|
大家都知道 上人從小就重視孝道，而且身體力行，與當時的常仁大師，都是有名的孝子，可是上人直到晚年，於言談裡，總還是謙虛的說，在孝道上做的不夠圓滿。
孝道原本就不是用來喊口號，或者做樣子給人看的，它是要打從心裡認同，然後切實去做，做完了也沒人知，但是自己很清楚，在盡孝道過程中，心裡總覺得很踏實，很光明。也因為這個孝心，才會對尊長，乃至尊長所說的法，起恭敬隨順心；也因為這個恭敬隨順心，才會對法起實踐的堅忍毅力；也因為這個堅忍毅力，學法才有所成。所以至性至孝之人，若要學法，有什麼法門學之不成？
話說約1986年底，洛山磯有位老先生，到金輪寺去拜見 上人，正要頂禮， 上人就說：「老人家不用多禮！不用拜！」然後指著身旁座位，說：來！坐這兒！。看見上人很隨和，沒有一點架子，於是老先生便侃侃而談，從西安事變，八年抗日，到國共內戰，滔滔不絕， 上人也不時加入一些他自己對時局的獨到見解。說著便說到大陸淪陷前夕，老先生利用一點空檔，請假跑回廣東鄉下，去見他久別的母親，得知他父親，在他離開這幾年已往生，剩下個老母親，體弱多病，乏人照顧，鄉下的諸多不便，她的生活品質很差，他看了心裡難受，很想即刻帶他母親離開，但自己還居無定所，得跟著服務機關隨時遷移，他便告訴他老媽：只要稍一安定，便回來接你！但離開後，就沒機會再回去，等得到消息，便是他老媽已在鄉下往生。老先生是又難過又自責。
上人聽到此，馬上打斷說：我若是你，就算子彈打到頭上了，我也會把她背著逃出來。
此非戲言， 上人是說到做到。可見對於孝順之道， 上人是打從心裡，寧捨身命的去做，當下就行孝，不會有其它的考慮，乃至起第二念的想法。
若論孝道，本應頂載受持，何須多解釋？理雖易明，然事相的境界來時，眾生總是行之不足，乃至多有偏差，等而下之，就是惡心惡行。那麼對 上人的行孝，又畢竟如何說呢？且聽吾說句：
至性至孝 石破驚天
至性至孝 鬼神敬重
|
|
Everyone knows that the Venerable Master Hua valued and personally practiced filial respect. Both he and great Master Chang Ren were renowned for being filial. However, even to the end of his life, the Master always modestly said that he had not practiced filial respect perfectly.
Filial respect is not meant to be a slogan or a show for others to see; rather, it has to come from the heart and through honest practice. After you have practiced it, no one else knows and yet, as you practice, you get a very clear sense of being grounded and radiant. Also, your filial respect allows you to be respectful and compliant to elders and even to the Dharma that elders speak. Due to your respect and compliance, you will persevere in practicing the Dharma and thus successfully learn the Dharma. Therefore, when someone who has perfected his nature and his filial respect studies the Dharma, how could he fail to learn any Dharma door?
Around the end of 1986, an elderly man in Los Angeles went to Gold Wheel Monastery to see the Venerable Master. As he was about to bow to him, the Venerable Master said, “Elders need not stand on ceremony! No need to bow!” He then pointed to a chair by his side and said, “Come over. Sit here!” Seeing the Venerable Master’s very agreeable, modest and unassuming manner, the old man talked freely about the Xian Incident [when Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek was captured by Marshall Zhang Xueliang in December 1936 in Xian], the Sino-Japanese War, and the civil war between the Nationalists and Communists. The Venerable Master also gave his unique views of those situations. Later, the old man talked about how just before China had completely been occupied by the Communists, he took a chance and rushed back to the countryside in Canton to see his mother whom he had not seen for a long time. He knew that his father had passed away during his absence. His mother was all alone, very weak and sick. No one took care of her, and her life in the countryside was very hard. He felt pained and wished to take his mother with him. Considering that he had no fixed residence and had to move wherever his job took him, he told his mother, “As soon as the turmoil subsides, I’ll come back to get you!” However, once he left the place, he had no chance to return. Later he heard the news that his mother had passed away in the countryside. The old man was so sad and blamed himself.
Upon hearing this, the Venerable Master interrupted him right away and said, “If I were you, even if the bullets fell on me, I would carry her and escape.” This was not a casual remark; the Venerable Master puts his words into practice. From this, we can see that from the bottom of his heart, the Venerable Master would rather sacrifice his life than even consider the idea of not being filial.
It’s easy to understand the principle, but when confronted by situations, ordinary people cannot fully apply it. Most will be way off the mark and in the worst case, will have malicious motives and do evil deeds. Ultimately what could be said about the Venerable Master’s filial practice? Listen to my words:
Perfect in nature and perfect in filiality,
he could shatter rocks and frighten the heavens.
Perfect in nature and perfect in filiality,
he was revered by ghosts and spirits.
|
