崇山大禪師圓寂十週年紀念 Zen Master Seung Sahn 10th Year Memorial

禪院在11月26日邀請了大峰禪師和無上法師在禮頓山社區會堂開示，講題為困境中的曙光。

On 26 November, we invited Zen Master Dae Bong and Mu Sang Sunim to give a Dharma talk on "

Clarity in the Midst of Conflict".

Outside and Inside Incenses

After one Tuesday night's sitting, a student asked Sifu : Someone told me that if we want to communicate with Buddha, we need to offer very high-class agarwood incense. Is that true?


Sifu : Zen teaches us that 'Mind is Buddha'. If you want to communicate with your 'Mind', do you need to light high-class incense for your Buddha within?

The student was shocked to hear this and didn't know how to respond. After a few seconds, she said : Thank you for waking me up to this incense issue!

Commentary:

There are two kinds of incense. Outside incense is to purify the air we breathe. Inside incense is our pure True Nature. Outside incense depends on outside conditions which have appearing and disappearing. The incense of our True Nature is always bright and clear. Whenever our mind can let go of any kind of strong attachment and be humble with an open heart, and with a mind for others, this incense will permeate from our mind within. This we cannot find outside of us. This is the true offering of incense to Buddha.

外在與內在的香

某星期二坐禪共修後，一位學生向師父求教：

學生：有人對我說，如我們想跟佛陀感應，便要向佛陀供養最高級的沉香。這是真的嗎？

師父：禪宗教「即心是佛」。如你要跟你的「心」感應，你要為你內心的佛燃點高級的香嗎？

學生聽後一愕，不懂回應。過了一會兒，她説：「多謝師父讓我從這香的問題中覺醒！」

評論：

香有內與外兩種：外在的香可以淨化我們呼吸的空氣；內在的香即是我們的清淨自性。

外在的香依靠外緣而有生滅。自性的香永遠明亮和清晰。當我們的心能放下一切執著、以謙卑及開放的胸襟為其他人服務，這自性香便會從內心滲透出來，不假外求。這是向佛供香的真義。

With harmony in family, all things will prosper Without wanting, everything can be attained

Zen Master Seung Sahn opened his first zen center in Providence, Rhode Island. The area was fairly violent with drunken brawls and knife fights. The atmosphere was unhappy. At that time Zen Master Seung Sahn was totally independent and self-financed. He started everything from zero. There was no furniture except for a small kitchen table and a few wooden chairs.

One day a Buddha from Korea arrived in a large wooden box. It was broken into about 15 pieces. Without hesitation, and with a joyful mind, Zen Master Seung Sahn started piecing the Buddha together meticulously and patiently, converting emptiness back into form. From this starting point, we now have over 100 zen centers around the world with many students practicing the Dharma together, making harmony, and helping each other.

Now our situation in Hong Kong is similar to this broken Buddha statue. Our society is broken with different strong opinions. Many families are also broken. The world situation is also like this. Nobody wants to put it all down and listen to each other and find harmony. Many people are just holding to their one cracked piece and think that this is it. One of Zen Master Seung Sahn's greatest teachings is keeping 'don't know' mind and 'just do it' to fix any situation. This 'don't know' glue can close the spaces between us and put back together the broken pieces. Strength comes from being together and from not splitting among ourselves. Behind there is no selfish intention. Only how can I help?

The horse is trotting away, and the goat is entering the gate of 2015. Sifu sincerely wishes that we all make a vow together to use this 'don't know' glue treasure. The ingredients of this glue include an open heart and the putting down of our strong attachments to our opinions and emotions. At the same time, we respect each other and make harmony. This will be the greatest gift to our families, our colleagues, our friends, our communities, and eventually to our world, in the Year of the Goat.

Dae Kwan Hap Jang

家和羊羊興 無求事事成

崇山禪師於羅德島Providence成立了美國第一所禪中心。禪中心所在的區域並不太平，經常有人醉酒鬧事，甚至持刀打架，氣氛很不愉快。那時候，禪師完全獨立，自資經營，一切皆是從零開始。初時，禪中心除了一張小廚桌及幾張木椅外，沒有其他傢俱。一天，一個大木箱載著一尊佛像從韓國運抵禪中心。但木箱內的佛像碎成了十五件。當時，禪師毫不猶豫，帶著歡喜心，仔細並且耐心地將佛像修補。從空到有，佛像最終回復了原狀。由此開始，我們現在於全球有超過一百所禪中心，很多禪子因而能夠一起修習佛法，創造和諧，自利利他。