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七月二十五日上午萬佛城的觀音七結束後，突接獲上海龍華古寺的訃聞傳真，上明下暘老和尚已於七月二十三日晚十點五十分，於龍華古寺安祥示寂，七月二十九日移靈浙江省寧波的天童寺荼毗，看後內心感到十分悲傷。他老人家和師父上人，及我們這一代晚輩，有非常深切的關係，於是和幾位執事師兄聯絡，準備參加他的告別式，以表法界佛教總會對他的感恩和哀悼。七月二十六日個人及比丘近巖師就搭機飛往上海。
途中腦海裏不禁浮現出老和尚平易近人的慈容，不知為什麼這麼快就荼毗，我們師父上人圓寂後四十九天才舉行荼毗；同時想起上人曾稱讚老和尚的行為操守，「是末法時期修行的典範，是一位真正修持《楞嚴經》的行者，至誠懇切地身心投入，聆聽他的師父圓瑛大師講解的《
楞嚴經》五十餘遍」，要我們學習這一份精進勤奮。
到龍華古寺後，才知道在上海，人往生後的火化是不能耽擱的，必須在當日或隔日火化，亦不准移往他處火化；三日內若不火化，則必須特別申請核准。像老人家能停靈六日，又離開上海市到浙江省寧波的天童寺舉行荼毗，是未曾有的事。當然，中國的江澤民主席，以私人身份特贈花圈，以表對老和尚的痛悼，也是中國近年來未曾有的。這都顯示出老人家在中國文化大革命的沖擊後，仍能將佛教傳佈到中國各階層的努力，不禁想起上人生前曾提及過的，在八十年代許多中國大陸法師，因政治因素不敢和上人打交道，而他老人家卻不畏一切，隔洋與上人成為莫逆之交。兩位長者平日克勤克儉，為度眾生犧牲自己的健康，積勞成疾，為菩薩捨己救人，無緣大慈，同體大悲的典範。
一九九五年七月和八月間，個人為上人的荼毗和聖城傳戒事，聯絡他老人家來美，而請教他老意見時，他總是和悅隨順，乃至送他回國後，他亦隻字不提自己的健康狀況。直到當年十月，他老人家邀請萬佛城比丘至龍華古寺參與傳戒大典時，在我們到了龍華古寺之後
，才知道老人家的弟子們早已發現他的身體狀況不佳，可能難以延壽，特藉祝賀他八十大壽時舉行傳戒，求戒於老和尚。想起老人家不畏艱辛，不顧自己不良的健康，稍早時於七月和八月時兩次來美，為他的老同修--我們的師父上人一舉火荼毗和傳戒。在上人圓寂後的這段困難時期，他老人家這份恩德，令我們晚輩深深地感懷不已。
在龍華古寺，常住法師及在家信眾日夜念佛，希望老和尚乘願再來。想起老和尚的宏願，及其實現，除盡心盡力振興中國佛教外，當他了解上人在西方建立佛教基礎後，於一九八七年親率八十餘位法師赴萬佛城舉行水陸空大法會，更於一九九三年，為推動兩岸和平，親赴臺灣弘法。這不僅是歷史的創舉，
提升了佛教的地位，也打開了佛法交流的光明大道。
老人家的涅槃堂就設在龍華古寺的方丈室，使我想起當年老人為了栽培後進，讓我們去參與傳戒大典學習時，我就在這丈室冒昧地問「聽說老和尚未滿二十就受具足大戒。」老人家不以為忤，笑說：「在我們那個時代，都是這樣子的。」早年為「抗日救國」，被日本憲兵逮捕，嚴刑逼供，臨節不苟之風
，老和尚忍辱的功夫相信早已波羅密，到彼岸了。
二十八日封龕，隔日的荼毗，皆由蘇州靈巖山上明下學大和尚主持，依百丈清規舉行。法會過程中，眼前不禁現起七年前我們師父上人圓寂後的種種情形。老和尚的荼毗，跨越上海市到浙江省寧波的天童寺舉行，除了因為老和尚是天童寺方丈外，也因為他老人家從小在天童寺學習佛門儀規，研讀經教。此處環境清幽，深獲他老之心，為方便度眾，他老一直留在上海，弟子們為滿他心願，特地向政府申請於天童寺荼毗。
為遠行，二十九日凌晨一時半起身，兩點多舉行起龕儀式，將老和尚靈龕抬至靈車，治途有公安局警車開道，警衛護持。由於路程遙遠，到達天童寺山門口時已九點多了。天氣雖濕熱，卻擋不住人山人海的信眾，從山門沿古道至天王殿大約兩里許，夾路信眾汗流浹背
，口念阿彌陀佛，高舉著手不停搖扇，為抬靈龕的法師們搧涼，令人感動！到天王殿已經十點了，舉行追思讚法會、上供、用齋後十二點起龕，走了約莫三十分鐘的小徑到荼毗場，由上明下學大和尚主持舉火。看著靈龕旁赤紅的火舌，老人慈悲教導的音容，如在目前
，不禁悲從中來，只有效法老人無盡的行願，才能表示對老人的追思。
隔日撿出舍利子無數，大部份留在天童寺；三十一日下午由嗣法子龍華古寺照誠方丈恭請部份舍利子於寺內供眾瞻仰。寺中常住法師們秉持對老和尚的孝思，繼續舉行念佛法會四十九天，迴向一百天，及每週放燄口，並準備舉行「老和尚思想專題研討會」，和出版《
老和尚追思紀念專集》。為方便老人家散布世界各地的弟子的到來，入塔儀式將於來年舉行。老人後繼有人，秉承遺訓，將佛法推向教育、文化、慈善及加強僧伽培育等方向，相信老人應該是含笑蓮邦，更誠心祝禱他老人家乘願再來
，莊嚴清淨法界。
後記:
老和尚俗名陳心濤，號俊豪，一九一六年出生福建省福州市；十歲聽圓瑛大師講經有悟，依之出家，法名日新，號明暘，世壽八十七，僧臘七十六載。
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In the afternoon of July 25, 2002, after
the completion of the weeklong Guanyin Recitation Session,
the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas received a fax from Longhua
(Dragon Flower) Monastery in Shanghai conveying the news
that the Venerable Master Ming Yang had passed into
stillness at Longhua Monastery at 10.30 p.rn. on July 23rd.
The casket would be transported to Tiantong (Heavenly Youth)
Monastery in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, and the cremation
ceremony would take place on July 29th. I was deeply
saddened. The Venerable Ming Yang had very deep affinities
with our teacher, the Venerable Master Hua, and all of his
disciples. After a discussion with a few Dharma brothers, we
planned to attend the Venerable Ming Yang's cremation
ceremony, in order to repay his kindness and express our
condolences on behalf of Dharma Realm Buddhist Association.
On July 26th, Bhikshu Jing Yan Shi and I flew to Shanghai.
On the way, images of the compassionate
and affable Elder Master kept surfacing in my
mind, I wondered why the cremation ceremony was taking place
so soon. When our teacher entered Nirvana, we waited
forty-nine days to hold the cremation ceremony. I also
recalled how our Master had extolled the lofty conduct of
the Elder Master, praising him as a role model for
cultivators in the Dharma-Ending Age, and also a true
practitioner of the Shurangama Sutra. He had reverently
listened with complete absorption to his teacher, the Great
Master Yuan Ying, explain the Shurangama Sutra over fifty
times. The Venerable Master urged all of us to emulate his
vigorous diligence.
Upon arriving at the Dragon Flower
Monastery, I learned that it was the custom in Shanghai that
when a person passes away, the cremation must take place
within two days, and the casket may not be moved to another
location for cremation. Special authorization must be
obtained to delay the cremation for more than three days. It
was the first time that a casket would be permitted to
remain for six days and that the cremation ceremony would be
held outside of Shanghai, at Tiantong Monastery in Ningbo,
Zhejiang province. It was also unprecedented in the recent
history of China for the Party Chairman, Jiang Zemin, to
make a personal flower offering in tribute to the Elder
Master. These are the results of the Elder Master's efforts
in propagating the Buddhadharma since the time of the
Cultural Revolution. I recalled our Teacher saying that
during the eighties, many Dharma Masters in China had been
reluctant to have any contact with him for political
reasons. Elder Master Ming Yang, however, maintained close
contact with our Teacher. Their friendship spanned two
continents. Both were frugal and hardworking in everyday
life. They were exemplars of great kindness even with those
whom they had no affinities and great compassion by seeing
themselves as identical with everyone. Both practiced the
Bodhisattva Path, sacrificing their health to save living
beings, exerting themselves to the point of illness.
In July and August of 1995, I contacted
the Elder Master, requesting him to conduct the cremation
ceremony for our Master and also preside over the ordination
at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Whenever I sought his
advice, he was always accommodating and cordial, and even
when I saw him off on his trip back to China, he never once
mentioned his deteriorating health. In October 1995, when
the Elder Master invited Sangha members from the City of Ten
Thousand Buddhas to attend the ordination ceremony at
Longhua Monastery, we found out from his disciples that his
health was deteriorating and he probably did not have long
to live. Thus they were holding the ordination ceremony on
his eightieth birthday, in order to seek the precepts from
him. I recall that the Elder Master came twice to the City
of Ten Thousand Buddhas, in July to conduct the cremation
ceremony for our Master, his old fellow cultivator, and also
in August to preside at the ordination, disregarding his own
health and not fearing any hardship. As disciples of the
Venerable Master, we are deeply grateful to the Venerable
Ming Yang for his kindness during the difficult period after
our Teacher entered Nirvana.
At Dragon Flower Monastery, both the
monastic and lay disciples are continuously reciting the
Buddha's name day and night in hope that the Venerable Ming
Yang will return to this world based on his vows. The vast
vows made by the Venerable were not only idealistic, but
also pragmatic. He exerted all his efforts in reviving
Buddhism in China. In addition, when he came to understand
that the Venerable Master was laying the foundation for
Buddhism in the West, in 1987 he led a delegation of over
eighty Dharma Masters to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas to
conduct the Great Water, Land, Air Ceremony. Furthermore, in
1993, he also went to Taiwan to propagate the Buddhadharma
in order to promote peace between the two countries. The
visit was not only an historical pioneering effort in
raising the status of the Buddhism, it also served to opened
up a bright path for the exchange of Buddhist viewpoints.
The Nirvana Hall of the Elder Master is
being built at his Abbot quarters in Longhua Monastery.
Being there brings to mind the time when the Elder Master
invited monks from the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas to
attend the ordination ceremony in order to educate the
younger generation. In the Abbot's quarters, I ventured to
ask the Elder Master, "Is it true that the Venerable receive
the full Bhikshu precepts before reaching the age of
twenty?" (According to the Vinaya, one is not allowed to
receive full ordination before the age of twenty). Taking it
in stride, he smilingly replied, "During my generation, it
was the practice at the time." In the early years, in order
to save the country, he joined the revolution against the
Japanese; he was captured and tortured by Japanese soldiers,
but he never gave in and was steadfast against the
onslaught. By enduring the myriad difficulties, I believed
that the Elder Master has attained the Pararnita of
patience-reached the other shore.
The Venerable Ming Xue of Lingyan
Mountain hosted the ceremony for sealing the casket on July
28 and the cremation ceremony on the following day based on
Master Baizhang's pure rules in the time-honored tradition.
Taking part in the ceremony, I recalled once again all the
events from seven years ago when our Master entered Nirvana.
The cremation ceremony was held at Tiantong Monastery in
Ningbo, Zhejiang province not only because the Elder Master
had been the Abbot of Tiantong Monastery, but also because
he spent his youth there studying Buddhist rituals and
investigating the teachings of the Buddha. Although the
Elder Master favored that pure and tranquil environment, he
chose to remain in Shanghai where it was more convenient to
teach living beings. In order to fulfill his wish, his
disciples requested special permission from the government
to hold the cremation ceremony at Tiantong Monastery.
Due to the long journey, everybody got up
at 1:30 a.m and the ceremony for transporting the casket was
held at 2:30 a.m. A police escort accompanied the casket.
The trip from Shanghai was long, and by the time we reached
the front gate of Tiantong Monastery it was 9:00 a.m,
Despite the hot and humid weather, faithful worshippers
lined the two mile path from the mountain gate to the Hall
of Heavenly Kings. Perspiring from the heat, they recited
Amitabha Buddha's name and used handheld fans to fan the
Dharma Masters who were transporting the casket. It was a
very moving sight.
We reached the Hall of Heavenly Kings
around 10 a.m. and proceeded with the memorial ceremony
followed by the meal offering and lunch. At noon we headed
to the cremation site, walking for half an hour along a
small trail. Venerable Ming Xue hosted the cremation
ceremony. Gazing into the red blaze of the fire on the side
of the casket, I was saddened, recalling all the
compassionate teachings of the late Elder Master. The only
way to repay the the Elder Master's kindness is to emulate
his practice and vows.
The next day many sharira [relics] were
found. Most of them will remain at Tiantong Monastery. On
July 31st, the succeeding Abbot of Dragon Flower Monasery,
Dharma Master Zhao Cheng respectfully requested some of the
sharira for Dragon Flower Monastery for the general public
in Shanghai to pay their tribute. To express their filial
respect and repay their kindness to the late Elder Master,
the Dharma Masters will hold a forty-nine day Buddha name
recitation session, conduct a transference of merit for one
hundred days, and make offerings to the hungry ghosts every
week. They are also preparing a forum in memory of the Elder
Master and will also to publish a Memorial Book in Honor of
the Elder Master. The ceremony of placing the sharira in the
stupa will be held next year so that the disciples of the
Elder Master from all over the world may come to pay their
respects. The Elder Master has successors to continue his
work of propagating the Buddhardharma in the areas of
education, culture, and charity, and also to improve the
education and training of Sangha members. I believe that the
Elder Master is smiling in the Pure Land. I sincerely wish
that the Elder Master will return based on his vows to
purify and adorn the Dharma Realm
Note:
The Elder Master Ming Yang's lay name was Chen-shin Tao. He
was also known as Jun Hao. He was born in 1916 in Fuzhou,
Fujian province. After listening to the Great Master Yuan
Ying's lectures, he attained an awakening and subsequently
left the home life with the Great Master Yuan Ying,
receiving the Dharma names Re Xin and Ming Yang. The Elder
Master entered the stillness at the worldly age of
eighty-seven; he had seventy-six years in the Sangha.
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