法師在上期告訴我們，生命內容由我們的言行思想決定，
人生意義在於找到人生目的，今期法師繼續說只要
我們方向清楚，生和死都不會有掛礙，同樣都會很精彩。
今天，我們很幸運有這麼多人走同 一個方向，包括坐在下面的禪師大德。剛才我們說到，我們是同道中人，當見面時，我們需要互相尊重。我們應該時刻觀照內心的本質，問自己你要怎樣展示你的人生？如果我們這樣探索，生命的素質就會往上提升。可是現今社會變得越來越複雜，昨天我聽了你們講，有很多人的生活都很有壓力，也有很多恐懼。如果你的方向很清楚，你是沒有掛礙的。生的時候，你生活得很精彩，死的時候也死得很精彩，很有尊嚴。
我借一個故事來解釋死得有尊嚴是如何的重要。有一個修行得很好的出家人叫普華，他很用功修行，有一天他知道時候到，要走了。他告訴其他人他很快就要走。村民造了一件很美麗的袈裟送給他，但他不接受。臨濟禪師送他一副棺木，他卻很高興拿着四處走，並告訴所有人他明天便會在東門那邊走。很多人一早便在東門等着，當他出現時他說：「今天不是一個好日子，明天我會在西門那邊走。」翌日有很多人到西門那邊看看。他出現時又說：「今天不是一個吉祥的日子，明天才是，我會在南門那邊走。」村民已經再沒有興趣，所以沒有人去。他自己便躺在棺木裏面，自己蓋上棺木便走了。村民聽到後全部都跑過來看。他們打開棺木，看不到人，卻聽到從天上傳來的鈴聲。他的生死很自在，很尊嚴，看不到他的軀體，只聽到聲音。所以，大修行人，他們是可以自在生死。
六祖惠能走的時候，他找了一個夜晚通知他的學生：「一個月後我會從北方那邊走。」很多很多學生都非常不捨得，很多人都很傷心，只有一 個年輕人叫神會不動。六祖說：「你們跟在我身邊這麼久，我要走了，你們為什麼傷心？神會年紀輕輕能夠修到不動，你們在山中跟我修了什麼東西？我現在告訴你們我要走，你們為什麼要傷心？如果你都不知道我要去哪裏，你們為什麼要傷心？如果我不知道我要去哪裏，我不會告訴你我要走。」所以，秀峰禪師去了哪裏？起初的時候，他們很傷心，現在很開心，為什麼？因為越來越多人來學禪，他們可以學習生死自在。雖然我們還未能證入生死自在，但我們已經接近生死自在。為什麼呢？因為我們有很多善知識，當你不自在的時候，你要自在，你要放下。所以，往內自己去看，你真正需要的是什麼？我們要有這樣的一個信心，在活着的時候，要活得精彩，當死的時候要死得莊嚴。
有些人會說，秀峰禪師是這麼好的修行人，為什麼他坐在那邊便走了？這樣走的方法是很好啊！他不需要在醫院裏離開，不需要插着很多喉管，不要給人家負擔每天要來看他。當我們看到這一點，便明白我們的生命就是在於這一刻，是當下的，此時此刻的。過了這一刻，沒有人能夠擔保。所以，我們可以活得莊嚴和自在，這是你自己的選擇。
我曾經看過很多年紀大的修行人，我日本的老師已經九十歲了。我有三位老師，第一位幫我剃度的老師是在中國的，我看到他的時候我就知道我要出家了！你們看到我的時候有沒有想要出家？我第二位老師是崇山禪師，他會問你：「為什麼想出家？」所以你們不要擔心，不用出家！其實很多在家的，就好像坐在我旁邊的大禪師也沒有出家，等一會兒你聽了她的法就知道她夠厲害！所以，她的位置比我重一點。但我們要有智慧，不要用自己 的觀點，要依法不依人。這都是佛陀的教導，不是我的。我們不是因為這個人的名氣很大，我們就跟他學習。我們要依法不依人，依義不依語，依了義不依不了義。
如果你能夠這樣看，其實你旁邊每一個人也可以成為你的老師。在入境香港的時候，如過我這樣穿着，他們會問：你從哪裏來，你來幹什麼？如果我穿得莊嚴一點，他們就會給我入境。這就是現實中的法。總的來說，我們來到這裏，很幸運能 夠參與這個探討人生生死的重要課題，這是很難得的，所以不要浪費時間。
Today, it is very lucky that we are all in the same direction including the Zen Masters and sunims down there. We said earlier that we are in the same path we have to respect each other when we meet. We should moment to moment perceive the quality of our original mind, how do you manifest your life? If we explore our life in this way, then our quality of life can be improved. However, today’s world is becoming more and more complicated; a lot of people are living under stress, pressure and worries. If your direction is clear then we do not have any hindrance, when you live, you live a fulfi lling life, when you die, you die with dignity.
I want to share a story to show dying with dignity is very important. There is a hard practice monk called Pu Hua,one day, he realized that it is time for him to go, so he told the others that he is going to leave soon. The people in the village made a very beautiful kasa and offer to him, but he did not accept it and said: “I don’t want it.” But Zen Master Lin Chi gave him a coffi n; he was very happy and carried the coffi n walking around. He told everybody that he will be leaving tomorrow from the East Gate, so many people waited at the East Gate very early in the morning. Then he said: “Oh, today is not a good time, I will leave from the West Gate tomorrow.” The next day, many people also go to the West Gate to have a look. And he said: “Oh, today is not an auspicious day, tomorrow is, I will leave from the South Gate tomorrow.” The villagers lost interest and nobody wanted to go. He was by himself so he lied into the coffi n, covered the lid and died. When the villagers heard about the news, everyone rushed to have a look. They opened the coffi n but didn’t see the body, only heard the sound of the bell from the sky. He died with dignity; you didn’t see the body but only the sound. That’s why great practitioner can live and die with freedom.
When the Sixth Patriarch died, one night he told his students that he will leave from the North one month later. Many students did not want him to leave and a lot of people were very sad, only a very young monk called Shen Hui wasn’t move. So the Sixth Patriarch said: “You all followed me for so long, I told you I am going to leave and all of you are so sad except Shen Hui who is so young but he has this not moving mind, what have you all learnt from me in the mountain? I told you I am going to leave, why are you so sad? If you don’t know where I am going, why are you so sad? I will not tell you if I don’t know where I am going?” So, where is Zen Master Su Bong now? At the beginning all the sunims were sad but now they are very happy, why? It is because more and more people are coming to learn Zen, they can learn the freedom from life and death, even though we have not yet attained this freedom but we are already closed to the freedom of life and death, why? It is because we have a lot of wise teachers and friends, when you have hindrance, you have to let go and be free. You have to look inside what do you really want? We need to have this confidence that we have to live our life fully when we are alive and die with dignity when we died.
Some people may say Zen Master Su Bong was such a great monk why he sat and died so early? But this is a good way to die because he did not need to die in the hospital, no need to have all the tubes and needles and no need to give any burden to other people to visit him. When we can see this point, our life only exists in this now and present moment, here and now. After this here and now, no one can guarantee. That’s why we can live freely and with dignity, it is your choice.
I have seen many senior monastics; actually my teacher in Japan is already over ninety years old. I have three teachers. My first teacher who ordained me is a Chinese teacher, when I saw him I wanted to become a monk. Do you want to become a monastic when you see me? My second teacher is Zen Master Seung Sahn, he will ask you: “Why do you want to become a monk?” You don’t have to worry, no need to be a monastic! Like the Zen Master who is sitting next to me is not a monastic and when you listen to her dharma, it is really powerful!! That’s why she is more senior than me. We need to use our wisdom and not our personal views or opinions, this is what we say: to follow the dharma and not the person, it is the teaching of Buddha and not mine. It is not about this person is very famous so you want to follow him. We have to follow the true meaning and not the easy way, don’t follow the candid dharma.
If you can see it this way then actually anyone next to you can be your teacher. In Hong Kong if I dressed like this when I come in, they will ask me where I am from and what do I come here for? But if I dressed well then people will have different opinion of me, that’s the dharma of the real life. It is very lucky for us to come here to participate and explore this important topic on life and death, it is a precious opportunity, so please don’t waste your time.