..續本文上一頁ree years he didn”t even touch that three hundred ounces of silver. I should build the monastery for him.” Then he took out some more money and built a huge monastery that could house more than three thousand people.
After the temple was built, many monks who cultivated Chan meditation went there to cultivate. The monastery could house over three thousand people, and more than two thousand people had already gone there to reside. Pei Xiu thought, “Ah, so many monks are living here together. I will tell my son to leave the home-life.” Then Pei Xiu sent his son, a Hanlin scholar who was extremely learned--on a par with a present-day full professor--to leave the home-life.
What did the Old Man of Mount Wei tell this son of the Prime Minister to do
He said, "Since you have just become a left-home person, first you have to practice austerities. I appoint you water-carrier. You must haul water every day for the two thousand and some people who live here." Thus, he had to rise each day shortly after two o”clock in the morning and carry water all day long until midnight. You all sit in your Chan meditation; he hauled his water. Back and forth, back and forth he went, hauling water for several years. During those several years of hauling water, he didn”t do anything else. He had no time to study the sutras, no time to bow to the Buddhas, and no time to formally recite the Buddha”s name. His cultivation consisted solely of carrying water and reciting Buddha”s name as he went. He did not have a fixed time to concentrate on studying the sutras, or any opportunity to recite the Buddha”s name together with everyone else. He was a novice; he had to do hard work.
After carrying water for several years, he thought: "Everyone resides in the Chan hall. I”m going to take a look and see what goes on in a Chan hall. It just so happened that when he stole a peek into the hall, this monk was snoring and that monk was sleeping and the more he looked, the more he saw they were all like that. He said to himself, "Wow! I have been working so hard every day carrying water for you to drink and to use in cooking. All along I thought you were working hard at your cultivation. But, in fact, you”ve only been sleeping here. Really! Here I am a Hanlin scholar toting water so you have the opportunity to sleep!" He was extremely upset.
As soon as he got upset, the abbot sent an attendant to summon him. In all those years he had never seen his teacher. Now he had a chance to see his teacher and the Old Man of Mount Wei said to him, "Pack up your things and get out. We can”t use you here. You are being kicked out."
Pei Xiu”s son said, "But what have I done wrong
Why are you throwing me out
" The Old Man said, "What have you done! Why did you say that all those people were sleeping--that you came here and worked--you a Hanlin scholar hauled water to feed a bunch of people who like to sleep. Did you or did you not have those false thoughts
" He replied, "Yes! I saw them all sleeping in the Chan hall!" The Old Man of Mount Wei said,When an old monk sits once in meditation, He can digest ten thousand ounces of gold.
You wouldn”t be able to handle even one ounce of gold how much the less can you stand being a Hanlin who hauls water. Just take a look at yourself, you don”t have the least bit of patience. You”ll have to go. I refuse to keep you here."
Pei Xiu”s son, whose name was Fa Hai, then knelt before the abbot and begged, "Please don”t kick me out! Please forgive me this time." The abbot said, "No! I can”t forgive such a useless person. Pack up and get out fast!"
He was kicked out and that was that. After Fa Hai had packed his things, he asked, "Please tell me where I should go. Where should I live
" The Old Man gave him eight and ha…
《若人靜坐一須臾 If a Person Sits Quietly in Dhyana Samadhi for an Instant》全文未完，請進入下頁繼續閱讀…