Introduction
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In the summer of 1994, I remember
the Venerable Master had been sick for a while and then got
slightly better, but his pain was still intense. When several
of us went to see him, he forced himself to sit up despite his
weak condition. In a very feeble voice, he recited from memory
and explained a passage from the text Ten Jewels from the
Sea of Dhyana. Then he asked us to explain each line again
as he listened with total concentration. If there was some
part that we couldn't explain very well, the Master patiently
would explain it for us again. After that he recited by heart
several more passages from Ten Jewels from the Sea of
Dhyana and urged us to cultivate diligently. The Master
was true to the vast vow he had made, "As long as I have a
breath left, I will certainly lecture on the Sutras and speak
the Dharma." That was also a genuine demonstration of the
Master's tireless spirit of forgetting himself for the sake of
the Dharma.
- by Equal Wisdom,
p.105 - 106,
"In Memory of Ven. Hua Vol. I"
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As long as I have a
breath left, I will lecture
on the Sutras and speak the
Dharma. |
The breadth and depth of the Venerable Master's teachings is
difficult to fathom - he expounded the Sutras, lectured on the
various Dharma doors, and gave instructional talks that pointed
straight to our hearts. He also taught us rules and that we should
follow them. Even the Master's poetry, couplets and essays hold
precious lessons for everyone. He also composed an equally diverse
range of biographies on various historical personages, hoping we
would emulate the virtuous sages of old. The Venerable Master also
used Prajna humor to activate our inherent wisdom. All that is just
the tip of the iceberg. In reality, many more of the Master's
lessons were imparted informally, and many more were wordless
lessons that can be derived from his deeds and
actions. |
