文／菲律宾海天禅寺研经禅修班学员　法慈

　　在海天禅寺固定上禅修班，大大帮助我们提起正念并在生活中落实佛法。每年参加中台朝圣之旅，也让我们更能在心上用功。然而，新冠肺炎疫情改变了一切。

　　二○二○年三月封城前，海天就因疫情暂停所有课程与活动。过去八年来，海天早已是我生活的一部分，也是心灵的依靠；我珍惜听法的因缘，每周日去上禅修班，也欢喜当义工。突然不能去海天，让我很难过。

　　工作地点因疫情改变，也增添了我更多的压力和不安。而父亲在疫情高峰时往生，让我更是焦虑。这些事对我打击很大，也因此停下修行的脚步。在这几个月适应新生活中，师父持续以法语来安慰并支持我，让我体会到一切人事物皆是无常，决定重新站起来、继续修行。

　　重新开始，让我的智慧及体悟都有所提升。我知道我必须要用佛法的智慧来面对疫情及挑战──它们都是虚妄不实的，本质都是空性。于是我再次看到自己急切修行的心。为了平静这念心，我每天三点起床，静坐一小时、行香半小时，接着恭诵《心经》、《金刚经》，将功德回向一切众生，特别是受疫情波及的人。最重要的是，要让这念心清楚明白、如如不动。所以我也重新调整心念，才不会受外境影响，乃至不起贪、瞋、痴三毒，造下恶业。

　　我们真的很有福报，在马尼拉能有慈悲、耐心的法师们不断给与支持、鼓励。感恩中台及海天禅寺教导的佛法及智慧，我会永远记住这份恩德。我也发愿继续精进用功、修行持戒、行菩萨道，以精进的身心来报答三宝的法乳深恩及一切众生的恩德。

　　（Going to a regular Buddhist class greatly helped us in mindfully applying the Dharma teachings in our day-to-day lives. The annual retreat to Chung Tai helps reinforce and further deepen our spiritual practice. But, the COVID-19 pandemic came and changed everything.

　　Prior to the lockdown in March 2020, we were already told that visits to the monastery had been temporarily suspended due to a local outbreak. I felt sad because for the last 8 years, Ocean Sky had been a part of my regular schedule and a way of life. I was also already enjoying volunteering in the monastery, looked forward to our Sunday classes, and cherished the Abbess's profound teachings. Then suddenly, the place of solace and refuge was no longer available as we were all caught in a lockdown.

　　There were also workplace changes which added stress and uncertainty. Adding to the anxiety, my father died at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak. Those events affected me greatly and put a halt in my practice. For months, while I adjusted to the new normal, I continued to receive on a regular and diligent basis words of comfort, messages of support, and sutra materials from Shifus. Realizing the impermanence of things, I decided to get back on my feet and resume my cultivation.

　　Reform gives rise to wisdom and enlightenment. I have to apply the wisdom of Buddhist teachings in coping with the pandemic and other challenging situations—that they are just delusive and temporary conditions and not the true reality. Hence, I saw the urgency again to silence my mind. I started by waking up at 3am and doing an hour of meditation, followed by 30 minutes of walking, and then reciting the Heart Sutra and the Diamond Sutra in order to dedicate merits to sentient beings, especially those affected by the pandemic. It is important that our mind is clear and unmoved. I am reprogramming my mind not to be affected by outside conditions and not to give rise to greed, anger and ignorance.

　　We in Manila are so blessed and fortunate to have a Sangha, a compassionate and patient Abbess and very supportive Shifus. I am forever grateful to Chung Tai and Ocean Sky for teaching us the Dharma and all the wisdom. I wish to repay the monastery by diligently continuing with my practices, upholding the precepts, and cultivating bodhisattvas’ acts of compassion. I will continue to cultivate both my mind and body to pay tribute to the Buddha and repay the kindness of Three Jewels as well as all sentient beings.）