尊敬的 仁俊長老 2月9日捨報了！

 

尊敬的 仁俊長老 2月9日捨報了！

 

    昨天(2/9)不知為何心繫著念長老，想說寒冬即將結束，長老應該可以繼續住世了。（老人家最怕寒冬）今早臨晨2:30不知為何就張開了雙眼，念頭想開電腦收信，就這樣看到美國捎來下述的通知書（菩提長老撰寫），告知尊敬的 仁俊長老，已於昨晚11:30捨報了。內心有無盡的感觸，躺下來思緒浮現的都是長老的容顏，他那「一、二、三…」的雙手伸直拉筋的動作映像，彷彿不斷在提醒我們，年輕的一輩要堅持下去，佛法久住要靠你們了…。

 

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Dear Friends,

I am writing to inform you that Ven. Jen Chun ("Shifu"), the founder and guiding teacher of Bodhi Monastery, passed away in Taiwan at about 10:30 am EST (11:30 pm Taiwan time). As many of you know, Shifu's health had been in decline since the summer months and he had gone to Taiwan for treatment. He had been growing weaker in recent weeks and breathed his last today. He was 91 (on the Western way of counting age), 92 (on the Chinese way).

 

Shifu was born in Jiangsu Province in China in July 1919 and entered monastic life as a novice at the age of seven. In 1949 he moved to Hong Kong , where he became a student of Master Yinshun (1906-2005), the foremost Chinese scholar-monk of modern times. He later moved to Taiwan with Master Yinshun and taught at Fuyan Buddhist Academy . He moved to the U.S. in 1973 and served as the long-time president of the Buddhist Association of the United States (BAUS) and founding-honorary chairman of the Yin Shun Foundation.

Shifu had been the most senior Chinese monk in the greater New York area, and internationally he was also one of the most respected monks among the Buddhist populations of Taiwan , China , and Southeast Asia . He was deeply learned in many Buddhist traditions as well as in classical Chinese literature. His erudition showed in his splendid Dharma talks and in his Dharma poems that served as the basis for his talks. He was also a vigorous cultivator who spent many hours each day in sitting and walking meditation.

I myself am deeply grateful to Master Jen Chun for inviting me to come to Bodhi Monastery shortly after I returned to the U.S. in 2002. Ever since I met him he has been an inspiring and caring "good knowing adviser" (kalyanamitta, shan zhi shi).

Let us all spend a few minutes over the next few days dedicating merits to him and wishing him a pleasant passage to his next existence, where he can continue to pursue the path of Dharma. An announcement about a memorial service for him will be coming out later from Bodhi Monastery.

With Metta,
Bhikkhu Bodhi