Master Dingben is a great monk in Shangtianzhu Temple in Zhejiang. I met him by chance because I wrote a book "Our Aunt Fan". He wrote a preface for this book, "Old Bodhisattva, No Two in the Country". He has also been to Xinzhuang Buddhist Temple in Changshu, and I accompanied him all the way.
Master Ben was scheduled to come to Changshu at that time, and my son drove to pick him up. When we parted, he really took the thick bead bracelet out of his hand and gave it to Gu Qing. Such a generous mage is rare. Once, I went to Tianzhu Temple to give a lecture, and Master Dingben gave me more than a dozen paintings and calligraphy. He told me that you are a writer and you should like this kind of thing.
I like calligraphy and painting very much.
I like Buddha more and more!
On New Year's Day this year, I went to Tianzhu Temple to make pilgrimages. Many Buddhist practitioners want to meet Master Dingben. I have met him many times, so this year I gave the opportunity to meet other people. I heard from his layman that Master Dingben told everyone that he had something to laugh about three times a day. He laughed three times, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, which made everyone present laugh. Master Dingben said, Smile. Only when you are young and in a good mood can you read Amitabha well.
Aunt A Qing also told me two things about Master Dingben. She said: Master Dingben is over 80 years old, but he still has great ambitions. He wants to accomplish two great things in his lifetime. One thing is to build a nursing home for 500 people in his hometown, Tomi Village, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, to adopt elderly laymen and monks and let them live a happy old age. Another important event was the building of a tower in Tianzhu Temple. I can't tell what that tower is. When this tower is completed, I will follow up the report.
In the face of such a courageous old man, we young people should feel something!
Here I want to say one more thing about Master Sakamoto.
He wrote the word "Fu".
I used to go to Tianzhu Temple and saw him practicing calligraphy. I was deeply moved. I know he can't read, but it's not easy to practice calligraphy. Now I see his blessing words, which are a bit of calligraphy. I think he must have practiced hard for a long time and spent a lot of effort to write this blessing.
Learn from Master Dingben, the old man is not old, and there is no Amitabha in the south!
At this moment, I wish my friends a happy New Year and a happy family in Yangcheng Lake! I wish it better and better!