First Encounter

初遇

Washington Street, Fall 1977, San Francisco.

By Vivian Henry written in February, 04, 2025.

華盛頓街，1977年秋季，舊金山。 

作者：Vivian Henry，2025年2月4日。

Toni (Guo Chung) and I were corresponding by mail. We were friends from High School in Seattle. We also rode horses together.

我和Toni（Guo Chung）那時候一直透過郵件聯絡，我們兩個在西雅圖是高中同學，一起騎馬。

Toni was living in San Francisco at Washington Street with her older sister, Guo Lien, a śrāmaṇerikā (novice nun). Guo Lien had been practicing under Master Hua for a long time. Toni was also cultivating for about a year.

Toni和她的姊姊Guo Lien （一位沙彌尼）住在舊金山華盛頓街。Guo Lien 在宣公上人座下修行已久。Toni也修行了大約一年。

Toni was in a very serious car accident. She wrote me a letter. She asked me to come to San Francisco to assist her in her wheelchair. So, I took the train down from Seattle to San Francisco. I thought it was interesting going from the northern temperate colder climate into a more desert like hotter climate. I noticed how the environment changed going from North to South. The heat would hit you like a hot brick when you get off the train. I arrived at San Francisco and Guo Lien picked me up at the train station. I noticed how this novice nun was very soft, gentle and humble. Her head was shaved and she wore an earth brown robe with gray cotton clothes underneath and black cloth shoes and a blue cap on her head. She took me to an older brick three-story house in a nice neighborhood up high on a hill. It over looked the Golden Gate Bridge on the bay. This was a temple where the Bhikṣuṇīs and śrāmaṇerikās lived. It was the women’s living quarters of Gold Mountain Monastery. Guo Lien took me upstairs to Toni’s room. Toni’s face lit up with a big smile and bright blue eyes when she saw me. She had her hair cut short and wore gray cotton clothes. I was so happy to see Toni also.  I saw that Toni was healing from her accident. Toni explained to me what was going on there.  This was an Orthodox Buddhist way place. She explained the rules to me. Wake at 4 am and do the ancient morning ceremony.

Toni遭遇了一場非常嚴重的車禍。她給我寫了一封信，請我去舊金山協助她坐輪椅。於是，我從西雅圖搭火車去了舊金山。我覺得從北溫帶的寒冷氣候進入像沙漠的炎熱氣候很有趣。我注意到從北到南，環境的變化很大。一下火車，熱浪就像一塊燒紅的磚頭一樣襲來。我到了舊金山，Guo Lien 在火車站接我。我注意到這位沙彌尼非常溫柔、謙遜。她剃了光頭，穿著土褐色的袈裟，裡面是灰色的棉布衣服，腳上是黑色的布鞋，頭上戴著藍色的帽子。她帶我去了位於山頂上漂亮社區裡的一棟古老的三層樓砖房，它俯瞰著海灣上的金門大橋。這是一座比丘尼和沙彌尼居住的寺廟，也是金山寺的女眾住所。Guo Lien 帶我上樓去了Toni的房間。當Toni看到我時，她的臉上綻放出燦爛的笑容，藍色的眼睛閃閃發光。她剪了短髮，穿著灰色的棉布衣服。看到Toni，我也很高興。Toni正在從車禍中恢復。Toni向我介紹了那裡的情況。這是一個正統的佛教道場。她給我講解了規矩。早上四點起床，進行古老的早課。

The other Bhikṣuṇīs and novice nuns also had shaved heads and wore earth brown robes with gray cotton clothes underneath and caps on their heads and black cotton shoes. I had never met Buddhist nuns before but women with shaved heads and robes seemed quite natural to me, it did not seem weird.  Guo Lien took me to the third floor to the Chan Hall. She gave me an old blue Judo mat to sleep on. “You can stay here” she said. The others had rooms to themselves. I was so happy to be in that Chan Hall. It was entirely empty. It had windows all around. I could see the Golden Gate Bridge. I liked that the room was all empty. There was no furniture, just an empty room with a few sitting mats on the floor. I liked that I could look out and see the water. The whole atmosphere felt clear and calm. I thought, look at this I am in San Francisco in this beautiful room with blond hardwood floors. There is no one else in the room, just me. There was an elder Chinese Bhikṣuṇī on the top floor who recited with the little fish drum. I could hear tap tap tap tap tap. Also a lay Chinese woman lived in the basement who worked a job. The other bhikṣuṇīs and śrāmaṇerikās were white Americans who lived there. The two fully ordained Bhikṣuṇīs were from Seattle. They were former Heng Yin and Heng Chih. The other nuns were former Heng Ming devoted attendant to former Heng Yin, former Heng Ju, former Heng Jieh (Guo Lien), and Heng Cheng. Toni, a lay school teacher Terri, and I are also white American who were there. 

其他比丘尼和沙彌尼也都剃了光頭，穿著灰色棉布衣服，外罩土褐色的僧袍，頭戴帽子，腳踩黑色棉布鞋。我以前從未見過比丘尼，但在我看來，女性剃光頭、穿著僧袍很自然，並不覺得奇怪。Guo Lien 帶我去了三樓的禪堂。她給了我一張藍色的舊柔道墊子讓我睡。 「你可以留在這裡。」她說。其他人都有自己的房間。待在那間禪堂裡，我很高興，裡面空無一人，四周都是窗戶。我能看到金門大橋。我喜歡房間裡空無一人的感覺，房間裡沒有家具，只有空蕩蕩的房間。地板上放著幾个坐墊，透過窗戶就能夠看到水，我很喜歡，整個氛圍清澈寧靜。我心里想，看看這個吧，我置身於舊金山，在這間鋪著金色硬木地板的美麗房間裡，房間裡沒有其他人，只有我。頂樓有一位年長的華裔比丘尼，她打著小木魚念經，我聽到嗒嗒嗒嗒嗒的聲音。地下室裡住著一位華裔女居士，她還在上班。其餘住在這裡的比丘尼和沙彌尼都是美國白人。兩位具足戒比丘尼來自西雅圖，分別是比丘尼恆持和前比丘尼恆隱。另外还有前比丘尼Heng Ming，她是恆隱的侍者、前比丘尼Heng Ju、前沙彌尼Heng Jieh（Guo Lien）和Heng Cheng。Toni、學校老師Terri居士和我也是美國白人。

I felt a goodness in the air I never felt before. I did not know anything about Buddhism before. The nuns were constantly cultivating the Buddha Way. They were translating ancient Buddhist scriptures called Sutras from the Chinese language into the English language. They all had been practicing under the Master a long time and this is where they dwelled. This is okay for me I thought. This is genuine and not false. I felt good about being there. There was a sense of thrift and frugality.  These women were not into the American dream of riches. They were not greedy for money.  The treasurer never even touched money. She would hold opened an envelope for someone to put money in there for donations or to take care of finances. She did not even touch the money. I thought it was interesting to meet people like this. Counter culture. The nuns were like modern and New Age. Although, they were practicing something over 2,500 years old.  I was never around Buddhism before this time. Their way was to teach the Dharma and translate. They were very vigorous, constantly cultivating Buddhadharma. I had never seen this type of devotion before.

我感受到一種前所未有的美好氛圍。我以前對佛教一無所知。比丘尼們一直在修行佛法，並將稱為「佛經」的古代佛教經典從中文翻譯成英文。她們都在上人座下修行多年，並且就住在這裡。我覺得這對我來說okay，這是真的，而不是虛假的。身處此地讓我感覺很好。這裡有一種節儉的氛圍，這些婦女並不沉迷於美國式的致富夢。她們不貪財，財務主管甚至從不碰錢。她會打開一個信封，讓別人把錢放進去作爲捐款或管理財務，她的手都沒觸摸到錢。我覺得和這樣的人見面很有趣 -- 反主流文化。這些比丘尼們就像現代的、新時代的一樣，儘管她們修行的是兩千五百多年前的古老事物。在此之前，我從未接觸過佛教。她們走的道路就是弘揚佛法和翻譯佛法。她們非常精進，持續不斷修行佛法，我以前從未見過這樣的虔誠奉獻。

So, I helped Toni and they gave me some chores to do. Wash dishes, cut vegetables and water the plants. Attend the ceremonies and lectures at night. The elder Chinese Bhikṣuṇī made a brown mash of bitter Chinese medicine for Toni. Heng Chih would give Toni a spoonful of that bitter medicine and Toni made a funny face when she ate it. That medicine gave Toni strength for her to heal up. I was amazed how quickly Toni was healing.  It was because everyone was reciting Guan Yin’s name and Toni memorized the Great Compassion Mantra. Toni taught me how to recite Na Mo Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa. So I would recite in that empty Chan Hall and look out at the Golden Gate Bridge. I thought this is wonderful. I can get help with my life. This Great Bodhisattva Guan Shi Yin is watching over me and helping me with my life. It was so nice to receive this spirituality. It was so nice to meet Guan Yin.

於是，我幫助了Toni。她們讓我做些雜事，洗碗、切菜、澆水，參加法會和晚上的講經。年長的華裔比丘尼為Toni做了一種棕色的苦中藥糊。恆持法師會給Toni一匙這種苦藥，Toni吃下去的時候會做個鬼臉。這種藥給了托妮力量，讓她痊癒。Toni痊癒得如此之快，這讓我很驚訝，這是因為每個人都在念誦觀世音菩薩的名號，Toni也背會了大悲咒。Toni教我如何念誦南無觀世音菩薩，所以我會在空蕩蕩的禪堂裡念誦，眺望金門大橋。我覺得這太棒了，我可以獲得人生的幫助，這位偉大的觀世音菩薩在看顧我，幫助我的生活，能夠接受這種精神信仰真是太好了，遇到觀世音菩薩真是太好了。

The Bhikṣuṇīs showed me how to cook vegetarian food. I thought oh good I don’t want animals to be harmed for my food. I want to be kind to animals and that feels good. So I helped chopping veggies in the kitchen. I saw they don’t want to kill and eat animals. They also don’t harm insects. How great! I liked that idea.

比丘尼們教我做素食。我想，太好了，我不想因為吃飯而傷害動物。我想善待動物，這種感覺真好。於是我到廚房幫忙切菜。我發現她們不想殺生吃動物。她們也不傷害昆蟲。太棒了！我喜歡這個主意。

The dining room was the place we all sat around a table for lunch. The living room was converted into a Buddha hall. It had a Golden Bodhisattva statue (possible Earth Treasury) with flowers and fruit all around. I thought it was neat to make offerings to Buddhas. An ancient ritual, very special. We woke before 4 am to do a very ancient traditional ceremony at the altar. We also did a lunch ceremony and the evening ceremony. Then at night, we all gathered around a big box reel to reel tape recorder in one of the rooms upstairs. We listened to the Dharma that way.

餐廳是我們大家圍坐在桌旁吃午餐的地方。客廳被改造成了佛堂，裡面供奉著一尊金色的菩薩像（可能是地藏菩薩），周圍擺滿了鮮花和水果。我覺得供奉佛像是一件很棒的事。這是一種古老的儀式，非常特別。我們凌晨四點前就起床，在佛壇上舉行一個非常古老的傳統儀式。我們也舉行午供和晚課。晚上，我們聚集在樓上的一個房間裡，圍著一台巨大的捲盤錄音機，我們就是這樣聆聽佛法的。

One day, Terri came into the Chan Hall where I was. She said, “Would you like to learn to meditate?” I said, “Yes.” So she showed me how to sit in full lotus, left leg first, earth. Then right leg on top, heaven. Or we could sit in half lotus also. This was my first lucky “sit”. Terri was amazed how well I could sit for the first time. We started around 5:20pm and went to 6:00 pm. Time went very fast for the first time. It was okay for me to just recite Guan Yin’s name when I mediated. I have never stopped meditating since that very special day. I still “sit” at my age of 68 years now. I was 22 years old back then and Toni was 21 years old. I thought this is something good I can do for the world and myself. Clear my mind and feel better. I could always smell sandalwood incense and vegetarian food at that happy house.

有一天，Terri來到我所在的禪堂。她說：「你想學打坐嗎？」我說：「想。」於是她教我如何雙盤，先盤左腿代表地，然後右腿在上面代表天，也可以單盤。這是我的第一次幸運打坐。Terri驚訝於我第一次打坐就能坐得這麼好。我們大約下午5點20分開始，一直持續到下午6點。第一次打坐，時間過得非常快。我打坐的時候，只要念誦觀世音菩薩的名號就行了。從那個非常特別的日子起，我從未停止過打坐。現在我68歲了，我仍然在「打坐」。當時我22歲，Toni 21歲。我覺得這對世界和我自己來說都是好事。清空我的内心，感覺很好。在那間幸福的房子裡，我總是能聞到檀香和素食的味道。 

One day I was watering a vine in the back of the Buddha Hall. This vine grew all around the ceiling of the living room. The house was very still and quiet. Everyone was upstairs doing their Buddha work. This is the most important moment of my life and I will never forget. All of a sudden I heard a loud thump noise at the altar. Like someone was opening a side door to the altar that was stuck. I turned around and saw an elder Chinese man at the altar. So, I approached the altar holding my white watering can. I said, “Hello! What are you doing here?”. The elder Chinese man just brightly smiled and laughed a little to me. Then he went to the censor and offered incense and bowed. I never saw a real Bhiksu bow and light incense before. It was done in such a simple and natural manner. So sincere and humble. The most beautiful sight I had ever seen. Then the man went upstairs to speak to former Heng Yin, I thought oh this is okay. That night at the lecture I said to former Heng Yin, “There was a Chinese man at the altar today.” Former Heng Yin simply said, “That’s Shi-Fu.”

有一天，我在佛堂後面給一棵藤蔓澆水。這棵藤蔓一直長到客廳的天花板。屋子裡非常安靜。每個人都在樓上做佛事。這是我一生中最重要的時刻，我永遠不會忘記。突然，我聽到佛壇上傳來一聲巨響。好像有人在打開佛壇卡住的側門。我轉身，看到一位年長的中國男子在佛壇旁。於是我拿著我的白色噴壺走到佛壇旁。我說：「你好！您在這裡做什麼？」這位年長的中國男子只是燦爛地笑了笑。然後他走到香爐前，上香聞訊。我之前從未見過比丘上香聞訊。他舉止如此樸素自然，如此真誠謙卑。這是我見過的最美的景象。然後那位老人上樓去和前恆隱法師說話了。我想，哦，這樣也好。那天晚上講座上，我跟恆隱說：“今天佛龕上有個中國人。” 恆隱只是說：“那是師父。”

As I reflect on this very special moment, I ponder, I must have done something very good in past life for the conditions to come together to be in this very special house with all these cultivators and now to see this most honorable sage. It was like the moment melded time together. For me to be in that little Buddha Hall watering the plants and then Shi-Fu enters the altar, wow, the conditions to just join at that special time. It was phenomenal! I saw Shi-Fu another time come into the house. He had on a gold turtle neck sweater and a gold translucent robe that floated around him like a cloud when he walked. He also wore black trousers. He was smiling and happy to be in that house. He saw me as he passed by in the hallway, but did not speak to me.

回想起這特別的時刻，我不禁沉思。我前世一定做了很好的事，才有緣來到這棟特別的房子，與這麼多修行者相聚，如今又能見到這位最可敬的高僧。那一刻彷彿將時間融為一體。我當時在那個小小的佛堂裡澆花，而師父步入佛壇，哇，在那特別的一刻，竟然有如此緣分相聚，真是太奇妙了！我還有一次看到師父走進屋裡。他穿著金色高領毛衣和金色半透明長袍，行走時，長袍飄逸如雲，他也穿著黑色長褲。他面帶微笑，走進房子，走過走廊時看到了我，但沒有和我說話。

Then two days later, former Heng Yin announced at the lecture at night, “Shi-Fu wants us all to go and live at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas he needs residents there.” After that I was upstairs talking to Guo Lien and I said, “I don’t know if I can go up there to sit in the Chan session, I am just starting to meditate.” Guo Lien said “Okay, I will throw the I-Ching for you.” So she threw the coins and I got the hexagram that meant “Meditate a straight spine leads to a clear mind.” So that was it. A sign for me to go up to CTTB with the Bhikṣuṇīs. Toni stayed at Washington Street to work with her doctors. She went up to CTTB later. So Toni and I were separated. Guo Lien kinda looked after me. We all got into the “Dragon wagon ”an old blue station wagon and Heng Chih drove. The Bhikṣuṇīs recited the Da Bei Zhou and I recited Guan Yin’s name. We ventured north to the sacred CTTB. When we arrived the Bhikṣuṇīs found their rooms at Joyous Giving House. They gave me a room in the student dorm next door. I thought ah, a little corner for me in the world.

兩天后，前恆隱法師在晚上的講經時宣布：「師父希望我們都去萬佛聖城生活，那裡需要居民。」之後我到樓上和Guo Lien 說話，我說：「我不知道我是否可以去那裡坐禪，我才剛開始打坐。」Guo Lien 說：「okay，我會為你算一卦。」於是她投出硬幣，我的卦的意思是“挺直背打坐可以内心清明”。這是一個讓我和比丘尼一起去萬佛聖城的預兆。Toni繼續留在華盛頓街看她的醫生，她稍後去了萬佛聖城。所以我和Toni分開了，Guo Lien 照顧我。我們都上了「龍車」——一輛舊的藍色旅行車，恆持法師開車。比丘尼們念誦《大悲咒》，我念誦觀世音菩薩的名號。我們一路往北，來到了神聖的萬佛城。到達后，比丘尼們在喜捨院找到了住處，她們在隔壁的學生宿舍幫我安排了一間房間。我想，啊，這世間就有我的一隅了。

We arrived at the city at the end of December. We settled in and got ready for the Chan session. The Chan session began on January first 1978 and lasted for 30 days. Bhikshuni Heng Hsien, a white American and three Chinese Bhikshunis, Heng Z’sai, Heng Wen were sisters from Taiwan, and Heng He was the cook from Hong Kong, they all were living at the city before we got there. Heng Hsien was my teacher for the Ten Grounds class at DRBU. Heng Wen was the librarian and I helped her with the library. Heng He was my good friend and always talked to me and we joked around in the kitchen. They were my friends. These four Bhikshunis are now deceased.

我們十二月底抵達萬佛城。安頓下來，準備參加禪七。禪七於1978年1月1日開始，持續了30天。比丘尼恆賢（美國白人）和三位華裔比丘尼，恆Z’sai和恆Wen是來自台灣的姊妹，以及恆He，她是來自香港的廚師。她們在我們抵達之前就已經住在萬佛城了。恆賢法師是我在DRBU的十地班的老師。恆Wen是圖書館員，我幫她管理圖書館。恆He是我的好朋友，常常和我聊天，我們在廚房開玩笑。這四位比丘尼是我的朋友，她們現已去世。

In conclusion. This core of people is our vajra roots. They gave devotion, strength, and determination to our Sangha. They set the record straight. The pillars of our Dharma Assembly. They are the reason that I continue to cultivate now. This was the very beginning of CTTB. They were the start of the Sangha on the women’ s side of our very sacred Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas.

總而言之，這些核心人物就是我們的金剛根。她們賦予我們僧團虔誠、力量和決心。她們修持嚴謹，是法會的支柱。她們也是我現在還在繼續修行的原因，這是萬佛聖城的開始，她們也是我們萬佛聖城女眾僧團的開始。

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This story is my offering to Avalokiteshvara my savior.

僅以此故事獻給度我的觀世音菩薩。

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Dedication

I dedicate the merit to all the Sangha mentioned in this true-life story. 

Many thanks for all your hard work cultivating and translating.

Vivian Henry, 果蔭 , Guǒ Yìn (fruit of the shade, shelter, protect) 

願以此功德迴向給這真實故事中提到的所有僧伽。 

非常感謝你們辛勤的修持和翻譯。 

果蔭