To gain, one must let go – Part 2
If you have missed the first release, here is the url to part 1 ▶ https://goo.gl/eVBG3p
Though I may have spent the wee hours of some nights to complete some of the props after the classmates had left, they are just objects to help us in our offering to the Buddhas. Even if the fate of the props were to end up in the dustbin, attachment to them will not benefit me.
One of our care co-ordinators knew how much work we put in to make the props and wanted to salvage one of the props which was already in the dustbin. I told her that it is fine. I have accepted it. The compassionate Buddha has found a home for the rest of the props to benefit more sentient beings in future events. Let this one prop be thrown away.
The significance of this is that the merits of our classmates’ offering have been accumulated. As shared by Venerable Jing Yuan on 7th May 2017, the virtuous karma we created has been set. Thus, I realised that I should not be attached to the physical objects. They have served their purpose and it is no longer important if they were kept or not, putting aside the fact that we should try to be environmentally friendly and recycle.
Two days after the event, I sent a message to Monitor Sor Kheng to share my personal reflections. In my message, I OMAK the whole team in the “Auspicious Paradise Studio” and created a short video clip for their great teamwork and her leadership! Monitor Sor Kheng was also very compassionate and encouraged me to continue practicing the teachings of Buddha in my life journey.
On 14th May 2017, in the “Auspicious Vesak” debrief message by our Venerable Jing Yuan, I once again discover the beauty of Dharma to the lay practitioner like me.
After reading the message, I sent another message to my monitor. The message is translated below:
Dear Monitor,
Our plight is as described by Venerable Jing Yuan in his “Auspicious Vesak” debrief message! He is indeed wise!
Thankfully, both of us have conquered our ordeal and emerged victorious! Rejoice to both of us. Still, there is a need to further meditate on the wise words by Venerable Jing Yuan.
I have learned and will remind myself of this lesson on attachment and letting go. Perhaps, it is a tailored lesson for me. Often, our weakest link is where Dharma helps us to seal the gap and make us stronger and more importantly wiser.
Indeed, we need to OMAK each other. You led the team and the class volunteered for the event because we have made the aspiration to establish and propagate the Teachings to benefit all sentient beings. We did not do it for personal gains.
Inevitably, both of us had our afflictions in the process, but our initial aspiration is the same. Gratefully we both had this in mind.
In the process, we had our friction arising from the fate of the handmade props, but we both did not want this to damage or worse end our 3-year relationship. We each did our reflections and sought understanding from the other party. We tried to our best ability not to take it too personally. It was not easy. Really not easy!
I got to understand that you did not want to make my life difficult, but you could not find a better solution to the problem other than throwing away the handmade props. The constraints were that of transportation and future storage.
I now appreciate the opportunity arising as it helped me to clear my obscuration and accumulate merits, serve others and ultimately attain Buddhahood. It became an excellent opportunity for me to practice the Dharma. I am so glad that we succeeded in this challenge!
Venerable Jing Yuanshared that establishing the Teachings requires a collective effort and you are part of this group of people, who had made the aspiration to contribute to the Teachings. You are indeed precious to me. Now that we have met, I must learn to see your special strengths and good qualities. I cannot allow myself to focus on your faults and look for your weaknesses. This will be the biggest disadvantage to my spiritual learning and practice if I do so. Indeed, I have always had a deep respect for you and will continue to do so!
Thankful that I could OMAK and see the merits of our classmates in our 6-week preparation and how your plan created an opportunity for all of us to accumulate merits.
REJOICE to you!
I told myself that the Joyous Insightful Praise class has collectively sowed virtuous seeds regardless of the fate of the props.
“This event had received more than 30 000 people, who, because of what we have done, will in the future learn the Stages of the Path, and eventually gain Buddhahood.”
It is really a wonderfully happy occasion!
Taming the “attachment monster” in my heart is the challenge which Buddha, our lineage masters, Dharma and Sangha accomplished. The process was filled with tears, afflictions, pain, suffering and also prayers to the Buddhas seeking Compassion and Wisdom. But the Triple Gem allowed me to share with you my personal reflections, salvaged our relationship and allowed me to continue my practice on this pathway of enlightenment. I am ever grateful!
We also had a beautifully heartwarming finale to the project and our graduation from the Joyous Insightful Praise Class. The handmade pop-out cards and carnations express my gratitude to you and the other monitors as well as care co-ordinators during our course.
Thanks once again for the opportunity to be one more step nearer to Buddhahood! Let’s aspire to help each other on our path to Buddhahood.
With Metta,
Irene Lee
放下就能得到（下集）
错过上集？请点击贴上的网址欢阅 ▶ https://goo.gl/gms2fH
为了赶工制作那副有手工花的红心相框，我们还忙到三更半夜 呢！可是法会后它却被扔进垃圾箱里，老实说还真有点可惜。我的关怀员看到，要帮我把花捡回来，可是我跟她说：“不用了。” 我可不是在赌气，而是觉得佛陀已经慈悲地让大多数的道具有用武之地，供养给佛陀的心意已圆满达成，我应该放下。如净远法师所说：“业已经存在，我不用在乎东西存不存在，这真的已经不重要了。”
事后我与淑卿班长分享我的反思，还做了一段感恩《吉祥乐园》义工们的视频，以对同行观功念恩。班长也慈悲地勉励我与她一起努力学佛。
吉祥佛诞结行的那一天，听到净远法师对义工的感谢话，再次让我感觉到佛法的美妙，也再次与班长分享我的体会。以下是我发给班长的简讯：
班长:
我们的经历如同净远法师说的一样，法师真有智慧！幸好我们早已征服了心中大敌，随喜你我！不过我们还是应该再次反省，反复思维法师的智慧引导，从中加深体会。
我俩是为了护持建教而发心，是为了弘法利生而来，并不是为了谋取个人的名闻利养。虽然在做事的过程中的确有烦恼生起，但我们的初发心都是为了后世、为他人、为圣教，因此我们应该为了服务众生而发心，更应该为了帮助众生而发愿成佛。
我俩因为无法妥善处理道具而起摩擦，彼此的心都受到伤害，不过我很庆幸我俩始终没有放弃彼此的友情。我也了解您不是故意为难我，只是如您所说：“想不到更好的方法才建议把道具丢掉的。”
感恩有此机会净罪集资，这的确是师父给我的最佳修行机会啊！ 我很高兴这次我能够闯关成功！
净远法师说：“建教要靠一群人”， 而你就是这群人当中的一位尊贵善知识。我很随喜自己能以美丽的眼睛看待欢乐赞颂班的同学们。这六个星期的准备与正行所共识的一切都布满同学的优胜之处。无论道具何去何从，我们欢乐赞颂班所供养的心意已经种下善因了；法会过后尽管景物已不在，可是我们种下的一切善因一定会一直增长广大。只要调服自心，不让不舍道具的心情影响我们三年的感情，修行的道路上我等一定能一步一步向前迈进！哎！可是真正做起来其实非想象中的容易，过程中不知流下多少眼泪，心也隐隐作痛，也不知向悲智的佛菩萨祈求多少回。
感恩佛菩萨加持、善友的关怀，我才没继续往过失与不圆满的地方看，反而试着向您坦白，告知我内心的感受与心路历程。对您我有着深切的敬意，因为我知道您的发心，也知道您的压力实在大，真要好好地随喜您。
欢乐赞颂班于5月12日结业的那一天我做了卡片和花给您、两位班长及两位关怀员，感恩之心尽在不言中。再次感谢班长给予我机会一步一步迈进成佛的远大目标！我们一起加油，谁先成佛就拉把对方一同成佛！
李宗矜合十