权巧方便
Expedient Teaching

比丘.恒缘/文 by Bhikshu Heng Yuen

The Venerable Master's name first came to my attention when a friend gave me the book The Ten Dharma Realms Are not beyond a Single Thought. The book was based on a lecture by the Venerable Master. His explanation very succinctly linked the basics of the Buddha Dharma for me; our actions, words, and thoughts--how they form into karma, and eventually how they determine the kind of realms we could be reborn into. The book reminded me how vulnerable we are if we are not constantly mindful of the karma constantly being created by our body, mouth, and mind.

我第一次知道上人的名字，是在我的一个朋友给我《十法界不离一念心》这本书的时候。这本书是根据上人的开示编辑而成的，上人简单明了地帮我们将佛法的基本要素——身、口、意，串通起来。我们的身、口、意，它们又怎么样造成了业；最后这业力又如何决定了我们将往生到哪一法界去。这本书提示了我们，我们对身口意所造的业，如果不注意的话，就会带来很大的危险。

I then began to evaluate myself. Up to that point in my life, my understanding of the Dharma had been very superficial, and I realized that in this life I had already created lots of bad karma. If I didn't start serious cultivation immediately, I would not be able to save myself from being reborn into the lower suffering realms. Soon after, I decided to leave the home life under the Venerable Master as I realized that I might not have such an opportunity again in a million years.

那时我就开始对我自己重新评价。在那以前，我对佛法的了解是很肤浅的；我了解到今生我已经造了许多的恶业。假如我不马上认真修行的话，我恐怕就会堕入三恶道。不久之后；我决定随上人出家，因为我意识到百万年间，我恐怕都不会再碰到这样的机会。

In the beginning, I knew very little about the Venerable Master, other than what was printed in his biography and from his published lectures. Gradually, as the days passed, I realized how very fortunate I was to have found such a rare teacher.

Indeed, it is extremely difficult to find and be accepted by such a wise, virtuous, and compassionate teacher.Although he was not looking over my shoulders every day, he had his ways to watch my every action and thought. And he had his special ways to let me know that he was watching me, and let me know where I went wrong.

刚开始时，除了阅读已出版的上人简传，及上人开示上的数据之外，我逐渐知道自己能找到这样一位稀有的师父是多么幸运。的确能找到这一位德智兼备又慈悲的善知识作为我的师父，是很不容易的。虽然上人不是每天看着我，但对我的每一言行，上人自有方法，悉知悉见，而且让我知道我什么做错了。

For example, one night, while attending one of the daily Sutra lectures, my mind wandered. I remembered that when I requested Shifu to accept me as his left-home disciple, he asked me how my lay name was written, my date of birth, and certain other biographical data. A doubt then came to my mind:“Does Shifu still remember my lay name?” Half an hour later, the class ended. As I left the Buddha Hall and was just walking past the telephone in the lobby, it rang. I answered it. It was Shifu on the phone! The first words he said were:“Is your lay name such and such?” I was stunned. Shifu usually talked about temple business whenever he phoned and not indulge in casual conversation with me. At that time, he was in Los Angeles, which was about a thousand miles away. He phoned just to tell me that I shouldn't let my mind wander when attending lectures! It was his way to let me know that he was watching me. I learned one lesson.

举例来说，有一次在晚上听经的时候，我的心开始不老实，我想起当我请求上人接受我做出家弟子时，上人问我俗家名字怎么写，我的生日是哪时，还问了一些其他个人资料。那晚听经时，我在想：「不知道上人现在还记得我的俗家名字吗？」半小时后，听经结束时，我走出佛殿，经过电话桌时，忽然电话铃响了起来，我接起来一听，是师父！师父一开口就说：「你的俗家名字是不是叫某某某？」我哑口无言！平时上人打电话来，总是讲一些庙上的公事，从不和我们闲谈。那时上人正在洛杉矶，大概离我住的地方有一千哩远。上人特地打电话来，就为了告诉我，听经时不应该让我的心散去。这是上人让我知道他在看着我的一个方法，我领教了。

In the early stage of being a monk, I was just getting used to eating one meal a day. Sometimes, my stomach would growl with hunger in the morning. One morning I found an old box of cereal in the kitchen. It was the kind which, when mixed with hot water, would become gluey. I decided to mix some to quiet down my hunger. The next day Shifu phoned, and his first words were:“How is your eating now?” I was dumbstruck! Was he inquiring how I was adjusting to eating one meal a day, or was he referring to the clandestine gluey mix? I stammered and mumbled about struggling with the one meal practice. On looking back, Shifu could have chastised me loudly on the clandestine mix but, I think, out of compassion he decided to let me off.

在我出家早期，正在学习日中一食时，有时在早上，我的胃会饿得咕咕叫。有一天早上，我在厨房找到一盒麦片，是那种对上水就会变成稀糊的麦片。我对上水喝下去了，填一填我饿得发慌的肚子。第二天，上人打电话来，第一句就是「你最近吃东西的情况怎么样？」我惊呆了！上人是问我习惯日中一食吗？还是在问我那碗偷喝的稀麦糊？我结结巴巴地回答说，我正在努力适应日中一食。现在我回想起来，师父很可以骂我一顿偷吃东西，但是我想，他是出于慈悲心肠，才放我一马，让我过关。

In work matters, Shifu would scold me severely for my mistakes and grill me time and again, but sometimes he would give me a break. However, when he gave those breaks, I could feel it. It was like a narrow escape from an accident. I could feel the great relief of being spared the scolding. Shifu was firm and tough in his teaching, but in his unpretentious way he was also very compassionate. Shifu had an amazing memory of many things way into the distant past and down to the smallest details. I knew I was always making mistakes and full of afflictions. I wanted guidance, but didn't know how to ask for it. As a disciple of Shifu, I was like the kid floundering in the pool but knowing that Daddy is always close at hand to make sure that I don't drown. To this day, I still have that confidence in Shifu. Like the gentle shepherd, he would ensure that none of his sheep stray into harm.

工作上，我做错了事的时候，上人会很严厉地骂我。但是有时候，我感觉得出，上人也会让我松口气，那时我会有死里逃生的感觉。上人教诲十分严峻，但也是真的很慈悲。上人的记性惊人，能记得许多陈年往事，以及细枝末节。我知道我自己总是犯错，又有许多烦恼。我需要指引，但是又不知道怎么找。做为上人的弟子，我觉得自己好像一个小孩子，虽然在水池里翻腾，但是知道爸爸就在身边，不会让我淹死的。就是现在我还是对上人有那种信心。上人好像一个温和的牧羊人，不会让他的羊走失，而受到伤害。

One of my weaknesses is memorizing the ceremonies. One morning, not long after I left home, Shifu phoned when we were in the second half of the morning ceremony. I answered the phone, and Shifu asked me where we were at, and I told him. He then asked me to recite Universal Worthy (Samantabhadra) Bodhisattva't ten great vows in Chinese. I was completely unprepared for such a test, although a small one. As I dripped out a word here and there, Shifu very patiently prompted me, filling in the blanks for me. I felt like crying. Here was a lofty virtuous teacher, worshipped by thousands over the world, very gently guiding me to say those vows which I should have memorized. I felt like I did not deserve such tender loving care for being so stupid and such a slow learner.

记不住早晚功课，是我的弱点之一。在我出家不久之后的一天早课，正进行了一半，上人正好打电话来。我接电话，上人问我，你们念到哪里了？我告诉了上人，上人就叫我用中文背诵「普贤菩萨十大愿」。虽然是一个小小的测验，我完全没有心里准备，我只得这边挤一个字，那边挤一个字，上人很有耐心地帮我填进那些我背不出的地方。那时我真想哭，上人这么一位高僧大德，受着世界上多少人的崇拜，竟这样地引导我背这十大行愿。根本我自己早就该背会的。我觉得我自己这么笨，不值得上人这么细心的呵护。

One day Shifu asked me about an argument I had with someone a few months earlier. With his special radar, he knew it but had kept it until the right moment to point out my problems. Again, in a few words, Shifu made me realize my folly. I can still remember the way he said:“Why be angry, huh?” His tone was so gentle and soft that it made me feel like crying. At that moment, I felt that whatever words of repentance I said would not make up for my burst of anger. When Shifu opened the subject, I was bracing up for a loud scolding, but Shifu in his expedience frequently surprised me with the unexpected. He knew me inside out only too well.

有一天，上人问起几个月前我跟人争论的一桩事。上人以他特有的「雷达」，早知道这桩事了；但是上人一直等时机成熟了，才指出我的问题。又一次，三言两语，上人就让我看清楚了我自己多蠢。我现在还记得上人当时怎么说的。上人说：「为什么生气？啊？」上人语调这么温和柔软，使我几乎想哭，那一刻，我觉得不论我用什么话来忏悔，我都没法弥补我那次所发的脾气。当上人开始问我这桩事的时候，我以为上人会痛骂我一顿，但上人的方便法常常出乎我意料之外。上人看我真是看得一清二楚。

Shifu has many expedient ways of teaching living beings and I am one of the very fortunate ones to receive his patient and compassionate teaching. No amount of words will show my profound gratitude towards Shifu for accepting me as his disciple. I know deep inside that Shifu will continue to guide me. I vow that life after life, I will seek out Venerable Master Hsuan Hua to be my teacher.

师父上人教化众生，有许多方便法，我很幸运能受到上人的又慈悲，又有耐心的教导。我对上人收我为徒的感激之情，不是语言所能表达的。我内心深知上人会继续指引我，我发愿生生世世，我都要追随上人，拜上人为师父。