An Excerpt from the Venerable Master's Final Instructions, December 4-5, 1994, http://www.cttbusa.org/founder/final_instructions.asp
"After I depart, you can recite the Avatamsaka Sutra and the name of the Buddha for however many days you would like, perhaps seven days or forty-nine days. After the cremation, scatter my ashes in the air. I do not want you to do anything else at all for me. Do not build any pagodas or memorials. I came into the world without anything; when I depart, I still do not want anything, and I do not want to leave any traces in the world. I came from empty space, and I will also return to empty space."
Venerable Master final instructions are important for us because these instructions show us what to do when he is not around us.
"Every one of you should work hard to make Buddhism flourish. In every move you make and every word you say, you should be thinking on behalf of Buddhism. Do not fight, do not be greedy, do not seek, do not be selfish, do not pursue personal advantage, and do not lie. Then you will certainly become a Buddha in the future. Every person has to shoulder the responsibility of propagating the Buddhadharma. If you can cause Buddhism to prosper and flourish, then I'll be able to set my heart at ease no matter where I am. "
The following vedio is the part one of movie: I came from empty space, which is posted on the drbachinese web site: http://www.drbachinese.org/online_video/index.asp.html.
The YouTube version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhothIIHEjI&feature=fvsr
I enjoyed the class discussion because it stimulated my thinking and helped me to understand the principle. For example, I heard about dharma transmission many times but didn't think about the meaning of it too much until yesterday. The discussion helped me to understand the difference between two kinds of dharma transmission: mind to mind and formal (paper) transmission. I also touched by Venerable Master attitude towarded paper transmission: it is not important to him. Venerable Master said in his final instructions: "My intent is not to contend with anyone for fame or benefit."
There was a question today by Dr. Epstein about the Master's ability to play the flute and pipa(?). In this video at 4:27'-4:34', it says that he was an "Excellent musician. He played the flute and the two-stringed fiddle (er hu)."
ReplyDeleteWhere did the people who made the video get their information?
ReplyDeleteIn the chinese book: 白山黑水育奇英 (life of Venerable Master), Pan Xiu Min mentioned that Venerable Master played the flute and the Er Hu.
ReplyDeleteThe following is copied from drbachinese web site:
http://www.drbachinese.org/online_reading_simplified/drba_others/vmsj/sj4-photos.htm
【后记2】潘秀岷撰文缅怀上人，曾经提及：
师父八、九岁时，因太师母患病求医，慕名来到离家二十多里的刘正崴屯找我爷爷。我爷爷是双城方圆百里有名的老中医，布施穷人，仗义疏财，乡亲们称我爷爷为潘善人。师父到我家后，和小他一岁的家父潘义振成了知交，师父对我父亲的影响很大。师父和父亲会吹箫，最喜爱中国民歌〈苏武牧羊〉，说每个人不能忘国；师父还会拉二胡，下象棋一定赢。