166.拾遺金賑災黎 Contributing gold to aid those stricken by disaster

拾遺金賑災黎

壬戌八十三歲重修華亭寺。乃阿育次子。見碧鳳一群。而名碧雞山。掘土得碑。有云樓二字。又于後山林中。拾一包袱。內有金銀幣等。二十余萬元。眾議欲歸常住。公則主張獻與政府。賑濟鰥寡孤獨。災難困苦百姓。眾稱善。

宣化偈曰：

路不拾遺古聖時。財當義取斯人知。 饑饉布施能濟眾。舍己從善大德師。

Contributing gold to aid those stricken by disaster

The remodeling of Hua T’ing (Floral Pavilion) Monastery began in 1922, the Master’s eighty-third year. In ancient times, the second son of King Ashoka had seen a flock of jade phoenixes there, which is why the mountain was named Jade Bird Mountain. During the process of excavating for the reconstruction, an ancient stone tablet was found, upon which were carved the words “Yun Ch’i” (Cloud Abode). Also, in the mountain forest behind the monastery, a parcel of more than 200,000 dollars in gold and silver was found. The community was intending to donate it to the Eternally Dwelling, but the Master proposed giving it to the government instead in order to aid widowers, the destitute, orphans and the solitary. That way the disasters and suffering of the masses would be relieved. Everyone agreed.

The gatha says: What was left behind was not picked up in the time of the ancient sages. The Master knew propriety and did not keep the treasure. He turned it over to the famine’s victims to relieve the suffering masses. Forgetting himself and pursuing the good. he was a greatly virtuous Master!