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三週的萬佛寶懺功德圓滿後，隔了一日，就是佛教每年最隆重的日子—佛教教主釋迦如來的聖誕。從東南亞，歐洲，加拿大及美國各地的信眾提前來城，趁著萬佛寶懺圓滿之前，倍加虔誠的禮拜。
佛誕正日正值週日。信眾從加州各地凌晨即啟程前來。剛下了車，就隨眾人投入佈置工作中。廣場前堆滿了鮮花，小孩們也湊在一起忙碌，圍繞在大佛座前，把香花撒掛在佛像身上。
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The three-week Great Repentance Ceremony of Bowing to the Ten Thousand Buddhas came to an end, and the merit and virtue was complete. The next day was the biggest annual holiday on the Buddhist calendar-the birthday of Shakyamuni Buddha, the founder of the religion. From Asia, from Europe, from Canada, and America, the multitudes of disciples came to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Since many of them had joined in the repentance beforehand, the bowing this year was made even more meaningful.
Sunday was to be the official day of the celebration, according to the Mahayana calendar, and people came from all over California, starting their travel in the wee hours of the morning. Even as they arrived in the parking lot, volunteers were enlisted in the preparatory activities.
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八時正開始法會，九時舉行浴佛，遠從英國也來了三位南傳法師，特為此盛會而出席。宣化上人帶領大眾，嚴整隊伍各自上前灌沐小佛像，洗滌身心。十一時，大眾排隊進入大齋堂一起用齋。萬佛城培德中學、育良小學學生，及洛杉磯金輪寺中文學校學生為大眾表演歌唱及樂曲。宣化上人開示說：「當今的教育面臨破產，大家樂曲。宣化上人開示說：「當今的教育面臨破產，大家要多注重教育，推行孝道，以挽回學生及青年人的慧命。」曼都仙奴郡委員布曲女士，特別與大眾一起用餐。致詞時，她表示贊同上人對教育問題之看法。她出身教育界，也願意共同努力挽救教育。恆來法師開示說：「大家過生日時都要送禮物，但佛一切都已具足，什麼是獻給佛最好的禮物呢？最好是把我們的貪瞋癡習氣布施給佛。今天是佛誕日，我們要多多忍耐，莫發脾氣。」
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Students adorning the Buddha image for the Celebration
學生們正為著裝飾佛像而忙碌
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In front of the plaza were myriads of fresh flowers. Knots of children ran busily around the Buddhas' lotus thrones, placing the fragrant flowers atop the Buddha images.Dharma Master Heng Lai said "We give birthday presents on birthdays, but the Buddha already has everything. What is the best gift we could give to the Buddha? The best offering we could make to the Buddha is our greed, hatred, and stupidity, as well as our bad habits. Since this is the Buddha's birthday, we should be really patient and not get angry."
Mendocino County Supervisor Marilyn Butcher was the day's special guest. In her remarks after lunch, she expressed a concern for education and discussed her distinguished educational background. Mrs. Butcher said she placed supporting schools high among her priorities.
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Bowing to the Buddhas
法會現場：拜願
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Amaro Bhikku from England spoke about how to walk the Bodhisattva Path, saying that we should travel from within our minds, to begin practicing Bodhisattva practices. We do this by getting rid of the Three Poisons, transforming our anger, and paying attention to our motives. We practice not attaching to our doubts, rather just letting them wither away by themselves. This is the initial movement along the Bodhisattva Path.
In the afternoon there was a Liberating Life Ceremony outside the Long Life Hall. Many small animals were set out in cages, bunnies, turtles, and small birds, who having met the Buddha's kindness, were on their way to another chance at freedom. Simultaneously, the Ven. Abbot held a Refuge Ceremony and Five Precepts Transmission inside the Buddha-hall.
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接下來英國的 Amaron 比丘開示。他表示我們行菩薩道要先從內心修菩薩行，去三毒，化解氣，要注意自己的起心動念，莫執著及疑惑心中的念頭，讓它自然退失。
午齋過後，延生堂舉行放生儀式；許多小動物—小兔，烏龜，小鳥等皆得蒙佛恩重獲自由。在此同時，上人在萬佛殿主持皈依及授戒儀式。上人特別交待新皈依的佛子們，要他們禮佛一萬拜後，方能稱為師父的弟子。
皈依儀式之後有九人受五戒。授戒完畢，信眾們圍繞在師父身邊獻供養及求加持。師父上人慈悲的滿他們的願，持手杖往他們頭上各敲三下；連一位八個月大的小娃娃也不落後，由慈母抱著上前求挨師父的拐杖。師父幽默的笑著說：「你們都要我打，那我由誰來打呀？」
浴佛浴心，誰能清除心中的污垢，保持心中的清淨，誰就是浴佛節的最大收穫者。
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The Ven. Abbot instructed the new disciples that they
should bow 10,000 bows if they wanted to be considered his
genuine disciples.
Five people took the Five Precepts following the Refuge.
After the Precepts, the group of new disciples gathered in a
circle around the Ven. Abbot to make offerings to him. The
Master compassionately fulfilled the wishes of those who
came seeking a blessing from his walking stick. He said,
"You all want me to hit you. After having bathed the Buddha
on the Buddha's birthday, who can really wash clean the
defilements from the mind, and can protect its purity? The
person who can do so is the one who brought back the most
gifts from the Buddha's Birthday at GTTB. Tell me, who can I
ask to hit me?
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Bhikku Ajahn Amaro from England's Amaravati Buddhist Centre gives talk during lunch.
來自英國 ABC 佛教中心的 Ajahn Amaro 比丘
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