Cultivating Bodhi–III
唐朝貞觀末年，并州石壁寺有位老和尚，名叫明度。平日以參禪及誦經為日課，勤持金剛經。在堂廳的樑柱上，有鴿子築巢，且已孵了兩隻雛鴿。明度老和尚每天用剩粥哺養牠們，並且祝禱說：希望仗我誦經的功德力，羽翼趕快成長。有一天，這兩隻雛鴿在學飛時，一同墮地死亡。明度老和尚十分婉惜地將牠們埋葬。過了十幾天，明度老和尚夢見兩個小孩向他說：「兒等先前世時，有少許罪業，遂受鴿身。幸蒙師父您誦金剛經及法華經的功德力，始得轉生人道，將出生在距離此地十里的某家。」
十個月以後，明度老和尚親自按址造訪，果然有孿生子二人。明度口喊：「鴿兒！」，這對孿生子都回頭應諾，經過一年多，才開始說話。
我們得生為人，而且能夠有機會得聞佛法，能受持讀誦《金剛經》，是要何等善好因緣，當善珍惜！
當勤精進，冥陽兩利。
分享共勤勉
資料來源：心靈甘露(四)，隆門圓通法師著。英文翻譯：張惠平。
Cultivating Bodhi–III
Cause and Effect:
In the Tang Dynasty in China, at the Shi Bi Temple in Bing Chou, there was an old monk called Ming Du who meditated and recited sutras as his daily task. He especially upheld the Diamond Sutra.
There were doves that built a nest on the pillar of the main hall, and two young ones were just hatched. The old monk fed them with the leftover congee and prayed that by the merit of his recitation of the sutras they would grow very soon.
One day, when the two young doves were learning how to fly, they fell to the ground together and died. The monk felt very sorry for this and buried them. After more than ten days, Ming Du dreamed of two kids talking to him, “We committed a few sins in our previous life and thus were reborn as doves. Thanks to the merit from your recitation of the Diamond Sutra and the Sad-dharma Puṇḍárīka Sūtra, we will be reborn in the human realm in a household ten miles from here.”
Ten months later, Monk Ming Du visited this household and found the twin baby boys. He shouted, “My dove sons!” Then, the two babies turned around to respond. After more than a year, they started to talk.
What a good affinity it is for us to be born human, to hear the Buddhist Dharma, and to uphold and recite the Diamond sutra! So we should cherish this and cultivate diligently to benefit both the living and the deceased.
Let’s share this and work vigorously!
Source: Sweet Dew for the Soul (Vol. IV), Written by Master Shih Longmen Yuantong. Translated by Huei Ping Chang.