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 在人類邁入二十一世紀後，雖然電腦千禧蟲並未如許多人預期般發作，但令人震驚的天災人禍層出不窮；從九一一恐怖攻擊、SARS、中東戰事、伊朗大地震，到這次的南亞大地震加海嘯，無不令人驚心動魄，見證生命的脆弱與無常。
萬佛聖城開山祖師上宣下化老和尚生前在預見三災降臨的時代即將來到時，曾經開示弟子們要勤誦〈大悲咒〉，也希望大家告訴大家：觀世音菩薩所傳的〈大悲咒〉是「為諸眾生得安樂故，滅除一切惡業重罪故離障難故，遠離一切諸怖畏故，速能滿足一切諸希求故。」而觀世音菩薩在《大悲心陀羅尼經》中也說：誦持大悲咒的人，「得十五種善生，不受十五種惡死也。」
禮拜〈大悲懺〉、誦持〈大悲咒〉，為法界佛教總會各分支道場每日固定功課──特別法會期間除外。這次遭逢南亞大地震加海嘯，法界佛教總會各分支道場正值彌陀七，大家還紛紛抽空檔來誦持〈大悲咒〉。各道場除將念佛、拜懺、誦咒功德回向外，法界佛教青年會更廣發電子郵件，呼籲大家一起誦持〈大悲咒〉：每天一遍不嫌少，每天一百零八遍不為多，至二月十三日，亦即南亞大地震海嘯的七七四十九日為止；以慰亡靈及他們身心受創的家屬，並期降低災區發生傳染病的可能性。請見法界佛教青年會網頁：http://www.drby.net/drive
在救災的緊急援助工作中，往往無暇顧及精神及心靈上所需的安定力量；持誦〈大悲咒〉並回向，將可為災區帶來安定，並產生無形的保護力量。歡迎大家一起來做這份精神上的義工！
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Even though the millennium bug didn’t act out as many had expected, astonishing natural disasters and man-made calamities happened one after another as we ushered in the 21st century: the September 11th terrorist attack, SARS, wars in the Middle East, the earthquake in Iran and recently the devastating Asian earthquake and tsunami.
When Venerable Master Husan Hua, the founder of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, was alive, he foresaw the coming of disasters and instructed his disciples to recite the Great Compassion Mantra. He also hoped that people would propagate the practice of reciting the Great Compassion Mantra, which Guanyin Bodhisattva left behind to help people attain peace and blessings, eradicate evil karma and heavy offenses, get rid of obstructions and difficulties, dispel all kinds of fear, and fulfill all of our wishes. In the Great Compassion Heart Dharani Sutra, Guanyin Bodhisattva said that if people can recite the Great Compassion Mantra, they will gain fifteen kinds of good births and avoid fifteen kinds of inauspicious deaths.
In the branch monasteries of the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association (DRBA), the Great Compassion Repentance and recitation of the Great Compassion Mantra have been part of daily practice except during special retreats. At the time of the Asian tsunami and earthquake, the branch monasteries of DRBA were in the middle of their Amitabha Session, yet people still made time to recite the Great Compassion Mantra. And all the branch monasteries of DRBA have transferred the merit and virtue of their daily practice to the victims of the tsunami. The members of Dharma Realm Buddhist Youth have e-mailed widely urging people to recite the Great Compassion Mantra. “One recitation is not too few and 108 times a day is not too much.” They ask people to keep reciting until February 13, the 49th day after the earthquake and tsunami, to comfort the souls of the victims and their traumatized relatives and hopefully to reduce the spread of contagious diseases. (Please check the website:
http://drby.net/drive)
During the emergency rescue work, the peaceful energy that disaster areas need is often overlooked. Reciting the Great Compassion Mantra will create peaceful energy and invisible protection for the disaster zones. Everyone is welcome to join this spiritual volunteer work.
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