編者的話
1975年夏天，比爾‧布萊佛決定在他位於奧立崗州蘆葦港史密斯河畔的佛根地農場，舉辦一次戶外的念佛法會。他邀請宣公上人及金山寺的四眾弟子們共襄盛舉。在得到上人的同意之後，於1975年的八月，從美國各地而來的五十幾位修行人聚會在佛根地，參加為期一週的念佛法會。這是傳統的佛七法會首次在戶外的山上舉行，當地搭起了大型帳篷來遮擋下午的烈日及陣雨，也在帳篷四周，清理出了一條走道，供與會者繞佛，沿著長滿金黃色草叢及野花的河岸，大眾一起唸佛、參加儀式、聽法。在大家用功靜下心念佛後，有的人達到輕安的境界，有人則嚐到了念佛的法味。
念佛的修持，使人進入了念佛三昧的境界，就像中國古代詩人蘇東坡所寫的：
山色無非清淨身，
溪聲盡是廣長舌。
當一週活動結束時，有十七人皈依三寶，禮宣公上人為師。
佛七期間，上人每天開示兩次：下午一次，晚間一次。上人生動地講解淨土法門，解說基本的修持方法，並開顯修道之果，又用極淺顯的語言來說明。不但初學者能明瞭，有經驗的老修行更能因之體悟深妙的佛理。上人的開示，為佛根地的與會大眾帶來了既富啟發性，而又正確的指示，這些都是未來修行者的佛法寶藏。
本刊已將上人主持法會期間之開示整理出來，將連同英譯及照片陸續刊出，冀望讀者於閱讀之餘，遙想當年上人領導西方人士，首次於戶外打「佛七」之盛況時，不忘上人孜孜汲汲將佛法帶到西方的一片苦心，更當發起共荷如來家業，繼承上人遺志，自度度他之心。
適值上人涅槃近三周年之際，本刊願以此文之刊登為誌，略伸懷念之意。
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1978年8月17日晚
南無常住十方佛
南無常住十方法
南無常住十方僧
南無本師釋迦牟尼佛
南無佛頂首楞嚴
南無觀世音菩薩
南無金剛藏菩薩
How are you everybody?（大家好。）今天這個法會在這樣天氣下雨的時候，有這麼多人到這深山裡頭來開荒，來種菩提種子，將來結佛果，這是很不可思議的一件事。什麼叫種菩提的種子？我們到這個山裡邊來，這一位 Bill（比爾）居士，他給山的名字取為佛根地。那麼佛根地必須要種菩提種子，現在下菩提種，以後才能紮下佛根，將來成就這個佛果，所以各位到這兒來這是非常重要的一件事。為什麼說它重要呢？因為你念佛就能了生死，也好像佛教化眾生，我們所有的人從無始劫以來，生了死；死了又生，生生死死，不知道經過多少次輪迴，也沒有遇著這個念佛的法門。所以這個生死也沒有了。現在遇著念佛的法門，能以到西方極樂世界去，這是非常重要的。
那麼念佛法門，既然是這麼重要，能令一切眾生，了生死，脫輪迴，離苦得樂。這樣的法門，這麼樣子重要，我們所有來參加的人，就要拿出一個真心來念佛。
待續
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Editor’s Introduction
In the summer of 1975 Bill Brevoort, owner of Buddha Root Farm on the Smith River, near Reedsport, Oregon, decided he wanted to host an outdoors Buddha Recitation Session on his land. He requested the Venerable Master Hua and the fourfold assembly of Gold Mountain Monastery to join in the session. The Venerable Master assented, and in August 1975 a group of over fifty cultivators from all over the U.S. gathered at the farm to attend a week-long session of reciting the Buddha's name.
This was the first time that a traditional Buddha Recitation Session was held in the open air, in the mountains. A large main tent was set up to provide shelter from the hot afternoon sun and occasional downpours of rain. Beside the tent a circular path was cleared for members of the assembly to use during walking recitation. Beside the winding river, the yellow grasses, and the wild flowers the assembly recited the Buddha's name, attended ceremonies, and listened to instructional talks. The participants worked on quieting the mind; some attained the state of "light ease"or gained the flavor of Buddha Recitation. Ultimately, reciting the Buddha's name can result in the Buddha Recitation Samadhi, a concentrated state where, as the classical Chinese poet Su Dongpo wrote:
Of the colors of the mountains,
none are not his vast long tongue;
In the sparklin' streams and the forests green
his compassionate song is sung...
At the end of the week 17 people took refuge with the Triple Jewel and bowed to the Venerable Master as their teacher.
During the session Venerable Master gave talks twice daily, one in the afternoon and another in the evening. He brought the Pure Land Dharma-door alive, explaining the fundamentals of practice and revealing the fruits of cultivation. He spoke so simply that even absolute beginners could comprehend the principles, and yet his words awakened more experienced cultivators to the profundities of the Buddhadharma. The Venerable Master's words provided inspiration and instruction for all assembled at Buddha Root Farm, and they serve as a wealth of Dharma for cultivators of the future.
Vajra Bodhi Sea will be printing the instructional talks given by the Venerable Master during that Recitation Session along with photographs, hoping to give our readers an idea of how the Master guided Westerners in the first outdoor Buddha Recitation Session and to remind them of the Master’s painstaking toil in bringing the Buddhadharma to the West. May this inspire everyone to take up the mission of the Thus Come One and carry on the Master’s wishes, thereby saving themselves as well as others.
As the third anniversary of the Master’s Nirvana approaches, this series is being published as a form of commemoration.
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Sunday, August 17, 1975 (evening)
Homage to the Eternally Dwelling Buddhas of the Ten Directions
Homage to the Eternally Dwelling Dharma of the Ten Directions
Homage to Our Teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha
Homage to the Shurangama from the Buddha's Crown
Homage to the Bodhisattva Who Observes the World’s Sounds
Homage to the Vajra Treasury Bodhisattvas
How are you? This Dharma Assembly is wondeful! Despite the rain, so many people have gathered here deep in the mountains to blaze trails through the wilderness. We are here to plant the seeds of Bodhi so that in the future we may harvest the fruit of Buddhahood.
What is meant by “planting the seeds of Bodhi”? Upasaka Bill has named this place “Buddha Root Farm.” At Buddha Root Farm one should plant Bodhi seeds. First you plant a Bodhi seed, then you send down the Buddha Root, and in the future you will reap the Buddha fruit. So your coming here is an extremely important first step.
Why do I say that it is important? Because if you recite the Buddha's name you can end birth and death, and then, like the Buddha, you can teach and transform living beings. From limitless eons past till now, each one of us has been born and then died, has died and been born, passed through birth upon birth--death after death: Who knows how many times we've turned on the wheel? We have not yet encountered the Dharma-door of Buddha-recitation, and so we have not ended birth and death.
Now, having learned the method of Buddha-recitation, we can be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is extremely important! Buddha-recitation is a serious matter because it can cause all living beings to end birth and death, gain release from the revolving wheel, separate from suffering, and attain bliss. Since it is so important, all of us participating here should be sincere and recite with a true heart.
to be continued
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