洪雅玲老師的回饋 Dear Readers,

 洪雅玲老師的回饋

 

幸福的讀者們！

今天早上，看了師父的發文，心中勾起了許多往事。

記得16、17歲時，和台中商專佛學社的學長姐，ㄧ起在埔里當時才剛興建的靈巖山寺打禪七，零晨三點起床，三點半早課，ㄧ大群人，在半山腰大殿前的碎石子廣場集合，天色仍是暗的，遠方翠綠的群山消失成一大片黑，在人群踩踏碎石子地面的聲響中，開始早課。當然免不了打磕睡，

好不容易，天亮了，開始傳來鳥叫聲，陽光照進當時簡樸的大殿，心裡感覺很平靜。記得ㄧ位老居士跟我說：年紀那麼小，就會來學佛，很棒啊。聽了，心裡卻有一絲迷茫。

在台中商專的五年，就在佛學社待著，當時淨土宗是唯一的養份，常常，在寺廟在蓮社，可以很平靜，但當面對現實的花花世界，紛紛擾擾卻又不斷的觸動內心。我知道，我不是可以一生只守住一句佛號的人。

插班上了大學，開學第一件事，先問學姐，佛學社在哪裡？

記得當時的中原大學佛學社在一條巷子裏的一樓，暗暗的，跟我在台中商專佛學社的明亮感覺不同。但我卻在這暗暗的地方，遇見師父、遇見文宗。

開學沒多久，記得在一個黃昏，師父來佛學社演說。我第一次看見師父，記得師父的演說不長，（文宗竟記得師父說的主題是：對於中國人識時務者為俊傑 這樣觀念的反思。）

當時，我覺得這位師父和我以前認識的師父不一樣。後來，師父寄給文宗一箱一箱的書，那些書，讓我覺得好奇又佩服，在這之前，從沒有人會推薦我看那些書，更何況是一位出家師父推薦？

過往我認得的出家人，只有看佛經啊。在思想上，師父啟發了文宗，文宗影響了我。從此之後，我知道自己再也回不去了。

年輕時的我，曾經非常敏感，非常迷失，能遇見師父，接受佛法思想的洗禮，是我這一生最大的福報！感謝師父！

 

(洪雅玲老師後來被天下雜誌票選為種子教師有送到香港去受訓過，

我們的讀書會也都會借重她的長才，真是感謝🙏 )     

 

半寄

 

 

Feedback from Teacher Yaling Hong

 

Dear Readers,

 

This morning, as I read the Master's post, many memories came rushing back. 

 

I remember when I was 16 or 17, I joined the senior members of the Taichung Commercial College Buddhist Society for a seven-day Zen retreat at Lingyan Mountain Temple in Puli, which was newly built at the time. We woke up at 3:00 AM, started morning prayers at 3:30 AM, and gathered in front of the main hall on a gravel courtyard halfway up the mountain. The sky was still dark, and the once lush green mountains in the distance had faded into a vast black silhouette. Amidst the sound of footsteps crunching on the gravel, we began our morning practice. Of course, we were sleepy, but finally, the sun rose. Birds started chirping, and sunlight shone into the simple main hall, making me feel peaceful.

 

I remember an elderly lay practitioner telling me, "You are so young and already learning Buddhism. That's wonderful!" But hearing this, I felt a bit lost. I spent five years in the Buddhist Society at Taichung Commercial College, where Pure Land Buddhism was my only spiritual nourishment. At temples and Buddhist centers, I often felt calm, but when I faced the real world, my heart was constantly disturbed. I knew I wasn't someone who could dedicate my whole life to just nianfo (Buddhist chanting).

 

When I transferred to university, the first thing I did was ask a senior where the Buddhist Society was. I remember that at Chung Yuan Christian University, the Buddhist Society was on the first floor of a small, dimly lit alleyway—very different from the bright and open space of my previous one. But in that dark place, I met the Master and Wenzong.

 

Shortly after the semester began, I recall one evening when the Master came to give a talk. It was my first time seeing her. Her talk was short (Wenzong even remembered that the topic was a reflection on the Chinese saying, "A wise person knows how to adapt to circumstances."). At that moment, I felt that this Master was different from any I had met before.

 

Later, the Master sent Wenzong boxes of books. Those books made me curious and amazed—before this, no one had ever recommended such books to me, let alone a Buddhist nun! The Buddhist monks and nuns I had known before only read Buddhist scriptures. In terms of thought and philosophy, the Master inspired Wenzong, and Wenzong influenced me. From that moment on, I knew there was no turning back.

 

When I was young, I was very sensitive and lost. Meeting the Master and receiving the wisdom of Buddhism has been the greatest blessing of my life. Thank you, Master!

 

(Teacher Yaling Hong was later selected as a "Seed Teacher" by CommonWealth Magazine and was sent to Hong Kong for training.

 

Our book club also benefits from her talents. We are truly grateful! 🙏)

 

Master Banji