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【本刊訊】萬佛聖城在十月最後一個週末，歡迎四十位漢堡加州州立大學學生來訪。此次由該校宗教系教授－羅傑士神父陪同前來。整個週末訪問團沈浸在一片熱烈交流討論中，學生們熱衷於瞭解什麼是佛教。全體學生並趕早三點半起身，以便參加早課，同時觀摩聖城修行生活的一面，以備將來運用於個人生活中。此外並享用了營養可口的中式齋菜。值得一提的是學生當中有六位已發心吃齋，成為虔誠的素食者。
法界佛教大學安排了一系列講座，傳遞佛法智慧的結晶，包括：佛教唱誦、法會、靜坐。由法大代理校長阿匹納博士、易象乾博士，及恆實博士、恆茹學士、恆勝碩土、恆持博士等法師和羅傑士神父共同主持，主題有佛教、靈性、倫理與政治，並且回答學生們層出不窮的問題，其中多為在聖城小住的個人領會。楊富森教授也相繼生動有趣地介紹西方對中國文化的誤解與瞭解，以及有關中國語言與文化的傳承。他並提醒聽眾中美之間，僅隔著太平洋，如今空中交通方便，大家對此緊鄰關係應習慣。
週日上午，羅神父在萬佛殿主持彌撒，最有意義的是該日恰為天主教重要節日－萬聖節。下午學生們依依不捨，部份人士臨別更許諾，定要重返聖城，瞭解佛法以及交換此行對未來生活、文化、宗教上的影響。
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Announcement--On the last weekend in October, a group of forty students from Humboldt State University (HSU) visited the City, led by Father Rogers, HSU's Catholic Chaplain and Professor of Religious Studies. In the lively discussions over the weekend, students discovered what Buddhism really is. They all rose at 3:30 a.m. to participate in the morning ceremony, as part of learning about the spiritual experience in a monastic community, and afterwards enjoyed a Chinese vegetarian breakfast. Six students even decided to become permanent vegetarians.
The Dharma Realm Buddhist University arranged a series of lectures introducing Buddhist chanting, ceremonies and meditation. DRBU's Acting President Dr. Snjezana Akpinar, Dr. Ronald Epstein, and Dharma Masters Heng Sure, Ph. D., Heng Ru, B.A., Heng Sheng, M.A. and Heng Chr, Ph.D., and Father Rogers led discussions on Buddhism, spirituality; ethics and politics, and answered the students' numerous questions, mostly inspired by their experience at the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas.
Dr. Richard Yang continued with a lively account on Chinese culture and its misunderstandings and interpretations in the West, also introducing the Chinese language and heritage. He reminded the audience that with modern air-travel, we should get used to viewing China as our next-door-neighbor, just across a river called the Pacific Ocean.
On Sunday morning Father Rogers held a Catholic Mass in the Buddha Hall which was all the more significant since it fell on All Saints' Day, an important Catholic holiday. By Sunday afternoon the students had a hard time leaving. Many promised to return and learn more about Buddhism, saying that the experience had changed their lives, helping them see the world from a new perspective and understand their own culture and religion better.
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