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好的開始是成功的一半
2004年2月5日下午曼都仙諾郡召開「國際倫理哲學研究院」建築設計的第一次公聽會，郡政府共有7位規劃委員，當天有六位出席審核設計。首先由我們的律師潔若定女士介紹我們依照政府的規定到目前的設計進展；我們聘請的建築公司HOK副總裁珊蒂女士以桌上型投影片程式（power point）向規劃委員介紹初步的設計─包括可容納2800人多功能的大殿，大殿前有個廣場，大殿後面是齋堂，在其後是圖書館，最後是戒壇，圖書館與戒壇兩邊是男女眾的寮房。
其後的公聽時間是開放給大眾，只有2對夫婦鄰居反對，易果容教授則代表其他鄰居贊成者發言。
規劃委員們對於我們如何避免砍伐樹木、減少影響濕地、建築設計如何節約能源並善待環境等等的答覆感覺滿意後，此案全票通過。下一步是著手設計精美化，然後今年即可破土。最新情況是反對者在本案通過後又提出上訴，大約再過2個月左右等日期決定後，我們將與郡長再有一次公聽會，目前工程計劃仍舊照進度在進行。這次HOK已經把妙覺聖寺的主要外觀圖形設計報告給政府，未來在實地建設上只能稍做更動。
法大的報告
2004年2月8日有40位來自萬佛城及柏克萊法界宗教研究院的四眾弟子，也是與法界佛教大學有關的人士，在萬佛聖城開會討論法大的運作與未來的展望。上午的議題是評估法大的功能，下午則針對法大未來與其宗旨的討論。
來賓一致肯定法大是法總很重要的教育機構，法大對法總與萬佛聖城有積極的貢獻，例如：推動公共關係、在社區裡建立的學術關係，與漢堡大學、史丹佛大學、柏克萊的神學研究院聯邦、三藩市大學與史丹佛大學有很多良好的課程交流。只是近十年來，學生註冊人數、法大的財務，和計劃都是目前法大面對的問題。如何實踐上人立校的理想並使法大能更有效的運作，需要大眾的關切與集思廣益，以。因此在4月4日法大將在萬佛聖城擴大召開會議，希望法大學生、教職員、董事和所有關心的人士請踴躍參與，貢獻智慧。
候選人之夜在聖城
為了萬佛城所屬的曼都仙諾郡3月2日的郡委員選舉，2月11日晚上，在萬佛城法大會議室舉辦了一個候選人之夜，我們邀請3位本區代表的候選人來發表政見：裘懷德曼先生、爾瑪透娜女士和目前的代表麥克刁巴（他不克前來）。在兩位自我介紹後，四眾弟子將近40人踴躍發問，其中包括他們對妙覺聖寺工程的看法，兩位候選人先後表示，他們非常歡迎萬佛城在此並相信妙覺聖寺將來必能造福社區。
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A Good Start for the International Institute for
Philosophy & Ethics (IIP&E)
On February 5, 2004, during the IIP&E project design review by the Mendocino County Planning Commission, six commissioners listened to our attorney, Ms. Geraldine Rose, and Ms. Sandy Mendler of our architectural firm, Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum (HOK) report on the site plan. It will include a court in front of the assembly hall. The assembly hall will be 50 feet high and will accommodate up to 2,800 people. Behind the assembly hall there will be a dining hall, and behind the dining hall there will be a library and Precept Hall, with male and female dormitories on each side. HOK showed the general shape and appearance of the buildings and related information.
When the Planning Commission asked for public comments, two families of neighbors spoke in opposition to the project, and one neighbor—Prof. Ron Epstein—spoke on behalf of other neighbors who supported the project.
Satisfied with how our design will save trees and the wetlands, be energy-efficient, and be friendly to environment, the six commissioners voted unanimously to approve the design. The next step will be to refine our design and then we will be ready to break ground this year. Our opponents have just filed an appeal to the Board of Supervisors, as expected. It will take a few more months to set up a day for another public hearing before the Board of Supervisors. The project is still going forward as planned. HOK has already presented the general shape and appearance of the project to the government. In the future only minor changes in design can be made on the site plan.
Report on Dharma Realm Buddhist University (DRBU)
On February 8, 2004 at the Dharma Realm Buddhist University Building, about 40 people of the fourfold assembly from the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (CTTB) and the Institute for World Religions in Berkeley met to discuss DRBU’s performance and its future. During the morning, we assessed how DRBU has been functioning, and in the afternoon the meeting focused on DRBU’s future and its mission statement.
The participants agreed that DRBU is an important part of Dharma Realm Buddhist Association (DRBA), serving the educational needs of DRBA and CTTB. It also makes a positive contribution to our public relations, providing educational programs for the academic community, including Humboldt State University (HSU), Graduate Theological Union (GTU), University of San Francisco, and Stanford University. However, during the past ten years, enrollment, finances, and planning have been major issues for DRBU. We need the assembly’s concern, input, and collective wisdom to realize the Venerable Master’s founding vision and enable the university to function more effectively. Therefore, on April 4, there will be a big DRBU meeting at CTTB open to all students, faculty, members of the board of directors, and anyone else who wants to offer their advice and help…Please come to join us!
Candidates’ Night at CTTB
On February 11, at the Dharma Realm Buddhist University Building, CTTB conducted a Candidates’ Night for the election on March 2nd. CTTB invited all candidates who are running for our district supervisor to meet with us, including: Mr. Joe Louis Wildman, Ms. Irma Turner, and the current supervisor, Mr. Michael Delbar, who was not able to come. After the first two candidates introduced themselves, about 40 people of the fourfold assembly asked lots of questions, including their opinion on CTTB’s IIP&E project. Both Wildman and Turner said that they welcome CTTB’s presence here and believe that the IIP&E project will be very beneficial to the local community.
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