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祈禱文
2000年1月21日萬佛城比丘恆實法師
諸位早安！我想請大家想像一株在荒漠中生長的大樹，它的根與沙漠下的深泉結在一起，枝葉、花果生機盎然，許多眾生的家庭都住在大樹那慷慨好施的枝幹下。鄰居有空中飛的鳥兒，有兩足，有四足，在炎熱的時候，他們在樹下得到庇護、陰涼、滋畫。學習之樹也是這樣，它的根與各大宗教創始人的智慧聯在一起。這些根就是地球上人的文化、信仰、真理、福報；樹的枝幹就是教堂、寺廟、清真寺、猶太教堂，以及我們所護持的世出世間的宗教鄰友、研究機構。
樹的花果就是賢聖、道德、正義，以及這些宗教鄰友、研究機構中慈悲的善信男女。願我們今天的探討，感應到心靈上的和諧。願更深刻知識的體驗，滋養我們的討論與對話，使悲智的花果在我們的交流中成熟；願我們所種的樹，能為求知者提供陰涼，尋求學習機構的人提供鼓舞和安定，為苦惱者提供安慰和庇護。我們懷著感恩心為上述果實而耕耘，其精神則來自諸多賢聖：耶穌基督、穆罕默德先知、孔聖人、釋迦牟尼佛，願他們放光加持這次聚會，使一切眾生得到充實滿足與快樂。
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神學聯合研究所的成員學校、有關機構，在法界佛教大學世界宗教研究所的安排下，於一月廿日來到萬佛聖城，舉行了為期兩天的會議。聯合會的主要成員都是大學、學院的基督教神學研究所。
這次高階層會議與會者包括各神學研究所所長、學院院長、教職人員。當討論在神學研究聯合會中建立亞洲研究中心的提案與步驟時，法界佛教大學的主張擴了大其研究範圍與興趣。比丘恆實法師在廿一日上午進行的祈禱，簡明地表達出了與會者心中的意願。
聖城在不持偏見，使來客賓至如歸的環境中，會議就將亞洲研究、亞洲宗教的眾多觀念相結合進行了討論。與會者不住詢問欲瞭解聖城、法界佛教大學的狀況和佛教的觀點。比如，當他們看到午餐前僧眾和學生們的隊伍安詳行進時，自然就開始了發問。
這些深具影響力的神學院組織，對聖城、法界佛教大學的好印象，也將影響到他們的學生、教授與未來各宗教會眾領導者。他們對美國、亞洲宗教的看法也會圓融些；贈送的整套大藏經書籍、光碟，也會促使佛教傳播至新的範圍，就如當方丈和尚歡迎他們再來訪問時，與會成員都已經談及再回聖城舉辦共修和其他會議。
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Invocation
by Reverend Heng Sure, January 21, 2000
I invite you to envision a great tree, growing in a desert wilderness. Its roots connect to the springs of ground water deep beneath the sand, so its leaves, flowers and fruits all flourish.
In the heat of the day the many families of beings, the birds of the air, the two-footed and four footed creatures find shelter, shade and nourishment as neighbors beneath the tree's generous limbs. The tree of learning is the same in that its roots connect to the wisdom of the founders of all great religions; its roots are the cultures of the earth's peoples, their faiths, their truths, their blessings. The trunk of the tree and its branches are the churches, temples, mosques, monasteries and synagogues, the religious neighbors and the institutions of learning, both sacred and secular, that we celebrate and serve.
The fruits and flowers of the tree are the Sages, the Worthies, the moral, just, righteous, the kind and compassionate men and women born of those religious neighborhoods, and those academies. May our deliberations today evoke a spirit of harmony, may the sap of deeper knowledge nurture and nourish our dialogue and discussions, so that the fruits and flowers of wisdom and compassion ripen from our sharing; may the tree that we grow give cool shade to those who seek knowledge, may it give courage and stability to those who seek enduring institutions, and comfort and shelter to those who suffer. We cultivate these fruits with gratitude, in the inclusive, expansive spirit of Jesus of Nazareth, of the prophet Mohammed, of the Sage Confucius, of the Buddha Shakyamuni. May they bless this gathering with their light and dedicate its good works to the enrichment, satisfaction and happiness of all creatures.
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On January 20 and 21, member schools and affiliates of the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) gathered for a two-day meeting at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (CTTB).
Through the arrangements of the Institute of World Religions (IWR), an arm of the Dharma Realm Buddhist University (DRBU), this consortium of mostly Christian theological graduate universities and institutions came to this Buddhist community. Representatives present at this high-level meeting included presidents, deans and faculty members of graduate theological programs. As they discussed the proposal for and action steps to an Asian Studies Center at the GTU, the DRBU's voice broadened their scope and interests. Dharma Master Heng Sure's morning prayer encapsulated the intent and aspirations of this group.
On a neutral ground and apparently a surprisingly hospitable environment, this group considered integrating a wide range of views on Asian Studies and Asian religions. Participants couldn't help but inquire more about the CTTB, the DRBU and the Buddhist perspective for example, when they watched the lines of monks, nuns and children proceeded gracefully to lunch.
This influential theological consortium's favorable impression of the CTTB and DRBU will likely have a ripple effect on the faculty and congregation leaders that they train. Their outlooks on religions in the U.S. and Asia will expand. The gifts of Tripitaka in print and on C.D. will also help to introduce Buddhism into an unprecedented circle. More concretely, just as the Abbot of CTTB had welcomed their return, the group and its members are already speaking of returning to the CTTB for an upcoming retreat and other meetings.
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