關於 盜愛doomed ，我們在網路上蒐集到這些相關的討論、資訊與評價

#葉郎每日讀報 #一週大事版
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「我們預期消費者將越來越偏好更奢豪
更高品質的觀影體驗，比如 IMAX」
——華爾街分析師
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昨晚的《DC FanDome》直播活動宣示了這一週就是名符其實的 Warner 週。而其中最要緊的重頭戲（不只是 Warner 的，也是全世界電影產業的重頭戲），就是2020暑假檔第一部（嚴格說也是算最後一部）上映的好萊塢大片——《Tenet 天能》。


迎接電影院救世主《天能》
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在歷經五個月的暫停營業之後美國電影院終於準備重新開門營業，NATO 美國電影院經營者協會也在日前正式發佈了將在全美國電影院實施的防疫措施準則。

他們參考 WHO、美國疾管局以及勞動安全主管機關發佈的各種規定和建議後，美國電影院確定將要求所有員工和觀眾在影廳內及其他公共區域皆須全程配套口罩。此外準則中還規定了相關減少座位數、維持社交距離和提高通風標準等規定。目前已經有超過300家企業所經營的2600個據點（涵蓋30000銀幕數）已經簽署同意採用該標準。

本週在全美2000家電影院上映的獨立製作《Unhinged 超危險駕駛》是疫情後第一部在美國的規模上映的電影，但真正的重頭戲還是兩週後的片廠大片《天能》。延期多次的《天能》預計分階段上映：包含台灣在內許多國際市場將優先在8月26日上映，然後9月3日在美國、9月4日在中國上映。屆時預期美國多數城市的電影院都有機會開門營業，但本週仍未恢復的紐約和洛杉磯電影院是否能趕上兩週後的《天能》將會是美國電影復甦的重要指標。

不過我們至少可以確定的是：對於仍然堅信無阻礙地自由呼吸是比人命更重要的天賦人權的美國人來說，再不戴口罩你們就確定沒有《天能》可以看了。

Christopher Nolan 的《天能》已經成為美國電影院產業的最後一根浮木。全世界的電影院都摩拳擦掌地期待觀眾能為此重返影廳。但上週也同時傳出 Warner 對於電影院提出了63%抽成的嚴苛條件。

過往慣例，發行商的票價抽成約為50%上下，而且會隨著上映週數慢慢調降。但目前傳出 Warner 要求整個上映期間都採63%計算。此外對於單廳電影院要求至少放映四週（正好接10月上映的《Wonder Woman 1984 神力女超人1984》，對多廳式電影院則要求必須在最大廳放映，而且至少放映12週（正好接12月上映的《Dune 沙丘魔堡》），並且電影開始前還會連帶放映多部 Warner 電影預告。

作為今年美國暑假檔僅剩唯一大片，Warner 很明顯想要確保《天能》可以長期佔領電影院藉以盡可能收到最多票房。相較於那些膽子不夠大、只好通通拿去網路上架的片廠，這或許是 Warner 理所當然應得的。有趣的是 Forbes 注意到這個策略幾乎就是1999年的《Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 星戰首部曲：威脅潛伏》的翻版：星戰的發行商 Fox 當年也要求比較高的分帳比例以及更長的放映週數，並加掛了好幾部 Fox 電影的預告片，以便搭上星戰電影的週邊效應。現在就看《天能》能否在2020年複雜的市場狀況中衝出當年星戰電影的票房。

該片最大的未知數是美國疫情的狀況，有許多人懷疑9月3日洛杉磯和紐約的電影院是否能順利開門。

過去並非沒有好萊塢大片先在國際上映之後才在美國上映，但真的很少發生過跳過洛杉磯和紐約這兩大電影票倉的案例。未具名的報導專家告訴 Variety 說《天能》正在面臨盜版的超完美風暴，因為該片備受觀眾期待卻很可能有人根本看不到（比如紐約的電影院沒開門），或是電影院開了門但還沒有膽量去，最終很可能受到盜版的誘引。一週的上映時間落差對於盜版的地下市綽綽有餘，過去光美東、美西的幾小時時差都有盜版做得到見縫插針。而且現在電影院的社交距離更使夾帶錄影設備進去的非法之徒更難被發現。這是電影院體驗的存亡之際，盜版這個陳年反派角色依舊沒打算洗手不幹。

看盜版電影或是在家看串流的人以外，另外一個光譜的極端是疫情過後「報復性」追求極致電影體驗的觀眾。

投資銀行 B. Riley FBR 的分析師 Eric Wold 在分析報告中預測：「未來幾週全球的消費者將陸續回到電影院（美國主要連鎖電影院品牌則準備在月底重啟多數營業據點），我們預期消費者將越來越偏好更豪奢、更高品質的觀影體驗，比如 IMAX」。

他的最大證據是上個週末《Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 哈利波特：神秘的魔法石》在中國重映，其中594家 IMAX 影廳總計獲得210萬美元票房，佔重映票房超過15%（還使該片在上映19年後衝破10億美元票房關卡）。另外一個證據是 Christopher Nolan 導演的舊作《Inception 全面啟動》在全世界多國重映，其中181個 IMAX 影廳總計獲得64萬美元票房，佔重映總票房的40%之多。

分析師認為消費者在疫情後對於放映體驗的追求，加上未來12~18個月內滿滿的好萊塢大片類型，都會 IMAX 公司成為最大受益者。


串流上的大風吹遊戲
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另一個跟 Warner 有關，而且最近已經被問很多次的問題：為什麼他們不乾脆放棄受詛咒的怪獸與牠們的產地？

JK Rowling、Johnny Depp、Ezra Miller 接連出事，加上前一集票房和評論都撲空，為什麼 Warner 不考慮直接放棄因為疫情暫時停拍的《Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 3 怪獸與牠們的產地3》？衛報的影評人 Steve Rose 認為整個哈利波特宇宙的資產價值太高，才會使身陷泥濘的 Warner 楔而不捨地繼續搶救《怪獸與牠們的產地3》。不論是正在煩惱疫情後如何找回觀眾的電影院，或是 Warner 剛剛推出的串流服務HBO Max，都迫切需要哈利波特宇宙這樣的指標性內容來吸引觀眾。

上週末《哈利波特：神秘的魔法石》在中國重映的驚人票房就是最好例子。系列電影已經成為好萊塢主要命脈， 所以片廠就算搞砸任何系列電影，也會想辦法一試再試努力救回來（比如：蜘蛛人宇宙的《Venom 猛毒》）。在此同時，未來片廠也會更加小心地在明星上船前做更全面的身家調查，確保明星的麻煩過往、乖張言行不會拖垮這艘大船。

另外一個哈利波特宇宙的特殊現象是：才開台不到三個月的 WarnerMedia 串流品牌 HBO Max 已經把自家的哈利波特系列電影下架，並改授權給日前才開台的同業競爭對手 NBCUniversal 的串流品牌 Peacock 播放6個月。

在此同時，Peacock開台時上架的自家電影《Jurassic Park 侏羅紀公園》系列則在短短17天後下架，又另外授權給 Netflix 播放。

近來頻繁出現系列電影會在不同的串流平台之間流動，有時候甚至只停留不到一個月的時間。這個大風吹遊戲的起因是串流市場競爭過於激烈，而疫情又導致觀眾對於這些熟悉內容的強烈需求，因此串流才會願意只買一個月的授權也要滿足訂戶的需求。

而這種打破以前動輒授權一年慣例的破碎式授權方式，使版權方成為最大受益者，因為他們收到的版權費大大地增加了。比如Warner，或是擁有5000部電影的老片廠 MGM 就再度靠著龐德電影和各種舊片財源滾滾。唯一的例外是已經慢慢變得不太願意購買來自別人的內容授權的 Netflix，以及完全只放 Disney 自家內容的 Disney+。

Netflix 把重心從購買版權轉向自製內容之後，已經努力學會電影院和電視上會出現的萬事萬物。基本上別人桌上有賣什麼菜，Netflix家的廚師就想辦法炒出什麼菜。但唯有一道菜，他們的廚師迄今都還學不會。

那道專屬於美國傳統電視台的菜叫做深夜談話節目。

Netflix 剛剛宣佈停播才兩年的《Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj 哈桑·明哈吉：愛國者法案》，在這之前 Netflix 製作過的談話節目多半也都在第一季或第二季被腰斬。本來 Netflix 的優勢是尺度比電視更寬，而且觀看時段可以隨觀眾喜好，但這些優勢並沒有替 Netflix 的談話節目找到更多觀眾。

其中一個原因是 Netflix 不像電視台那樣全年無休製作談話節目，觀眾無法養成收視習慣。其二是演算法不斷餵食用戶類似的戲劇節目，讓談話節目很難脫穎而出。其三是如今電視台的談話節目都很會善用 YouTube 等社群平台找到更多觀眾，甚至不排除把完整節目放上去，因為他們追求的是影響力（帶來的廣告費），而 Netflix 的訂閱制商業模式讓他們無法這麼做。

Netflix 勢必會繼續嘗試這道菜的不同做法，但在他們找出自己的成功配方之前，深夜談話節目的美國傳統將繼續在電視台上活下去。


Apple面臨的抗稅運動
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一場漂亮的仗，開打的時機點非常重要。Facebook、Microsoft 和遊戲開發商 Epic Game 這幾週先後展開對Apple的抗稅運動，偏偏 Apple就在這幾天突破了兩兆美元的市值關卡。很難不讓人把兩個獨立事件連結起來大作文章，認為Apple太大確實是有害的。

《Fortnite 要塞英雄》是新冠病毒肺炎疫情中最奇特的內容產業現象。這款線上遊戲中舉辦過音樂會、舉辦過影展，如今開發商 Epic Game 進一步利用遊戲的聚眾能力來當成散佈抗議言論的集會場。在該公司跟 Apple 和Google 的收費抽成爭議中，Epic 精明地把玩家的反應計算在裡頭。他們率先發佈20%折扣回饋方案，來吸引玩家注意到他們的抗議訴求。緊接著 App 先後被 Apple 和 Goole 下架之後，Epic 隨即在遊戲的派對活動中舉行他們早就拍好的抗議短片首映活動。同一時間登入遊戲的玩家會被引導到首映會的虛擬會場，而且長僅48秒的諷刺短片放映過程中遊戲會暫停無法繼續玩。

Epic 意在確保他們的抗議行動現場能有最多的支持者到場助陣。雖然 Epic 沒有對外公布數字，但先前Travis Scott的線上音樂會曾吸引超過千萬玩家參與。這意謂著 Epic 很可能利用遊戲的虛擬空間完成了一次千萬人同時到場參與的抗爭活動。

抗稅運動過去一週也出現了許多新戰友。

包含紐約時報、華盛頓郵報等美國新聞媒體所組成組織Digital Content Next近日寫信給Apple執行長Tim Cook，要求重新談判App Store高達30%的不公平抽成比例。

這些媒體在信中舉了不久前因為國會聽證會而被揭露的差別待遇案例：Apple早在2016年就提供給Amazon特殊待遇，讓Amazon Prime Video只需要繳納15%的蘋果稅給Apple。他們在信中酸溜溜地問道：「我們很想知道我們組織中這些優質數位內容供應商還需要滿足那些條件，才能得到Amazon在Prime Video App上頭得到的特殊待遇。」

此外，部落格寫作工具WordPress創辦人 Matt Mullenweg 也在上週出面指控他們也被 Apple 無理勒索蘋果稅，並且被 Apple 暫停了更新App的權利，直到他們屈服為止才願意恢復權限。

WordPress 是完全免費的寫作工具，用戶不需要付費就會得到一個網址跟3GB 的儲存空間。但 Apple 仍堅持強迫不賣任何產品或服務給用戶的 WordPress 必須設置App內購功能，以便 Apple 可以分得不存在的30%收入。這也顯示 Apple 正近乎偏執地用盡一切方法圍堵所有蘋果稅的漏洞，確保流經他家門口的每一分錢都有依法納貢。


Trump 顧問 Bannon 詐財被捕
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美國總統 Donald Trump 長年倚重的策士、前高級戰略顧問 Steve Bannon 在中國流亡商人郭文貴所有的一艘高級遊艇上被逮捕，理由是他以興建美墨邊境圍牆為由的群眾募資項目當中，有許多款項被懷疑非法使用於他個人開支上。

雖然這則新聞乍看跟娛樂或傳播媒體無關，但以下的舊文回顧至少可以跟電影扯上一點關係。很多人不知道如今已操弄社群媒體見長的Bannon其實有好萊塢有欸警（以下去年舊文重貼）：

川普的競選操盤手史提夫班農（Steve Bannon）在勝選後接受好萊塢報導（Hollywood Reporter）專訪時曾說：

「黑暗是好的。狄克錢尼（Dick Cheney）、達斯維達（Darth Vader）、撒旦（Satan），這些都是力量的表徵。當人們越搞不懂這個道理，對我們越有利。因為這時候他們就永遠無可捉摸我們究竟是誰以及我們到底打算做什麼。」

是的，這個右翼政治老狐狸一口氣用上了兩個電影哏：其一是引用星戰電影經典反派角色達斯維達；其二是模仿《華爾街（Wall Street）》中另一個經典反派的經典台詞——「貪婪是好的」。

在淌政治混水之前，班農曾以銀行家身份在好萊塢電影投資圈混過一陣子。他一直告訴別身邊的人說他的人生目標是成為當代的蘭妮萊芬斯坦（Leni Riefenstahl）。萊芬斯坦是希特勒的宣傳愛將，她因為執導1934年納粹黨代表大會的紀錄片《意志的勝利 Triumph des Willens》而同時受到藝術推崇與道德批判。事實上1977年第一部《Star Wars 星際大戰》電影的結尾正是仿自《意志的勝利》中納粹黨衛軍遊行進場的橋段。

但理想和現實總是有落差，班農的藝術能力遠遠看不到萊芬斯坦的車尾燈。好萊塢男星喬治庫隆尼（George Clooney）曾這麼形容班農寫的劇本：
「史提夫班農是個該死的爛劇作家，如果你讀過他的劇本，保證你一定無法相信你的眼睛。」庫隆尼語帶惋惜地說如果奇蹟能發生讓班農的劇本真的被拍成電影，他最後肯定會乖乖留在好萊塢繼續當個電影人，並且會「努力舔我的X眼來拜託我去主演那些低能至極的劇本」。

1991年起班農熱衷於改編最血腥的莎劇《泰特斯（Titus Andronicus ）》，據說他的構想包含把莎翁的歷史復仇劇背景擴大成為銀河戰爭片，並加上人類與低等外星生物的心靈性愛等等荒腔走板的新點子。班農從來沒有成功賣出這個案子，卻不知怎地想辦法弄到了《揮灑烈愛（Frida）》導演茱莉泰摩（Julie Taymor）後來拍成的《泰特斯》（台灣發行商把片名翻譯成讓人錯愕的「戰士終結者」）的掛名。導演說她一直到電影海報出爐才發現有這號厚臉皮的人物掛在演職員表上說是監製，並強調此君從頭到尾都未參與該片的創意過程。
該片1999年上映之後票房不佳。據說史提夫班農還逢人就抱怨說如果導演採納他的點子，電影一定可以大獲成功。

雖然班農四處宣揚他的好萊塢經驗，但好萊塢人士多半是他轉行政治之後才聽過這個名字。少數曾與班農接觸過的好萊塢人士也從未在那個時期聽過他的任何白人至上主義激進立場，他從頭到尾只關心的是如何從電影中賺到錢。

連續幾部製作擱淺後，班農終於在右翼人士身上找到新的「錢」途：他開始替右翼團體拍攝紀錄片，並在電影中大力吹捧莎拉裴琳（Sarah Palin）和川普等右翼政治人物。這些紀錄片多半沒有廣泛發行，就算發行也票房欠佳，但卻在白人至上主義者之間發揮極大的影響力，成為這個小社群強化信念、不斷茁壯的洗腦工具。班農的半吊子藝術技能居然真的實現了他的願望：真正從電影裡賺錢。

這些聳動的紀錄片讓班農打進白人至上主義者的圈子，不僅很快地接手營運右翼媒體布萊巴特新聞網（Breitbart News Network），更讓班農終於與命定的同夥——川普搭上線。

川普替班農的「蘭妮萊芬斯坦之路」帶來了另外一個致命武器：無限手套上最後一顆毀滅性的寶石——twitter帳號realdonaldtrump終於到位。

彈指。


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【玳瑚師父客人見證】 《不過八月十五的預言》
The Prophecy: Not Beyond Mid-Autumn (English version below)

文 / 李季謙 女士 Written by Ms. Lee Ji Qian

撥電給玳瑚師父的那一天下午，我乘坐的德士，正駕駛在中央快速公路上。那是2006年中秋節的前兩個星期，記憶猶新。眼看我外婆的病情每況愈下，我迫切地想知道外婆還能活多久。那時的我從事空服員的工作，我擔心萬一外婆過世，我在國外無法第一時間趕回來看她最後一面，怎麽辦?

在車上，我不斷祈求玳瑚師父告訴我外婆的壽命還有多久。他不肯，他說做師父的其中一個避忌就是不算壽命，因爲很多人嘴巴說無所謂，知道答案後，心裡卻會七上八下，家人甚至會責怪師父嚇人。那時，外婆已皈依在蓮生活佛門下，我告訴師父家裡只有我和外婆是皈依的佛教徒，我很希望外婆過世時，我能夠為她做臨終關懷八小時，引導她往投極樂。

在電話的另一端，師父沉默許久，一句話也不說。我想慘了，如果師父不肯告訴我，我該如何是好？如何向公司請假？

「不過八月十五。」

什麽，師父，你說什麽？中秋節八月十五？師父，我都還沒告訴你外婆的生辰，你只知道她的名字和生肖，就能斷定嗎？

師父重覆說了一遍，並溫馨地告訴我到時遇到任何問題時，儘管撥電給他。就這樣，我們的通話結束了。

農曆八月十四的早上，在中央醫院復診時，醫生說外婆的血壓忽然降低，需要入院輸血。我便為外婆辦理入院手續，和照料外婆的女傭一直陪伴在外婆左右。幾個星期來，飛行穿梭與五大洲之間，熬夜時差，加上多次帶外婆來往醫院，每一次都花好幾個鐘頭在醫院等待，身心已疲憊不堪。我看著在病床上的外婆，輸血後她氣色開始好轉，醫生說一切穩定。外婆知道我很累，屢勸我回家休息。但師父的預言一直懸挂在我心中，本想留下來陪外婆一晚，但那天的入院來的突然，我沒準備任何衣物。那時的我住在兀蘭，離新加坡中央醫院很遠。我先生在一旁也勸我回家好好休息，才有更好的精神繼續和外婆說佛法及一同唸佛。

我猶豫著。師父為我做的預言從來沒有錯過。但外婆氣色之佳，是近幾個月從未曾有的。我這幾個月，也一直都有修法回向給外婆，可能奇跡出現了吧！

于是，農曆八月十五的淩晨一點二十分左右，我回家了。

早上十點二十分，女傭打了通電話給我。她不大會說英文，只是很情急地說外婆想見我，要我快點來醫院。我天真地以爲是外婆睡醒後，想見我。

早上十點四十五分，表姐打電話給我，哭著說外婆已過世了。那時的我，腦海裡立刻浮現師父所說的「不過八月十五。」 連半天都過不了。我的心一直往下沉。爲什麽我問了師父卻又不淨信他的話？爲什麽我沒有把師父的預言告訴我的家人？爲什麽我就不能在醫院熬多一天？生死皆天定，我怎麽不自量力地以爲自己那點修法回響就能改寫外婆的生死呢？原來人說死前的迴光返照是這麽一回事！天啊！我竟然那麽不孝，讓外婆過世時，身邊只有一個女傭，一個親人都沒有！

在醫院撥打電話給師父時，他很快就接聽了。第一句話一說完，我已泣不成聲了。師父說他一早起床，就不斷地有我外婆和我的影子，他知道事情不出他預料中，因此一直在等待我的電話。師父不但沒有怪我不夠相信他，還提醒我要為外婆做的佛事，也開導我說八月十五是月圓圓滿之日，外婆在這日離去也象徵她的一生已圓滿，她十多年的病業終于還清了，從病苦中解脫了，我應該為她高興。師父知道我性格衝動，再三叮嚀我在外婆停柩期間，勿和家人起衝突。

這也是我第二件遺憾的事。我那時學佛尚淺，包容、平等對待和處事圓融的道理，我無法實踐。我不但在外婆的遺體前爲了她的生後事，向家人耍狠，在喪禮上，因爲不苟同他們的做法，脾氣更是一「發」不可收拾。說什麽佛教徒，真是貽笑大方！我怎麽就沒有好好學師父那般的度量呢？

外婆過世後的那七天裡，家人陸續都夢到她回來和他們敍舊。唯獨我沒有。我很納悶。外婆臨終前，唯一想見的人是我，爲何卻沒托夢給我？她不是有話跟我說嗎？（其實是我多想在外婆面前跟她說萬萬個對不起。）想著，想著，我想到師父常教我在睡前的結界法，保護自己在睡夢中不被鬼魅魍魎干擾盜氣，出國在外也能平安。我睡前也必定會結界，這法非常實用也有真實的法力！

那晚，在紐約的酒店裡，我冒了一個險，沒行結界法。當晚，我就夢到自己在兒時住家附近（也是外婆的舊家）的停車場。我不知不覺走到一輛米色的「馬賽地」旁邊，低頭一看，咦，是外婆，穿著那熟悉的衣裳，坐在駕駛座位上。我叫她，以廣東話問：「婆婆，妳會駕車啊？」（外婆生前沒有駕駛執照）　她轉頭，跟我說：「幫公公皈依吧！」 我答：「皈依啊？好啊！」

我就猛然醒來了，趕緊看時間，是清晨五點多。師父曾說在早上五點至七點之間做的夢是真實的。我梳洗後，即刻撥長途電話給在新加坡的師父。外公已過世十多年，在夢裡，外婆要我為外公皈依時，我已知道他尚未投胎，生前沒聽聞過佛法，更別説往生極樂了。而當外婆提到皈依時，我心裡的直覺說她指的是皈依我們的根本上師，蓮生活佛，絕非他人。最神的是，夢裡外婆的車和家人在喪禮中焚化給她的，是一模一樣的！

師父在電話中花了一個鐘頭的時間，耐心地教導我。他說我得先回到外婆生前的居所，向那裡的祖先牌位請示外公是否真的想皈依蓮生活佛。除了攜帶外公生前愛吃的食物，我也得先上香供養家門外供奉的天公、土地神和門神，祈求祂們允許我外公的魂魄入屋。

回囯後的隔天，我和兩位表姪女一起到外婆家，一一跟著師父的指示照做。我們三人上了香，跪在祖先牌位前，呼叫外公時，不可思議的事情發生了！刹那間，我們三人同時感覺到有股強烈的陰氣從我們背後的大門進來，再看到一個黑影從我們身旁快速地飃過，到祖先牌位的供桌上，頓時，我們全身都起了雞皮疙瘩。卜杯請示外公是否要皈依蓮生活佛時，連續得了三個聖杯！我的夢是真實的！師父教的真管用！

當下，我既讚嘆又感恩玳瑚師父，是他引我皈依蓮生活佛。在他之前，我根本沒聼過蓮生活佛的盛名。因爲我的皈依，我好幾個家人也皈依。師父常說死人的眼睛是雪亮的。外公生前非常疼愛我，沒想到，我和外婆的皈依也會讓他想向佛了！我是多麽的雀躍啊！我讚嘆師父那麽好眼光，有福份，一生只皈依一個上師，而且是一位已開悟成佛的上師，怪不得師父的本領那麽了得。我更感恩他不辭辛勞地廣揚佛法，讓我們這些門外漢能學到人生最大的一件事到底是什麽。

我是一個差勁的弟子，脾氣又不好，兩次被師父「停學」，每一次長達半年，更曾被沒收所有的筆記和課本。但在「停學」期間，師父仍慈悲教導我如何處理外婆的生後事。可能你覺得他是修行人，是玄學師父，不給他錢，他仍然應該幫你消災解厄，給他錢，他更要幫你逢凶化吉。我的看法卻是，自己的問題本來就應該自己解決。沒有人是「應該」幫你的，師父也不是一個你能用錢買的人，更不可以因爲師父沒有幫你這一次或看法不一，便因「愛」成「恨」，來個「秦始王燒書」 般地把過去師父幫過自己的恩都忘得一乾二淨，再來個翻臉不認「師」。這般無情無義的人我看的實在太多了。

這兩天趕緊將這篇個人見證寫完，並翻譯，已此供養玳瑚師父為他的「生日」禮物。農曆八月十五是玳瑚師父皈依真佛之日。他常說這一天才是他真正的生日，皈依學佛前的日子懵懂無意，虛度光陰，貴為佛子後，自己才真正「活」起來，成爲有智慧有貢獻的能人。兒子的事業這麽有意義，我想師父的父母一定會以他為榮。

如果你也像我一樣，曾經請示過師父，卻在信與不信之間進退兩難，希望我這篇文章能給你一點啓發，更盼你不會有我這般的遺憾。

祝大家中秋節快樂。

我在此也誠心地祝玳瑚師父「生日」快樂。謝謝您在無止境的萬難中，仍堅持帶給我們光明。我祈禱，願您的一生有如今晚的月輪一樣地美麗、圓滿、吉祥，願您早日修成正果，速登彼岸。阿彌陀佛。

-----------------------------

It was one afternoon in the year 2006, 2 weeks from the Mid-Autumn Festival. I was travelling along the Central Expressway in a cab when I made a call to Master Dai Hu. The memory was still fresh. My grandmother's health was deteriorating by the day, and I desperately wanted to know how much longer she could hold on. I was working as a flight attendant at that time, and the fear was that I might be overseas and not able to see her the final time when she breathed her last.

During the taxi ride, I pleaded incessantly for Master Dai Hu to answer my burning question. He refused. He said that as a Master, it was a taboo to predict one's life span because the answer would drive many towards anxiety and hysteria, even when they seemed nonchalant initially. At that time, my grandmother had already taken refuge under Living Buddha Lian-Sheng, and I told Master Dai Hu that since my grandmother and myself were the only Buddhists who had taken refuge in the family, I really hoped to provide some form of hospice care, and perform the proper rites during the crucial 8-hour time window after her passing to guide her towards rebirth into the Pure Land.

There was total silence on the other end of the line for a long time. Master Dai Hu did not utter a single sound. I was doomed, I thought to myself, if Master refused to tell me, what should I do? How could I apply for leave of absence from my employer?

"It would not be beyond the fifteenth day of the Eighth Lunar Month". Finally the silence was broken.

What, Master, what did you just? You meant the Mid-Autumn Festival? But I had not even tell you the birth date and time of my grandmother. You only knew her name and Chinese Zodiac Sign, how could you be so sure?

Master Dai Hu repeated his prediction again, and told me warmly that I could call him anytime if I encountered any problem. With that, our conversation ended.

This was the fourteenth day of the Eighth Lunar Month. The doctor told me that Grandma's blood count suffered a drastic drop, and had to be admitted to hospital for a blood transfusion. After I had done the paper works for the admittance, I stayed with her, together with her maid. I was totally physically and mentally exhausted. Flying around the world had taken its toll on me, with the late nights and jet lags, not to mention the many hospital trips I made with Grandmother over the past few weeks and every hospital visit spanned over a few hours. I looked at Grandma who was lying on her hospital bed. She looked much better after the blood transfusion and the doctor said all was well. Grandma knew I was washed out and kept asking me to go home and rest. Master Dai Hu's prediction was constantly on my mind. I had wanted to stay for one more night to accompany Grandma but the hospital admission that day was unexpected and I did not prepare any overnight bag. I was staying at Woodlands at that time and it was far from SGH. My husband who was by my side advised me to go home to rest too as he felt that I needed to be in a better condition to continue sharing the Dharma and reciting the Buddha's name with Grandma.

I hesitated. Master's predictions for me always rang true. But my Grandma looked quite good, something which I have not seen in months. Furthermore, I have been doing spiritual practices and dedicating the merits to her. Perhaps a miracle had happened!

At about 120am on the fifteenth day of the Eighth Lunar Month, I went home.

My phone rang at 1020am. It was the maid. She was not really conversant in English but told me anxiously that Grandma wanted to see me, and asked if I was on the way. I naively shrugged it off, thinking it might just be Grandma wanting to see me after her sleep.

Another phone call came in at 1045am, the sobbing and muffled voice of my cousin on the other end, telling me that Grandma had passed away. At that very moment, the words of Master "Not beyond the fifteenth day of the Eighth Lunar Month" reverberated through me. My heart sank to the rock bottom. Why did I ask Master for his prediction when I was not prepared to have complete faith in him? Why had I not told this prediction to my family members? Why could I not just stay in hospital with Grandma for that one more night? Life and death are both predestined. How could I think so highly of myself and believe that meagre merits from my spiritual practice was sufficient to rewrite her fate? Now I realized the truth in the saying that a person before his or her imminent death would look as if he or she is well. Goodness gracious! I was so unfilial to had left Grandma alone, on her death bed with no family member but only the maid beside her!

I phoned Master Dai Hu at the hospital and he answered very quickly. Once the first words were spoken, I had already broken down in sobs. Master said that he woke up early that morning with a premonition. He kept "seeing" images of my Grandma and myself, and knew in an instant that his prediction had prevailed and had been waiting for my call. Not only did Master not reprimand me for not having enough faith in him, he even reminded me on the list of things to do for Grandma's funeral. He counseled me, saying that for Grandma to bade this world farewell on the fifteenth day of the Eighth Lunar Month, it signified that she had lived a full and complete life, and that her karmic debt of suffering from illnesses the past 10 over years had finally been repaid. He said I should be glad that Grandma had been released from her pains and sufferings. Master was well aware of my rash temperament, and reminded me many times not to squabble with the family members during the funeral wake.

This has to be the other regrettable thing in this episode. My understanding of the Dharma was shallow then, and I did not practice the ways of endurance, equality, and did not consider the feelings of others in handling things. Not only did I pressurize my family members over the arrangements of Grandma's funeral, my bad temper flared uncontrollably during the funeral as I was not in agreement with the rest of the family members. All this talk about being a Buddhist turned me into a laughing stock! Why could I not learn from Master, who was and still is always so magnanimous and gracious?

During the seven-day period after Grandma's passing, many family members dreamed of her continually. I was the only one not to have seen her in my dreams. This was very puzzling for me. At the time of her passing, Grandma was calling out for me. Why did she not appear in my dreams? Did she not have anything to say to me? (Truthfully, I wanted very much to say a million sorry to her in person). As I was pondering over this matter, I remembered a demarcation method taught to me by Master, to protect myself against spirits stealing my life essence and disrupting my sleep, and to stay safe while I was overseas. This demarcation was something I always did before going to bed, and it really proved itself as a useful and powerful Dharma practice.

That night, in my hotel room in New York, I took a risk and forgo the demarcation procedure before I slept. That very night, I dreamed of Grandma! I was at the car park, near my childhood residence (also near Grandma's previous residence). I was walking along a pavement and ended up beside a cream-coloured Mercedes Benz. I looked down, and there she was! My Grandma was wearing her usual clothing and seated in the driver's seat. I called out to her and asked in Cantonese, "Grandma, you know how to drive?" Grandma did not have a driving license when she was alive. She turned to speak to me, "Help your Grandfather to take refuge!" I answered, "Take refuge? Ok!"

I jolted out from sleep, and hurriedly looked at the clock. It was five plus in the morning. Master once said that dreams occurring between 5am - 7am were real. I washed up, and called Master who was in Singapore immediately. My Grandfather has been dead for more than 10 years. In my dream, when Grandma wanted me to take refuge for Grandfather, I knew then that Grandfather had yet to go through reincarnation. He did not hear the Dharma during his lifetime, so he could not have been reborn into the Pure Land. When Grandma spoke of taking refuge, my intuition told me that she was referring to our Root Guru, Living Buddha Lian-Sheng, whom we took refuge in, and no one else. The next amazing thing was that the car in which Grandma was seated in the dream looked exactly the same as the one the family members burnt as an offering to her during the funeral!

Master spent an hour on the phone with me, patiently guiding me. He said I needed to return to my Grandma's house and seek answers from the ancestors at the ancestral tablet if my Grandfather really wanted to take refuge in Living Buddha Lian-Sheng. Other than preparing my Grandfather's favorite snacks, I had to offer incense and other offerings to the Jade Emperor, the Earth Deity as well as the Door Guardians, who were enshrined outside my Grandma's home, and request for smooth entry of my Grandfather's spirit into the house.

A few days upon my return to Singapore, I went to my Grandma's house, together with my two nieces. I followed Master's instruction to the tee. The three of us offered incense, knelt down in front of the ancestral tablet and called for my Grandfather. Something extraordinary happened next! In the flash of an eye, the 3 of us felt a strong Yin energy coming in from the main door, and witnessed a black shadowy figure slid past us in speed, and onto the ancestral tablet. Momentarily, our hair stood on end and all of us felt goosebumps on our skins. When I threw the divination blocks and asked if it was Grandfather's wish to take refuge in Living Buddha Lian-Sheng, the answer was positive with three consecutive yes! My dream was real after all! The method which Master taught really worked well!

Instantly, I was in awe, and at the same time, extremely grateful to Master Dai Hu. He was the one who guided me to take refuge in Living Buddha Lian-Sheng. Before that, I never hear of Him. Because of my taking refuge, a few of my family members followed suit. Master often said that the dead had the brightest eyes. Grandfather doted on me very much when he was alive, and never did I expect Grandfather to follow my Grandma and I in taking refuge and seek the Dharma. I was totally elated! I praised Master for his foresight, and his great fortune of taking refuge in a one and only one Guru Master, one who had attained perfect Enlightenment. It is no wonder that Master Dai Hu has such great skills too. I am also grateful for his relentless pursuits to propagate the Dharma, enabling layman like us to learn, understand and prepare for the biggest event of our life.

I am a lousy disciple with bad temperament. Twice, I was booted out by Master and not allowed to learn from him for as long as 6 months. My notes and books were confiscated. However, even when I did not see Master during those periods, he showed compassion and guided me through the ordeal of my Grandma's passing. Perhaps you might think that it is his duty as a spiritual practitioner and Chinese metaphysicist to show compassion and help others in need even if no money is paid to him, and if money is paid, all the more he should help the clients out of their troubles.

My take on this: We must take responsibility for our own problems. No one owe us any form of help or assistance. And Master Dai Hu is definitely not someone you can buy with money. If he does not render his help to you or both of you have a different opinion on certain issues, you cannot go from having admiration to bearing resentment towards him over that. I have seen too many ungrateful people who erase all the memories of the good that Master had once done for them, pretty much like how Emperor Qin burnt the books, with no trace left and turned their backs on Master, like they had never known him.

Over the last two days, I rushed to complete this testimonial as a present to Master Dai Hu on his "birthday". It was this auspicious day, the fifteenth day of the Eighth Lunar Month, that Master Dai Hu took refuge in True Buddha and became a Buddhist. He often said that this day felt more like his real birthday. Before learning the Dharma and taking refuge, he led a life of meaningless existence, squandering away youth and time. Only when he became a Buddhist did he truly come to life, begin to live in wisdom and gain great ability, while making useful and meaningful contributions to the society. With such a noble career, I guess his parents must be very proud of having a son like him.

If you are to be in my shoes one day, having asked Master for advice but still teetering on the border and unsure if you should believe him, I hope my story will inspire you and not let you suffer the same regrets as I did.

Wishing everyone a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival.

And I genuinely wish Master Dai Hu a "Happy Birthday". Thank you for bringing the Light to us, despite the endless obstacles you constantly battle. I pray that your life will be as beautiful, complete and auspicious as the full moon tonight. May you soon attain the fruit of perfect and complete Enlightenment. Amituofo.

www.masterdaihu.com/the-prophecy-not-beyond-mid-autumn/