台南讀書會Tainan Study Club

 台南讀書會

今天台南讀書會課上的超順，
有學員讀了《解讀龍樹菩薩中論27道題》ㄧ書，部分提出來分享，我再把沒有連接的點連接上，
佛法的連貫就整個跳上去的感覺。

還有分享到，有人的母親年老了送比較高級的安養院，
我在感應中看到她母親，傳訊告訴她，她媽媽腦力下降得很快，

果不其然，一直開始有事情出現，
萬般不捨她母親手腳被綁，
又折騰了很多手續，把她媽媽接回家。

有一度我很後悔把這些感應告訴她，增加她的家庭麻煩，
但她今天在分享的時候，很驕傲地說：
她媽媽的腦力恢復得很好，還知道很多細節，讓她非常高興。

（想起幾年前，她爸爸在失智情況下往生，請我做超薦，
我看到他爸爸的時候，他第一句話就問我說：你有看見我太太嗎？
我太太長得很漂亮耶，
你看到她的時候一定要跟她說喔。

他已經忘記他自己了，但是卻還記得他太太年輕時候的模樣，

我先是錯愕，接著覺得十分有趣。
去上香的時候第一次看到她媽媽，她媽媽也是佛教徒，
我趕緊交代他先生要傳的話，
並且告訴老先生說：您太太真的很漂亮。

他太太跟我說：他後來失智了，不記得她，
還常常問她說：我太太在哪裡？
她說：我就是你太太啊！
他說：不可能，
你是老太婆，我太太很漂亮的！哈）

讀書會也是彼此加油的時間。
半寄

Tainan Study Club

 

Today’s study club session in Tainan proceeded very smoothly.

A participant shared insights from the book “Nagarjuna’s Middle Way: Mulamadhyamakakarika, Śūnyatā.” I helped connect the parts that hadn’t yet been fully linked, and the continuity of the Dharma became much clearer and more elevated.

 

There was also a story shared about someone who had placed her elderly mother in a higher-end nursing home. Through intuitive perception, I sensed her mother and conveyed a message that her cognitive abilities were declining rapidly.

 

As it turned out, various issues soon began to arise.

Seeing her mother restrained was deeply painful for her. After going through considerable procedures and effort, she eventually brought her mother back home.

 

For a period of time, I regretted telling her about what I had sensed, as it seemed to add to her family’s burden.

But today, when she shared her experience, she said with pride that her mother’s cognitive abilities had recovered significantly—she could even remember many details again—which made her very happy.

 

(This reminds me of a few years ago, when her father passed away while suffering from dementia. She had asked me to perform a ritual for him.

When I perceived him, his first question was: “Have you seen my wife? She is very beautiful. If you see her, please let her know.”

 

Although he had forgotten himself, he still retained the memory of his wife’s youthful appearance.

 

I was initially astonished, then found it deeply amusing.

Later, when I met her mother while offering incense, I conveyed her husband’s message and affirmed to him, “Your wife is indeed very beautiful.”

 

His wife later told me that after he developed dementia, he often failed to recognize her.

He would ask, “Where is my wife?”

When she replied, “I am your wife,” he would say, “That’s impossible—you are an old woman. My wife is very beautiful.”)

 

A study club also serves as a space for mutual encouragement.

 

Master Banji

 

睜開眼睛Opening the Eyes

 練習中

（睜開眼睛）

俊得的爸爸是廣東省茂名縣人，他的小孩都會講廣東話，
在大陸受過大學教育，
二戰後，
隻身游泳來台灣。
（參閱留言）

楊家三代單傳，
祐寬的出生，楊媽媽比俊得還緊張，
因為她自己的小孩，俊得的哥哥在三-五歲之間夭折。

祐寬打出生幾個月，我見過後，
從他奶奶眼裡看到的就是，師父，

祐寬要幫我們照顧一下喔！

彷彿楊媽媽的眼中只有祐寬一定要好好長大，她才對得起楊家！

楊媽跟她的兒孫ㄧ群，在高雄、新竹都度過美好時光。

祐寬跟我說：
他去年11月自己騎摩托車到精舍門口，感覺我在，但是沒有勇氣給我電話開門。

小虎也感受不到他在外面，他故意繞到隔壁家扶看南禪精舍，小虎也沒有感覺，當然不會叫，
哈哈😄

我們前天在笑小虎說：
已經聞不到哥哥的味道了！

妹妹詠晴說：
應該拿個電風扇，把哥哥的味道吹過來，小虎就會聞到。

祐寬被我唸了一頓；怎麼男生老是吞吞吐吐的，又在科技廠上班怎麼辦？

他ㄧ向慢慢把話講完，
我都沒有耐心聽，跑了！

（祐寬：
你乾媽那裡年節要去送送禮。

你成長過程很累，
你自己應該也清楚，
要懂得感恩。

祐寬回覆：我有謹記在心的🥹）

半寄

文/楊家二姐慧玲

當時爸爸是在廣州讀大學，
爸爸說：當時要亂的時候，
阿公一直寫書信叫爸爸回家鄉，
結果沒有來得及回去，戰亂時，

他親眼目睹在逃難的經過，
當時爸爸手上只有捧著一本讀書時的相簿跟著大家逃難，
機關槍掃射，他直奔海邊躲在海水裡面，

直到傍晚浮浮沉沉，相簿頂在頭上，剛好一艘船經過看到就把爸爸拉起來了，
是軍隊的船，
所以爸爸就跟著部隊來到台灣當職業軍人了，

認識了媽媽，所以才有現在的我們兄弟姐妹🙏🙏🙏

睜開眼睛

佛教高僧傳裡，鑑真大師東渡到日本的故事很感人，

而你去看一個大時代的動盪，
每一個人命漂浮的辛酸，命大者倖存，再組一個家庭的過程，
也都是血淚！

我的眼光除了在佛教，也會在一般的家庭，
因為修行者要接觸的也是她/他們，

這種現實問題的浮現，而且必須盡力解決，會讓我快速去除不必要的浮誇經文，

願意向事實學習，也是我個人在佛法裡面獲得利益的一個主因。
半寄

In Practice

 

Junde’s father was originally from Maoming County, Guangdong Province. All of his children speak Cantonese. He received a university education in mainland China and, after World War II, swam alone to Taiwan.

(See comments below.)

 

For three generations, the Yang family has had only one male heir descendant in each generation. When Youkuan was born, Junde’s mother was even more anxious than he, because her own child—Junde’s older brother—had died between the ages of three and five.

 

When Youkuan was a few months old, I met him. In his grandmother’s eyes, I perceived an unspoken request: “Master, please take care of Youkuan for us.”

 

It appeared that, in Junde’s mother’s eyes, nothing mattered more than that Youkuan must grow up safely and successfully—only then could she feel she had fulfilled her duty to the Yang family.

 

Yang’s mother spent many happy years with her children and grandchildren in Kaohsiung and Hsinchu.

 

According to Youkuan, last November he rode his scooter alone to the entrance of the Vihara. Although he felt that I was present, he lacked the courage to call me to open the door.

 

Xiao Hu did not sense his presence outside. He even detoured to the neighboring Family Support Center to look toward Nanzen Vihara, yet Xiao Hu still did not notice him, and therefore did not bark.

Haha 😄

 

Two days ago, we joked about Xiao Hu, saying,

“He can’t even recognize his older brother’s scent anymore!”

 

His younger sister, Yongqing, said,

“Maybe we should use a fan to blow his brother’s scent over—then Xiao Hu would notice.”

 

I scolded Youkuan a little:
“Why are you always so hesitant? And you work in a tech company—how will you manage like this?”

 

He habitually speaks slowly and completes his thoughts at his own pace. I often lack the patience to listen and simply walk away.

 

(To Youkuan:

Remember to visit your godmotherduring holidays and bring gifts.

Your childhood was not easy—you know that yourself.

You must learn to be grateful.

 

Youkuan replied: I have kept this firmly in mind 🥹)

 

Master Banji

 

By Huiling, the Second Daughter of the Yang Family

 

At that time, my father was studying at a university in Guangzhou.

He said that when the situation was becoming chaotic, his father kept writing letters asking him to return home.

 

However, he did not make it back in time. During the war, he experienced escaping for his life.

He only carried a photo album from his school days while fleeing with others.

 

When machine guns were firing, he ran to the seaside and hid in the water.

He stayed there until evening, going up and down in the water, holding the album above his head.

 

A ship happened to pass by and saw him, and they pulled him up.

It was a military ship.

 

After that, he came to Taiwan with the army and became a career soldier.

Later, he met my mother, and that is why we siblings came to be 🙏🙏🙏

 

Opening the Eyes

 

The account of Master Jianzhen’s voyage to Japan, as recorded in the biographies of eminent Buddhist monks, is profoundly moving.

But if we look at the turmoil of a great era,

we see how people’s lives drift in hardship.

Those who survive by luck must rebuild their families—

and this process is full of pain and tears.

 

My attention is not limited to Buddhism alone,

but also on ordinary families,

because those are the very people that practitioners must encounter.

 

When such real-life problems surface—and must be faced and resolved with effort—

they push me to quickly let go of unnecessary, overly ornate scriptures.

 

Being willing to learn from reality

is a primary reason why I have benefited from the Dharma.

 

Master Banji

 

初果.疑 Doubt in the First Stage of Enlightenment

 初果.疑

我沒有寫的，如果有大德已經領悟到那裡，

我可以接收到，就把它寫出來。

初果的「疑」當然不是為了相信。

(有大德補充說：
佛法如果談相信，就失去它的價值。）

有大德的理解是；

「如果「疑」的破解，是過去、現在、未來的清𥇦，

再✖️以跨時空的計算式。」

半寄

 

Doubt in the First Stage of Enlightenment

 

What I have not written—should someone have already understood its meaning,

I may receive and articulate it.

 

The “doubt” at the first stage of enlightenment is not for belief.

 

(As noted:

If Buddhism relies on belief, it loses its true.)

 

One interpretation offered is this:

The dissolution of “doubt” yields clarity across past, present, and future,

further expressed through a trans-temporal mode of calculation.

 

Master Banji