◎大 岑 Big Sam    

　　要形容潘前人是一件不容易的事。潘前人是一個溫文而有愛心的人，他不愛多說話但卻充滿智慧。我從未曾聽到潘前人有任何埋怨，然而從來亦沒有人埋怨過他。當有任何人請求他的幫助時，他從來不曾說一個「不」字。每個認識他的人都是很敬愛地和他交往，他的教導深遠地影響到佛堂每一位新來的人，包括後學自己。

　　There is simply no easy way to describe Elder Pun. Elder Pun was a gentle and kind person. He was quiet yet full of great wisdom. I never heard of any complaint from Elder Pun, nor anyone ever complained about him. He never says "no" to anyone who requested for his help. He was beloved by everyone who knew him. His teaching deeply touched every newcomers in the temple, including myself.

　　在記憶中，後學記得在我第一次遇到潘前人時的每一個片段。在母親的一個偶然介紹下，後學大約十五年前在香港求道，亦是溫點師慈悲點道的。不過，在我求道後三個月，後學便要返回美國紐約。在溫點師慈悲之下，介紹後學回到紐約之後，便去拜訪美國紐約重德佛堂。溫點師更叮囑後學，當到達重德佛堂時，要找一位名叫「潘前人」 。當然，後學是「天道佛堂」的一位新道親，對「天道」未有認識，更不知道什麼是「潘前人」 ，除了只不過明白是一個名稱罷了。

　　I still remembered every frame of memory from my first encounter with Elder Pun. I obtained the Tao in Hong Kong about fifteen years ago, amid a fortunate introduction by my mother. Eric Wan Dian Chuan Xi helped me obtain the Tao. However, I was scheduled to return New York three months after I obtained the Tao. Wan Dian Chuan Xi referred me to visit the New York Chung Te Buddhist Association once I returned. Wan Dian Chuan Xi also reminded me to ask for "Elder Pun" when I visited the New York temple. Of course, I was a newcomer for the Tien Tao temples; I had little understanding of Tien-Tao temples, and I had no idea about what "Elder Pun" meant, other than just a plain title.

　　在回到美國紐約後，待至幾個星期之後的一個星期六，後學便與母親一起，駕車到位於紐約市唐人街的重德佛堂。找對了地址和門牌之後，後學便按下門鈴，在幾分鐘之後，有一位長者開門。當門開了之後，他的反應是有點兒驚訝！而後學我亦絕對確信他是有點懼怕我。相信這是因為後學的外形體積是比他大3倍，而佛堂的附近過去亦曾有過一些罪案問題。幸運的是，後學的母親剛好正站在我的旁邊，她客氣地講出我們的來由，並希望能找到一位名叫「潘前人」的人。這位長者客氣地回答，他就是我們要尋找的潘前人。

　　On a Saturday after a few weeks of jet-lagging, I drove with my mother to New York City's Chinatown where New York Chung Te Buddhist Association is situated. I rang the door bell. After a few minutes, an older-looking person answered the door. He was surprised to see me in front of the temple. I was absolutely positive that he was a bit scared of me. It is because that my physical size was about three times bigger than him and in that area there were some crime problems in the past. Luckily, my mother was right next to me and she greeted the man, explained our purposes, and asked for Elder Pun.

　　後學還記得在我第一次見到潘前人時，他的面容是怎麼的模樣，一張帶點兒害羞的臉上，充滿著代表經歷的皺紋。當我們自我介紹後，後學便看見潘前人的面容，流露瞬息一現的微笑和一個愉快的驚喜，他之前的憂心亦已成為過去。他真誠地邀請我們在星期日的常班回來到佛堂。在遇見潘前人的那一刻，我仍然誤認為他僅僅是一個住在佛堂裡的普通工作人員。我更不會預知到潘前人在未來的日子裡，能永遠地改變了我的一生。我對潘前人的第一個印象是一個非常誠實的人。

　　The older-person who politely replied was the one we were looking for--Elder Pun. I still recalled Elder Pun's face at the moment of the first encounter. He was shy and his face was full of wrinkles from life of experiences. Once we introduced ourselves, I could see Elder Pun's face exhibiting a gleam of smile and a pleasant surprise. His previous concerns were all but gone. He sincerely invited us to return the temple on Sundays, where regular temple services would be performed. At this juncture of meeting, I still thought of him as a maintenance person living in the temple. I had no idea how much Elder Pun would have touched and changed my life thereafter. My first impression of Elder Pun was a man with utmost sincerity.

　　由於潘前人的慈悲成全，後學的一家人也開始定期回到重德佛堂的常班。在一星期疲勞的工作之後，回到佛堂的星期日常班，可以感到受歡迎的氣氛。潘前人教導我們許多事情；明確的，他教導我們在佛堂以外沒有機會學的事情，他教導我們怎樣將「道」實踐於日常生活之中。他教導我們怎樣成為一個做好靈修的人。他與我們分享他以往艱難的經驗和人生經歷。他是我們在修道旅途上的一名模範前輩。他走過的每一步，是回理天之路，而他更時常鼓勵我們，也應走這一條回理天之道路。

　　With Elder Pun's kindness, my family and I started coming to the Chung Te temple regularly. After a week of hard work, it was a welcoming atmosphere to come to the temple on Sunday for lectures and services. Elder Pun taught us a lot of things; specifically, he taught us things that we did not have the opportunity to learn outside of the temple ?he taught us how to apply the meaning of Tao to our daily practice and living. He taught us how to become a spiritually better person. He shared his difficult challenges and hardship experience with us. He was a role model for all of us who learned to have faith in Tao. He walked the path to Heaven and he constantly encouraged us to achieve the same path as well.

　　雖然潘前人教導我們很多很多寶貴的智慧，但對後學最具有影響力的智慧是「無論遇到任何困難的挑戰，我們都不可以放棄」 。在1993年，後學的右臂傷了一條腱。雖然臂傷不是由於佛堂的工作而引起，不過潘前人非常慈悲，還自願地用他的針灸療法醫我的傷。整個療程需時數週。當潘前人在後學我的右臂上執行他的針灸療法時，我們談論到很多話題。在一次針灸時，潘前人強調「堅持」的重要性。總括來說，當一個人能真正「堅持」的話，無論遇到任何困難和挑戰，我們都不可以放棄。這句話，即使到了今天，亦是後學生活中的一個座右銘。因為潘前人在中國大陸，經過很多其他人無法想像之艱難生活，後學相信沒有其他任何人，能比潘前人更適合說這句「堅持」的訓話。

　　Although Elder Pun taught us much of his valuable wisdom, the most influential wisdom he gave me was "never give up ?no matter how difficult the challenge is." In 1993, I injured a tendon on my right arm. The injury was not caused in doing temple-related work, but Elder Pun was very kind to volunteer his acupuncture treatment. A handful of treatment procedures were needed. While Elder Pun performed his acupuncture treatments on my right arm, we talked about a variety of subjects. In one session, Elder Pun emphasized the importance of persistence. In summary, he told me that if a person has persistence, he will "never give up ?no matter how difficult the challenge is in front of us." This becomes a motto for my life, even as of today. Proven by his unimaginable hardship experience in China, I cannot think of anyone else who could be better qualified to teach the meaning of persistence than Elder Pun.

　　潘前人是後學生命中的一位崇高之大人物。他擁有最高的精神力量，而更不能用任何凡塵世間之標準去測量。他是一位堅毅的領導人、一盞引導的明燈和一位智慧的牧羊人。

　　Elder Pun was a towering figure in my life. He had the paramount spiritual strength that can't be measured by any earthy standard. He was a brave leader, a bright guiding lamp, and a wise shepherd.