 老點傳師賜導 楊碧珍 知福、惜福、造福 修道人在生活中時時調和心性謂之知福。 在日常中不隨意糟蹋身心活力謂之惜福。 時常抱守不輕意放失濟世度人謂之造福。 老前人有一次講道中在感歎說：「世間祇不過充滿兩種人，一個為名，一個為利而已。」人人真是如此庸俗不堪？其實也有在默默地付出的大善人，只是你我不知曉的而已！當一個人爬得愈高時，所擔當的風險就愈大，終日忙碌費思心機思量去計劃，開展千年目標。從某個角度來說，有名有利，做個富有之人，表面上是很有福氣的，但相對地說，也失去了很多精神，忙得連吃飯時間都沒有，甚至睡覺都不安寧。身性不定過一生。 老前人叮嚀後學們說：「平安、平凡就是知福。」個人的因緣宿命各自不同，修道人懂得珍惜現在的我，不要一味怨天尤人，自怨自哀，身在福中不知福。 老前人的慈語常提醒同修們要愛心珍惜萬物，要「惜福」節制慾望，人的福氣是很微薄的，若不愛惜公物而盡情揮霍，將這很薄的福享盡了，接著是自承痛苦，是故人不可要求多慾望的生活，免得提早折損自己的性命。至於該如何惜福，惜福並不是少福，而是惜福得福，自求多惜福，對日常生活衣、食、住、行不可糟蹋，珍惜自己的福份，才能持守戒律，自我尊重。所以惜福是修道者的操守，惟有更加惜福、惜德才能淵遠而流長。 老前人勉勵後學們，人要能懂得勤儉與謙虛就是在無形中「造福」。在社會上，會得到大眾廣泛的支持與信任。 老前人說：「一個人有福，一定是有福的根苗。」就像樹有根一樣，樹有根，就會生出掗枝花葉來，人要有遠見的智慧，必須要懂得勤儉與謙虛的理念，自然會感動天地。而造福全在於我，自己心想則達，造福就在眼前。 人能清心則真性顯現，真性現如撥雲見月，到處光明，人能淨意則心地清，心地清如磨銅作鏡，隨處清涼，其道為何，是在造福。
「進」就是無間，也就是說我們的心念不可間斷，間斷了則會懈怠，想想看道路若間斷了就無法通行。看看一條平直的大道，人與車都能安穩地通行，也能很快到達目的地。如果忽然有一場大地震，震斷了這條路，想走過去，除非要冒著千驚萬險，否則只有費盡周章整修，或者搭造橋樑，將兩邊道路連接起來，才能通行。所以說道心不可間歇中斷，一間斷就會懈怠，一懈怠則半途而廢，必須重新開始，學道之心要細水長流，不停不斷地流下去，俗云：「滴水能穿石。」不要輕視細微的水流，只要日長月久，連石頭都會被它穿透，若一時熱心而數日懈怠，則過去的熱心都會消逝。想要精奮發，就不可間歇，一心專精，無有間歇，是專心一意，走好這條菩薩道，才能夠到達成佛的目標。所以「學」一定要「專」，記得小時候念歷史書時，宋朝的時代岳飛作的一首詩裡，有兩句詞是後學最喜歡的，而且永遠都不會忘記的，那就是「莫等閒，白了少年頭。」 一個人是否真正有修養，只要觀察他日常生活的舉止行為，以及待人接物的一切舉動，即可知道此人內心的修養境界到何種程度。 適值孟蘭節季，李英賢壇主奉送地藏古佛本願真經與道親結緣。此經是孝經，把自己救渡親人的心願，擴大至救渡一切苦難眾生，乃孝道的拓展，孝的圓滿。我們宜學佛的好榜樣，不遵教誡、背師、叛道，就是不孝父母。嘆息邇年來傳統美德走下坡，往常之敬老尊賢不復見，都給漠視了！其實，一切佛法都是建立在相道的基礎上，離開孝道，沒有一法可得。同時，告訴大家要明因果，雖則因果看不見，摸不著，然而，凡自私、自利，起心動念，都是在造罪。當知「善」容易退，「惡」容易增，宿世業債「因果」由「心」生，應做就做，該斷則斷，趕快將「惡」念「惡」行改「善」，纔是真正的在修。呼籲大家認真的往內修，不是往外求。人生如夢，生活平衡，就是好，修持不外乎在日常行止中。心量拓開才能跟自性相應，凡事宜忍讓，隨時隨地在心性上用工夫，況且「相」由「心」生，要想得好相，先要修好心，心正了，自然事事順利！ 天道義理辜點傳師賜導：父子是五倫中主要的一倫。父教子弟要仁慈，子事父母要孝順，各盡其道。語云：父父子子，順道也！父不父，子不子，逆道也！父為子綱：知道為人子女的道理，才可以為人父，不能順從父母的心之人，不可以做人子。由此，世上最重要的事，便是好好教育子女，家庭富有，教子須重道義；窮家教子，須重氣節。古時「易子而教之」──請人來教導自家的孩子，自己再去教導別人的孩子。想要整齊家道，必要修養心性，自忍讓，家必興旺，教子忍，家道和暢……一個人立身之善、惡，品格之好壞，全在於幼小時候。常言道：「教婦初來，教子嬰孩。」固然之，撫育小孩切戒飽暖太過，稍有錯誤，務必即時糾正。指導子女守本份，識道理，親近有德行君子，遠離損友。自勤儉，亦教子女勤儉，慈而弗作，禽犢之愛也！俗語有句：養子不教如養驢，養女不教如養豬。要是讓孩子好逸惡勞，樣樣如己意，隨其縱情、荒怠，已是違背了天理。再說教子，尤應去掉其驕心，養成謙讓德行，進退也禮，不沾絲毫邪僻習氣行為，縱然終身不飛黃騰達，也算是克家之子。至於管教少年子女，首先要關心他的痛苦，瞭解他的困難，適當時候施予援手，誘導與同情，可以維護孩子自尊和自信。孩子就算讀書不成，予其接受技能訓練，品行依然良好，精神依然健全，有足夠的人格作基礎，而獨立謀生，不必為日後生活擔憂。正是做父母無偏向的一理訓示；為子女當愛親竭力行孝。孝順的人不會感情用事，而令雙親受危不安──絕不做使自己羞辱的事，不要做令父母、親人蒙羞的行為。潔身自愛，即是孝親。事奉父母，要盡自己的能力。父母所愛亦愛之，父母所敬亦敬之。甚至於愛自家親然不敢和人交惡；敬重自身長輩，不會傲慢待人。相對地，不愛自己的父母而愛他人的叫做悖德；不敬重自己父母，而尊敬他人的教做悖禮。即使父母有過，輕諫而不可排逆。子女能博得父母歡心，方是報答劬勞恩德。
感謝郭詩永點傳師的指導策劃，加上各位壇主、學長們主持與鼓勵。出錢出力共襄盛舉，名單如下： •溫國基點傳師閤家精辦伙食工作。 •李寶莉學長：文書、聯絡工作。 •林慧真學長：財務工作。 •羅力行、李芳郁學長：場地堪察。 •楊老點傳師： 100份飯糰素料、波霸奶茶•林月慧學長：提供多具營帳，外加 $20贊助。•賴媽媽的女兒贊助功德費 $100。•林心正壇主： 130份精美三明治。•杜明昇學長： 20盒高級精緻蛋糕。•胡本蘭學長： 100份可口滷味、豆干。•陳秀珍學長： 500個茶葉蛋。•羅媽媽（徐柑妹）： 200個粽子，100份綠豆米苔目點心。•黃芬芬、呂柏欣………等等多位學長協助採購。 加上未列入以上名單的壇主、學長們，後學在此誠敬叩首，感恩慈悲。 （若有遺漏，敬請見諒！）
小故事大啟示 ──摘自《修道故事小品集》 因材施教 有一位儒教士，非常熱愛他信仰的宗教，經常到全國各地去巡迴演說，勸人信教。 有一天，他來到一個小鎮，鎮上有三個女孩來看他。這位傳教士見了第一個女孩，一句話也沒有說；見了第二個女孩，說了兩句話；見了第三個女孩，傳教士很慈祥地跟她說了很多話。 旁邊的人看了很奇怪，問他為什麼態度不一樣？是不是第一個女孩沒有誠心，而第三個女孩信仰堅定？傳教士笑了笑，說： 「正好相反！第一個女孩信仰最虔誠，所以不需要多說什麼。第二個女孩還有點猶豫不決，信心不太堅定，所以我鼓勵她幾句。至於那第三個女孩，因為她根本就不相信宗教，所以我才特別關心她，想多用點心來開導她。」 在修辦道的過程中，所接觸的人事物並非單純，一成不變，故須發出智慧，以正確的判斷力，靈活的想像力，來通權達變，活潑應事，則必能得心應手，圓滿成功。 活佛師尊慈示 做人方面要守三要訣── 1. 待人真訣：待人能圓滿，使道親有參道，悟道之信心。 2. 知人秘訣：明曉道親之心聲、環境與言行，而能以道理來調和成全。 3. 觀人竅訣：觀察一個人的品行修養與道德的涵養，而能見賢舉薦，因人說法，隨緣教化。
Labor Day at Lake Cachuma by Jeremy HuskTwenty-three miles from Santa Barbara along Highway 154 lies the Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, the site of the temple’s camping trip over Labor Day weekend. It was a great turnout – there were about 140 friends and family gathered from the congregations of both the El Monte and Santa Ana temples for a weekend of fun activities, relaxation and camaraderie. The Dakota Plains campground was our home for the weekend. The large group camping area offered plenty of shady space for the thirty or so tents that housed us, as well as a large fire pit for campfires, a spacious cooking area and picnic tables for meals (and the food was great!). We may have been roughing it in the tents, but the creature comforts offered in the park (bathrooms and showers, even a general store) were just a short walk away. A few brave individuals ventured to the campsite a day early, arriving on Friday to make sure everything was prepared for the arrival of the rest of the group. Carpools were assembled back at the temple on Saturday morning while all the food and equipment was loaded up into cars, minivans and even a small bus. The trip to the lake took about three hours – many other families were seeking the solace of a departure from Los Angeles this morning as well. While meeting some heavy traffic on the Ventura freeway, the fellow travelers offered us the opportunity to gaze out the windows at the expanse of the Pacific Ocean on our left and the rolling hillsides on our right. Upon arrival at the lake, the work of unloading and setting up camp began. As the tents were being raised and sleeping bags unrolled, plans were already being made for the afternoon and evening’s festivities. The children were gathered into four groups to compete in events that called on their teamwork and skills. After dinner, everyone joined around a blazing campfire to sing songs and play games under the stars. Early risers on Sunday participated in morning exercises, followed by breakfast and group activities. Each camper could choose from boating out on the lake, swimming in the pool, a hike around the peninsula, a watercolor painting class, or simply relaxing at the campground. After lunch, an excursion to the quaint Danish town of Solvang was organized for a short return to civilization. In the evening, another expedition was planned, this time to the beaches of Santa Barbara for the evening sunset and some time to play in the ocean. Back at the campground, a fire was burning in the pit, and the cosmos was already in full display, offering stargazing views only possible so far from the city lights. The next morning, it was hard to believe that it was already time to pack up and head back home. Although some had left the night before, there still was plenty of work to be done – making lunch, packing up tents, stowing gear, and leaving the campsite in the same pristine condition we found it in upon our arrival. Everyone worked together to beat the late morning heat, allowing us to get on the road and home early. Many thanks to all who attended and participated – it was a great trip and we will all look forward to the next one!
The Great Outdoors by Rick SalamoneAh, the great outdoors: It is a treat for a city dweller to escape the hustle and bustle now and then and commune with nature. When you add great food, friendly people, and plenty of activities, you have a combination that cannot be beat! This year’s expedition to Cachuma Lake was all this and more. Saturday’s campfire was great fun as many of our talented folk shared songs and dances. Sunday morning began with a relaxing and invigorating Tai Chi exercise set the mood for a full day of varied activities. Some people hiked and others painted the landscape, as our group toured the lake in a small boat. Later we visited Solvang and watched the sun set from Santa Barbara. As one of the "English speakers," I am thankful for this wonderful opportunity to really get to know the other members of our I-Kuan Tao community. We sometimes feel isolated in the back room with a language barrier between the rest of the Temple and us. But, this trip removed many of those barriers. I especially enjoyed splashing in the waves with the children, then later searching the night sky for shooting stars. Now when I return to the Temple I will feel much more connected with the people.
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