比丘近傳講於2024年8月18日萬佛聖城五觀堂

All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, Venerable Master, Dharma Masters, All Good and Wise Friends, Amitabha! Good afternoon. My name is Jin Chuan.

諸佛菩薩，宣公上人，各位法師，各位善知識，阿彌陀佛！大家午安，我的法號是近傳。

The Ullambana Sutra is a powerful story of inter-generational kindness. In America, we often talk about inter-generational trauma. How suffering is passed down from one generation to the next. However, this sutra teaches us about inter-generational kindness. And this kindness is two-way: we are deeply shaped by our ancestors, and our present-day actions profoundly influence our ancestors.

《盂蘭盆經》教我們孝順和慈悲。我們受祖先的影響和關懷，也可以利益祖先。

《盂蘭盆經》講述的是一個感人至深的世代慈悲故事。在美國，我們經常談到「代際創傷」：痛苦（創傷）如何從這一代傳給下一代。然而這部經卻教導我們「代際慈悲」。這種慈悲是雙向的：我們深受祖先的影響，而我們今天的行為也深刻地影響著我們的祖先。

I would like to share a personal story. Almost two years ago, my grandfather passed away at the age of 100. He had traditional Chinese values of being materially successful and caring for the family, so when I wanted to be a monk, he was not too happy about it. My mother was also quite upset, and my dad thought I was wasting my life. There was quite a lot of tension in the family.

我要分享一個個人的故事。兩年前，我的爺爺在100歲時往生。他有一般華人的傳統價值觀，認為物質上的成功和照顧家人是非常重要的，所以當我想出家時，他並不高興。媽媽也很難過，爸爸覺得我在浪費生命，當時家中氣氛非常緊繃。

Still I was quite determined, and after college, I moved to CTTB. I will not go into detail of all the ups and downs in the family, but later the conditions allowed me to leave home. When time came to take the novice ordination, my family came to observe the ceremony. After the ceremony, I gathered with my family in the Guest Building Conference Room. I remember my grandfather sitting in the middle. When I entered the room, he said something that I didn’t expect: 一子得道，九祖昇天 Yī zǐ dé dào, jiǔ zǔ shēng tiān. This phrase translates as, “one child realizes the Way, nine generations of ancestors ascend to the heavens.” This is a common Chinese proverb that is quite resonant with the principles in the Ullambana Sutra. When I heard my grandfather say this, I was quite moved because I felt like I received his approval for my leaving home. Not only that, he also saw value in it. Being a monk could be of direct benefit for the family and ancestors. We were still connected. Leaving home did not mean cutting the bond with the family, but connecting at a deeper place.

但是我大學畢業後還是決定來萬佛城當義工。長話短說，我不講家中的反應起伏過程，但因緣成熟時，我終於可以出家。當剃度受沙彌戒時，我的家人來觀禮。儀式結束後，我在客堂會議室和他們見面。我記得爺爺看到我，第一句話說：“一子得道，九祖昇天。” 這個成語符合《盂蘭盆經》經文。我聽到爺爺說這句話時，我很感動，因為我覺得他祝福我出家，他也看到出家的價值。出家為僧可以直接利益家人和祖先，出家不是完全跟家人斷絕關係，而是以更深刻的方式連接。

In early December 2022, I got a call from my mother that my grandfather was in the hospital, and that the doctors said he did not have much longer to live. She asked if I could visit. I said, “Of course” and I went together with Jin Wei Shi to visit him. When I saw him in the hospital, I could see how weak he was. He was all skin and bones. My mother already told me he was no longer eating, his throat had problems, and he could no longer talk. The doctors said he had not that many more days to live. I went next to his bedside and kneeled down next to him to be closer to him. I expressed my gratitude for him and wished him well. All of a sudden, he started speaking:

Namo Fo

Namo Fa

Namo Seng

Namo Jiu Ku Jiu Nan Guan Shi Yin Pusa.

Translated it means “I take refuge in the Buddha. I take refuge in the Dharma. I take refuge in the Sangha. Homage to Guan Yin Bodhisattva who rescues us from suffering and difficulty.”

2022年12月初，我接到媽媽的電話，說爺爺住院了，醫生說他沒有多少時間了。她問我能不能來看他。我說，“當然可以”，然後和近威師一起去看他。在醫院裡，我看爺爺非常虛弱，瘦得皮包骨。媽媽告訴我，他已經不能吃東西、喉嚨有問題、不能說話，醫生說他活不了幾天了。我跪在他床邊，表達感恩和祝福。突然他開始念：

南無佛

南無法

南無僧

南無救苦救難觀世音菩薩

意思就是「皈依佛、皈依法、皈依僧、皈依救苦救難觀世音菩薩」。

Again, I was deeply moved. At the end of his life, he was calling on the support of the Three Jewels and Guan Yin Bodhisattva. As a young man, I believe he was told to recite these phrases as a Buddhist formula for good fortune. And now, at the end of his life, seeing a monastic, reminded him to take refuge in the Dharma.

我再一次深受感動。在生命最後時刻，他還記得祈求三寶和觀世音菩薩加被。當他年輕時，有人告訴他念白衣觀音大士靈感神咒祈求好運。所以見到一個出家人，讓他在臨終時想起皈依佛法。

The Ullambana Sutra teaches that to truly care for our parents and ancestors, the real power does not only come from ourselves, but from tuning into the Dharma and making offerings to the Sangha. In the Sutra, Ven. Mahamaudgalayana’s own spiritual power was not enough; he had to draw on the strength of the assembled Sangha. The power of the Dharma then takes care of our parents, family, and ancestors. This has been my experience over these last 20 years. Bit by bit, my family has been transformed.

《盂蘭盆經》教我們，要真正孝順和幫助父母和祖先，真正的力量不僅來自我們本身，而且來自融入佛法、供養僧團，有佛法的力量來幫助。在經典中，目連尊者的神通不夠；他必須依僧團的力量。佛法的力量能幫助我們的父母、家人、和祖先。過去20年來這正是我的親身經歷，看到家人一點一滴的變化。

Later, my grandfather was moved back home to be cared for by hospice. I would go and visit him and recite Amitabha’s name together with the family. After reciting, we all sat in a circle with the question: “What are you grateful to Grandpa for?” As each person shared, I heard how grandpa gave money to my mother secretly to buy things for my grandma. How my mother was grateful in the way he accepted her into his family.  A week later, I got a call that he had passed away. I went to see him, and we as an entire family recited Amitabha’s name 為for 8 hours at his bedside. Everyone was very sincere, even my relatives who were not Buddhist.

後來，爺爺回到家裡接受臨終安寧照顧。我和家人一起幫他助念。念完後，全家圍成一圈，回答一個問題：“你對爺爺有什麼感恩之處？”當每個人分享時，我聽到爺爺曾經秘密給我媽媽錢，讓她買東西給奶奶；我媽媽很感恩爺爺接受她這個媳婦的方式等等。一個星期過後，我接到媽媽的訊息，爺爺往生了。我馬上去看他，全家在他床邊助念了8個小時。每個人都非常誠心，就連不是佛教徒的親人也很誠心助念。

Returning back to the monastery, I had a thought, “Wow, my family is in harmony” that was something unimaginable 20+ years ago. There is a Chinese saying: “every family has a painful sutra”. My family was no different. But at that moment, there was real harmony, and as I reflected deeper, my intuition is that this harmony came from the power of the Dharma. Trusting in the Dharma and letting it do its magic.

回到道場，我想：“家庭和合”，這是20多年前不能想像的事情。有一句話：“家家有本難唸的經。”我家也不例外。但在那一刻，家人都和合。我觀察了一下：這和合來自於法的力量—–相信法，法就能發揮神奇的力量。

So all of you have come here today for Ullambana, a very special day of intergenerational kindness. Through our heart of filiality to make offerings to the Sangha, we can let the Dharma do its magic in healing and caring for our family and ancestors—ourselves included.

May you and all of your family and ancestors find true happiness and be freed from all suffering! Amitabha!大家今天都來參加盂蘭盆法會，這是一個「代際慈悲」的特別日子。我們以孝心供養僧團，讓佛法發揮療癒的神奇力量，照顧我們的家人和祖先，也包括我們自己在內。祝大家、家人及祖先得到真正的快樂，脫離一切苦難！阿彌陀佛！