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上人開示於一九九二年九月十一日
各位同學，各位同修，各位同願：外邊說萬佛聖城規矩很嚴的，實際上萬佛聖城是一個沒有規矩的道場，剛剛開始，樣樣都沒有上軌道，也沒有就緒。我們這個佛殿根本也不是一個正式的佛殿，原來是人家一個打球的球場，我們用它來作佛殿，所以這已經是不合乎規則的一個佛殿。可是我早就想造一個正式的佛教道場，頭一次申請在萬佛殿後邊那塊空地上，造一座三百呎乘兩百呎那麼大的佛殿，可以有一萬個人來拜佛。結果政府也已經批准了。可是我們為了長遠的計劃，又改了地址，改在五觀堂前面草坪上，政府也批准了住眾的寮房，可是因為這塊地配合不起來，有捉襟見肘的這種趨勢，雖然說三十多畝，可是還不夠來陪襯這個佛殿，雖然批准了，我們又改了，又改到東邊九十多畝，有個樹林子那個地方。可是這回呀！因為屬於農地的關係，就開了很多次公聽會，有的就贊成，有一班農民就反對。這樣子一拖，又拖了好幾年。
在今年，我帶著病和農友會這些農人開會，開會結果他們都不反對我們了，所以現在政府可能通過我們這個計劃。如果計劃通過了，我們正式造一個佛教宮殿式的廟宇，那麼所有修道的人，都可以搬到一起去，設備方面，傳戒，或做什麼事情都很夠用，地方也很合用。這個樣子才算是萬佛聖城上了軌道了，我們在那邊把妙覺聖寺造好了，這一邊一切的地方、建築物，就改做大學、中學、小學來使用。
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Talk by the Venerable Master on September 11, 1992
All fellow students, fellow cultivators, and those sharing the same vows: People outside say that at Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas are really strict. Actually, the Sagely is a Way-place with no rules at all; it has just begun, and nothing has gotten on track and come to order yet.
Our Buddha Hall isn't even a proper Buddha Hall. It used to be a basketball court, which we turned into a Buddha Hall. So this Buddha Hall is already not in accord with the rules. However, I've wanted to build a proper Buddhist Way-place for a long time. The first time, we applied to construct a three-hundred by two-hundred foot Buddha Hall on the empty lot behind the existing Buddha Hall, which could accommodate ten thousand worshippers, and the government approved it. But for the sake of our long-term plans, we relocated it to the meadow in front of the Dining Hall, and the government approved it again. However, although this site was over thirty acres, it was not large enough to include living quarters as well as the Buddha Hall, so although it was approved, we changed our plan again, and moved it to a ninety-acre wooded site to the east. But this time, because the site was classified as agricultural land, we had to go through many public hearings, in which some people supported it, while certain farmers opposed it. Thus, many years have passed with one delay after another.
This year, while still ill, I met with the Farmer's Association, and as a result of our meeting they no longer oppose us. So now the government may approve our project. If so, we can begin constructing a Buddhist monastery. Not only can all the cultivators move in together, it will also be equipped to hold ordination ceremonies and other events. The place will be ready to use. Only then can the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas be considered properly operative. Once we build the Wonderful Enlightenment Sagely Monastery, all these buildings over here can be used for the university, high school, and elementary school.
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