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在布宜諾斯艾利斯市的譯經人員
Some members of the translation group in Argentina |
法界佛教總會應南美洲巴西的葛達世博士，及阿根廷之舞蹈教師安娜女士之邀，於七月十五日至八月十八日，組團赴南美訪問，與當地人士共同研討佛法，並會見當地有意從事譯經工作者，共商譯經事宜。團員有比丘尼恆良、恆信、恆音、恆奘；護法居士有李果北及陳果珠。訪問團所到之處皆受到當地人士熱烈歡迎，當地人士對佛教興趣濃厚，對佛法渴望的程度十分感人。
上人曾說過，佛法西來美國之後會在南美洲興盛，再會到西方其他地區，然後又會東回亞洲。上人又於一九七三年四月間，即已赴南美洲巴西、巴拉圭、烏拉奎、阿根廷，訪問二個月，念了許多遍大悲咒。所以此次法總赴南美洲訪問之因緣，早在廿多年前已種下。
訪問團先抵巴西聖保羅市訪問一週，會見了葛達世博士之電腦公司人員，並訪問了貧民區，多次討論了佛法大意，並介紹了上人行跡。接著轉赴阿根廷布宜諾斯艾利斯市，在安娜女士的舞蹈學校，國家舞蹈學校，及當地國家東方藝術博物館、布宜諾斯艾利斯大學社會系、及阿根廷心理分析學會，及心理研究所作了一連串的演講，介紹了上人生平、法總，討論了「十法界不離一念心」、「梵網經菩薩戒」、「楞嚴經」－－特別是「十習因六交報」、「五十陰魔」、與會人士對佛教興趣濃厚，如飢如渴。
當地一座天主教堂的神父，並請訪問團於望彌薩時，唱爐香讚、觀音讚，並誦了大悲咒、念了觀音名號。八月十日為當地兒童節，訪問團又赴天主教辦的兒童醫院贈送禮物，慰問病童，與修女們交換意見。
訪問團此行另一目的，為應邀將當地譯經人員組織起來。當地人士已將「地藏經」參照上人註解譯成西班牙文，亦已將法華經普門品譯成西班牙文及萄牙文。志願參加譯經工作人士十分踴躍，當時即將本會出版之經書，及上人開示錄大都分派完成，以期早日完成譯經工作，使西班牙語、葡萄牙語人士早人得聞佛法。
訪問團留阿根廷期間，亦會見了當地華人信徒，在當地寺廟帶了大悲懺、楞嚴咒法會，並開講了「勸發菩提心文」，結下法緣。
八月十八日訪問結束，臨別時並帶回了當地人士邀請函，邀請法總再度派人赴阿訪問，共研佛法。 |
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在布宜諾斯艾利斯市的兒童醫院
At the Children’s Hospital in Buenos Aires |
In response to invitations from Dr. Fuad Gattaz Sobrinho of Brazil and Ms. Ana Benasayag of Argentina, the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association (DRBA) sent a delegation to South America from July 15 to August 18, to explore the Buddha's teachings with the people there and to discuss the work of translating the Buddhist scriptures. The delegation consisted of Bhikshunis Heng Liang, Heng Syin, Heng Yin, and Heng Jhuang, and Dharma-protecting laywomen Rebecca Lee and Shou-chu Chen. Everywhere they went, they were warmly received. The people showed tremendous interest in Buddhism and were very eager to learn more about the Dharma.
The Venerable Master once said that after the Buddhism came westward to the United States of America, it would flourish next in South America, then in other places in the West, and finally return eastward to Asia. In April of 1973, the Venerable Master traveled alone to Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. He stayed in South America for two months and recited the Great Compassion Mantra many times. Thus the seeds for this trip to South America were planted more than twenty years ago.
The delegation first visited São Paulo, Brazil, for a week, where they met with the members of Dr. Gattaz's International Institute for Systems Integration, visited the slums, discussed Buddhism, and related stories of the Venerable Master's life. Following that the delegation went to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where they gave lectures at the Foundation of Art and Movement, the National Institute of Dance, the National Museum of Oriental Art, the Department of Social Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires, the Psychoanalytic Association of Argentina, and the Graduate School of Psycology. In these lectures they introduced the Venerable Master and Dharma Realm Buddhist Association, and discussed "The Ten Dharma Realms Are Not Beyond A Single Thought," the Shuran-gama Sutra (especially the sections on the Ten Habits, Six Interrelated Retributions, and the Fifty Demonic States), and the Brahma Net Sutra Bodhisattva Precepts. The lectures were received with great enthusiasm. The delegation was moved to see how receptive people were to the Buddha's teachings.
Father Varela of the local Catholic parish "Our Lady of La Rábida" invited the delegation to join Sunday mass by chanting the Incense Praise, the Praise to Guanyin Bodhisattva, the Great Compassion Mantra, and Guanyin's name. On August 10, National Children's Day, the delegation visited a Catholic Children's Hospital to distribute gifts, visit the sick children, and exchange ideas with the Catholic nuns.
Another objective of the delegation was to respond to a request to organize a translation group in Argentina. Some people had already translated the Earth Store Sutra into Spanish following the Venerable Master's commentary. “The Universal Door Chapter” of the Lotus Sutra has also been translated to Spanish as well as Portuguese. Many people are interested in doing translation, and most of the Sutras published by DRBA, as well as the Ven. Master's Dharma talks, have been assigned to people to translate. Hopefully these projects will soon be completed, so that Spanish-speaking and Portu-guese-speaking people will soon have access to more Buddhist teachings.
During their stay in Argentina, the delegation also met with Chinese Buddhists and led the Great Compassion Repentance and Shurangama Mantra Sessions, and lectured on the “Exhortation to Bring Forth the Bodhi Resolve” at a local temple, establishing Dharma affinities there.
The delegation returned to the U.S.A. on August 18, bringing with them a letter inviting DRBA to send another delegation to visit Argentina and discuss the Buddha's teachings with them. |
