..续本文上一页 But first he obtained the permission of his two wives, who later both left home to become nuns. He then secretly stole away from his comfortable home and travelled to Yongquan ("Bubbling Spring") Monastery on Gu Mountain in Fu Prefecture to become the disciple of Elder Master Miaolian ("Wonderful Lotus"), who gave him the names Yence ("Thorough Expression"), and Deqing ("Virtuous and Pure"). Fearing that his family might find him again, Venerable Master Hsu Yun went off to the remote mountain wilds to live as an ascetic. When hungry, he ate pine nuts and wild plants; when thirsty, he drank mountain spring water. The bitter conditions were certainly beyond the tolerance of ordinary people, but he was one who could:
Wear what others cannot wear;
Eat what others cannot eat;
Endure what others cannot endure; and,
Tolerate what others cannot tolerate.
面临种种考验，他却受之泰然，不但不觉得痛苦，反而感觉快乐。
He faced numerous tests, but he passed each one with a peaceful, tolerant attitude. Instead of feeling miserable, he felt very happy.
三年之后，他为了亲近善知识，为了研究佛法，于是到处参方。他跋山涉水，历尽艰辛，凡有高僧大德所在之处，无论是千山万水，也挡不住他求道为法的心。在参方期间，处处受到歧视，可是虚老本着坚忍不拔的意志，为求法而忘己，虽然经过多次的挫折，也不灰心，不变初衷，依然勇猛向前，精进学习。虚老这种精神，实在令人钦佩，足以为人效法。
Three years later, in order to draw near to good and wise advisors and to investigate the Buddhadharma, he embarked on a study-tour. Crossing mountains and fording streams, he suffered untold hardships. As long as it was a place where eminent, virtuous monks resided, all the mountains and rivers couldn”t impede him from going there to seek the Way and dedicate himself to the Dharma.He met prejudice and troubles at every turn of the road, but he stood firm in his indefatigable resolve and simply forgot himself in his quest for the Dharma. Despite continual setbacks, he never gave up, nor lost sight of his initial purpose. Instead, he simply forged ahead and studied with even more vigor. This spirit inspired others” respect and caused many people to emulate him.
后来为报母恩，他发心三步一拜，从普陀山拜向五台山。经过三年的时间，完成志愿，功德圆满。以下叙述虚老在三步一拜时，所发生的感应道交的小故事。
Later on, he made a vow to undertake a pilgrimage in which he would bow to the ground once every three steps, in order to repay the kindness of his mother. His route took him from Potala Mountain to Five Peaks Mountain, and he made prostrations all the way. Three years later he fulfilled his vow, and the merit and virtue of the pilgrimage was completed. The following is a brief account of one of the responses the Venerable Master Hsu Yun experienced in the course of his pilgrimage.
虚老拜到黄河岸的时候，正逢天降大雪，三天三夜下得不停。他住在小草棚中，又饥又寒，已经失去身体的知觉，不省人事。醒来时，发现有一个乞丐为他做饭，他吃了之后，恢复元气，于是继续朝拜五台山。后来到五台山，才知道这个乞丐原来是文殊菩萨的化身。
He had bowed to the banks of the Yellow River, when a huge snow-storm blew up, dropping powdery snow for three days and nights without cease. The Master stayed in a tiny hut and suffered from hunger and cold. Finally he lost consciousness and fainted. When he revived, he saw a beggar sitting nearby, fixing him food. After eating the meal, he recovered his strength and continued to bow towards Five Peaks Mountain. Upon his arrival, he discovered that the beggar had been none other than a transformation body of Manjushri Bodhisattva.
虚老在九华山住茅棚的时候，听说扬州高旻寺打八个禅七，就想去参加。他从九华山沿江而行，当时正逢大雨季节，江水泛滥，水漫路面，他不慎失足，掉落水中，漂流二十四小时之久，流到采石矶附近时，被打鱼的网打上来。这个时候，虚老已经奄奄一息。渔夫通知附近的宝积寺，将他抬回寺中，于是被救活，可是他七孔流血，病况十分严重。休息数日后，他为法忘躯，将生死置于度外，还是不变初衷，仍然到高旻寺参加禅七。
While the Elder Master Hsu Yun was living as a hermit on Jiuhua ("Nine Flowers") Mountain, news came to him that Gaomin Monastery in Yang Zhou Province was preparing to host an eight-week Chan meditation retreat, and he decided to participate. He walked down from Jiuhua Mountain, steering his course by the river-bank. It was the rainy season, and at that time the river was flooded and had overflowed its banks on the road ah…
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