|
 時間過得很快，上人圓寂至今已十年過去了；我們這輩子很幸運的，見證了一位現代高僧的德行事跡。當第一次讀到上人的十八大願時，我受到了很大的震撼，這麼大的願力，就好像出自經書上佛菩薩的願力，我還沒有看到其他的修行者發如此的大願；上人的慈悲、德行、神通感應，就像《高僧傳》裏所記載的古代高僧大德一般。誠如剛才有位法師所說的──她如果沒有碰到上人，則《華嚴經》上面所講的諸佛菩薩的境界，她是不會相信的。在我遇到上人以前，對於佛經上所講的佛菩薩放光、神通感應、天人來聚、天雨華鬘，都認為只是文筆上的潤飾而已，不是真的；遇到上人後，我才改變了觀念，佛經所述，字字都是真的。我們人類的能力實在是太低，無法認識那些境界，就像空氣和電，時刻和我們的生活在一起，我們卻看不到；只有透過電扇、電視、電燈的功能，我們才能知道它們的存在。上人雖然圓寂了，但卻沒有離開我們──上人就像轉化成了空氣、電力一樣，每天跟著我們、看著我們，我們卻看不到他；但藉著大家轉述、分享與上人的感應事跡，我可以了解上人還跟著我們在一起。
上人給我的感應很多，由於時間有限，今天我只講敘兩件事，都是上人圓寂以後發生的。
第一件事，是發生在一九九六年的一月二十八日，上人圓寂後的第二年。那天早晨醒來之前，夢見上人來了，將我頭上拍了三下，很慈祥的微笑著，我就醒過來；我還告訴內人「上人在我頭上拍了三下」。那天下午四點，在回家的路上，由於下雨路滑，就在「五號南下高速公路」 ( 當時筆者定居在洛杉磯。─ 編輯 )，快到「二十二號公路」的地方，出了車禍，三部車撞在一起，我的車子被夾在中間，車子報銷，人受到驚嚇，卻沒有受傷。在我前面，被我撞到車子的駕駛者，是一位要下班的獄警，也是一位善心人士；他讓我搭順風車，在他要出去的高速公路出口，讓我在加油站下車。我打電話叫內人來接我，內人見我的時候，開口說：「原來上人是為了這件事而加持你！」本已忘了早晨醒前所作的夢，經內人提醒，頓然記起，心中漸漸思索 ──上人不是圓寂了嗎？上人拍了我這三下，是為了保護我，於車禍中不受傷？上人怎麼知道今天我會發生車禍？如果上人不來加持我，這場車禍的結果，我會是怎麼樣？斷手？斷腳？腦震盪？殘廢？沒命？上人在這場車禍中救了我，淚水隨著感激、感恩、感動的心情流出來。上人的十八大願，不捨一眾生；上人雖然脫去肉身殼子，卻依然在看著我，在他的笨弟子要出車禍時出手相救。經此車禍一震，似乎也震開我的茅塞；昔日上人的教誨、默而不語的行止、發乎言語之細行……，一切表相及內涵，如今漸漸明白，越感到上人的偉大，及令人欽佩的德行。
第二件事，是發生在去年（2004年4月底），那天是「萬佛聖城」舉行「萬佛寶懺」剛開始第一天。早上睡醒前，夢見上人來了，跟我開示了許多話；大意是要我開始精進、努力修行，不要再浪費時間。醒來後，我還和內人分享上人的開示。上班前，打了一個電話到「萬佛城」的辦公室，魏果度接聽，我請他幫忙保留一個房間。本擬當天下午提早一小時下班，送內人到「萬佛城」；估計到城裡已是七點多 ，隔天一大早，我再趕回聖荷西上班，讓內人獨自到辦公室辦理報到，而後留下來拜懺。她很早就計劃，要來參加這次的「萬佛寶懺」，並且也很希望我能一起參加跟著拜。
在電話中跟果度談完後，我就去上班。進了公司後，發覺氣氛不對勁，員工一個一個被叫到人事部門去談話，怎麼回事？隔壁的同事被叫去回來後，就開始裝箱打包，準備離去。細聲問他怎麼回事？才知道公司正在裁人；我的頭頂上司在我進公司前，就已第一個被裁。快接近中午的時候，輪到我被叫進人事部去；人事主任委婉的告訴我，整個聖荷西的工程部份要被關掉，工程業務將搬回在東部的總公司，公司感到很抱歉。於是我匆匆的打包回家，放下一切，滿內人的願，一起到萬佛城來拜萬佛寶懺。
現在回想起來，在我面對公司裁員之前，上人來我夢中給我的開示，原來有三層意義：第一，上人是施無畏者。上人安慰我不要怕，這是命中已定──在這個時候，美國不景氣，公司要關掉部門──我就必須接受這個考驗；這不是我的錯，我也無法逞什麼能耐，以避免被裁，只有真實面對它！第二，上人鼓勵我，要精進努力，莫浪費時間。誠如剛才有位居士上台來講的，上人告訴他──法身的慧命，比生命、事業還重要。我年紀也不小了，不能再磋跎了！第三，上人保證我：只要好好修行，不用擔心未來的生活問題，上人會take care（照顧）！
在「萬佛寶懺」期間，與內人共同商量，就決定退休了。
對我來說，從這兩個事件，可以證明上人並沒有離開我們；他一直在默默中看著我們、保護我們，他比我們更清楚我們的未來。他曾在大眾中開示──只要你們好好修行，Everything is OK (一切沒問題)！在危難的時候，上人會以巧妙的方法，幫我們度過劫難；在瓶頸的時候，上人會以適當的方法，開示教導我們，令我們有智慧、有勇氣，以度過瓶頸。我們今生有幸遇到善知識，就應該好好在個人的道田上耕耘，不要管外邊太多的枝枝節節。希望大家都能道業有成，同登彼岸！
|
|
Time flies. It’s already been ten years since Venerable Master Hua left us. We are very lucky to have encountered a high Sanghan with such lofty virtue and conduct. When I first read Venerable Master’s Eighteen Great Vows, I was deeply moved. Such great vows are like the vows of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas that we see in Sutras. I’ve never seen any cultivator who makes such great vows. The Master’s compassion, virtue, and responses from spiritual powers were similar to those related in the
Records of High Sanghans. Just like what a Dharma Master said, if she didn’t encounter the Venerable Master, she wouldn’t be able to believe the states of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas described in the
Flower Adornment Sutra.”
Before I met the Venerable Master, the states mentioned in the Sutras, such as Buddhas and Bodhisattvas emitting light, responses from spiritual powers, gatherings of celestial beings, and the raining of heavenly flowers, I thought, were just figures of speech—not for real. After meeting the Master, I changed my views: Every word spoken in the Sutra is true. It’s just that our abilities as humans are inferior—hence it’s impossible for us to recognize those states. It’s like air and electricity. Even though we use them in our daily life, we cannot see them. Only by using electric fans, televisions, and electric lamps do we see the existence of electricity. Although the Master is gone, he has not actually left us. It is as if the Venerable Master has transformed into air and electricity, following us and watching over us everyday. We cannot see him. But from listening to all the testimonials, I believe that the Venerable Master is still with us.
The Venerable Master gave me a lot of responses. Due to the time constraints, I will only relate two stories. They all happened after the Venerable Master left us.
The first incident happened in January 28, 1996. It was the first year after the Venerable Master entered stillness. Before I woke up that morning, I dreamt that the Venerable Master came. He patted my head three times with a very compassionate smile. I then woke up. I told my wife that the Venerable Master had patted me on the head three times. That day at 4:00 p.m. on my way home, the road was slippery due to rain. On Interstate 5 Freeway southbound, near Highway 22, I was involved in a three-car collision. My car was sandwiched in the middle of two cars. The car was totaled. I was traumatized but was not injured. The driver of the car in front of me was going home from work. He was a prison warden and a very kind man. He gave me a ride to a gas station near his exit of the freeway. I called my wife to pick me up. When my wife saw me, she said, “The Venerable Master came to bless you for this situation.” I had already forgotten about the dream. At my wife’s reminder, I thought, “Isn’t the Venerable Master already gone? The Venerable Master came to pat me on the head three times. Was he trying to protect me from the accident? How did the Master know I was going to be in an accident today? If the Master didn’t come to bless me, what would have happened to me in this accident? Broken arms? Broken legs? Concussion? Disabled? Dead? In this accident, he saved me.” Out of deep gratitude, my tears came rolling down. The Venerable Master’s Eighteen Great Vows don’t leave out even one living being. Even though he is physically gone, he still watched over me. He saved me from an accident. I was shocked by this accident, but it somehow opened up my mind. Knowing the Venerable Master through his teachings and his practices, the details of his words, his deeds or actions— either visible or invisible, I now gradually understand his greatness and deeply admire his virtue.
The second incident happened last year in April 2004. That was the first day of the Repentance before Ten Thousand Buddhas at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Before I woke up, I dreamt that the Venerable Master came and spoke a lot of words to me. Essentially, he wanted me to practice and cultivate diligently and not waste any more time. When I woke up, I told my wife about the dream and shared the Master’s words with her. Before leaving for work, I called the office of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Layman Guo Du Wei answered the phone. I requested to reserve a room. The plan was to leave work an hour earlier in order to drive my wife to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas and arrive by 7 p.m. The next morning, I would drive back to San Jose to work and leave my wife to register in the office by herself and stay for the Repentance. She had planned to attend the Repentance before Ten Thousand Buddhas a long time ago and wished that I could attend as well. After I finished talking on the phone with Mr. Wei, I went to work. When I entered the office, things didn’t feel right. People were called into the Human Resources Department, one by one. What was happening? The co-worker that sat across from me came back and started packing up. Only after quietly asking him what had happened did I realize there was a lay-off taking place. My boss was the first to get laid off. Close to noon, it was my turn to go to the Human Resources Department. The HR manager told me that the San Jose Engineering Department would be closed because they were moving back to the corporate headquarters on the East Coast. They felt very sorry. I packed and went home. I let go of everything and fulfilled my wife’s wish that I attend the Repentance before Ten Thousand Buddhas with her.
As I think of it, before the layoff, the Venerable Master had instructed me in my dream. I now realize it has three meanings. First, the Venerable Master gives fearlessness to those who are afraid. He comforted me and told me not to be afraid. This layoff was destined to happen because of the prolonged downturn of the economy. The company wished to close its department. I had no choice. It wasn’t my fault. I couldn’t do anything else but face reality. Second, the Venerable Master encouraged me to be vigorous and not waste time. Just as the other layperson mentioned, the Venerable Master told him that the Dharma body and wisdom life are more important than livelihood and career. I’m not young anymore. I cannot continue to waste time and toil without a purpose. Third, the Venerable Master promised me that as long as I cultivate diligently, I need not worry about anything else. He will take care of it.
During the Repentance before Ten Thousand Buddhas, my wife and I talked it over and I decided to retire.
These two incidents prove that the Venerable Master is still with us. He is constantly watching over us and silently protecting us. He is much clearer about our future than we are. As he said before, as long as you honestly cultivate, everything will be OK. During dangerous or hard times, the Venerable Master will use expedient means to help us get through our difficulty. When we encounter an obstacle that prevents us from progressing in our cultivation, the Venerable Master will use the proper methods to guide us through the process, help us gain wisdom and courage to surmount this obstacle. In this life, we are fortunate to meet a great teacher like this. We should try our best in cultivation and not pay too much attention to other distracting matters. May everyone realize the Way and reach the Other Shore!
|
