Need Chinese to English translation of this Dharma Saying

[Shakahs]

Hello Forum,

I recently visited the Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights, CA with a few friends of mine. On leaving we saw the opportunity to each collect one 'Dharma Saying' contained in a small red plastic ball, which was then broken to retrieve the folded paper inside. I opted not to collect one of these red balls, but instead as we were walking down the steps of the temple I found one sitting in the mouth of a statue. I cannot read it, however, as it is in Chinese. I would like to know, if possible, what this Dharma Saying says as well as what kind of creature is represented by the statue. I am including a picture of the paper, as well as a picture of the front of them temple. The ball was in the mouth of the statue at the bottom of the stairs in the left of the picture.

http://shakattack.com/images/forums/chinese-forums/IMG_4737.JPG

http://shakattack.com/images/forums/chinese-forums/IMG_4585.JPG

[yersi]

Uh, unless I'm getting something wrong, none of those pictures work.

[jslee]

The links don't work.

[trien27]

The links all say:

Notice: This domain name [shakattack.com] expired on 07/27/08 [July 27, 2008 for American/Canadian English speakers; 27th of July 2008 for speakers of British English] and is pending renewal or deletion

Perhaps you could post it elsewhere like flickr.com?

[Shakahs]

My apologies for the broken links, there was a problem with my website. Here are new links.

http://shak-yazdani.info/forums/chinese-forums/IMG_4737.JPG

http://shak-yazdani.info/forums/chinese-forums/IMG_4585.JPG

The first image is the paper that I found, and in the second picture is the statue where I found it. Thank you in advance!

[blink]

I can't really help you with the translation, but the stone statues are probably a form of 'guardian dog' or bixie (meaning wards evil - sorry I don't have the characters for the term). They are placed at the entrance of tombs or buildings for protection. In most versions I've seen one will have an open mouth and the other a closed mouth. I heard that this is to keep luck and wealth in while letting bad things out.

I also heard that the creature is connected to a story about the sons of a dragon. Does anyone know anymore about that?

[skylee]

What is on that piece of paper is :

1st horizontal line:

大佛法語

4 lines in the middle from right to left:

名醫化導有來因

疾病傷寒先忌嗔

脈理深微能率性

良方精細度迷津

last horizontal line:

佛光山（庚午）

You can find the explanation (in Chinese) here -> http://www.fgs.org.tw/master/masterA/books/delectus/poem/02/02-41.htm

醫生在為人治病時，要先知道病因在哪裏，才能對症下藥。比方說：傷寒病取忌諱嗔怒，先將情緒平穩下來，不要起嗔恨心，就比較容易治好。

……

對病者微細的脈理都能追查出來，才能開出準確藥方醫治他。

Perhaps other members here would translate it to English.

The Chinese characters for "bixie" is 辟邪. It is also called 貔貅.

[skylee]

A very rough translation -

A doctor must first understand why a patient is ill before treating him. Typhoid fever, for example, has to do with one's anger. The patient will recover more easily if he controls his emotion and anger. Examining every detail of the symptoms of the illness will enable an accurate diagnosis which leads to recovery.

AFAIK, it is a metaphor for how one can reach enlightenment.