|
法界佛教總會所屬洛杉磯分支道場長堤聖寺大殿新建落成，為祈求世界和平，特別啟建一堂梁皇寶懺，由臺灣的眞一法師——寶擷禪寺方丈，此次領了眞璉、眞諦、如恆三位法師共同主持法事。四月三日開懺，十一日結懺，法會中正逢宣公上人（萬佛聖城創辦者）和楊富森教授（法界佛教大學校尊）壽誕，因此四眾弟子發起「賀壽籌備會」，於四月四日舉行生日餐會，為這次的法會更添一殊勝意義。
餐會當天，賀壽的信眾超過千人，除了洛杉磯當地之外，尚有三藩市、聖荷西、西雅圖、紐約、英國、加拿大、馬來西亞、新加坡、臺灣等遠地而來的信眾。早上由眞一法師主持佛門祝壽儀，信眾次第向上人拜壽。十點半上堂說法，居士們捧著香、華、燈、果隨引禮師，迎請老和尚登上法座，對大眾開示。
十二點餐會開始，臺灣省臺北佛教同修會會長游正華居士是本餐會的司儀，他與郭美居、林文偉等特別赴美參加壽筵。接著加州州長魏彼德的代表蘇珊納致辭祝賀。
|
|
To pray for world peace on the occasion of the completion of the new Buddha Hall of Long Beach Sagely Monastery (a Los Angeles subsidiary of Dharma Realm Buddhist Association), the Jeweled Repentance of the Emperor of Lyang was held during April 3-11. Dharma Master Jen Yi of Bau Jye Chan Monastery in Taiwan, together with Dharma Masters Jen Lyan, Jen Di, and Ru Heng, directed the Repentance. Since the birthdays of both Venerable Master Hsuan Hua (Founder of the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas) and Professor Richard Yang (the Honored Chancellor of Dharma Realm Buddhist University) occurred during the Repentance, the four-fold assembly of disciples formed a committee to organize a birthday celebration on April 4, making the Repentance even more significant.
That day, over a thousand devotees came to celebrate from Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, New York, England, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. In the morning, Dharma Master Jen Yi hosted a Buddhist birthday celebration ceremony, and devotees took turns to bow respectfully to the Venerable Master, who entered the Hall at 10:30 to speak the Dharma. Following the precentors, laypeople carrying incense, flowers, lamps and fruit requested the elderly monk to ascend the Dharma seat and instruct the great assembly.
The banquet started at noon with Mr. You Jeng-hwa, the President of the Taipei Buddhist Association in Taiwan, opening as Master of Ceremonies. He, Gwo Mei-jyu, Lin Wen-wei, and others, came to the United States especially to attend this banquet. Then Suzanna Tashiro represented California Governor Pete Wilson to read birthday wishes.
|
■從左至右：宣公上人，眞一法師，祖炳民，蘇珊納，李東渤，楊校尊。
From left: Ven. Master Hsuan Hua, Dharma Master Jen Yi, Dr. John Tsu, Susanna Tashiro, Dr. Richard Yang.
|
 |
|
|
壽星之一的楊校尊接著獻給上人自作的一首藏頭詩：「宣揚佛法渡重洋，化育英才利萬邦，上界菩薩發智慧，人間導師啟愚盲。」每一句第一個字合起來，即是「宣化上人」四字。用齊至半，代表向壽星獻壽桃，萬佛聖城學生敬呈上他們的畫作，祝上人生日快樂，上人告訴大眾：「這是每一個人的生日。」
在溫馨的氣氛中，金輪聖寺義務學校學生，以中、英雙語朗誦「大學之道」——大學之道，在明明德，在親民，在止於至善…，接著學生演了一齣話劇，描寫小鹿王子——瑞智與暗鈍，一個守戒聽話，完成任務；一個違犯規矩，自討苦吃。如是因、如是果的眞理，由純眞活潑的孩子演來，除了給餐會帶來歡樂外，更加引人深省，游居士稱這正是上人在西方成功推展道德教育的明證。隨後洛杉磯居士團獻唱兩首歌，表達他們最誠摯的祝福。 |
|
Honored Chancellor Yang offered the Venerable Master his verse, "To propagate the Buddhadharma, you came across the ocean. You nurture superior talents and benefit all countries. A Bodhisattva of the higher realm, you inspire our wisdom. A teacher in the world, you guide the foolish and blind." Take the first word of each line in Chinese, and you get "Venerable Master Hsuan Hua." During the banquet, longevity peaches were given to both birthday figures, and students from the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas presented their artwork to the Venerable Master, wishing him a "Happy Birthday." The Master told the assembly, "This is everyone's birthday."
In the congenial atmosphere, students from Instilling Goodness Elementary School of Gold Wheel Sagely Monastery recited The Way of Great Learning in Chinese and English: "The way of great learning is to understand the illustrious virtue, to be kind to the people, to attain the ultimate goodness..." The kindergarten students performed a moral play called "Prince Auspicious Wisdom and Prince Dark Dolt" about two deer princes. One followed the precepts and instructions and accomplished his mission; the other violated the rules and suffered. The enactment of the principle of cause and effect by such innocent and lively children was both delightful and inspirational. Mr. You Jeng-hwa praised it as evidence of the Master's success in promoting moral education in the West. Following that, the laypeople of Gold Wheel Monastery sang two songs to express their sincere wishes.
|
■左圖：現任長提市市議員杜魯門。
右圖：前任長提市市議員艾格敦。
Left: Councilman Douglas S. Drummond of Long Beach City.
Right: former Councilman Wallace Edgerton of Long Beach City.
|
 |
|
|
接著長堤市市議員杜魯門，及前市議員艾格敦分別致辭，他們歡迎上人常住此地，教化眾生。楊校尊隨機宣布上人委託他代辦的「至善研究院」，希望能早日成立。前美國總統布希的亞裔主席、州長高級顧問祖炳民教授隨後致辭，並請楊校尊唱一段京戲，在眾人再三敦請下，楊校尊唱了一段「三國志」，聲震全場，如叩洪鐘，唱畢，大眾佩服不已。上人接著請紐約新聞報社長李東渤先生說話，他說在法會中見到很多人因受餐會中敬老懷少的氣氛感動而流淚，令他非常感動，他並建議在每年的四月大家一起來過生日。上人接著開示，勉勵大眾：「如果你們都能諸惡不作，眾善奉行，能自淨其意，我一定等著你們大家都成佛了，我再成佛；你們那一位不成佛，我就等著你們，你們不成佛，我也不成佛。所以我發這個願，你們各位也不要忘了，我也不要忘了，大家本著這個願力去做事就好了 。」「諸惡不作，眾善奉行，自淨其意，是諸佛教。」這是我們應該永遠牢記，身體力行的一句話。最後，上人隨口作出一首七言律詩回敬楊校尊，詩曰：「博恰淹貫一通儒，聲音清朗展鴻圖；富國植林樵吾材，修身齊家壯志足。精神充沛豪氣盛，蠡縣癡翁幽默奇；山僧笨拙撰俚句，祝君百歲更無疑。」
下午兩點五十分餐會結束，隨後舉行放生，迴向功德，讓這次的餐會更加圓滿。
|
|
Councilman Douglas S. Drummond and former Councilman Wallace Edgerton both welcomed the Venerable Master to reside there and teach living beings. Then Honored chancellor Yang announced that at the Venerable Master's request, he will be engaged in establishing the Graduate Institute of Ultimate Goodness, and will hopefully succeed soon. Prof. John Tsu also gave a speech, and invited Chancellor Yang to sing Chinese Opera. After the assembly's continuous requests, he sang four lines from The Romance of Three Kingdoms. His resonant voice shook the entire hall, and when he finished, the audience was filled with admiration. The Ven. Master then asked Mr. Lee Dong-bwo, President of China Journal of New York, to speak. Mr. Lee said that he had seen many people weeping in the Dharma Assembly that morning and was greatly moved. He also proposed that such a celebration be held in April every year. Finally, the Venerable Master Hua encouraged everyone, "If you can refrain from all evil, practice all good deeds, and purify your mind, I will definitely wait until all of you become Buddhas before I become a Buddha. If any one of you has not become a Buddha, I will wait for you. If you don't accomplish Buddhahood, I won't attain Buddhahood either. You all should not forget this vow I have made, and I won't forget it either. Everyone should base their actions on the power of this vow." "Do no evil; practice all good, and purify your own mind. That is the teaching of all Buddhas." We should always remember and practice that sentence. At the end of his speech, the Venerable Master spontaneously composed the following verse in response to Honored Chancellor Yang: "Broad and profound, erudite and extensive, he is such a penetrating scholar. His clear, resonant voice opens up a bright future. Enriching the country and planting the woods, he thus trains the talented. He cultivates a strong body, regulates his family and has great aspirations. With full energy and a magnificent spirit, the sentimental old man from Li County has a unique sense of humor. The clumsy monk from the mountain composed these rustic expressions to wish you a hundred years for sure."
The banquet ended at 2:50 in the afternoon, and was followed by a Liberating Life Ceremony and Transference of Merit, thus completing the celebration.
|
|
