Debby Ang 洪禮宜(傳恩)

I’m really happy to come to Ocean Sky. Apart from the delicious vegetarian food, what’s important are Shifu’s Zen stories and parables during the ceremonies and Zen classes. These make me truly understand that planting bad karmic seeds will lead to bad karmic fruits. Because of this, I do not want to retrogress.

When I listened to other Dharma lectures before, all of them usually discussed cause and effect, and the principles for being a good person. However, it was only in Ocean Sky’s Zen classes that I heard the deeper meaning of the Dharma. Even if my understanding is limited, and I cannot comprehend the Abbess’ profound teachings, I still believe I will understand them one day.

Last year in October I took the Lay Bodhisattva Precepts. The Dharma Master gave me the Dharma name “Chuan En” (which means gratitude in English), and this filled me with unspeakable Dharma Joy, always reminding me of thankfulness, to be diligent, and improve many aspects of cultivation. Thanks to the cultivation in Ocean Sky, the Shifus’ and lay peoples’ care, I can now totally reform and change for the better. Accomplishing this, only then can I say that the Dharma Masters' efforts have not been wasted.

There are four conditions that are hard to attain: to be born in a country with Buddhist teachings; to have a human body, to encounter the Buddha Way, and to meet good teachers. If we do not take advantage of these things before our eyes, that would be a shame. I treasure my affinity with Ocean Sky, and am grateful to Chung Tai who sent us a very wise Abbess, who teaches us and makes us tread the true way to Buddhahood. This is what all the lay followers of Ocean Sky feel in their hearts.

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我很慶幸能到海天禪寺來，除了有美味的素食料理之外，最重要的是法會禪修班中，師父開示的公案及故事，使我在生活中更學會謹慎，會怕種不好的因，得不好的果，更怕會墮落。

以前聽佛法開示，通常都是講講因果報應，做人的道理。但在海天上禪修班，卻能聽到佛法更深的真理。雖然有時師父講得太深，我笨笨的聽不懂，但相信多聽幾次總有聽懂的一天。

去年十月份去中台禪寺受在家菩薩戒，師父賜我法名「傳恩」，使我有說不出的法喜，令我時時提醒自己要知恩感恩報恩，提醒自己要精進，還有很多地方須要學習。感恩能在海天禪寺學佛，還有師父及師兄們的照顧。我會儘量的檢討反省，往好的方向改進，才不會枉費師父的苦口婆心。

人生有四大難得：中國難生，人身難得，大道難逢，明師難遇。而今這些難得，皆已現在眼前，若不好好把握，豈不可惜？所以我很珍惜在海天的緣份。也很感恩中台給了我們一位很有智慧的住持法師，教導我們，領導我們走向正確的成佛之路。這也是海天禪寺所有師兄們共同的心聲。

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Mari-Len Inoncillo (傳祐)

As a practicing Buddhist, it is not easy to apply the Five Precepts in our daily lives; how much more to take its formal vow!

Upon learning from the Dharma Masters that taking the Lay Bodhisattva Precepts is a great opportunity to amend past mistakes, I was convinced. On their part, they assured me of their support, to encourage me and sustain my vow. So, off to Chung Tai we went to take it.

During the ceremony, as a profound symbol of our vows, three cone-shaped incenses were burnt on our upper forearm; it symbolizes how the body was the censer, and the Precepts, the fragrant offering of incense.

In preparation, we were immersed in real-life examples of the practice of Lay Bodhisattva Precepts; we experienced the monastic life, practiced compassion and tolerance, discarded all our possessions and released all our attachments. The discipline included a certain way of thinking and acting. Having nothing, I realized that I only have myself to offer Buddha.

The mere thought of being burnt scared me, but I found strength in knowing that I was making a supreme offering of myself. Surprisingly, there was no pain and I was overflowing with joy and became teary-eyed.

Coming home, I was a changed person. I knew the challenges that await me outside the monastery wall, but compassion and tolerance are the keys. Becoming vegetarian while other members of the household were not, also posed a test of will power and perseverance. Thus, I cook my own food or run to Ocean Sky.

That was a year ago, and now I am in a happier state than ever before, knowing that my vows kept me from harming other sentient beings. Taking the Lay Bodhisattva Precepts entails great responsibilities, but I intend to uphold them forever. Receiving it was a privilege; I knew in my mind that I was making the ultimate offering to the Buddha and to all sentient beings.

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Marita Yu 陳寶霞(傳見)

Upon much encouragement and prodding from former Abbess Master Jianding, I took the Lay Bodhisattva Precepts in Chung Tai in October of 2011.

Originally, I was awed and apprehensive. I thought how could a person as old as I was, with many deeply rooted bad habits, dare be a bodhisattva? But Jianding Shifu corrected my thinking. She said that a disciple of Buddha should follow in his footsteps, and learn from his great vow of compassion. She added that after taking the Lay Bodhisattva Precepts, a person will be even more ready to detect the three poisons in his/her mind— greed, anger, and ignorance. After much thought and finally deciding that knowledge and practice have to go hand in hand, I sent my application.

Initially, however, from among the group of applicants from the Philippines, only my application was rejected. Master Jianding advised me to pray and make vows everyday. I was puzzled and bewildered by this turn of events. Did this mean I was not determined enough? Did I still have doubts? But I still followed Shifu’s advice; I prayed before Buddha, and made vows. Finally, my application was accepted. Shifu said I shouldn’t stop, but should still continue to make vows everyday, so that this mind that vowed to support the Dharma, shall never regress.

In Chung Tai, I was so moved when I saw so many foreign and local seekers of Lay Bodhisattva Precepts, who were all truly earnest in wanting to follow in the Buddha’s Path to nirvana. What was most unforgettable was the ceremony when we “offer our flesh/body to Buddha” by letting it be burned with incense. Many people were frightened, as I was. But when the crucial moment came, I was able to conquer my self-attachment and extended my arm wholeheartedly. From the first to the third burning, I literally felt the great vow of compassion of Buddha, he who fed the eagle with his limb. What then is this little pain compared to that!

Lay Bodhisattva preceptees serve as models for others to emulate; we should at all times contemplate the actions of our body, speech, and mind. However, bad habits are difficult to eradicate. But by being mindful of my speech and actions, even when a transgression is committed, I know that I should repent and reform; letting go of self-attachment, I should be humble and gentle. Most important is to be vegetarian, and adapt the “Four Tenets of Chung Tai” in my daily life. Furthermore, I should continue to make great vows, “to seek the Buddha Path, and to liberate all sentient beings.” By practicing the bodhisattva way, I can eventually attain Buddhahood.

In times of adversity, however, I still find it hard to completely let go. Now I know that I must first learn to let go; only after that can I benefit myself while helping others. This is a point that I have to work on.

As for the other trivial irritations in daily life, they have become minor happenings for me. I just have to be tolerant, and look from the other person’s point of view, then I will naturally become relaxed and flexible. But I still have to work on my mind of compassion.

Abbess Master Jianshu often teaches us in class that it is because our mind is filled with the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance, plus attachments and bad habits, that we need to take the Lay Bodhisattva Precepts. If we are so perfect, then we might as well be the Buddha! I now know that taking the Lay Bodhisattva Precepts is the true path to take for Buddha’s disciples.

I now have to acknowledge and repay the compassion and kindness of the Three Jewels with diligent practice so that we can uplift ourselves!

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在見叮法師的勸發下，終於在2011年10月受了菩薩戒。

本來對菩薩戒就高而望怯。一個步入高齡的人，習氣總比別人多之又多，哪有什麼菩薩的風範。在師父開示之後，知道先前的觀念是錯的。既然做為佛弟子，就該跟隨佛陀的腳步走，學習佛陀的慈悲願力。更重要的是，受了菩薩戒才能有更細微的念頭來觀照自己內心的貪瞋癡。故想了又想，要知行合一。只知道理而不去做，就等於是零。就這樣下定了決心報名參加。

沒想到大家一起報名，傳見卻是唯一被退回的。見叮法師馬上通知弟子，要弟子每天發願。弟子也納悶困惑是否弟子的心念不夠堅決，還存有疑惑。就趕緊每天到佛前發願。終於到受菩薩戒前一個月才被錄取。師父說還是要繼續發願下去，不可間斷。至今還是每天發願，並願護法護教心永不退轉。

看到受戒的中外弟子那麼多，那麼熱誠地要追隨佛陀的腳步至涅槃，真是太感動了。更讓弟子不能忘記的是在「燃香供佛」時，看到有些佛弟子是那麼膽怯、那麼害怕，他們終究還是打破了「我執」把手臂伸出讓師兄們在手臂上燃香。不管是只燃一 點、兩點或三點，那時就感受到佛陀的大悲願行「割臂餵鷹」。弟子們區區的這一點痛算的了什麼!

受了菩薩戒，就是大眾的模範，身、口、意時時都要觀照到。雖然習氣一時不能完全改過來，但現在時時都要觀照到自己的言行舉動，一時片刻做不好時，也知道要去懺悔反省檢討，知道要更用心去破除我執、要謙虛、柔軟。更重要就是茹素。還要把中台四箴行落實在日常生活中。不僅如此還要發願心，期許「上求佛道、下化眾生」的大願心、行菩薩道，最終才能成佛道。

但在遇到大逆境時還是不能完全放下。明知道要放下才能在利他中完成自利。這點還要加倍努力學習。

其他平時遇到的鎖碎事，都不再是什麼大不了的事了。只要用寬容心、包容心、將心比心的心情去面對，就會坦然輕鬆。但慈悲心還是不夠，這點還要多多練習。

後來住持見樞法師上課時時提起，就因為還有貪瞋癡、執著、習氣…才要受菩薩戒。若樣樣都具備齊全了，那不就是佛了嗎?!故更清楚瞭解受菩薩戒才是佛弟子真正應走的路!

現在對三寶更懂得知恩、感恩、報恩! 大家一起努力更上一層樓!

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Mary Tan 王麗莉 (傳言)

Early on, I had heard a Dharma Master explain the contents of the Lay Bodhisattva Precepts; I refused to take them earlier for fear I might break them and fall into the evil destinies. But in 2008, in support of a friend who wanted to receive the Lay Bodhisattva Precepts, the two of us went to Chung Tai.

For me, receiving the Lay Bodhisattva Precepts is a blessing, and an important event. As one of the Sutras states: “When sentient beings receive the Buddhist precepts, they ascend to the Buddha’s level; reaching this level of great enlightenment is truly becoming Buddha’s disciple.” On the path to enlightenment, taking the Precepts sows the correct causes for Buddhahood; each succeeding lifetime will lead to becoming a Buddha. On the way to Bodhi, remember the reminders set by the three aspects of the pure precepts; always cease evil and cultivate good, and enlighten sentient beings. Only in the future can one reap the pure and bright merits of the Precepts, forever be liberated, and attain the level of the Buddha.

I am still a beginner on the bodhisattva path, and still have many things to improve on. Before receiving the Precepts, I was never vigilant, always giving rise to evil thoughts and doing evil actions, never detecting my faults. Now that I am constantly reminded of the Precepts, I can now repent for my wrong actions right away. In this way, I slowly attain clarity and pureness of mind and increase my good affinity and karma, allowing me to move forward bravely on the bodhisattva path.

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很早以前就聽法師講過菩薩戒的內容。但因怕破戒犯下惡業，所以遲遲不敢去受菩薩戒。直到2008年，因為想成就一位師兄受菩薩戒，兩人遂相約一起在中台禪寺乞受在家菩薩戒。

對傳言而言，能受菩薩戒是很有福報，很隆重的一件事情。誠如經典所言: 「眾生受佛戒，即入諸佛位，位同大覺已，真是諸佛子。」受菩薩戒就在修行道上，種下成佛的正因，生生世世，直至成佛。在菩提道上，謹記三聚淨戒的提醒，時時斷惡修善，廣度眾生，將來就能依仗持戒的清淨功德，永得解脫，契入佛位。

傳言還只是一個初發心的毛道菩薩，還是有許多不圓滿的地方。未受戒前，心中無警惕，常起惡念、作惡事，自己還不自知。現在因為有受戒的提醒，犯了當下即懺悔。漸漸地心越來越清淨，善緣日漸具足，讓我在菩提道上能勇往直前。

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