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今年初三（二月廿一日）恰逢週日，約兩百名來自舊金山灣區的越南朝山香客分乘四輛大巴士浩浩蕩蕩前往萬佛聖城參觀，並赴無言堂瞻仰宣公上人的舍利、墨寶、上人生前讀誦的部分經典、以及日用物品等。
當天中午這兩百位善信在聖城齋堂享用清爽可口的素齋時，法師們特別呼籲大家惜福，不要浪費資源。因此這群訪客很少有人在盤內留下剩菜剩飯。部分善信也特別前往萬佛聖城的君康素菜館購買美味又不含味精的素食。
參觀過聖城之後，來自舊金山從事貿易的張源順認為萬佛聖城雖然沒有東方飛簷式的廟宇建築，但給人自然平實的感受。他表示以後會常常帶朋友來參觀。來自屋崙的葉美吟覺得萬佛聖城地方很大，整座道場的環境好像一所學校。電腦工程師理查‧哈登斯坦則是陪同夫人葉瑞蘭一起來，夫妻倆感覺萬佛聖城是一座包羅萬象的社區，不給人壓力，即使不是佛教徒也覺得受歡迎。
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農曆正月十九聖荷西法華靜坐中心住持比丘知琅法師，以及安樂寺阮清尼師帶領四百位越裔善信參訪聖城，並在齋堂進齋。齋後去無言堂禮拜上人的舍利，並去道源堂聽聖城的越裔法師講開示。他們對宣公上人生前行誼十分景仰。知琅法師特別請了全套上人淺釋的《法華經》回去研讀。
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舊金山大學神學與宗教系的兩位教授於二月二十六日帶領八十餘位學生參訪萬佛聖城，以一個週末的時間實地體驗宗教與文化的交流。這些學生分別選修大衛‧巴茨同教授的「三教對話」（印度教、佛教、基督教）與薇嘉雅‧娜咖若珍教授的「古老的靈性傳統」（印度教、佛教、美洲本土印第安人的傳統宗教）課程。這群大學生都是第一次來到萬佛聖城，紛紛表示感受到文化沖擊。他們隨著聖城的作息度過了一個清淨的週末。許多學生提出起早參加清晨四點鐘的早課對他們而言很困難，部分學生指出這個週末好像在兵營度過。
在二月二十七日週六晚間的座談會中這群大學生更提出了形形色色的問題。諸如男女兩眾為何分開？出家人為何捨棄淫欲？出家人是否也上網？如何選擇師父等等？當晚的座談會由恆來師、恆順師、恆良師、恆音師等人回答學生們對佛教的問題。
法界佛教大學校長阿比納博士負責介紹與串場。萬佛聖城的老友麥克米倫牧師兼教授，以及舊金山的大衛‧巴茨同教授、薇嘉雅‧娜咖若珍教授則是這場座談會的嘉賓。
法師們詳細解釋了斷欲對修行的重要；不獨佛教為然，其他如天主教也有對斷欲的深刻認識。至於選擇師父最好的方法就是以萬佛聖城六大宗旨：不爭、不貪、不求、不自私、不自利、不打妄語來觀察。其次法界佛教總會各分支道場之間的住持法師經常以電郵件聯繫，所以出家人也藉助現代科學的省錢與便利。
法總的網頁網址為：http://www.drba.org歡迎大家上網。 |
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The third day of the first month on the Chinese lunar calendar (February 21) happened to be a Sunday this year. About 200 visitors from the San Francisco Bay Area came in four buses to visit the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. They also went to the Hall of No Words to view the Venerable Master Hua's sharira, his Chinese calligraphy, some of the Sutras he recited, and articles he used in daily life when he was still alive.
At lunchtime, the Dharma Masters of the City asked the 200 some visitors to cherish their blessings and not to waste food. The visitors enjoyed a delicious vegetarian meal in the Dining Hall and scarcely left any food in their plates. Some of the visitors also went to the City's Junkang restaurant to buy MSG-free, vegetarian delicacies.
After touring the City, Yuanshun Chang, a businessman from San Francisco, felt that although the Buddha Hall in the City lacked the upturned roof corners of traditional oriental temples, there was a natural and genuine spirit in the City. He was also glad to know that the City holds Dharma assemblies on a monthly basis and transfers merit to living beings and to world peace. He said that he will bring his friends here for frequent visits.
On the 17th day of the same lunar month, a Vietnamese nun named Nguyen Thanh led a group of around 400 Vietnamese to visit the City. They were with a Vietnamese Temple-Chua an Lac (Temple of Peace) in San Jose, California. May Shih from Oakland, California remarked that the City was huge and laid out like a school campus. Richard Hardenstein, a computer engineer, accompanied his wife Joan on this trip. They both felt that the City was a community for everything, that there was no pressure, and even non-Buddhists would feel welcome.
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On the 19th of the first lunar month, Bhikshu Dharma Master Zhilang of the Dharma Flower Meditation Center in San Jose and Bhikshuni Dharma Master Yuanqing of Anle (Peace and Joy) Temple (a Vietnamese temple) led a group of four hundred to visit the City and enjoy a vegetarian lunch in the Dining Hall. They very much admired the Venerable Master Hua's deeds. Dharma Master Zhilang acquired the whole set of the Venerable Master's commentary of the
Dharma Flower Sutra to take home to study.
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On February 26, two professors from the Theology and Religious Studies Department of the University of San Francisco brought a group of over 80 students for a weekend retreat at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas and for an authentic experience of religious and cultural exchange. These students were enrolled either in Professor David Batstone's "Interfaith Trialogue" (Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity) course or in Professor Vijaya Nagarajan's course on "Ancient Spiritual Traditions" (Hinduism, Buddhism, and Native American traditions). These students were visiting the City for the first time, and all said they were in "culture shock." They followed the monastic schedule and spent a weekend living a life of purity. Many found it very difficult to rise for the morning recitation at 4 a. m., and some compared the weekend to boot camp.
During the panel discussion in the evening of Saturday, February 27th, these students raised various questions, such as: What is the reason for the separation between men and women? Why do monks and nuns renounce lust and desire? Do monks and nuns use Internet? How should one choose a teacher? These questions were answered by Dharma Masters Heng Lai, Heng Shun, Heng Liang, and Heng Yin. Dr. Akpinar, President of Dharma Realm Buddhist University, acted as the Master of Ceremonies. Professor and Baptist Minister Tom MacMillan, an old friend of the City, and Professors Batstone and Nagarajan of the University of San Francisco were the honored guests on the panel. The Dharma Masters explained in detail the importance of eliminating desire. Buddhism is not alone in this; other religions, such as Catholicism, also have a deep recognition of the need to eliminate desire. As for selecting a teacher, the best method is to use the Six Guidelines of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas— no contention, no greed, no seeking, no selfishness, no pursuit of personal advantage, and no lying—to evaluate people. The managers of the various branch monasteries of Dharma Realm Buddhist Association often communicate by email; thus, monks and nuns also make use of the economical conveniences of modern technology. The Association welcomes everyone to visit our Home Page at
http://www.drba.org. |
