昆雅那毘雅那達長老：
恒實法師、諸山長老、各位同修，我們非常榮幸來參加傳戒儀式，因為宣公上人是幫助我最多最大的一位高僧，我今天能回來，非常高興。
如果不是上人申請我來美國，我就無法來這個國家。所以可說是託他的福，我才能來到這個最好的國家來。我是1976年7月4日來的，也是追隨上人，學他的榜樣，在這個國家做點弘法的工作。我們知道，美國這個國家現在有一千萬佛教徒，我相信過半是直接或間接受金山寺的影響發心學佛的。舉例，我剛來美時，只有一個錫蘭寺廟，今天有23個；我跟西拉維瑪拉兩人就建了22個，這都是上人的功勞；沒有上人，就辦不到。也可說洛杉磯第一個柬埔寨、寮國寺廟是從我那邊發起的，這個功勞全屬宣公上人。我們兩人開始一種新的受戒法，在家神職人員分三種不同層次，是我們在美國開始的。這次有兩位在家居士神職人員跟我們一起來，他們都希望表示他們的感激與尊敬。他們說必須到萬佛城來表示自己的感激，因為宣公上人讓我到這個國家來，他們對萬佛城也要表示尊敬。
我年輕時的一位教授，克毘瑪若毘那那博士，知道我們在這個國家有這樣的佛事，也很高興；他知道是因為上人的邀請才能來美國的，他也發心跟著來萬佛城表示他對上人的敬意。
我想提出幾點宣公上人常教導我們的話，「我們不要像河，我們要像海。」為什麼呢？河是一條一條來的，這個國家有很多條河：科羅拉多河、密西西比河；這是科羅拉多河的水，這是密西西比河的水
。可是這兩條大河的水流到大海時，就失去原先的名字了；一入大海就變成大海的水了，不再是科羅拉多的水。
同樣地，我們一入僧團，就不再是中國僧團、錫蘭僧團，或日本僧團、美國僧團；我們要把種族區別取消，團結作一個僧團。上人常說，任何心裏的煩惱--貪、瞋、癡，妒嫉、障礙，不可保留，一定要除去，好像大海不納泥土。所以我們心裡要像大海，不留煩惱，要把一切貪、瞋、癡去除乾淨；我們也應那樣做。
大海裏藏著很多寶貝--金子、骨董。 同樣地，我們也有很多智慧寶藏在內裏，必須去找。所以宣公上人和其他大師們都說，「我們常要在內心裏邊去找。」我們應該想法子善用自己的腦子，我們是最聰明的人。到萬佛城來是最有福報的，所以能趁此機會來發掘心裏邊的大善珠寶，可以做全世界最有能力，最有功夫的出家眾及在家居士。
最後，我要再向宣公上人致謝，上人雖不在，可是萬佛城的弟子還在。舉例恆實是我在這個國家第一個見到的出家人。我每天早晚打坐，從沒忘記上人；上人對我的恩德我都記得，所以要向各位表示我的感恩心，希望各位都成為最有成績的出家眾，負起出家修道的人的一切責任，希望你們修道的生命圓滿。
|
|
Venerable Bhante Piyananda:
Venerable Heng Sure, Venerable monks [and nuns], dear
friends. I am pleased and happy to come and join my greatest
and, holiest teacher who helped me to come to this country.
Without Master Hua, without Heng Sure, I would not be in
this country. They sponsored me to come to this great land
on July 4, 1976. At the same time, following in the Master's
path, I could do something on behalf of our great Master's
message to propagate [the Dharma] in this great country.
As you know, in this country at the present moment, we do
have over ten million Buddhists. I strongly believe that
more than half of them come to Buddhism through Gold
Mountain Monastery's direct or indirect influence.
I can give you an example. When I first came to this
country, we had only one single Sri Lankan temple. At the
present moment, we have twenty-three Sri Lankan temples.
With my and Venerable Seelawimala's direct and indirect
influence, we were able to start almost twenty-two Sri
Lankan temples in this great land. All of the credit must go
to Master Hua and this monastery. I am very proud to say
that even in the Los Angeles area, the first Cambodian and
Laotian temple were started under my guidance in 1980. Now
there are so many Laotian and Cambodian temples, and all of
the credit goes to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Under
my guidance with the assistance and guidance of our
Venerable Seelawimala, we started a new ordination system
called lay ministers. We have an Upasaka, Dharmachari,
Bodhachari ordination system that we initiated in Los
Angeles as well as every part of America. Today, two of our
lay ministers, Bodhachari Samadhidi and Cintamani, both came
to show their gratitude to this monastery and to Master Hua,
to venerate and also to give our respects to you, because I
was brought to this country by you.
One of my childhood teachers, Dr. Kipimarempinara, came from
Sri Lanka to visit me, and he is so happy about our Dharma
activities.
He learned that I was invited to this country by you.
Therefore he also came to show his respect and to honor you.
Our Venerable Seelawimala explained to you how great and
meaningful it is to practice virtue, Sila. I do not want to
take your time to explain again about Sila.
However, I would like to mention a couple of points which I
learned from Master Hua when I was here. One thing he told
us all the time was that we should not be like rivers. We
should be like the ocean. In other words, here in America,
we have the Colorado River, Mississippi River, so many
rivers. We say, this is the Colorado River water, and this
is the Mississippi River water. But when we enter the ocean,
we can't say this is Colorado River water, or this is
Mississippi River water, or another river's water. Ocean
water is one... united... one water.
Similarly, when we enter the Sangha, whether we come from
the Chinese tradition, Sri Lankan tradition, Japanese
tradition, or even the American tradition, we totally
eradicate our races, castes, and nationalities. We become
united Sangha members like the ocean water, not river
waters. Also, you remember, our Master told us, "to remove,
remove, remove." In other words we must not keep any
defilement, anger, hate, ill will, or jealousy. All of those
have to be removed, again like the ocean. The ocean does not
keep any dirt; all of it goes to the ocean beach. It never
stays in the middle of the ocean. It goes to the seashore.
In the same way, our Master told us not to keep any anger,
ill will, or jealousy. We have to remove all of it, like the
ocean. We have to practice that too.
At the bottom of the ocean, there are so many treasures. You
can find gold, antique things and so forth. Similarly,
within ourselves we have a lot of great wisdom. We have to
discover ourselves. Our Master Hua and all other masters,
teach us that we have to think of our ability. We have to go
find our opportunity. At the same time, we have to have a
positive way of thinking... use our brains. We are the
smartest people in the world. You are the greatest people
and the most fortunate to be able to come to this monastery
to become monks and nuns; therefore, you can use that brain
and discover your mental deep good deeds. Then you can
practice and become great monks and nuns, and great lay
people.
Finally again, I want to thank all of you, especially our
Master Hua who passed away, and all the other masters,
especially the master who stayed with us, who received me
when I came to America for the first time. Venerable Heng
Sure was the first monk I ever met here, the first human
being I met in this land. Every day when I do meditation in
the morning, as well as in the evening when doing
loving-kindness meditation, I never forget these two
masters... the one who passed away and the one who is here.
Thank you for making me a successful and good Buddhist monk.
I bless all of you. Thank you and have a wonderful life. May
all of you attain Nirvana.
|
