 親育師，臺灣臺東縣人，從小移居花蓮市，家中除了外婆沒有人有宗教信仰。外婆信一貫道，常招呼她來聽法共修。起先她還來，後來因為要叩很多頭，因此常躲開，所以至今不知道他們的教義是啥。
1994年，經人帶至花蓮彌陀寺去參加敬老節，覺得很有意義，以後就常去當義工。在寺裡又認識了一位張居士，介紹她看《上人事跡》一書，看到龍王主管下雨等事，覺得很不可思議。張居士非常發心，凡有人要到彌陀寺去，她都願意接送，不管路途多遠。以後張居士常帶她去那參加晚課，聽經，念咒心，又學大悲咒、拜佛，每次車程往返一小時：去的次數多了，又曾在寺裡住過一個多月，開始發心想終身修行，但是家裡反對。
同年來聖城過陰曆年，初見上人。在聖城期間，她參加所有佛殿功課並在廚房幫忙，覺得是一個很好修行的地方，便想留下，但經勸導後又回臺完成學業。1995年3月法總僧團代表上人在臺舉行剃度時，她皈依了；95年7月畢業後又來了。上人雖已入了涅槃，但她仍發願要在上人的道場終身修行。98年11月終於滿願落髮，覺得好像找到了歸宿一般，心裡十分踏實，並希望有一天家人也能學佛，知道出家修行是孝順的行為。出家後在金山寺、金聖寺學習沙彌尼律儀、法器，現在金輪寺協助寺務。我們相信以親育師這麼單純樸實的人，必能有福報在上人道場終其一生。 |
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Shramanerika Chin-Yu Shi, a native of Taidong, Taiwan, moved to Hualian in her childhood. With the exception of her grandmother, who believed in "yi guan dao" (a mixture of Buddhism, Taoism and Confuciusm), her family was not religious. Her grandmother often came to get Chin-Yu Shi, who lived just across the street, to study the doctrine and participate in ceremonies with her. But that religion's practice involved bowing hundreds of times, so after awhile Chin-Yu Shi refused to go and would hide whenever she saw her grandmother coming. She never learned what that religion was all about.
In 1994 a friend took her to Amitabha Sagely Monastery in Hualian for the Honoring Elders Day celebration, which she found very meaningful. After that she volunteered to work in the temple. She also met a laywoman Chang there, who introduced her to the Venerable Master's biography. Chin-Yu Shi read it and was amazed by the idea that dragons manage the rain. Chang often gave a ride to anyone who wanted to go to the monastery, no matter how far it was. Although the trip was one hour each way, the two of them often went together to attend the evening recitation, hear the Sutra lecture, recite the Mantra heart, bow to the Buddhas and learn the Great Compassion Mantra. After numerous visits, Chin-Yu Shi moved into the monastery for over a month. She contemplated the idea of a life of cultivation, but her parents disapproved.
That year she came to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas for the lunar New Year celebration and met the Venerable Master for the first time. She attended all the ceremonies in the Buddha Hall and worked in the kitchen. She liked the schedule and thought the City was an excellent place for cultivation. She wanted to stay but was urged to go back to finish school first. In March 1995 she took refuge when the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association Sangha sent a delegation to Taiwan to represent the Venerable Master to perform the leaving-home ceremony Upon graduating in July, she came to the City again but the Venerable Master had entered Nirvana a month earlier. Although the Master was no longer in the world, she still wanted to cultivate for the rest of her life in a monastery established by the Master. In November 1998 her wish was fulfilled and she became a Shramanerika (novice). She felt very much at ease, as if she had finally returned home. She hoped that her family would also become Buddhists, for she knew leaving home was a filial deed. She studied the novice rules of deportment and the Dharma instruments at Gold Mountain Monastery and Gold Sage Monastery, and currently assists at Gold Wheel Monastery We believe that with Chin-Yu Shi's simple and modest character, she will have the blessings to stay in the Venerable Master's Wayplace for the rest of her life. |
