金身韦驮

沐恩弟子林钰堂

金身韦驮施无畏，中道智日赐台阶；
空乐添辉细指引，恩德彰显荫众生。

跋

昔年曾蒙韦驮菩萨示现全金法身，并教示流通“施无畏相”以荫众生。随即有吴宗信居士闻讯特赠福建老师傅精雕之黄杨木法像。经余祈请蒙恩准留驻台北寒舍，以护佑在台法务。多年以来虽屡次思及贴金以彰恩德，惜乎因缘皆欠具足。

今年恰有熟谙此艺之空乐女居士发心承担，并蒙佛友众慨助中、日、台三地所制之金箔，而得以修整法像，全面贴金。

空乐曾贴金佛像逾乎千尊。此作极为殊胜，出乎意料地是由菩萨在冥冥之中导引应当如何圆满之。金源为中、日、台三地，恰巧合乎菩萨之行实：发乎“中”道智“日”（圆满光明之智慧）而为种种层次之修行者铺陈上进之“台”阶。

金像恰于中秋前夕圆成，安回原位，而形成诸佛菩萨中秋团圆之佳话。愿随菩萨恩德之彰显而使众生上进佛道之福慧因缘日趋圆熟！
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　二○○三年九月十一日
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　癸未　　　　　中秋节
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　养和斋　　　　于台北

Golden Wei Tuo

Blessed Disciple Yutang Lin

Gold-body Wei Tuo granted fearlessness.
Wisdom Sun of Middle Way paves stairs.
Sunyata Joy added splendor under guide.
Graceful merits shine forth to bless us all.

Comment:

About nine years ago I was blessed with a vision of the solid gold body of Bodhisattva Wei Tuo. And through the inspirational experience I was taught to distribute the photo of the Giving of Fearlessness to benefit sentient beings. Soon afterwards Upasaka Zong Xin Wu learned about the inspirational event and offered me a statue made of boxwood that was finely carved by an old expert craftsman in Fu Jian, China. Upon my supplication the Bodhisattva graced us with an indication of his willingness to stay at my Taipei residence so as to help promote Dharma activities in Taiwan. Over the years, now and then, I thought of gilding this statue as a token of gratitude and devotion; unfortunately the opportune conditions had remained insufficient. Luckily this year Detong (Sunyata Joy), a devoted practitioner well-versed in the art of gilding holy statues, voluntarily pledged to undertake this project as an offering. With help from many Buddhists who donated gold leaves made in China, Japan or Taiwan, she skillfully repaired, polished the statue and finally gilded it all over its surface in very fine details.

Detong had gilded over thousand Buddhist statues in the past. This time the experience was very unique and supreme. Unexpectedly, the work was accomplished under the tactful guidance of Bodhisattva Wei Tuo; when the part done was not satisfactory to the Bodhisattva it would become unacceptable and need to be redone. Sources of the gold were from China, Japan and Taiwan. In Chinese the characters representing these three places are Zhong (middle), Ri (Sun), and Tai (platform). That happened to match a proper description of Wei Tuo's Dharma activities: Born of the wisdom Sun of the Middle Way (Complete and Bright Wisdom) to pave stairways (series of platforms) for the advancement of all sorts of serious practitioners.

The holy statue happened to be fully and satisfactorily gilded on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and returned to its original seat that evening. Thus, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas on the altar had their reunion on the Festival, just as Chinese people are accustomed to do so on this festive day. May this glorification of Bodhisattva Wei Tuo's wondrous merits and blessings help promote the daily maturation of meritorious and wisdom conditions for all sentient beings to advance on the path toward enlightenment!

Written in Chinese on September 11, 2003, Mid-Autumn Festival, and translated on September 16, 2003 at Taipei.

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