Steve Setera 講於2012年4月16日星期一晚 萬佛城大殿 A talk given by Steve Setera on April 16 (Monday), 2012 at Buddha Hall of CTTB
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各位法師、各位善知識：阿彌陀佛！今天晚上我講的題目是「把一些點連到萬佛城」。
在我生命的過程裡，我往往會自己迴光返照一下：「我怎麼會到了目前這個情況呢？」不管是從精神方面，或者從肉體方面。在精神方面而言，並不僅指崇高的或宗教的。而是所謂「形而上學」非肉體的。
從我小的時候，就會這樣子去思考。同時我也會覺得很好奇，很奇怪：我為什麼會參與到一些特別經驗？那這樣子呢，我自己會反省。所以我對我整個生命的這個過程－－並不是說現在，同時我也常常去反省過去、回顧過去，然後也就有機會看看未來怎麼樣。所以對我而言，每天都是新的一頁，而將來的那一頁也不是空白的。
史蒂夫•喬布斯是蘋果電腦的創辦人，他同時也創辦過另外兩個公司，還有其他的（機構）。他於2005年6月，在史坦福大學給當時的畢業生做了一個畢業的演講。在那個演講稿子裡，他對那些畢業生說：
「你沒有辦法把你過去所做的那些點，在未來去點那些點。但是你可以回顧過去，向後看，你可以看到那些你曾經經歷的那些點，而這些點，你把它們連起來；連起來後你大概就可以相信這些點會繼續下去，會跟你的未來相連。如此這樣子去檢查你過去所做的，你認為的那些點，你要有信心。信什麼呢？信你的膽識，信你的命運，信你的生命，信你的業報；不管你信什麼，你只要相信你過去所走過的這些點，你把它們連起來，這樣子連起來你就會發現：它們會給你一些信心，這個信心會讓你跟著你的心去走。甚至於當你走的路不是尋常路－－不是大家常走的路，你現在沒有走大家所走的路，在這個情況下，你還是有辦法去創造一些不同的事情。」
這位蘋果的創始人最近過世了。我聽他的演講，也在看他寫的這些東西，我發現我對他所講的都很贊同。而且我還發現有很多巧合：他念的那所大學里德學院，在波特蘭市，是在俄勒岡州，就在我的老家那地方；他也是一個學禪的佛教徒；他非常相信：「我們要跟著我們的心，而且要相信所有的事情都是能夠成功的，這種信念也是我從小所相信的。
我相信－－這可能是有一點不一樣，就是我相信這些點；回顧我們過去所走的這些點，會帶著我進入未來，我可以看到我所希望去的地方。實際上我相信，這個喬布斯他一定也可以看到這些點連到未來去。因為我相信他很專注地，用他類似禪定的這種專注，去從事他所要達成的目標。他一定知道他所需要的，他所希望的，還有為什麼他要那樣做。所以他一定非常地了知，知道他自己的心念，而且他的心會告訴他應該怎麼做。
在我去馬來西亞之前，我就研究我自己的心。對這個宗教，或這個精神上的（內容），我自己的經歷，對於這樣一個經過組織的一個宗教，所以我就透過我自己的學習，而更深入地去了解，密集的跟好幾個不同的老師做研究，到最後我就拿到一個形而上學的博士學位。
這些實在也看不出來，我的這些經歷會把我帶到萬佛城來；但是不管怎麼說，這些過去的點漸漸地都連起來了。在我的工作中有很多的機會，讓我去了中國很多次。自然地，我就有那個機會－－我也並沒有刻意去安排－－就去參訪了兩個地方，是跟兩個法師有關係的地方，一個虛雲老和尚，另外一個是宣化上人。
我正式學習到佛教的過程，是從我在吉隆坡皈依的時候開始的。我自己又去了印度Bodhaga這個地方，去那邊參訪。同時我又去了亞洲好幾個其他的佛教聖地。後來有個機會，我和我太太以及很多人一同參加了一個短期出家的活動，是在佛陀的出生地Lumbini。同時，我們還去了尼泊爾的加德滿都。
短期出家活動之後，當時主持的法師，叫Kathmandu 瑪興達 Ven Mahinda，他拜託我幫他安排一個旅程來美國，他要來美國看看美國的寺廟，其中有一個地方他堅持一定要去看的，是萬佛城。所以就是這個因緣，當時我們來到了萬佛城。那時候，我有機會參觀了女校，我當時就決定：我要我的女兒到這個學校讀書。
所以我一心確定了這個目標，我就開始行動：把女校介紹給我的太太和女兒，並試著說服她們。隔了一年，我有機會帶她們兩位一起來這邊參觀，她們看了以後就非常認同，而且覺得這裡就是她們的家。另外一個理由，剛剛我沒有講另外一個理由，就是我去馬來西亞，原來是因為我太太在馬來西亞；那個時候我們還沒有結婚，後來才找到我太太。
佛的教導是說「萬法唯心造」，我們就是我們思想的產物。世界上所有的事物，都是從我們的思想所發生的；就是從我們的思想，我們創造了這個世界。所以關於這個國家或者一個公司，或者一個組織，都是一樣，甚至於我們個人。
當我們一心地專注，如同我們參禪的時候，我們就能夠成就我們的目標，而且能夠給我們很大的鼓勵，甚至我們會得到開悟。
但是我們注意看看：今天在這個世界上，各種各樣的國家、各種各樣的公司、各種各樣的組織，還有各式各樣的人，這些都好像是一盤散沙似地在彼此地接近，結果往往會產生一些不和諧的現象，造成了一些爭吵和衝突。在不同的團體之間、黨派之間就是互相地鬬爭，互相地傾軋，結果造成了戰爭。造成了能源的浪費；不只是能源，還造成了時間跟金錢的浪費。
剛剛講到的這些情況，也發生在這個史蒂夫•喬布斯的身上。對他來說，當初他被蘋果公司開除了，他對這件事還是給予了一個肯定的認同。因為蘋果公司是他創辦的，在他被開除了以後，他又回去了。就是因為他被開除的這個經驗，給了他刺激，使他後來能夠很成功地帶領了蘋果公司，變成這個世界上最有價值的公司。
我們往往會經歷到失敗的經驗，在這樣的時候，如果我們能夠再重新出發的話，那就像我們從燒成灰燼的情況下再出發的話，我們會變得更堅強，更能夠專注，更能夠從事我們所希望成就的目標。
至於死亡，跟生命是在一起的，就看我們怎麼來面對它。這是最終的一個點，這個點連接我們進入未來，而且是把現在的這種種都合併成未來的一個產品。在此，佛陀也教導我們：所有的事情都是從我們的心開始，我們就是我們所想的，就是我們自己；至於死亡，它本身有很多的目的。
下面，我念一下喬布斯，他對大學畢業生所講的關於死亡的話。他說：「沒有任何人希望去死，甚至於所有的人－－要去天堂的人，他們也不希望死，然後再去天堂，所以他們還是不想死。可是死亡是一個旅程，我們所有的人都必須分享的，沒有一個人可以躲得過，所以死亡就是自然的、必須這樣的。」
我們生命最好的發明就是死亡。這個死亡代表什麼呢？死亡是我們生命改變的一種自然的力量。它自然會把那個老的打掃乾凈，然後把這個地方讓給新的。所以現在你是新的，但是有一天，很快你就會發現你漸漸地就變成老的了，然後你就會被清除了。這樣講起來，聽起來好像很戲劇化，可是這就是事實。你的時間有限，所以你不要浪費你的生命，也不需要被這個死板的教條所錮著；你也不要去生活在別人的思想裡面，也不要因為別人的一些意見，把你自己裡面的聲音給迷失了。
最重要的是你要有勇氣去跟著你的心，跟著你的直覺；因為它們知道你所要的是什麼，其他的東西都是次要的。晚安！阿彌陀佛！
Connecting the Dots to CTTB
by Steve Setera
Often during my life I would take some time and reflect on just how I got to where I was both physically and spiritually. Spiritually, in this sense, does not necessarily have anything to do with holiness or religion, but used in the metaphysical sense of other than physical. This practice goes way back to my childhood. At the same time I would wonder – where will I be going due to any particular experience? In this way I have been enjoying my life’s journey not only in the ever present now but also as a reflection of the past and a view into the future. Every day is like a new page. The future pages are not blank sheets.
Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, NeXt and Pixar and several other ventures commented in his famous June 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford University that “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart even when it leads you off the well-worn path; and that will make all the difference.”
After his death I became quite familiar with this speech and in listening to and reading it and reflecting on it I realized how comfortable I was in what he said. Some ‘coincidences’ – he began college at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, my home town also references to karma and that he was a Zen Buddhist. But having faith to follow one’s heart and to trust that things will work out has been a belief of mine since I was very young. One possible difference is that I believe in connecting the dots into the future – to see what I want and where it will be. Actually, I believe that Jobs did see the connections into the future as he relied on his Zen-like focus to achieve most goals. He knew what he wanted and why. He was aware of what his mind was telling him.
My path to CTTB was a rather large circuitous one beginning several years ago in the US. Well, actually on a trip to The Philippines to visit my son who was working in the US Air Force on jet fighter planes. Upon my arrival there I remarked – completely ‘out of the blue’ – that “I was moving to Asia.” This finally happened after a few years requiring me to change companies to work for a competitor, getting an MBA degree on Asia-Pacific Management and having perfect timing. The dots were connecting.
However, it took 13 years of living and working in Asia in order for me to consider moving to an Asian community here in the US. Without a doubt I would not have moved to CTTB while living in the US. There was no connection, very little in common – and I believe this is what many, if not most, of the westerners that visit here feel. It’s up to the person coming in here to adapt to the Asian cultures, not the Asians here adapting to the west. Is this what Master Hua had in mind 50 years ago?
Prior to moving to Malaysia I had been studying the mind as I was not satisfied with the religious/spiritual experiences in the organized religions and began even deeper, more intense studies there with several different teachers finally culminating in earning a PhD in Metaphysics. But that was still no reason for me to move here to CTTB. But, the dots were connecting. During my many business trips to China I unintentionally visited the home town areas of both Master Hsu Yun and Master Hua.
My ‘official’ Buddhist pathway began with my taking refuge in Kuala Lumpur followed by a personal retreat in Bodhgaya, India and visiting other Buddhist sites throughout Asia. Sometime later my wife and I participated with many others on a novitiate program to Lumbini (birth place of the Buddha) and Kathmandu, Nepal. After this I was asked to organize a trip for Ven Mahinda, leader of the trip to Nepal to visit temples and monasteries in the US with the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas being one of his main goals as a “must see” place. While visiting the Girl’s School here at CTTB during this trip I was convinced that this is where I wanted our daughter to go to school. With single minded pointedness I began the task of introducing and convincing my wife and daughter of this. During our visit together a little more than a year later they heartedly agreed and felt they truly found home.
The Buddha taught that all things begin in the mind. We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world. This pertains to nations, companies and organizations, as well as, individuals. When we function with a single-minded Zen-like focus we are able to achieve our goals and aspirations – even enlightenment. However, as we see today, nations, companies, organizations and individuals that are functioning with a scattered approach cause disharmony, dissension and strife among factious partisan groups resulting in wars, wasting of energy, time and money. This even happened to Steve Jobs. However, as strange as it may seem, he gives credit to getting fired from Apple, the company he started, as the stimulus for his success in guiding Apple to become the most valuable company in the world. We have all experienced times of loss in some manner and when we rise up from the ashes we are stronger, more focused and dedicated to achieving our goals.
During this life’s journey, I have been aware of death, death of those all around me and my own impending death. A fortuitous opportunity for me to understand the meanings of life and death when I was a young boy arose as my father became part-time caretaker of a Catholic cemetery. Being part-time from his regular job meant working in the charnel grounds evenings and weekends. While this was a Catholic cemetery and I was ‘at odds’ over some of the Church’s teachings it, never-the-less, allowed me the opportunity to be closely involved with those passing over. Once I got by the fears of eternal damnation, hell fire and brimstone, I was able to take a more meaningful approach to the life/death relationship.
Death, as in life, is what you make of it. This is the ultimate “dot connecting” into the future and is the synthesis or culmination of what the Buddha taught – ‘all things begin in the mind, we are what we think.’ Death serves many purposes.
Allow me to close with Job’s comments on death as he spoke to the young college graduates:
“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one ever escaped it. And that is how it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite so.
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important(ly), have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
Following one’s own intuition is listening to your mind, being aware. Your mind knows what is right, what is wrong, what is positive, what is negative. Be calm, focus, listen and be aware then take the proper action to connect to your future.
Thank you for this opportunity to speak here in the Buddha Hall tonight. In closing, may I mention that we are all here together for a time and for a reason. This may be for a day, a season or longer. Often people are attached to life and do not want to leave the world. As with being attached to not dying and trying to ignore death, some are attached to what they are doing, to what they believe is their function not making room for a new better way of doing the same task. When we do not accept the need for change any place can become stagnant until unseen forces intercede. And they will. Change is the modus operandi of the universe. To resist or deny it is foolish.
During our time here in CTTB we have the opportunities for many wonderful and auspicious experiences. Last summer we took our ‘pilgrimage’ to several spiritual places. We began with Mount Shasta, followed by Crater Lake in Oregon. Then we traveled to Glacier National Park on our way to the Avatamsaka Monastery in Calgary. This allowed us the opportunity to visit and to climb Castle Mountain in the Canadian Rockies. During the climb and descent we saw many images along the rocky cliffs overlooking the two lakes including that of Shakyamuni Buddha, Guan Yin Bodhisattva, Manjusri Bodhisattva and two rock formations of Master Hua sitting in meditation. Following this we traveled to Gold Buddha Monastery in Vancouver, Gold Summit Monastery in Seattle and to Heng Lai’s new monastery east of Seattle. We connected the dots to several auspicious places.
Several months last year we cared for Bodhi Burro during a time in which she became a real member of the CTTB community due to her poor health. As we fed her morning and night watching her closely as her health continued to deteriorate with old age finally succumbing to the inevitable on 30 Oct at 5.10 PM. My wife and I were with her as she breathed her last breath finally escaping the difficulties of this life. Along with others, we chanted the Buddha’s name for her for 8 hours until after 1AM. During the cold, clear dark night her years of being alone ‘out back’ struck a note of just how she was ignored for so long until the final months. Obviously she was protected as during her 29 years here she was never attacked by any of the wild animals – cougars, coyotes, etc. that also live ‘out back.’
阿彌陀佛