當代佛教高僧宣化上人於七月二十八日，在北加州萬佛聖城荼毗。兩千餘位自世界各地前來的信，在懷念追思的心情中，望著青煙裊裊上升。上人的肉身雖已火化，但「不為自己求利益，但願眾生得安樂」的精神，將永遠留在所有佛弟子的心頭。

二十八日上午七時起，佛教南北傳諸山長老已開始主持法會，將宣公上人的法體，自靈堂迎請至萬佛殿前的祖師堂。宣公上人是禪門溈仰宗第九代的祖師。來自美、加、歐、亞各國的兩千餘位信眾，包括宣公上人的多位美籍弟子，都放下工作、事業，專程前往萬佛聖城，參加上人的追思暨荼毗大典。

◆追思大會The Memorial Ceremony

上午八時半，追思大會正式展開。首先由來自中國大陸的「中國佛教協會」副會長明暘法師宣讀中國佛協會長趙樸初的唁電。

美國妙法院住持旭朗法師接著致詞指出，宣公上人在美國弘揚正法，不遺餘力。中國人到美國來開創道場，很不容易；上人開創了二十餘處道場，更是不容易。

一百零七歲的人瑞法師達瑪瓦若，則表示：「宣公上人的圓寂，彷彿一顆巨星的殞落，但另一顆新生的巨星將會繼起。」

西方出家人當中，戒臘最長（二十九年）的蘇美度法師，目前在英國有四處道場。他年輕時，曾前往泰國修苦行多年。宣公上人生前數次提及，要弟子們學習蘇美度法師苦修的精神。蘇美度法師指出，宣公上人將正法帶到遙遠的西方，清淨的法永遠是真的不生不滅。蘇美度法師代表西方人，包括美國人與歐洲人，向宣公上人表達最崇高的敬意。

甘迺迪大學教授祖炳民宣讀前美國總統喬治‧布希，以及加州現任州長威爾遜的弔唁信函之後，駐舊金山臺北經濟文化辦事處副處長傅迪宣讀了中華民國總統府資政林洋港與總統府秘書長吳伯雄的唁電。辦事處廖港民組長也陪同傅副處長前來。

萬佛聖城所在的曼都仙諾郡郡長富蘭克‧馬可麥克曾經多次參加萬佛聖城舉辦的法會。這次也特地前來參加上人荼毗大典，以表達他對上人的敬意。

加州選出的國會眾議員富蘭克‧瑞格斯派代表德瑞爾‧夏爾致詞表示，曼都仙諾郡及此地社區的日漸進步，是因為宣公上人在此住持。瑞格斯眾議員也是宣公上人治喪委員會的成員之一。

上午九時四十分，舉行「傳供儀式」。一百零八份供品，由兩千多位信眾接力傳送。這是宣公上人座下弟子，在上人火化前，最後一次獻上心意。

荼毗大典，於下午一時開始。上人的弟子與各界人士排隊魚貫進入祖師堂，一一瞻仰上人德相。三時正，上人的靈柩移往火化地點。兩千多人也隨同前往荼毗現場。在大眾虔誠的念佛聲中，明暘法師於四時二十分舉起火把，口誦偈語，大喝一聲：「燒！」這時宣公上人的四眾弟子紛紛跪拜，向這位精神導師的肉身告別。

宣公上人的骨灰，於七月二十九日上午，以熱氣球盛載升空，遍撒在萬佛聖城的上空。誠如上人在遺言中所交待的：「我來的時候什麼也沒有；走的時候，還是什麼也不要，在世上我不要留什麼痕跡。」

雖然宣公上人不要在世上留痕跡，但他老人家在西方弘揚佛法，翻譯佛經，開辦教育，感動了無數西方人，播下了菩提覺悟的種子，這已是無法磨滅的痕跡。宣公上人的美籍資深弟子之一，舊金山州大哲學系教授易象乾博士說得好：「雖然上人大部分的弟子都是中國人，但後人所記得他的，恐怕還是他將佛教帶到西方的事業。」

The body of the Venerable Master Hua was cremated on July 28, 1995, at the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in northern California. More than two thousand devotees from around the world watched mournfully as the blue flames rose higher inside the crematory. Although the Venerable Master’s flesh body was cremated, his spirit of not seeking any benefit for himself and wishing only to bring peace and happiness to living beings will remain forever in the hearts of all Buddhist disciples.

At seven o’clock in the morning on July 28, Elder Masters from both Theravada and Mahayana traditions hosted a ceremony for inviting the Venerable Master from the Nirvana Hall to the Patriarchs’ Hall in front of the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas. The Venerable Master Hua was the Ninth Patriarch of the Wei Yang Sect of Chan Buddhism. The two thousand and some followers from the United States, Canada, and various Asian and European countries, including many of the Venerable Master’s American disciples, put down their work and business in order to come to the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas to take part in the Memorial and Cremation Ceremonies for the Venerable Master.

The Memorial Ceremony itself began at eight-thirty in the morning. Dharma Master Ming Yang, the Vice-Chairman of the Chinese Buddhist Association in mainland China, started off by reading a telegram of condolence from the Chairman of the Association, Zhao Puchu.

Dharma Master Xu Lang, Abbot of Miaofa Temple in the United States, followed with a speech in which he pointed that the Venerable Master Hua had not spared any effort in propagating the proper Dharma in America. He also said that it was not easy for a Chinese to come to the United States and found a monastery, much less over twenty monasteries.

The Cambodian Dharma Master Dharmawara, who is 107 years old, compared the Venerable Master’s completion of stillness to the falling of a great star, but pointed out that the falling of this great star will make room for a new one.

Venerable Ajahn Sumedho, who is the most senior Western monk (ordained for twenty-nine years), currently oversees four monasteries in England. He practiced ascetism for many years in Thailand as a young man. When the Venerable Master Hua was alive, he often encouraged his disciples to learn Ajahn Sumedho’s spirit in ascetic cultivation. Ajahn Sumedho pointed out that the Venerable Master Hua had brought the proper Dharma to the West from far away, and that this pure Dharma was eternally real, unborn and undying. Ajahn Sumedho offered his deepest respects to the Venerable Master on behalf of Westerners, including people of America and Europe.

Professor John Tsu of John F. Kennedy University read letters of condolence from George Bush, former President of the United States, and Pete Wilson, Governor of California. Following that, Fu Di, the Deputy Director of the San Francisco branch of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office read telegrams of condolence sent by Lin Yanggang, Advisor to the President of the Republic of China, and by Wu Boxiong, Executive Secretary to the President. Deputy Director Fu Di was accompanied by the Supervisor of the Office, Liao Gangming.

Frank McMichael, the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Mendocino County, where the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas is located, has attended many of the Dharma assemblies held at the Sagely City. This time he especially visited the Sagely City to offer his respects to the Venerable Master by attending the cremation ceremony.

Congressman Frank Riggs, who represents California in the U.S. Congress, sent Darrell Shull to speak on his behalf, saying that Mendocino County and neighboring areas owe their progress in part to the Venerable Master Hua’s presence here. Congressman Riggs is also on the Memorial Committee in Honor of the Venerable Master Hua.

◆傳供儀式The Ceremony of Passing Offerings

At 9:40 in the morning, the Ceremony for Passing Offerings was held. One hundred and eight offerings were passed from hand to hand among the two thousand and some devotees. This was the final offering to the Venerable Master by his disciples before the cremation.

The Cremation Ceremony began at one o’clock in the afternoon. The Venerable Master’s disciples and people from all walks of life, over two thousand in all, lined up and walked into the Patriarchs’ Hall one by one to gaze upon the Venerable Master’s visage for the final time. At three o’clock, the Venerable Master’s casket was carried to the cremation site by a procession of over two thousand people. At 4:20, as the assembly sincerely recited the name of the Buddha, Dharma Master Ming Yang lifted the torch, recited a verse, and then shouted, “Light the fire!” The Venerable Master’s disciples knelt and bowed, bidding farewell to their spiritual teacher.

The Venerable Master Hua’s ashes were scattered in the air over the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas from a hot air balloon on the morning of July 29. This was in accord with the Venerable Master’s final instructions: “When I came, I did not have anything at all. When I leave, I still will not have anything. I do not want to leave any traces in the world.”

Although the Venerable Master did not want to leave any traces in the world, by propagating the Buddhadharma in the West, translating the Buddhist canon, and founding schools, he has influenced countless Westerners and sowed the seeds of Bodhi (enlightenment). These are already traces that will never perish. Dr. Ron Epstein, a professor in the Philosophy Department of San Francisco State University and one of the Venerable Master’s senior American disciples, aptly said, “Even though the majority of the Venerable Master’s disciples are Chinese, the people of the future will probably remember him for his work to bring Buddhism to the West.”