被送走的孩子
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有一次上課，我讓大家為父母親念佛，幾乎所有人都很認真地誦念佛號，其中，我看見一個小姑娘，從頭到尾就是不開口。下了課我就把她喊到一旁，問她剛才怎麼不跟著大家一起念佛？
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她說：「師父，我是真的沒辦法對父母有感恩之心！」
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我問她：「怎麼回事兒？妳來給我說說。」
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她說：「我出生的時候，家裡經濟狀況不是很好，父母為了省錢，父母就把我送到鄉下讓奶奶養，一直到六七歲才又把我接回家，但那時候他們又生一個妹妹了。我不懂，為什麼他們只把我送走呢？而且，他們比較喜歡妹妹不喜歡我！記得，我高中畢業考上大學，我滿心歡喜的告訴她這個好消息，結果我媽竟然要我別上大學，快點去賺錢幫忙家計，將來好供妹妹讀書。
我就想：「明明是我成績比較好，他們憑什麼讓我為妹妹犧牲呢？所以我覺得他們比較喜歡妹妹，不喜歡我！於是我就發了狠，把家裡頭的現金都拿走，一個人到大學把學費給繳了，之後再也沒跟家裡聯絡過，因為我太恨他們了，連面都不想見，更別提為他們念佛了！」
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聽她一口氣說完了這麼一大段的話，我問她：「看妳現在過得不錯呀，有孩子了嗎？」
她說：「我有兩個孩子，一個6歲、一個4歲。」
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我說：「妳的孩子應該很有佛緣，這樣好了，妳選一個孩子送到我這裡來，讓他跟著我到世界各地去傳法好了吧！」
她馬上生氣地說：「您在開什麼玩笑？身為一個母親，怎會捨得讓孩子離開身邊呢？」
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我說：「妳捨不得，妳的母親就捨得嗎？如果不是逼不得已，哪個母親會願意讓孩子離開自己的身邊呢？」她想了一下，不說話了。我又說：「這樣吧，當著我的面，妳給家裡頭打通電話，把心裡頭那些不愉快都給說開吧。」她雖然有點不情願，但還是打了電話。接電話的是她的母親，講沒兩句，她就開始哭了，母女倆哭半天，說了什麼我也沒仔細聽。我想反正這誤會應該是解開了。
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過了很久，我又遇到她，我問她、跟家裡頭和好了沒有？這回她非常開心地說：「早和好了，前些天我才帶著老公和孩子回娘家探望呢！我後來問我母親，為什麼當初對我的關心沒有對妹妹多？母親說，她不是不愛我，而是覺得我特別獨立懂事，不用人操心。」那時我才發覺原來自己錯得離譜了！所以那天講完電話之後，我就為家人點了光明燈，也不再恨他們了。現在，我天天都會為他們念佛，為我過去做的錯懺悔，也為我的家人積福。」
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其實，越是親近的人，所帶給彼此的傷害往往就越深，父母親跟孩子的關係也是如此。所有的父母都愛自己的孩子，只是愛的方式不一樣，兒女們也不一定能夠理解。一家人在一起，有摩擦很正常，牙齒跟嘴唇都難免碰撞到，何況是人呢？但是既然是家人，又有什麼話不能好好說開呢？把話說開之後，還能夠繼續愛著彼此，這才是真正的家人呀！
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珍惜身邊最親近的人，因為家人之間，即使有了摩擦也會互相牽絆！
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最後祝大家：
都能和家人關係融洽、幸福、美滿！
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#父母、#愛、#家人、#點燈、#念佛、#懺悔
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The child who was sent away
During one of my class, I wanted all participants to chant the name of Buddha for their parents. Almost all participants chanted sincerely except for a young lady who refused to open her mouth from the beginning to the end. After the class, I took the young lady aside and asked her why she had refused to chant earlier.
She told me: “Master, I really cannot think of anything that inspires feeling of gratitude toward my parents!”
I asked her: “Why is that so?”
She replied: “When I was born, my family was not well off financially. To save money, my parents sent me away to my granny who was staying in a village to take care of me. They only fetched me back when I was six or seven years old. However, at that point in time, my mother had just given birth to my younger sister. I did not understand why they only sent me away and not my sister? Probably they loved my sister more! I still remembered sharing with my mother excitedly about my excellent high school examination results. Unexpectedly, she asked me to give up my university studies and start working so that I could help to lighten the financial burden of my family and also enable my sister to have the opportunity to gain a good education.
I thought to myself then: “My results were obviously better than my sister’s. Why did my parents asked me to sacrifice my studies for my sister?” Hence I was more convinced my parents loved my sister more and even disliked me! In anger, I left home with all the money I could find in the house. I paid for my University school fees using the money I had taken from home and stopped all contacts with them because I hated them. I did not want to see them, not to mention chanting for them!”
After hearing her story, I asked her: “You seem to be doing well now. Do you have children?”
She replied: “Yes. I have two children, aged six and four years old.”
I told her: “Your children have good affinity with Buddha. Send one of them to me so that I can bring her around the world to spread dharma teachings!”
She responded angrily: “Are you joking? As a mother, how can I bear to part with my children?”
I asked her: “You cannot bear to part with your children but your mother had no qualms to part with you? If not for the fact that there was no other way out, which mother would willingly part with her children?” She thought about what I had just said and remained quiet. I continued: “Tell you what. Why not call your family now and vent out all your grievances.” Though she was not very willing, she still did what I told her to. Her mother was the one who picked up the telephone. She started to cry shortly after talking to her mother. Both mother and daughter cried throughout the conversation. As I was not paying close attention, I did not know what was the content of their conversation but I guessed they had cleared up their misunderstandings.
When I met her again after some time, I asked her whether she had patched up with her family? She happily answered: “We had cleared our misunderstandings. Some time back, I even brought my husband and children to visit my family! I sought clarification from my mother why she showed me less concern as compared to my younger sister. My mother explained that was because she felt I was more sensible and independent hence I needed less attention. It was definitely not because she did not love me.” Only then did I realize I had been mistaken about her! After our tele-conversation, I immediately lighted a lamp for my family and all hatred melted away. Now I chant for my family daily to repent for my past actions and accumulate karmic merits for them.”
In reality, the people who have the ability to hurt us the most are the ones we are closest to. This is especially so for parents and children.
All parents love their children. The only difference is their way of expressing their love. As children, we may not understand them. It is very normal to have conflicts within a family, just like our teeth may accidentally bite and hurt our lips. Hence as a family, whenever we face conflicts and unhappiness, we should talk with them calmly to avoid any misunderstandings. In this way, we will continue to love our family members and that is what makes family members special! The ability to talk with them openly resolves misunderstandings!
Treasure people around us because though conflicts may exist, our family members will still be the ones to accompany us through life at the end of the day!
Lastly, may all enjoy a harmonious and cohesive family relationship!!
#Parents, #Love, #FamilyMembers, #LightOffering, #Chanting, #Repentance
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