The Forty-Ninth Letter 第四十九封
| 2022-10-21 | Download | AI assisted translation
| 第四十九封 |
Forty-Ninth Letter |
| 恭敬顶礼师尊： |
With reverence, I prostrate to the revered Master: |
| 顶礼佛，顶礼法，顶礼僧。 |
I pay homage to the Buddha, pay homage to the Dharma, and pay homage to the Saṅgha. |
| 某某法师若来，生活不会有问题。当地庙主并非以庙为业，他们不常去寺庙，若能请来僧人，吃住他们都管。 弟子等也从自己方面，考虑四事供养，以及往返路费。 |
If Dharma Master So-and-so comes, there will be no problem with living expenses. The local temple owners do not make their livelihood from the temple and do not often go there. If monastics can be invited to come, they will provide food and lodging. We disciples will also, on our own part, consider the four kinds of offerings and the round-trip travel expenses. |
| 【尔等发心供养，自有贤者来居，但某某法师现在尚无如此福德，受此供养，奈何奈何！】其实，不仅法师一人来，若法师能带来二三人，生活也不会有问题。 |
[Since you wish to make offerings, worthy people will naturally come to reside there. But Dharma Master So-and-so does not yet have such blessings and virtues to receive these offerings—what can be done, what can be done!] In fact, it need not be only the Dharma Master who comes. If he can bring two or three people with him, there will likewise be no problem with living expenses. |
| 去年之前，庙里曾住一位老人，种了一二十亩地，打晒粮食的场地就在庙前。他回家了，不再回庙，如今地里的麦子还是他种的。另外，庙附近有很多无主的小片荒地。 |
Before last year, an elderly man lived at the temple and cultivated ten or twenty mu of land. The threshing and grain-drying ground was right in front of the temple. He has returned home and will not come back to the temple; the wheat now growing in the fields was still planted by him. In addition, there are many small, uncultivated plots of ownerless land near the temple. |
| 这地方山高皇帝远，风土人情与城镇迥然不同，地也会有人帮着种的。 附去的“苇泉山静居寺”图是李师兄所画，他与刘工、吕工等都希望能请来某某法师。 |
This place is remote, and its customs and way of life are entirely different from those of towns and cities. There will also be people willing to help cultivate the land. The enclosed drawing of Weiquan Mountain Jingju Temple was made by Brother Li. He, Engineer Liu, Engineer Lü, and others all hope that Dharma Master So-and-so can be invited to come. |
| 因为象某某法师这样，已经明心见性堪传心密的出家人，在目前确为希有。【这副山寺图画得很逼真，李居士大有绘画天才。 |
For monastics such as Dharma Master So-and-so, who have already realized the mind and seen their true nature and are capable of transmitting the Heart-of-Heart Dharma, are indeed rare at present. [This painting of the mountain temple is very lifelike. Layman Li has great talent for painting. |
| 可惜某某法师无福来享，他现在闭关不见客，你还是另请他人为是，如果你请不着人，我可以介绍两个居士给你。 |
Unfortunately, Dharma Master So-and-so lacks the blessings to come and enjoy this. He is now in retreat and not receiving visitors. It would be better for you to invite someone else. If you cannot find anyone, I can introduce two lay practitioners to you. |
| 】志明请问师尊：坐便印持何咒，是心中心咒还是别有咒语，持“阿弥陀佛”如法吗？【结便印持心中心咒，也可念阿弥陀佛。】秀明请问师尊：不是在座上，而是在日常行住坐卧中，均默持心中心咒，可以吗？【日常动用中可以持心中心咒，也可持“随心陀罗尼”。】 |
] Zhimei asks the revered Master: When sitting, what mantra should one recite while holding the mudrā? Is it the Heart-of-Heart mantra, or is there another mantra? Is it in accordance with the Dharma to recite “Amitābha Buddha”? [While forming the mudrā, recite the Heart-of-Heart mantra; one may also recite Amitābha Buddha.] Xiumei asks the revered Master: Rather than during seated practice, may one silently recite the Heart-of-Heart mantra throughout daily activities—walking, standing, sitting, and lying down? [During daily activity, one may recite the Heart-of-Heart mantra or the “Wish-Fulfilling Dhāraṇī.”] |
| 弟子志明秀明顶礼 |
Disciples Zhimei and Xiumei respectfully prostrate |
| 佛历二五三六年二月十八日 |
Eighteenth day of the second month, Buddhist Era 2536 |
