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位於卡加利市的華嚴聖寺為慶祝第一期擴建工程完成，舉辦了一連串的活動；活動包括九月廿三日至卅日的梁皇寶懺、每日晚間客座女法師和週末恆實法師的佛學講座、陳毓襄女士的鋼琴義演，和朝山之旅。這精彩的系列活動，吸引了當地人士，以及加州萬佛聖城、溫哥華金佛寺和馬來西亞般若觀音聖寺等地專程趕到的許多人士參加。
在十月一日（週六）的鋼琴義演會，雲集了一千三百餘位聽眾。國際聞名的台灣鋼琴家陳毓襄，偕同西班牙籍客座指揮艾德蒙˙考樂默和卡城交響樂團，以世界上最難的兩首琴曲，呈獻了華麗的演奏，以娛佳賓；當晚每個人都滿懷音樂澎湃的氣勢，離開了音樂廳。次日（週日），恆實法師有三場講座，聽眾坐滿了華嚴聖寺之佛殿。在週六時，他已講過一場，且主持了三位女眾（沙彌尼近哲、近朗、近持）的圓頂儀式和許多新佛友的三皈、五戒。
接著三天，一部滿載的巴士和二輛廂型車前往班福國家公園的山區，大家觀賞到世上獨特的高山連綿全景。攀登堡壘山雖然不易，但許多人還是能抵達山頂的湖畔，並歎賞層出不窮的美景。宣公上人說過，文殊師利菩薩已移駕到此；因此我們登山前，都虔誠頂禮九拜，這無疑的更像是一個朝聖之旅。
此行最有趣的部份，是參訪法總位於黃金鎮的道場──它環抱於大自然之中，高山為屏、溪澗穿流，住有各種動物，包括別處來的熊。上人親自選中此地，以便真修行人將來於此安住；他還預言：這裡將成為世界上最重要的佛教村之一。大眾很驚訝看到年輕的小朱出來打招呼，他在山裡打坐了幾個月，還正蓋著茅棚。事實上，我們來的正是時候，幫他把三面牆豎起。這是他對我們所說住進黃金鎮修行以來，親眼目睹的諸多感應之一。
約十八位僧眾，以及許多的佛友參與盛會，在這十天拜懺法會、音樂會的綜合活動中，產生了一股非常興奮的節慶氣氛。它們是華嚴聖寺由男眾轉為女眾道場的新旅程碑，有了改建的寺廟新設備、更寬敞的空間來容納成長中的信眾，前景將是光明燦爛，並在西方繼續轉妙法輪。
最後若不提到恆佐法師的勞苦功高，就失公平了。多年來，他在卡城戮力耕耘，方得留下這美好的廟宇、設施以及訓練良好的真正護法居士。
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Avatamsaka Monastery in Calgary celebrated the completion of the first phase of itsexpansion project with a series of events. These included the Emperor Liang Repentance Ceremony (Sep. 23 ~ 30), several Dharma lectures by visiting nuns on weekday evenings and by DM Sure over the weekend, a benefit concert by Miss Gwhyneth Chen, and a trip to the mountains. All these events were attended by many local people as well as others coming from the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in California, Gold Buddha Monastery in Vancouver, Prajna Guanyin Sagely Monastery in Malaysia and other places.
On Oct. 1, there was a piano concert benefit that rallied a huge crowd of more than 1,300 people. The well-known Taiwanese piano soloist Gwhyneth Chen, accompanied by the Spanish conductor Edmon Colomer and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, offered a superb rendering of two of the most difficult concerts in the world. Everybody left the concert hall invigorated by the music. The next day, Sunday, DM Sure lectured three times to a crowd that packed the Buddha Hall of Avatamsaka Monastery. The day before he gave a lecture and conducted a leaving-home ceremony to receive three new novice nuns (Shramanerikas Jin Je, Jin Lang, Jin Chih) into the Sangha and transmitted the Three Refuges and Five Precepts to many new disciples.
For the next three days, a full bus and two vans went on a trip to the magnificent mountains of Banff National Park where everybody could enjoy panoramic views unique in the world. Hiking to Castle Mountain was not easy but many were able to reach to the lakes on top and admire the beautiful view. Venerable Master Hua had said that Manjushri Bodhisattva had moved to that mountain, so everybody bowed in respect before starting the hike, which was more like a pilgrimage.
One of the most interesting parts of the trip was the visit to DRBA’s property at Golden, which is in the midst of nature, protected by high mountains, crisscrossed by creeks, and inhabited by all kind of animals, including bears! Venerable Master Hua had personally selected this place as the future settlement for true cultivators and had predicted that it would be one of the most important Buddhist communities in the world. All the visitors were surprised to be greeted by a young man, Leik, who has been meditating there for several months and who is even building his own hut. In fact, we arrived just in time to help him to raise the walls. That was one among the many responses he told us he had witnessed since he had moved to live and cultivate at Golden.
The combination of bowing the repentance ceremony, the music, a large assembly of about eighteen Sangha members, and the many visiting participants created a very uplifting and festive atmosphere for the entire ten days. These events also marked a turning point for Avatamsaka Monastery which from now on will be administered by Bhikshunis. With the new remodeled facilities and much more space to accomodate the growing numbers of people, the monastery has a very bright future as it continues to turn the wonderful wheel of Dharma in the West.
It would not be fair to finish this report without acknowledging the merit of DM Tso, who worked so hard for so many years at Calgary to leave behind such a wonderful legacy, in terms of both physical facilities and well-trained and sincere Dharma protectors.
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