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諸佛菩薩、師父上人、諸位法師、諸位善知識，阿彌陀佛！
我是潘果藩，今晚談談第一次我來萬佛城的因緣。當初在臺灣上班時，我跟老板賭氣說，「我要去美國。」「妳以為美國是那麼好申請去的啊？」在十幾年前確是不太好申請。我心想，「我就去申請給你看！」我到旅行社去問，他們也說，「妳的條件不是很好。」看起來好像沒什麼希望了，但我還是去試試。旅行社又教了我很多對答，「如果妳去申請的話，他們可能會問妳一些問題，妳該怎麼怎麼回答。」我很聽話，就統統記了下來；到了那邊，簽證官看了我一眼，說，「妳明天來拿護照。」簽證准了！
那時有個朋友，不知道有什麼通，看到了上人的照片；我告訴他這是我的皈依師父，他就說，「啊！這個師父很厲害，四十里地都沒有人傷得了他！」又說，「他幫妳消了很多業障。」今天（陰曆初十）是上人每月的涅槃紀念日，上人曾說，「只要你們有一條比頭髮更細的善根，我都不忍心不成就你們。」這也是上人最大最大的慈悲心，也因此就有人批評上人亂收弟子。其實，這是上人最偉大的大悲願，要不是這樣，可能有很多人，包括我自己，可能又在外面造業還不知道，也許還自鳴得意呢！我非常感激上人的心，幾世都沒法回報得完。如果不是上人引導，我將隨自己的業風每況愈下，流轉、流轉不知流轉到哪一道去。
我們非常幸運，上人準備了這麼好的道場給我們，一切現成。今天能在這樣清淨的地方修習正法，就看我們自己用多少心去行這個道了。我不能說自己是怎麼樣有修行，但是不是不再造業了呢？我想還是有，但輕了很多。在這樣清淨的地方，讓我們很容易迴光返照，反省自己。這不是任何有價的東西可以比擬的；這個恩也不是語言可以講得完的。
上人有很多不可思議的事。記得上人示疾時，我恰好那一個月有因緣在上人身邊。在我們眼裡，上人天天都在生病，可是就常有人寫信來說，「他生命非常危險，上人在什麼什麼時候救了他，或救了他什麼人，因此寫信來表示感激。」
上人的教法真的很特別，記得平時見到上人時，上人總告訴我，「北方人個性比較倔強……。」上人知道我的同修是北方人，他如何如何，上人都知道。上人每次看見我都這麼對我說，我也都默默無語。一天上人又這麼對我講，我就說了，「師父，是我欠他太多。」上人沉默了一陣沒講話，再開口時就說，「認賬就好。」口氣很嚴厲，我就認賬了。世間一切事都不離因果，所以碰到任何事，我們應該如上人所教導的，要迴光返照，反省自己，我希望自己能真正去做到。
阿彌陀佛！
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All Bodhisattvas, Venerable Master, Dharma Masters and good advisors, Amitabha!
I am Guo-Fan and I would like to tell you the causes and conditions for my first visit to the City. When I was still in Taiwan, I told my boss that I would go to the United States. He asked, “So you think it is that easy to go to the States?” Over ten years ago, it was not easy to get a visa to the US. But I thought, “I’ll show you. I’m going to apply for a visa.” I went to a travel agency and was told, “It will not be easy for you.” The chances looked slim, but I still wanted to try. The travel agency gave me a crash course on answering questions that I might be asked when applying. I was rather naive and of course I listened and took notes and followed their instructions. And, unexpectedly, when I got there, the visa officer took one look at me and said, “Come and get your passport tomorrow.” Visa approved!
I had a friend at that time with some psychic ability. When he saw the Venerable Master’s photo, he said, “Oh! This Master is someone with skill. No one within a forty mile radius of him could harm him.” Then he added, “He has also helped you to eradicate a lot of karmic obstacles.”
Today is the Venerable Master’s monthly Nirvana Day (the 10th of every lunar month) and I remember what he said once: “As long as you have good roots even as thin as a hair’s breadth, I will not give up on you. I will help you to accomplish the Way.” This is the Venerable Master’s great compassion. Because of this, some people criticized him for accepting disciples casually. Actually this was a compassionate vow. If he had not been this way, many people like myself would still be committing bad karma. And worse yet, we’d be doing it without knowing it and even be happy about it. I am very grateful to the Master and do not think I can ever repay his kindness. If it were not for his guidance, who knows where I would be now. We are really fortunate that the Master prepared such a nice Wayplace for us to cultivate in. Now it is up to us to practice the Way. I don’t dare claim to do any cultivation or that I will never commit any bad karma from now on. I might still commit bad karma, but it will not be very serious. In a pure place like this, it is easier for us to reflect upon ourselves, and the value of this is beyond anything in the world. This kindness is not something we can express in words. There were many inconceivable things happening around the Venerable Master. I remember when the Master was ill, I had the opportunity to be around him for a month. In our eyes the Master was sick every day, but then we got many letters from people who said that their lives had been in danger and the Master had saved them. They wrote these letters to show their gratitude.
The Venerable Master’s Dharma is truly unique. I remember him always telling me, “The Northern Chinese have stubborn dispositions.” He knew that my husband was Northern Chinese. The Master knew everything. Every time he saw me he would say this to me and I would be quiet. One day the Master was telling me this again and I answered, “Master, it’s just that I owe him a great debt.” The Master was silent for a while and then said very sternly, “Just accept your debt and you will be all right.” So I accepted the debt. Nothing in this world can escape cause and effect, so if anything happens to us we should just do as the Master taught us —reflect upon ourselves. I hope I will truly be able to do this.
Amitabha!
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