do with the question I asked?"
Baker Roshi had no reply, so he invited the questioner to have tea with him in the Japanese tradition, and showed the man some pictures of Baker Roshi's wife.
Since we were not used to going out much and since Baker Roshi's Dharma was so different from what we had learned from the Venerable Master, we didn't dare to ask any questions. The Venerable Master told the Bhikshus, "Actually, Baker Roshi's wisdom is several hundred times greater than yours. He's a little weak in the area of precepts, a bit worse than you in that respect." When we got back to Gold Mountain Monastery, the Master wanted to know our impressions, so he held a meeting with us right away.
The Master said, "If someone mentions heaven, you reply with earth. If he says black, you respond with white. In that instant, there is an opportunity for enlightenment. Put the most worthless things in the most important place. It's up to us to see if we will awaken and understand." The Master also said, "To suddenly be in the heavens and suddenly be on earth is to spin about in the six paths of rebirth."
That brings me to the last part of the talk—the present situation of Buddhism in America. In general, if the conditions discussed earlier could all be fulfilled, Americans should be receptive to traditional Chinese Buddhism. However, in the past forty years, there have hardly been any Chinese Dharma Masters who have been able to convert Americans. In other words, we have not been successful yet. The Master was able to do it, and he converted many Americans in the past three decades or so. He said that Buddhism's transmission to America will depend on Chinese people. Originally there were people with good roots in China. Now those with good roots have come to America, where they will gradually develop Buddhism. Although Americans don't understand the language, culture, and behavior of the Chinese, in the beginning Buddhism in the West will rely on the efforts of Chinese, most of whom have Buddhist family backgrounds, to support and propagate it. There must be a time for implanting roots, so that Americans can eventually reap the fruits themselves. When the Indian Patriarch Bodhidharma went to China, no one understood him. In fact, the Chinese rejected him and even tried to kill him. However, time has proven how invaluable he was to Buddhism.
The Venerable Master had all the necessary requirements to transmit the Dharma to America. Although many people rejected him or didn't understand him, I believe the Master's work in America will prove to be of the greatest importance in the history of Buddhism in the West. As a Westerner who is a Buddhist, I hope that the Proper Dharma will be brought to the West, establish roots, and bear fruit in the West. Let us all—Easterners and Westerners alike—work hard together to make this happen! Amitabha!
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