一九七八年  马来西亚

1978  Malaysia

上人在东南亚弘法时，比丘恒朝（左边）及沙弥果童（右边）也同行。在马来西亚时，两人都因病而住在病房里。因恒朝的病变得很严重，上人就叫比丘恒实二十四小时守护着他。一天下午，果童在念〈大悲咒〉时，打起瞌睡来，他突然看见无常鬼乘着一股冷风而来，三位僧人都感觉到这股冷风。戴着高帽、瘦长的无常鬼对果童说，时辰已到，要果童跟他走。果童怕得发抖，在这生死关头，立即精进地持念〈大悲咒〉，无常鬼便消失了。

When the Master went to Southeast Asia to propagate the Dharma, his delegation included Bhikshu Heng Chau (far left) and Shramanera Guo Tung (far right). During that visit to Malaysia, Bhikshu Heng Chau fell ill. Guo Tung also fell ill and joined him in the sick room. Heng Chau’s illness became critical and the Master appointed Bhikshu Heng Sure to attend and keep 24-hour watch over him. One evening things were grave and Guo Tung, who had dozed off during his recitation of the Great Compassion Mantra, suddenly saw the Ghost of Impermanence come in, riding on a cold wind that all three monks perceived as it blew through the room. Wearing a tall hat and looking thin and foreboding, the Ghost of Impermanence announced to Guo Tung that it was his time to go. Guo Tung shivered with fear and picked up his recitation of the Great Compassion Mantra with life-and-death vigor. The Ghost disappeared.

当时，恒朝已陷入半昏迷状态，只有上人能唤醒他。每次上人在一整天的巡回弘法之后，还不顾劳倦地去探望他。上人会很慈悲地握着他的手，在这时，恒朝就慢慢地睁开眼睛，意识到周围发生的事。

Meanwhile Heng Chau had fallen into a semi-coma. Only the Master could arouse him when he came to visit in the late evenings despite his weariness at the end of long days of lecture tours with the delegation. The Master would compassionately take Heng Chau’s hand, and at that gesture, Heng Chau would slowly open his eyes and become aware of his surroundings.

阎罗王要带他走，最后上人用手印写了个命令，说他的弟子虔诚地为佛教奉献，无论如何也不能将他带走。阎罗王最后被说服了，恒朝才逐渐复原。

King Yama wanted him, and finally the Master had to use a mudra to write a mandate to King Yama. He said that this disciple was sincere and dedicated and that under no circumstances should King Yama take him yet. It took some persuasion, but in the end King Yama yielded and Heng Chau recovered.

从这次的经历中，这两位出家人知道了打妄想的危险，并更加地在心地上用功，防止污浊念头侵入。

From these experiences, both monks learned about the dangers of false thinking and increased their cultivation of the mind-ground to try to prevent defiled thoughts from entering.

复原之后，上人很慈悲地告诉恒朝：“我尽了最大的努力来说服阎罗王，让你继续活着。因此你出家几年所累积的功德已经用完了。但别担心，你可以继续积功累德，为佛法努力精进。”

After Heng Chau’s recovery, the Master kindly advised him, “I had to use every effort to persuade King Yama to let you live on, and so all the merit and virtue you had amassed so far in your years as a monk has been used up. But don’t worry, you can generate more. You should apply yourself diligently and work hard for the Dharma!”