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果業 新加坡
美國萬佛聖城的萬佛寶懺，早已聞名亞洲。這裡拜萬佛的儀式是相當嚴謹的。維那的聲音很好聽，東西兩邊配合唱起來很悅耳。二十多天的拜懺，從早晨八時至傍晚五時，其間每拜一小時，就休息十五分鐘。拜萬佛可以消除無始劫來的業障，我們可以觀想著自己代表家人，親戚朋友來拜有些人觀想佛放慈光洗淨他的污垢，使身、口、意清淨；若疾病纏身的人，也盼望佛菩薩的加持，今之早離苦海。
若是尚未信佛者，也可以來拜佛，因為這是一種很好的運動；由其對於老年人，這種緩慢的拜佛也是非常適合的。朋友們，拜萬佛懺的好處這麼多，希望您明年一起來參加。
倪德娥 新加坡
未到萬佛城以前，我沒試過以這樣長的時間拜佛，所以開始的幾天拜得好辛苦，就好像休息了很久又開始運動；膝蓋跪得好痛，腿也很酸。以前聽人說，拜佛要觀想每一尊佛的樣子，但是我看每一尊佛的模樣都是一樣的，不知如何觀想；結果就觀想大自然景物，如一片樹林、一朵花、一條河流、深山古廟、大海、彩雲、星星和月亮，有時也觀想父母、兄弟姐妹及朋友和我一起拜，或者就專注在佛經中的佛名。領唱的法師聲音悅耳，彷彿是仙樂飄送一般。最後幾天拜得很愉快。以前拜大悲懺時，總覺得時間很長，希望快些拜完，但拜完萬佛懺之後再拜大悲懺時，有身心愉快之感。希望借此拜萬佛的因緣，能達到淨化心靈的目的，並也以此功德，祈求世界和平，戰爭永息。
洪慧真（新加坡）
這是我第一次到萬佛城。覺得這裡有別於其他的佛寺，是在萬佛城中小學的學生，甚至是美國小學生，年紀小小都會唸經、唸咒，很高興看到佛法能在此地興盛。此外，這裡的道風也與其他地方不一樣，法師們日中一食，也很賣力工作，這裡出家眾修的苦行是值得其他的出家人學習的。
到萬佛城時，知客師很友善，還幫我搬了一個大行李上樓。可惜我連出家人怎麼稱呼都不會，一開口就叫師父，也不知道知客師的名字。萬佛城很大，我們也不知道那裡是女眾可去或不可去的地方；有些人連佛堂在那兒也不知道，更不曉得什麼是延生堂、往生堂也不懂，連師父是什麼樣子都是聽說的。有些人只想來拜佛，其他的事也不理；有些人要把事情弄明白了才拜佛。尤其是師父的行蹤，更不易知道，還有浴佛節當天早晨的三步一拜，我也錯過了，實在可惜！
果璇 香港人—來自佛羅里達州
我想要到萬佛城的願望終於實現了！當我知道萬佛城將舉辦萬佛懺來迎接佛誕日時，我很高興，為了不要錯過此殊勝因緣，我買了飛機票從佛羅里達州到三藩市。
現在我於此已經兩個月了。一個月的拜懺及佛誕日也已過了。回想起我參加萬佛懺時，我覺得法喜充滿。第一天的拜懺，我心情緊張，每一個人都穿得很整齊的排列在佛殿的拜墊前。獻了花之後，接著唱佛名號及拜佛。一切事情處理得很有規律，廚房工作的法師也很慈悲，每天準備茶水給我們潤喉。
我想起曾閱佛書說，當我們誦經之後，就要迴向功德給一切眾生，所以我也迴向功德給我的父母；但接下來，我也領悟到我也要迴向給一切眾生，我就很高興的這樣做了！拜懺其間，我都在嘗試觀想佛名號，當妄想來臨時，我就把它放下。然而，我的左腳向來有問題，很久以前它不時會有疼痛，所以現在愈加嚴重了。我拜懺幾天之後，我的腿開始不聽話，我很擔心不能拜完整個萬佛懺。我的朋友給了我一些藥，也不見效果，所以我開始向佛來祈求。
幾天過後，有一次我跪拜在拜墊上，我看到一位法師的面孔出現在我眼前。他很莊嚴的笑著，一閃即失。我記起師父曾說過，我們無論見到了什麼，是佛或魔，也不要管他，所以我繼續觀想及拜佛。在萬佛懺結束的前幾天，我的疼痛消失了，覺得很舒服。還是件很不可思議的事，到現在一直很好，我只有祈禱和感激佛菩薩的慈悲。
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Gwo Yeh, from Singapore
The Ten Thousand Buddhas repentance ceremony at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in America has been famous throughout Asia for years. The ceremony as conducted here is quite rigorous and strict. The Master of Ceremony's voice is quite pleasant to listen to, and the two sides of the hall bowing in sequence one after the other. All in all, it creates a truly delightful sound. We bow for more than twenty days, starting from eight in the morning until five at night, with each period lasting one hour, and a fifteen minute break in between. Bowing in respect to the Buddhas can eradicate karmic obstacles piled up for millions of eons. We can contemplate that we are bowing on behalf of our families, our kinfolk, and our friends. Some participants contemplate that the Buddhas are releasing lights that wash over and purify the Assembly, taking away all their defilements and impurities, so that their bodies, mouths, and minds are made pure. Other people come with serious illnesses, hoping that the aid of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will quickly pull them from the sea of pain and misery.
People who do not yet believe in the Buddha can also come bow in the ceremony, because it makes for excellent exercise. The slow, gentle rhythm of the bowing is quite suitable for especially for the elderly as well.
Friends, since the Ten Thousand Buddhas' Repentance has so many advantages, I hope that you will all come take part next year.
Ni De-eh, from Singapore
Before I came to the CITB I had never bowed for such an extended period of time. So the first few days of bowing took a lot of effort to get through. It felt like getting back in shape to exercise after too long a period of inactivity. My kneecaps ached, and my legs were sore. I heard someone say that we should contemplate each one of die Buddhas' separate physical appearances, but to me all Buddhas look alike, and I didn't know how to contemplate diem in that way. So I wound up simply contemplating the various features of Nature, like forests, flowers, rivers, mountains, ancient temples, the ocean, colored clouds, the stars, and the moon.
Sometimes I would contemplate that my mother and my father, my sisters and brothers, my family and friends were all there bowing alongside me. Otherwise, I would simply concen trate on each Buddha's name that appeared in the text.
The voice of the Dharma Master who lead the ceremony was nice to hear, seeming to be ethereal and light. The bowing during the last few days of the ceremony were joyful. I used to think that the ninety minutes of the Great Compassion Repentance passed very slowly; it never seemed to end. But now after having bowed the Ten Thousand Buddhas' Repentance, when we bow the Great Compassion Repentance, I feel elated and blissful in body and mind.
I hope to use this experience of the Ten Thousand Buddhas' Repentance to gain a pure mind and clear spirit; I also hope that this merit and virtue will bring the world to peace and put an end to wars.
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Moreover, the "Style of Cultivation", the spiritual atmosphere here is different from other places. |
Gong Hwei Jen from Singapore
This was my first visit to the CTTB. I feel there is something special here that you won't find elsewhere: the young schoolchildren, even the young Americans can all recite sutras and mantras. It makes me happy to see that Buddhism is going to flourish here in this country. Moreover, the "Style of Cultivation", the spiritual atmosphere here is different from other places. The Sangha members eat just once a day at noon, yet they work hard all the time. I feel that the ascetic practices that are practiced here ought to be learned by monks the world over.
The first day I arrived, the Guest Prefect nun was very friendly, and helped me move a heavy suitcase upstairs. What a shame, I don't even know the right way to address monks and nuns, so I call them all "Shr Fu". and I still don't know the name of the Guest Prefect who helped me out. The CTTB is a large place, and to this day I'm not sure which part of the campus is restricted to men and which to women. Some of the guests here didn't even know how to find the worship hall, nor did they know the difference between the Long Life Hall and the Rebirth Hall. Others couldn't even recognize Shr Fu's face, if they saw it, they knew him only by reputation.
Some people came here only to bow to the Buddhas, they paid attention to nothing else, while others wanted to get the whole picture before they began to bow. The Ven. Abbot's comings and goings are not our business; but the one thing that I do regret was that I didn't join in on the Three Steps, One Bow pilgrimage to the Buddhahall. I'm really sorry I missed it!
Lucille Hui (Gwo Hsuan) from Hong Kong, currently a resident of Florida
Finally I got my long-held wish to come to the City Of Ten Thousand Buddhas! I was happy to learn that the CTTB was going to hold the Ten Thousand Buddha's Bowing Repentance in order to celebrate the Buddha's Birthday. In order not to miss this splendid chance, I bought a plane ticket from Florida to San Francisco.
Time flies and I've been here for two months now, the first month was spent in bowing to the Buddhas and climaxed by celebrating the Buddha's birthday.
I enjoyed the entire period spent bowing the Repentance. It passed in a daily state of "Dharma-bliss". I would like to share my experiences at the time. It was really exciting the first day, with everybody wearing their tidy robes and standing in straight lines in front of the Buddhas. Then after we made our first offering of flowers and incense, we got down to business bowing to the names of all the Buddhas. Everything was arranged according to Dharma, and stayed under control. The ceremony proceeded in orderly fashion. The nuns who worked in the kitchen were so kind to prepare us drinks everyday to soften our voices.
Once I read in a sutra that when we finish reciting we should transfer the merit to all living beings, and we should not be greedy for the virtue ourselves. So the first thing I did was to pray to the Buddhas to make transference to my parents. But then later on I realized that I wanted to transfer to every living being as well. So I did that very happily.
While we bowed and chanted, I tried hard to concentrate and focus on each Buddha's name, and if some other false thoughts arose, I would put them aside immediately.
My left leg has given me trouble for a long time, and for years it would hurt me from time to time. During the bowing the pain really got serious. It began to bother me, since we did so many bows each day. I worried that I might not be able to finish the Repentance. A friend gave me some medicine but it didn't change anything. Therefore I could only pray to the Buddhas and try the best I could.
The time passed, and one day I was kneeling down on a cushion to make a bow, I saw a Bhikshuni's face appear before me. She looked pretty and adorned, and she smiled. The vision lasted only an instant, and then disappeared. I recalled that the Ven. Master said that if we see anything, no matter whether it is the Buddha or a demon, we should just ignore it. So I continued to focus on the bowing. And a few days before the ceremony was over my leg was suddenly released from pain, and the soreness was all gone. I felt comfortable, and nothing bothered me.
It was quite incredible, but from then until now, I feel really fine. I pray and give thanks to the Buddha.
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