為了親近師尊，能向師尊說一遍遍的晚安，現在搬家到西雅圖。
文／Fernando (蓮花柏兆)
我認為自己是非常幸運的，我童年最常見的記憶之一就是在巴西透過VHS錄影帶觀看「師尊蓮生活佛說法」，老實說，我是看著「師尊蓮生活佛」長大的！因為從小就跟著父母去佛堂！
八年前，我向釋蓮訶上師問事，當時我不確定是回去我的家鄉巴西工作，還是留在賓州，我當時的問題很簡單：哪裡對我最好？釋蓮訶上師告訴我，雖然總的來說巴西對我很好，但西雅圖對我來說是一個非凡的地方，比其他任何地方都要好。他的回答讓我大吃一驚，因為在那之前我從未想過要住在西雅圖，我從來沒有想過有一天我會和師尊如此靠近！我越想越喜歡這個想法，並決定開始申請西雅圖的工作。
作為一名IT專業人士，沒有得到西雅圖任何一家公司的工作機會，是一件令人羞愧的事情！最後，終於有一家公司打電話給我前往面試，而且他們付了我的住宿費和機票，於是我帶著我的父母一起去了西雅圖。我們在那個周末參加了師尊主持的法會，師尊在開示中說，有時候事情不會成功，但這不一定是一件壞事。最後，我沒有得到這份工作。但是師尊的話讓我響徹心扉，雖然對結果感到難過，但祂的話給我帶來了安慰，事情最終會解決的。
我在賓州繼續我的生活，但是對搬到西雅圖，離師尊近一點的夢想仍然留在我的心中，我經常幻想進入西雅圖的寺廟，對師尊說：「現在我們不必說再見了，只需說晚安！」每當我在腦海中回放這一幕時，淚水就會滾落到我的臉上，我常常看著賓州的日落，心裡低聲說：「師尊，晚安，期盼我們再次相見。」
我曾在一家專注於人工智能和虛擬（V/R）的小公司工作，我們是IT的前鋒，後來我有了一個機會，去美國最大的律師事務所之一擔任數據庫開發人員，我該如何選擇？我又去問釋蓮訶上師了！
我的問題很簡單：「哪家公司離西雅圖更近？」他的回答出乎我的意料：「律師事務所」。非常奇怪！為什麼不是我所在的公司，那裡有最新的技術，而是一家律師事務所？我把這些問題都推到一邊，忠實地聽從了釋蓮訶上師的指示。就在第二天，我接受了律師事務所的工作邀請。我相信我所有的問題都會在適當的時候得到解答。
在律師事務所工作了兩年後，我們開始了該律師事務所有史以來最複雜的項目。有些項目促使我承擔起領導的角色，我把自己推向了對我來說是新的挑戰，儘管我對新的角色感到不舒服，但我有一種從未有過的能量，這個項目花了三年時間才完成，這種奇怪的能量一直在那裡，就像一隻看不見的手在推動我前進，如果我能用一句話來解釋，那就是：「不可動搖的信心」。
有一天，我的經理打電話給我，要我代表他去參加一個會議，他的車突然拋錨了。這是一次秘密會議，公司裡只有幾個人知道，在會上，他們正在討論開設一個辦公室…在西雅圖。
我的心都要炸了！有了西雅圖的辦公室，也許我可以得到調職機會！幾個月後，辦公室開張了，我立刻要求調任。在積累了許多工作上的成功經驗，特別是在剛剛完成的項目後，許多IT總監、經理和同事們都支持我，表示公司在任何情況下都不能失去我。有他們在支持我，讓我明白了是什麼在整個項目中激勵著我，這是確保我搬到西雅圖成功的關鍵！
我們於2023年3月8日抵達西雅圖，晚上我們驅車前往〈西雅圖雷藏寺〉，等候師尊，我對師尊說了一句很簡單的問候：「晚安，師尊！SAUDE！」
在這裡，我總是感覺到自己生活在師佛的心中。無論我走到哪裡，無論我做什麼事，我都感覺離師尊很近。結果，我和我的妻子在修行方面都有了很大的進步！在這裡跟著根本上師修法與在賓州自己修法的感覺完全不同。就像釋蓮訶上師有一天告訴我的那樣：「這就像在源頭練習一樣」。靠近根本上師，不得不更加精進，我們所要做的就是時時和根本上師合一，並以祂為榜樣！
今天搬到這裡，我已經捨棄了很多，因為遠離了我永遠愛的父母、一個體貼的哥哥、我在賓州的所有朋友，以及我和師姐買的房子，從某種意義上來說，我是在練習「放下」。
現在我在這裡，我每天都開心地工作，小心翼翼地努力著，要永遠對得起生命中所有人的祝福，刻苦修行，只要根本上師在這裡，我就可以一直待在這裡。
很抱歉我花了這麼長的時間才到西雅圖。師尊，願我們有更多的機會，一遍又一遍地說出這句簡單的話：「師尊，晚安！SAUDE！」。以上是我傾注了我所有的愛和我從小所看到的所有記憶，30多年前我就想說出這句簡單的問候，那是我最大的期望！
（編按：SAUDE是巴西話（葡萄牙語）的健康之意。）
My name is 蓮花柏兆 and I'm the disciple from Brazil, who recently moved to Seattle, after living in Pennsylvania for 20 years. I was asked to write a small essay about my move here, I hope the attached file will be good enough!
I don't read nor write in Chinese. So I wrote it in English and had it translated into Chinese using machine translation. Then, my parents helped me by fixing the essay. Many thanks to them, who turned this around so quickly.
I am also attaching a picture taken in 1996, when Grand Master visited Brazil. I'm the boy kneeling in front of Grand Master. This picture was taken at my family's factory in Sao Paulo. Grand Master graciously signed this picture for me and it's one of my treasures.
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By Fernando
I consider myself to be very fortunate: one of my most regular childhood memories is watching Grand Master through VHS tapes, in Brazil. I can honestly say that I have grown up watching Grand Master!
Eight years ago, I had a spiritual consultation with master Lian Ha. Back then, I was unsure whether to go back to my homeland, Brazil, or to remain in Pennsylvania. My question then, was simple: where would it be best for me? Master Lian Ha told me that while in general Brazil would be better for me, Seattle would be a phenomenal place for me – better than anywhere else. I was surprised by his answer since I had never thought about living in Seattle until then. I never thought that I could one day be so close to Grand Master! The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea and decided to start applying for jobs in Seattle.
Being an IT professional, it was a humbling to not get a single reply! Finally, a company called me for an interview. Since they paid for hotel and my airfare, I took my parents with me. We stayed the weekend to attend to Grand Master's ceremony. During the Dharma discourse, Grand Master explained that sometimes things don't work out – but it's not necessarily a bad thing. In the end, I didn't get the job. Grand Master's words rang true in my heart, and while saddened by the result, his words brought me comfort that things would eventually work out.
I carried on with my life in Pennsylvania, but after coming so close to moving to Seattle, the dream remained in my heart: I'd often fantasize about being able to enter the Seattle temple and tell Grand Master: “now we won't have to say goodbye – only good night!”. Tears would roll down my face every time I played the scene in my mind. Often times I'd watch the sunset in Pennsylvania and whisper in my heart: “good night Grand Master, until we meet again”.
I used to work for a small company that focused on Machine Learning, AI and V/R (Virtual Reality): we were at the cutting edge of IT. Later, I got an opportunity to work for one of the biggest law firms in the US as a database developer. What should I do? I turned to master Lian Ha again!
My question was simple: “which company would bring me closer to Seattle?” His answer surprised me: “law firm”. Very strange! How come it wasn't the company I was in, where I was working with the latest technology, but a law firm instead? I pushed all these questions aside and faithfully followed master Lian Ha's consultation: I took the job offer from the law firm the very next day. I believed that all my questions would be answered in their due time.
After working for the law firm for two years, we started working on the most complex project the firm has ever worked on. Something pushed me to take the leadership role: I pushed myself forward into responsibilities that were new to me: even though I was uncomfortable with the new role, I had an energy that I never felt before. This project took three years to complete, and this odd energy was always there, like an invisible hand pushing me forward. If I could explain it in a few words, it would be: “unshakable confidence”.
One day, my manager called me to attend a meeting on his behalf, because his car suddenly broke down. It was a secret meeting and only a few people in the firm knew about it. At the meeting, they were discussing opening an office … in Seattle.
My heart exploded! With an office in Seattle, perhaps I could get a transfer! Many months later, the office opened, and I requested a transfer. Having accumulated many successes by then, particularly from the project that had just finalized, many IT directors, managers and coworkers came in my favor, stating that the firm could not afford to lose me under any circumstance. Having the directors by my side made me understand what was fueling me through this entire project: it was the key to ensure that my move to Seattle would be successful.
We arrived in Seattle on March 8th, 2023. At night, we drove to the Seattle Leizang Temple and waited for Grand Master. I told Grand Master a very simple greeting:
“Good night, Grand Master! Saúde!”
Being here, I constantly feel like I'm living inside Grand Master's heart. No matter where I go, or what I do, I feel close to Grand Master. My wife and I have both experienced a tremendous improvement in our spiritual cultivation as a result! To practice with Grand Master, or close to Grand Master, is completely different than practicing in Pennsylvania. Like Lian Ha master told me one day “it's like practicing at the source”. One can't help but not to improve, by being close to Grand Master. One can't help but to become more diligent – all we have to do is to closely watch Grand Master and follow his example!
I have sacrificed much to be here today. In doing so, I have left my ever-loving parents, a caring older brother, all my friends in Pennsylvania and the only house my wife and I ever bought. In one sense, I was practicing “to let go”.
Now that I'm here, I live each day with as much joy as I can: carefully trying to always be worthy of the blessing that this has been in my life. Practicing diligently so that I can stay here for as long as Grand Master chooses to be here.
I'm sorry that it took me so long, Grand Master. May we have many more opportunities to say these very simple words again and again:
“Grand Master, good night! Saúde!”
In these simple words, I put in all my love and all my memories of watching Grand Master since a little boy, over thirty years ago. In this simple greeting, I put all of me.
