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 我是於1990年開始供奉佛像的，從一開始，不知如何念佛號，和經常吃活的海鮮等，到如今2005年吃齋念佛，其中的轉變，一言難盡。
我從小到大，一直是脾氣暴燥，凡事執著；這讓周圍的親朋好友、同學、同事，倍感不愉快。但是自從學習佛法以來，我的世界觀和言行，在潛移默化中，得以改變和進步；這種改變和進步，也大大的影響了我周圍的人。以下講述我最近經歷的兩件事：
一） 飛來之福
我從1994年起，就做通訊工程師；但在2000年時，因高齡懷孕，而不得不辭掉工作。後來由於高技術產業大滑坡，我不曾再重返技術工作崗位，朋友們很替我惋惜；我的一個朋友極力奉勸我做假簡歷，並說可幫忙找人做證明，證明我在這五年期間，做過技術工作。在當時眾人的勸說下，我動心了。是啊！現在是2005年，通訊行業正在恢復；尤其是在美國，需要大量技術人員。我此時不趁機做假，混進技術崗位，以後將永遠不會有如此好的機會了！
我答應朋友，考慮兩天再做回覆；這兩天，我經歷了劇烈的思想鬥爭。回想這五年來，曾經很辛苦的尋找本專業工作，可毫無結果；於是放棄了，只不過還在求職網站上免費存放了我2004年寫的簡歷。現在好了！可有人可幫忙做證明，豈不應相對容易找到工作？但是轉念又想：我已經是一名受了五戒的佛教徒，其中一戒，是不可妄語；我如果因寫假簡歷，而得到工作，豈不是騙該徵聘公司的錢財嗎？最後，我對我的同修說：「吾意已決！我寧可受窮一輩子，也不想破戒！」
大約過了一個月，我突然收到一份傳真，詢問我是否感興趣一份通訊工程師的工作？並要我的最新簡歷。這期間，我的同修還說：「他們不太可能雇用你，他們看了你的最新簡歷後，會發現你近五年來未做技術工作，又不熟悉新科技。」他說如果我能被錄取，他就會相信真是佛幫助我這個孝順佛教的人。二天後，該公司正式通知錄用我， 並要我立刻投入工作中。那時，我和同修對這不可思議的恩賜都感覺太意外了。我的同修說：「這太出乎意料了！你的這件事，強有力的向我證明了學佛的好處。我想趁今年宣公上人圓寂十週年的紀念日，去萬佛聖城受五戒！」之後，他就積極的投入了準備工作 ── 遞申請書、照相片等；在今年宣公上人圓寂十週年的紀念日，順利的去了萬佛聖城，受了五戒。
二） 南柯一夢
地藏菩薩幫我，在夢中親身經歷了失去親生兒子的痛苦，使我決心擯棄前嫌，消除瞋恨心。
我的兒子今年（2005）十六歲，我和天下所有母親一樣，對子女充滿了希望和關愛；但是我因為脾氣不好，所以常因他不愛讀書，和言行不完美，而打罵他。這使他對我很怨恨，同時他也怨恨他的父親和妹妹；他的言行，大大的傷害了我對他的感情。到了最近，我甚至希望他早受果報，或者死去；但是我也會偶爾回憶起我們母子之間，以前親密的時光，所以我很為我們之間的惡劣關係痛苦。
我到美國工作的第一個星期日，來到了宣公上人的道場「長堤聖寺」；這裏供奉著地藏菩薩，我就請地藏菩薩幫忙，改善我們母子之間的關係。當晚，我就做了一個與此相關的夢。
夢中，我的同修對我說：「咱們兒子不聽話，又不愛讀書，我去把他打死算了！」我想：兒子在挨打的時候，或許會醒悟。就同意了！我的同修於是就拿著約一尺長的木棍，和我進了他的房間；進去之後，發現他已經自殺了，只有一顆腦袋留在房裏。我雙手捧著他的腦袋，感覺很複雜；但我分明地感到：他的腦袋是溫熱的，而且正在漸漸變涼。我雙手捧著兒子的腦袋，哭著找到法師，問怎麼辦？法師說：「以前讓你改脾氣，為什麼不聽呀？現在都晚了！」過一會兒，我的同修不知在哪兒找到了兒子的屍體；他將屍體和腦袋拼在一起，擺放在馬路上，用鞭子抽打，並允許路人觀看。然後我們就回到家裏，我的同修、女兒和我三人一起生活；感覺比較安靜，但是很冷清。看著乖乖的女兒，想著死去的兒子，我很後悔兒子死去，更後悔以前對他的打罵；那種撕心裂肺的痛苦，在我醒來後，還是感覺得到。
從那天起，我就連續一周，每天誦《地藏經》一部，迴向給我兒子，希望他不再有瞋恨心。我現在對我兒子，也大不像以前一樣的憎恨，而是將他看成我的善知識；我感謝他，正是因為他的緣故，我才能夠更加精進的學習佛法。
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It was in 1990 that I acquired a Buddha statue. I did not know how to recite the Buddha’s name, and I still ate fresh seafood often. It was not until this year, 2005, that I became a vegetarian and began reciting the Buddha’s name. The changes that happened over these years can hardly be described in a short article.
Since childhood, I have always been very stubborn and had a big temper. It alienated and upset friends, classmates, and colleagues around me. However, since I started learning the Buddhadharma, my perspective of the world has changed and my behavior has improved gradually and thus also affected people around me greatly. I will now relate two things that happened recently:
A. An Unexpected Blessing Came My Way
I have been a telecommunications engineer since 1994. Yet I had to quit my job when I got pregnant at an advanced age in the year 2000. Because of the big recession in the high tech industry, I could not go back to my technical job. My friends all felt pity for me. One of my friends strongly urged that I lie on my resume and claimed that he could find people to prove that I had been working in a technical position during those five years. I was swayed by the persuasion of my friends. It is true that the telecom industry is starting to recover in 2005. A lot of technical personnel are needed, especially in the U.S. If I did not fake my resume to get a technical position now, I would lose a golden opportunity forever.
I told my friend I needed to think about it for two days before I replied. During those two days, my heart struggled. Looking back on these five years, it has been fruitless for me to try to find a position in my field. I finally gave up and just left a resume written in 2004 on a free website. I have a great chance now! If someone can vouch for my working experience, isn’t it relatively easy to find a job? But then I thought: I am a Buddhist who has taken the Five Precepts, including the precept against lying. If I faked my resume and got a position, wouldn’t that be cheating the company that hired me? Finally, I told my husband, “I have made up my mind. I would rather be poor for the rest of my life than break a precept!”
After about a month, I suddenly received a fax asking me if I was interested in a telecom engineer position and also asking for my updated resume. Even then, my husband said: “After reviewing your updated resume, they aren’t likely to hire you after they find out that you haven’t done any technical work during the last five years and aren’t familiar with the new technology.” He said if I were hired, he would really believe that the Buddhas are there to support someone like me who is really filial to Buddhism and working very hard on cultivation.
Two days later, I got the formal job offer letter and the company asked me to start work immediately. We were both shocked by this incredible offer. My husband said, “This is unbelievable! This event strongly proves the benefit of studying the Buddhadharma. I want to take the opportunity to go to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas and take the Five Precepts during the tenth anniversary of Venerable Master Hua’s Nirvana.” He actively prepared his application and photo, and did go to CTTB and receive the Five Precepts as planned.
B. The Bodhisattva’s Teaching in the Dream
Earth Store Bodhisattva helped me get rid of my anger toward my son by letting me experience the pain of losing my son in the dream.
My son is 16 years old this year (2005). I am full of motherly affection as well as high hopes for my children just like all the other mothers in the world. However, because of by bad temper, I often spanked and scolded him because he did not like to study or because his behavior was far from perfect. This made him resent not only me, but also his father and sister. His misbehavior really destroyed my affection for him. Recently, I even hoped that he would receive his retribution soon or die. On occasion, I would remember how close we used to be and would be deeply pained by the terrible state of our relationship now.
 The first Sunday when I came to the U.S. to work, I came to Long Beach Sagely Monastery, which was established by Venerable Master Hua. An image of Earth Store Bodhisattva is worshipped here. I asked Earth Store Bodhisattva to help improve the relationship between my son and me. That night, I had a dream.
In the dream, my husband said to me, “Our son doesn’t listen to us and doesn’t like studying. I will beat him to death!” I thought, “Maybe my son will wake up when he is being beaten.” So I agreed! My husband then took a wooden rod about one foot long, and we went to my son’s room. When we went inside, we found that he had already committed suicide. Only his head was left in the room. I held his head in my hands and was filled with complex feelings. His head still felt warm but was getting cold. I held his head crying and asked a Dharma Master, “What should I do?” The Dharma Master said: “I asked you to change your temper before; why didn’t you change? It is too late now.” After a while, my husband found my son’s body somewhere and put it together with his head on the street. He whipped the body as onlookers watched. Then we went home. My husband, my daughter and I were living together then. Our life was quieter, but also much lonelier. Looking at my nice daughter, I thought about my son and regretted losing him. I regretted having scolded and beaten him before. The sharp pain so tore my heart that I could still feel it lingering even after I woke up.
After that day, I recited the Earth Store Sutra once a day for a week and dedicated the merit of recitation to my son, hoping that he would no longer feel resentment. I also have much less resentment towards him now; instead I look upon him as my good teacher and appreciate him. Because of him, I can study Buddhism more vigorously.
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