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康僧惠法師於西元二世紀時，於上海成立龍華古寺。此後一千七百年來，龍華古寺一直都是一座道場。
今（一九九五年）十二月，有六百名男女，來自中國大陸各省份、及臺灣、菲律賓、香港等地，到龍華古寺來受訓，並受三壇大戒。龍華古寺並邀請了美國萬佛聖城
的比丘們，為傳戒大典中之阿闍黎師，審察戒子之資格。本人代表九六高齡的佛塵老法師為羯磨阿闍黎師。恆律法師代表得戒和尚上明下暘老法師為說戒和尚。又有
中國佛教協會祕書蔭遠法師，與臺灣來的明乘法師及印德法師主持傳戒。傳戒大典歷時十天，許多戒子們求戒心誠，善根深厚。在上海時，我們並曾赴玉佛寺追悼於
十二月初圓寂的方丈真禪大和尚。真禪法師也是萬佛聖城的老朋友了，曾多次赴聖城訪問，及為中美兩國佛教友好關係而努力。
陪同赴上海的，尚有來自美國洛杉磯的護法居士蔡果裕、陳果源，聖荷西的蔡錦州沿途照顧著。傳戒期
間，明暘法師並請我們為戒子講解沙彌律儀、比丘戒、及如何修苦行。
十二月二十二日，美國訪問團並於紀念圓瑛老法師的圓明講堂，參加了（農曆）初一的儀式。並為將近
七千人的在家居士說法開示。這些居士們於（農曆）每月初一及十五都在此聚集，頂禮三寶，並求三寶加被。我們被邀請下次龍華寺傳戒時再來，上海佛教協會副主
席王永平並說：「我們希望萬佛聖城所代表的美國佛教，及與中國上海的佛教之間，長久以來的文化宗教交流，能因此次來訪而永久持續下去。」
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Shanghai’s Longhua
Monastery, founded in the second century A.D. by Venerable Kang
Senghui, has been in constant use as a Way-place for 1700 years. This
December, 600 men and women from provinces all over China, as well as
from Taiwan, the Philippines, and Hong Kong entered the training to
receive full ordination. The monks from America were invited to take
part as Certifying Acharyas, who examine and certify the novices’
qualifications for receiving the precepts.
I also stood in as Confessor
Acharya on behalf of the 96-year-old Venerable Fu Chen, while Dharma
Master Heng Lyu stood in for Venerable Ming Yang to read the
Upadhyaya’s (Precept Transmitting Master’s) part. Venerable Yin Yuan,
secretary of the Buddhist Association of China, joined Venerable Ming
Cheng and Venerable Yin De, two Sangha guests from Taiwan, in
administering the precepts. The ceremonies took ten days to complete,
and many of the ordinees seemed sincere, enthusiastic, and blessed with
good roots. During our visit to Shanghai, we also paid our respects to
Jade Buddha Temple to convey our regrets for the passing of the Abbot,
Venerable Zhen Chan, earlier this month. Venerable Zhen Chan had been a
friend of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, who had visited many times
and had helped establish the good relationship between Buddhism in
China and in the United States.
Three lay Dharma protectors
accompanied us: Kabo (Guo Yu) Tsai, Robert (Guo Yuan) Chen, both from
Los Angeles, and Jinzhou Tsai, from San Jose. They saw to it that the
trip ran smoothly. During the ordination Venerable Ming Yang invited us
to explain the Shramanera Vinaya and Rules of Deportment, the Bhikshu
Precepts, and the cultivation of ascetic practices.
On December 22 the group
joined the ceremonies for the first of the lunar month at Yuan Ming
Lecture Hall, Venerable Ming Yang’s home temple, which is dedicated to
the memory of Venerable Yuan Ying. We gave a Dharma talk to the crowd
of nearly 7000 laypeople who gather there every new and full moon to
pay their respects and seek blessings from the Triple Jewel.
We were invited back for the
next ordination at Dragon Flower Monastery, and Mr. Yongping Wang,
Vice-chairman of the Shanghai Buddhist Association, said, “We hope this
visit has continued the long-standing cultural and religious exchange
between Buddhism in the U.S., represented by the City of Ten Thousand
Buddhas, and Buddhism in Shanghai and in China."
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