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【本刊訊】上海市第一社會福利院佛教居士安養部，近日在中國大陸倡印由法界佛教大學出版之《大佛頂首楞嚴經》一書，引用張勤樸於《社會科學戰線》第四期文字，介紹講述者宣化上人，標題為〈全球第一高僧—宣化上人〉。上人特此聲明，否認如此稱呼。因為自己道不足感人，德不足以化人，不敢承認為世界第一高僧。
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全球第一高僧——宣化上人
宣化上人現任「美國佛教總會」會長、「世界佛學聯誼會」會長。他俗姓白，一九一五年生於吉林省雙城縣，十九歲時落髮空門，後成為禪宗第九代傳人。一九四九年應香港佛眾之邀，去香港弘法。一九六二年春，他懷著重整世風，拯救西方青年的宏願，遠涉重洋到美國去宣講佛法，經過二十九個春秋的苦行，終於使佛教禪宗在美國紮了根，他還在加州造了萬佛聖城，裡面供奉著一萬尊佛雕。他還創辦了法界佛教大學，和學生們一起把各種佛教經典譯成英、法、西班牙等多種文字。中外佛教界人士稱他是繼玄奘、鑒其之後的「中國第三大和尚」、「全球第一高僧」。儘管當年裏根總統和一些上層人士動員他加入美國籍，可他不為所動，仍保留中國國籍。他認為，真正的佛教在中國大陸並希望有機會回國來探望他闊別幾十年的父老兄弟，以敘桑梓之情，以釋懷鄉之念。
（張勤樸摘自《社會科學戰線》第4期） |
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Announcement: The Lay Buddhist Care Unit of the First Social Welfare Department of Shanghai recently published the Commentary on the Shurangama Sutra released by Dharma Realm Buddhist Association, including the following introduction to the commentator quoted from Battle Front Social Science No. 4 by Chiu Pu Chang. The Venerable Master has declined the title "Foremost High Sanghan", saying that he lacks the cultivation and virtue to influence and transform people.
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The Foremost High Sanghan in the World -
Venerable Master Hsuan Hua
Venerable Master Hsuan Hua is presently the chairman of Dharma Realm Buddhist Association in the U.S. and of the World Buddhism Fellowship Association. His surname was Bai, and he was born in Shuang Cheng (Twin Cities) County, Jilin Province in China in 1915. He shaved his head and became a left-home person at age nineteen, and is the ninth successor in Ch'an School. At the request of Buddhists in Hong Kong, he went there to propagate the Buddhadharma. Wishing to regulate the world and rescue the young people in the West, he crossed the ocean to come to America to expound the Buddha's teachings. During twenty-nine years of ascetic practice, he has firmly planted the root of the Ch'an School in the United States. Moreover, he has built the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in California, where ten thousand Buddhas are worshipped. Also located there is the Dharma Realm Buddhist University, where students are currently translating the Buddhist 'scriptures into English, French, Spanish and other languages: Buddhists of China and other countries call him "the third great monk" and "the foremost high Sanghan," succeeding Hsuan Jang and jen Jeng. President Reagan and other high ranking people have unsuccessfully tried to persuade him to become naturalized as an American. However, he feels that the real Buddhism is in mainland China, and still wishes to have a chance to return and visit relatives and friends in his hometown.
( quoted from Battle Front Social Science No. 4 by Chiu Pu Chang) |
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