前期提示:
佛告諸比丘。爾時王者。則我身是。時仙人者。今提婆達多是。
觀音成道的紀念日就快到了，我們本堂預備放五百隻鴿子。這五百隻鴿子呢？誰願意出多少錢來做這個放生的功德，都可以自動發心，這不要勉強。因為做這種功德，是自己做自己有份，旁人不能代替的。所以每一個人發心拿出多少錢來，就買鴿子去放生。若錢多了呢？買鴿子剩下的錢，就留著將來有機會再放其他的生。這是一個消息。
再有比這個消息更重要的，是什麼呢？今年臺灣臺北市護國臨濟寺，要傳千佛大戒。今年大約是因為想要和去年比賽，聽說去年有五個美國的出家人來受戒，都那麼樣子誠心，把臺灣的人也都給感動了。所以今年的傳戒就不是三十二天了，要五十三天了。這五十三天呢，在中國過去這是個老規矩，所有的戒期都是五十三天。雖然天數是一樣，我相信和中國那個老規矩還相差得會很遠，雖然是很遠，但是也有這麼一個大大概概的樣子存在。今年有人願意受比丘戒的，也是一個最好機會；有人願意受比丘尼戒，也是一個最好的機會；有人願意受優婆塞的戒，也是一個最好的機會；有人願意受優婆夷的戒，也是一個最好的機會。四眾弟子，你們誰發心受出家的戒，也是一個好的機會；受在家戒也是一個好的機會。不過呢，最要緊的，不是旁的，還是錢的問題。你們每一個人若有一千塊錢也可以去；若沒有一千塊錢呢，那就想法子去到什麼地方偷一點錢去，也可以去的。或者到山上去找一點黃金來，也可以有辦法，那麼這是最好的消息。
它是從西曆雙十節十月十號到十二月一號圓滿，中國的曆就是九月十一到十一月初三圓滿，這是五十三天。這是今年臺灣大約和去年你們這個老道戒師要比賽一下，你三十二天，我是五十三天，這無形中就高了很多了。這是臺灣，你也想高，我也想高，都是各不相下，這是鬥法呢！
他們鬥法，這是沒有用的，鬥修行那才是真的。應該你修行一步，我要修行兩步；你一天過午不食，日中一食，我也是一百天不吃飯，學提婆達多，那麼這才有點辦法。這是一個好的消息，告訴大家。
不知道今年這個小沙彌去不去受戒？這個小沙彌，因為這五個大沙彌回來了，就把小沙彌給欺負跑了。所以到現在，在家裏還是個沙彌？不是個沙彌？所以有人要求今天來受沙彌戒，我說不可以的。因為由這個小沙彌，我現在不知道他變化了？沒變化？我沒有詳細審查好了，就不能隨便受沙彌戒了。
待續
《金剛菩提海》為法界佛教總會所出版之月刊。一九五九年宣公上人於美國創辦法總，其目的在於弘揚正法。其主要工作之一，即在於翻譯大乘經典為世界各國語言。法總也舉辦各種教育及社會服務項目，為世界謀求和平安樂與道德。於其總部「萬佛聖城」亦成立了法界佛教大學、培德中學、育良小學。 |
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Sutra text from last issue:
The Buddha told the Bhikshus, “The king was I myself, in a previous life and the seer was the present Devadatta.
Guanyin Bodhisattva’s Accom-plishment of the Way anniversary is almost here. Here at the monastery we are planning to liberate 500 pigeons. Whoever would like to contribute to the merit and virtue of freeing these 500 birds is welcome to. It's your choice, no one is forcing you. This kind of merit and virtue is up to each of us. If you join, you have a share; no one can represent you. And so each of you can decide if you would like to contribute to the fund for buying the birds to set free. What happens if we collect more money than is needed? We will save the excess funds for the next opportunity and liberate other kinds of beings. That's one piece of news.
There's another even more important piece of news. What's that? This year there will be a Transmission of the Precepts of the Thousand Buddhas at Huguo (Protecting the Country) Monastery in Taipei, Taiwan. Probably they want to compete with last year's event. They heard that last year there were five Americans who went to Taiwan to receive precepts and were so sincere that they really moved the Taiwanese. That's why this year their precept transmission will take fifty-three days instead of thirty-two days. Fifty-three days used to be the rule before in China. But although this forthcoming precepts transmission period is the same period of time as that used before in China, I believe the rules of the platform were much stricter in the old days. Nonetheless, it will have an overall similarity. Well, this year if there are any men who want to receive the Bhikshu precepts, or women who want to receive the Bhikshuni precepts, or laymen who want to receive the Upasaka precepts, or laywomen who want to receive the Upasika precepts, this is a very good opportunity to do so. Any of you in the fourfold assembly who want to receive the precepts for left-home people or the precepts for laypeople now have a chance. An essential factor to consider, however, is the expense. Anyone who can come up with a thousand dollars can go; if you don't have a thousand dollars you may have to figure out how to steal some money (laughter) so you can go. Or you could look for gold in the hills and then you could go (laughter). Well, that's the best piece of news.
The Precept Transmission will run from October 10th to December 1st. In the lunar calendar that's from the llth day of the 9th month to the 3rd day of the llth month, a total of fifty-three days. This is how this year in Taiwan they are outdoing you old old-timers who are already precepted masters. Yours was a thirty-two day platform; ours will be fifty-three days. The unspoken meaning is that this year's is a lot longer. That's Taiwan! You want to be high and so I'll be higher. No one wants to be outdone. But that's just competition!
Competing over such a thing is of no use. It would be much more meaningful to compete over cultivation. It should be that if you take one step forward in cultivation, then I will take two; you don't eat after noon for one day and I won't eat for a hundred days. Being like Devadatta at least shows that you dare to practice. That's the good news I have to report to all of you.
I don't know whether the little novice will go this year or not. After the five big left-home people came back, the little novice got bullied. And so up until now it's unclear whether he's a layperson who will or will not become a novice. That's why when someone requested today to receive the novice precepts, I denied the request. The reason is I still don't know of this little novice has change or not. Befor I have looked into it carefully and so I cannot casually allow him to receive the novice precepts.
To be continued
Vajra Bodhi Sea is published by the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association (DRBA). DRBA was founded by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua in the United States of America in 1959 with the goal of propagating the Orthodox Dharma. One of DRBA major tasks is the translation of the Mahayana Buddhist scriptures into the world's languages. DRBA has also established various educational and social service programs to promote peace, happiness, and a high standard of ethical conduct for the world. At its headquarters, the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, are housed Dharma Realm Buddhist University, Developing Virtue Secondary Schools, and Instilling Goodness Elementary Schools. The main branches of DRBA are listed below. |
