09.初見佛法僧三寶 First meeting with the Triple Jewel-the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha

初見佛法僧三寶

公年十三歲。祖母周太夫人棄世。公隨父扶柩回鄉安葬。請僧作佛事。公初見佛即拜。看經則喜。睹僧恭敬。一切法器把玩不舍。若有感悟而不自知之狀態。

宣化偈曰： 永言孝思古今傳。慎終追遠報恩虞。 仰承三昧加持力。河沙罪業悉消蠲。

First meeting with the Triple Jewel — the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha

When the Master was thirteen, his grandmother Chou died and he accompanied his father to escort the coffin back to Hsiang-hsiang County for burial. The Sangha was invited to perform Buddhist rites. Upon first seeing an image of the Buddha, the Master immediately bowed; the sight of the Sutras elated him and when he met the Sangha, he acted with deference. He tried each of the ceremonial instruments and did not want to stop playing them. It was as if he had suddenly come to an understanding, and yet he himself did not appear to be aware of it.

The verse says: Eternal words and filial thoughts are transmitted from past to present. He carefully performed ancestral rites, sincerely repaying compassion. Relying upon samadhi’s power of aiding and maintaining, Offenses as numerous as Ganges sands were completely wiped away.