盧果婷居士（續）：
還有，我一來時和我同房的師姊說，我們試試禁語。那也是我從沒做過的，覺得好奇；禁語不講話，不覺得不自在不方便？但那這次禁語讓我有種很清淨的感覺。原怕不自在，反而好自在！
其他還有幾個感覺，因為不想佔後面人的時間，有機會再跟各位講。我有點緊張，因為這是我第一次上臺。阿彌陀佛！
紀果卿居士：（比丘尼恆音師、郭子琪英譯）
恩師上人、諸位法師大德，弟子紀賽卿，法號果卿，從法國來。我們在紐約機場時聽報告，說轉機室的號碼是三十六號，那是一條很長的路。因為我自小身體不好，不能走長路，連兩根香蕉也不能拿。這麼長的路叫我怎麼走？實在沒有辦法，我就在那裡叫，「觀世音菩薩！這次我特地來參加打觀音七，怎麼樣也要救救我。」不到兩分鐘，候機室的車子過來了，問我要不要上來坐？剛好三個位子，我覺得很奇怪，不管了，坐上再說。路上有很多年紀比我大，六、七十歲的人，走不動，可是他沒叫他們，只叫我們三個。我覺得很慚愧，很不好意思。我又看見一個人很老，跟我一樣也是走不動。我叫車子停下，問載她好不好？他說可以。這樣四個人勉強擠在一起。
到了三十六號候機室，問是不是轉三藩市的。他說不是，妳們搞錯了，應該是二十六號。糟了！那輛車已經走了，怎麼辦呢？回頭一看路又那麼長，怎麼行？我再叫，思弘說，「妳在搞什麼？」我說我在叫觀世音菩薩。我說，「眾生被困厄，無量苦逼身，觀音妙智力，能救世間苦。」我就是這麼苦啊！走不動。結果找那輛車，還停在那休息，沒走！我們過去跟他說我們搞錯了地方。他說好，我再載妳們去，就把我們載去二十六號候機室。
等來到萬佛城時，真是不可思議！我叫思虹跟我來，她不知道觀音七是什麼；前芳更糟糕，她一向糊塗，也不知道觀音七是什麼就跟了我來。我想，「糟糕，來前沒有跟她們講好，打觀音七是不能講話的，她們又沒打坐的經驗。」果然，她們都說，「豈有此理！一天十多個小時，就這樣熬。這怎麼行？」我實在太殘忍了。前芳的腰受過傷，腿曾斷過，醫生也說她不能多勞動。思虹更糟糕，她膝蓋根本就不行，醫生說分分鐘都會碎的。我說，「奇怪，打坐對我來講是一種享受。越坐越舒服，妳們怎麼搞的老是動？」思虹更糟糕，她坐坐就睡著了，還打呼。我覺得很不好意思，後來想想沒關係啦，兩分鐘就給她過關了。我說，「觀世音菩薩你大慈大悲，讓她們熬過這七天。」思虹說下次再也不要參加什麼觀音七了。我說，妳先不要開口，以後可能妳常常要來。」
第二晚，聽經後大迴向時有一段「跑西方」，是我不知道的，而且我根本走都不能走的，怎能跑西方？糟糕！說跑就跑，我以為是快走而已，不知是真跑，就也莫明其妙地跟著跑。哎！也就真的跑完了。跑完後念「大迴向文。」糟糕！我忘了眼鏡，眼睛模模糊糊看不見。我又叫觀世音菩薩，「觀世音菩薩！大迴向了；迴向文我是知道的，可是她們兩個跟我來，怎麼樣也要叫我看得見，我才能指給思虹看讀到哪裏了，跟她講清楚。」結果眼睛忽然間看見了，那些字看得清清楚楚，每一個字都清楚。
法師又多給了我五分鐘，要我多講一點，就講一講楊思虹的事。因為她來萬佛城也是我邀的。那是去年（2000）六月我們來參加華嚴法會那時的事。思虹她毛病很多，她的腳底板生骨刺，很久了。在法國治療時，醫生已經給她打了五次針，本來打兩次是可以的，打五次已經是超過了，而且要開刀。腳底板不能開刀，因為會流血太多，她又那麼胖！她這樣子我也不知道怎麼辦。
我們是深夜進來萬佛城的。我因為太累在車上就睡著了，一直到司機叫醒我，說萬佛城到了。糟糕！我的罪業那麼深重！人家三步一拜進來，我躺著進來，很不好意思，只有進來再報答了。
天亮時，我對思虹說，「這就是上人，你一定要禮上人喔！讓上人把那些腳底板上不好的東西，叫妳不要再帶回去了。只要妳以後精進，發心擁護道場，你就會好。」我只是這樣隨便說說啦，誰知第二天她忽然來找我，說腳痛得走不動。我問怎麼回事？她說腳底板忽然「嘎」一下，好像有人把它弄斷了一樣。我說斷哪裡？她說就是斷那個骨刺；骨刺不見了，所以跑不動，我趕快扶著她慢慢走。
第二天我再問她，她說骨刺不見了，好像跑大拇指上去了。結果她腳底板上的骨刺一直沒再出現過，到今天也沒再出現過。這是我們第一次來萬佛城時，有這樣殊勝的因緣。
那次回去更妙，登機時飛機票已經撕了，也收去了，忽然又叫我們下來，我們的行李都在飛機上。有一位機場工作人員，趕快用香菸紙盒寫了幾個字，用英文很快地說，「妳們左轉靠右走，快一點，還有十多分鐘，如果妳趕得上那班飛機，妳就能回去。」糟糕！叫我們趕快走，我又走不快。思虹說算了，妳又跑不動，就拖著我走，又不知道方向，就聽到在喊我的名字。哦！原來那班機是先到意大利轉機才回法國。到了意大利，我們身上沒錢，都放在（另一班機上）行李裡，也沒機票，用什麼證明？思虹說肚餓，就問機場裡面賣吃的攤位；攤位的人問了我們名字，說妳們吃東西免費。
吃飽後我們登機，在機上連水都沒得喝，問服務員我們的飯呢？她說，「妳們沒飯。」她以為我們是絕食，所以連水都不給我們喝！
我們很生氣，思虹一直說，「下次再怎麼樣也不坐這班機了，那麼不好。」搞到我很不好意思。我就跟她說，「我的看法跟妳不同，因為我有感恩的心。只剩下這班飛機，我們太匆忙來聖城買不到飛機票，只有它把我們送來。我感恩還來不及，下次還要搭它的飛機。妳的想法怎麼會這樣呢？」
過後回到家裡，我就收到了一張飛機票，是免費的。我問思虹有沒有，她說沒有。我說沒有理由 ，怎麼我有妳沒有？她去問了，結果她也有，她的機票遲幾天才到。這次我們來萬佛聖城的機票，可以說是觀世音菩薩送我們的。阿彌陀佛！
待續 |
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Upasika Guoting Lu (continued):
Also this time something told me to try taking a vow of silence. Originally I thought not talking would be very uncomfortable and inconvenient. But after trying it, I felt a sense of purity, and what I thought would be uncomfortable turned out to be very free and comfortable, and I felt at ease.
Actually, I've had various impressions from this session, but I don't want to take too much time. This is my first time speaking on stage so I feel a little nervous. I'll speak more next time.
Guo Ching: (English translation by Bhikshuni Heng Yin Shi and Phoebe Kuo)
Venerable Master, Dharma Masters, and Greatly Virtuous Ones: My name is Guo Ching. I come from France. When we were changing planes in New York, they told us we had to go to gate 36. I said, "Oh, that is such a long way." Ever since I was little I haven't been healthy; I cannot even carry two bananas! I prayed to Guanyin Bodhisattva to let me arrive safely for the Guanyin session. Two minutes later, an airport car came by and there were exactly three seats for the three of us. They asked if we wanted a ride. I thought that was strange. They only asked us. They didn't ask older people who were having trouble walking. I was embarrassed. I asked the car to stop to pick up an elder who was also having trouble walking. She squeezed in the car along with the three of us.
When we got to gate 36, they told us, "This is not the right place; you should go to 26." I said, "Oh no! That's a long way back and the car is gone." I called out again. I was mumbling and they asked, "What are you doing?" I said that I was praying to Guanyin Bodhisattva. He uses his wonderful wisdom power to rescue all living beings in danger. All of a sudden, I saw that the car was still there. The driver said, "Where do you want to go now? I'll take you there." So he drove us over to gate 26.
When we reached the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, we felt apprehensive. I had come with two people who knew nothing about Guanyin Bodhisattva and nothing about the Guanyin session either. I forgot to tell them that they couldn't talk during the session. They had never meditated before. It was very hard for them. They had to endure it for ten hours each day. I thought, "Why am I so cruel? One of them has back problems and broke her leg once.The doctor said she can't do any strenuous work. The other one has problems with her knee." Nevertheless, she knelt and sat in meditation. Her knee is very fragile and the doctor said it is prone to break. Meditation is enjoyable for me. I kept wondering why they were restless and wriggling around during meditation. One of them fell asleep and snored while sitting. I was embarrassed. I prayed to Guanyin Bodhisattva, "Let them be able to make it through the seven days." One of them said, "I will never come to a Guanyin session again." I replied, "Don't say this so soon because you might be coming in the future."
On the second day, we came to the sutra lecture. Afterward, people were running during the Great Transference. I had had no idea about this. I said, "Oh dear, how am I going to run?" But amazingly, I was able to run all the way. Then when we were supposed to read the Great Transference, I said, "Oh no! I forgot my glasses." Although I know the Great Transference by heart, I wanted to be able to point it out to my two friends since they didn't know it. I prayed to Gwanyin Bodhisattva and for some reason I was able to see the words very clearly.
The Dharma Master has given me five more minutes to talk about Yang Si Hong, who came with me. Last year, we came together to the Avatamsaka Assembly in June 2000. Si Hong had many physical problems. She has a bone spur in the sole of her foot, and she had to get five shots when she went to see the doctor in France.Two shots are the minimum, but she needed five. She also needed surgery, but surgery cannot be done on the sole of the foot, because too much blood would be lost. She is also so heavy! Seeing her like this, 1 didn't know what to do.
We arrived at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas at midnight. I was so tired that I fell asleep in the car and didn't wake up until the driver said, "We've arrived at the City."And I said, "I feel ashamed of myself. When most people come, they do three steps, one bow. I came lying down in the car. I'll have to repay my gratitude when I come into the City.
The next morning, I told Si Hong, "This is the Venerable Master. You should bow to the Venerable Master and leave all of your health problems behind. Be vigorous and bring forth the mind to protect the Way place, and you will recover." I spoke to her in a casual way. On the second day, she suddenly came to find me and said that she was in a lot of pain because of her foot- -she couldn't walk. I asked her what had happened. She said there suddenly was a snapping sound from her sole, which felt like someone had broken it. I asked what was broken. She said the bone spur broke. It seemed to have disappeared, which was why she couldn't run, so I supported her in walking slowly.
The next day I asked her again, and she said the bone spur had moved up to the middle of her foot-from the sole to the toe. It had disappeared from where it was originally, and it never showed up again.This all happened when we first came to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas; it was inconceivable.
On the way back, something even more inconceivable happened. We were on the plane after our tickets had been taken, and the luggage had been loaded as well. All of a sudden, they asked the two of us to come off the plane. Our luggage was already aboard the plane, but they told us to catch another flight even though we had no tickets or money! Then an airport worker wrote something on a matchbook, and spoke in English. "Turn left, stay to your right, and if you walk fast, you still have ten minutes. If you can catch that plane, then you will be able to leave." Oh no! She told us to hurry. I couldn't walk fast enough, so Si Hong said, "Never mind, you can't run." and pulled me along by my hand. We did not know the direction, but I heard a voice calling my name. So I followed in the direction of that voice. My money was in the luggage on the first plane. The second flight made a stop in Italy first. We had no money, no tickets, and no identification, but Si Hong was hungry so we stopped at a food stall in the airport. They asked for our names and then said, "You can eat for free!"
After we had eaten our fill, we boarded the plane. They served us no food or water on the plane. When we requested food, the flight attendant said, "You two don't have any food." She thought we were fasting and wouldn't even give us a drink of water! This really upset us. Si Hong kept on saying, "I'll never buy tickets from this airline again; their service is terrible." I was very embarrassed by her words and told her, "I'm grateful because we were in a rush to get tickets, and this was the only airline that was able to take us to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. In fact, I think I will buy tickets from them the next time we fly. How can you think that way?"
Later, after we returned home, we received complimentary plane tickets as a courtesy for the problems. I asked Si Hong if she received any, but she said she hadn't. I told her that was impossible: How come I had received a ticket and she had not? She went and asked the airline, and it turned out that she also had one, but it was still in the mail. She got hers a couple of days later. So this time our tickets to come to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas could be said to be a gift from Guanyin Bodhisattva. Amitabha!
To be continued |
