紀念慧僧法師 In Memory of Dharma Master Huiseng

　　帶病宣教，提攜後進，不遺余力。

　　He continued to expound the teachings even in the midst of illness and

　　spared no effort to guide and bring up the younger generation.

　　慧僧法師，籍貫中國東北遼甯，幼習教觀于觀宗寺，暨福建鼓山湧泉寺，曾親近雲公老人。後回東北，住持奉天慈恩寺。日本侵略東北，僞號滿洲帝國。

　　Dharma Master Huiseng was a native of LiaoningProvince in Manchuria, China. At a young age, he studied the teachings and contemplations at Guanzong Monastery. He went to Yongquan (Bubbling Spring) Monastery at Gushan (DrumMountain) in FujianProvince, where he drew near to the Elder Master Yun. Later, he returned to Manchuria and became the abbot of Ci”en (Compassionate Kindness) Monastery in Fengtian (old name for Liaoning) Province. Dur-ing the Japanese occupation, under the Manchukuo pup-pet govern-ment, Dharma Master Huiseng expended great effort in turning the Dharma wheel and protecting Buddhism.

　　彼則大轉*輪，維護佛教，余于一九四七年，自蘇州靈岩山寺回東北，寄寓雲水堂，作挂單衆，初瞻風範，高踞丈席，請見無由，故未一語。後于廣東南華寺，複邂逅相遇，始淡然敘交。旋彼赴香港，余則往雲門大覺寺。

　　In 1947, on my way from Lingyanshan Monastery in Suzhou back to Manchuria, I stayed overnight at Yunshui (Clouds and Water) Temple. That was the first time I observed this Dharma Master”s exemplary manner. He stayed in the Abbot”s quarters, and since I had no chance to make his acquaintance, I didn”t get to exchange a single word with him. Later, we unexpectedly met at Nanhua Monastery in Canton, and had a casual, friendly chat. Afterwards, he departed for Hong Kong and I went to Dajue (Great Enlightenment) Monastery in YunmenCounty.

　　一九四八年重遇于香江東普陀寺。後彼赴南洋、星馬各地弘法，德化所被，聞風而發菩提心者甚衆。此方緣熟，飛渡重洋，爲法忘勞，不惜身命，帶病宣教，提攜後進，不遺余力。

　　In 1948, we met again at Dongputuo (East Potola) Monastery in Hong Kong. Then he went to Southeast Asia to propagate the Dharma in Singapore, Malaysia, and elsewhere. Multitudes were influenced by his virtue, and many brought forth the Bodhi resolve after hearing about his cultivation. When conditions ripened here in the U.S., he came across the ocean to devote all his strength to the Dharma. He continued to expound the teachings even in the midst of illness and spared no effort to guide and bring up the younger generation.

　　一九八○年，受萬佛聖城四衆恭請講解《梵網經菩薩戒》，于法界佛教大學之道源堂，中西人士聽者踴躍，法筵之盛，尤爲希有。

　　該經講義，已譯爲中英對照本，冀流通萬世，以續法燈于盡未來際也。茲聞法師，示寂于星加坡，爰書數言，用資追悼。即以偈頌曰：

　　In 1980, at the invitation of the fourfold assembly at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, Master Huiseng delivered a lecture series in Diannan Hall, DharmaRealmBuddhistUniversity, on the Bodhisattva Precepts as expounded in the Brahma Net Sutra. The assembly of both Easterners and Westerners listened with great joy as they partook of a rare and sumptuous Dharma feast. His explanation of that Sutra has been published in Chinese/English bilingual format, and it will be circulated for generations to come, passing down the lamp of Dharma until the end of time. Recently, I heard that Dharma Master Huiseng manifested the stillness in Singapore, so I composed these words in his memory.

　　A verse says:

　　宇宙正氣育法材，

　　The proper energy of the universe nourished a virtuoso within the Dharma,

　　有情無情皆恭敬；

　　Who was respected by both sentient and insentient beings.

　　應機逗教掃塵埃，

　　Teaching people according to their potential, he swept away the dust.

　　是道非道盡包該。

　　His teachings embraced both what was and was not the Tao.

　　生長東北奉天省，

　　Born and raised in FengtianProvince of northeast China,

　　大哉忍辱常精進；

　　He was generous, patient, and unfailing in his vigor.

　　弘化西南遍地臺，

　　He taught throughout Southwest Asia and propagated the Dharma everywhere.

　　不退轉兮歸去來。

　　Never retreating from his vows, he is gone but will return.