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 二○○四年一月我在馬來西亞時，妹妹告訴我當地報紙上一則有意思的報導。一位無名氏商人為回饋社會，在馬六甲開了一間餐廳，每日供應免費素食。歡迎人人去進食早、中，晚餐，來賓無需付款而且儘管飽餐一頓，但不得浪費食物。唯一條件是食後要清洗用過的盤碗。因為有食客堅持要支付款項或物料，所以在餐廳內有一回饋箱。
成立這間非營利餐廳的資金大約馬幣七萬元，並且雇用四名員工。聽說餐廳老板的仁慈後，許多用品都是他人折價出售的。這位無名氏冀望，在五年內能在馬來西亞其他州開設更多家此類分號。
最妙的是這地方號稱 「阿彌陀佛餐廳」，它是很稀有、無條件的布施方式之例。聽到這故事，不由得想：「真天才、真絕妙，真善巧的主意讓人稱念佛號！」不論誰的宗教或種族，每個人都有可能對自己的親友說：「嗨！要不要去阿彌陀佛餐廳吃飯？」只消這麼一說，就稱念佛號並植勝上善因了。真是絕佳點子叫基督徒、回教徒、印度教徒、自由派思想家、無神論者或任何其他非佛教徒稱念阿彌陀佛號，進食沒有動物血腥的一餐。
雖然此商人不求款項回收，他行布施的慷慨與不私的本懷，也啟發出他人回饋之念。
他成立阿彌陀佛餐廳的善意，使人們善良的本質得以體現。這位商人可說是真善用錢財利益眾生，增長人們的善業又培功植德。
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When I was in Malaysia in January 2004, my sister told me about an interesting article in the local newspaper. An anonymous businessman wishing to contribute to society set up a restaurant in Malacca that serves free vegetarian meals every day. Anyone can go there to have breakfast, lunch, or dinner without paying, and eat as much as they want, but they are asked to not waste food. Customers only have to wash their plates and cutlery after eating. Some patrons insist on contributing money or food, so a donation box was set up in the restaurant.
It cost about RM70,000 (Malaysian dollars) to set up this restaurant as a non-profit establishment, and four people were hired to manage it. Many items were sold to them at a discounted price after people learned about their altruism. The anonymous businessman hopes to set up more restaurants like it in other states in Malaysia within the next five years.
The best part of the story is that this place is called the Amitofo Restaurant. It is also a rare example of unconditional giving. When we came across this story, we thought, “What an ingenious, wonderful, and expedient way of getting people to recite the Buddha’s name.” Anyone from any religion or race may say to a friend or relative, “Hey, do you want to go and have lunch at the Amitofo Restaurant?” Just by saying that, they would have already recited the Buddha’s name and planted supreme causes. What a brilliant method for getting a Christian, a Muslim, a Hindu, a free-thinker, an agnostic, an atheist or any other non-Buddhist to utter Amitabha Buddha’s name and to have a meal where no killing of animals is involved.
 Even though the businessman did not expect any payment, his generosity and impartiality in the practice of giving inspired others to want to pay him back in some way. Because his intention for setting up the Amitofo Restaurant was good, he was able to help bring out these wholesome qualities in others. This businessman knows how to use his money to benefit living beings, to increase people’s good karma, and to create merit.
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