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近幾年來，法界印經會的「懷少節」，都是在「浴佛節」的當天舉行，可以說是互相輝映，特別有意義。怎麼說呢？佛誕，是代表一個嶄新生命的開始。佛的誕生，不單單是佛在這一天誕生而已，可以說是代表整個人類、所有眾生一個新生命的開始。
在佛沒有出世之前，眾生不懂真正的道理，就像是在黑暗中的人，不能認清人生真正的意義和價值。佛出現到世間，為眾生展開新生命，帶給我們慈悲，告訴我們真正的道理，告訴我們要如何去開啟我們的人生。所以佛的誕生，也可以說是所有眾生的誕生--從佛性中誕生出來，慈悲、智慧、光明，也同時來到這個世間。
「懷少節」--少，代表一個生命的飛揚契機。年輕的特質就像一塊海棉，對外在的事情不斷要去吸收、擷取，對生命充滿新的憧憬。在這個時候，就要好好栽培、教育他們，才能把他們導引到正途。經典中說：「一切眾生服毒故死，服甘故生。」我們如果吃到像今天中午很好的齋菜，大家身心健康；如果吃了有毒、不適當的東西，就會生病。
年輕的生命，須要很多的因緣、食糧來栽培、灌溉。這些食糧必須是健康的，就像現在這個時代，很多人都說要吃「健康食品」一樣，我們也是要給年輕的一代健康的東西、對他們身心有意義、有價值的東西，年輕的生命才能走得出一個健全快樂、有慈悲、有智慧、有意義、有價值的人生。
我將近二年沒有回到臺灣，這次回來，感到法界無論是「兒童班」、「佛青會」都有所進步。這進步不是在一個層面而已，而是可以感受到慢慢在紮根。譬如說星期六「讀經班」孩子們朗朗的讀書聲，還有家長的熱心，以及孩子們發自內心的喜悅來學習，這對孩子真的是很好的一件事情。剛剛還沒有結齋之前，我走過樓梯間，發現孩子和家長們把樓梯那邊都坐得滿滿的，印經會真的是太小了，如果我們有因緣，希望在台北市能再找到一個地方，能夠給大家充分利用。這地方如果還能有一些大自然的環境，讓孩子們在自然的環境裏面薰習、陶冶，這是非常好的事情。看到孩子們在優良的環境中受栽培，是令人感動的事情，也令人欣喜。
有一句話說：「往下紮根，往上結果。」懷少，就是要特別注意孩子的教育。尤其在傳播媒介這麼發達的時代，無論是大人或小孩，都會吸收到很多不良的東西。怎麼樣為孩子選擇一個好的教育環境呢？怎麼樣為孩子植下善的種子呢？就有待大家來努力！
在「佛青會」方面，我覺得這些年輕人越來越可愛。我記得有一年我回來，「佛青會」的年輕人曾吐露他們的心聲：「為什麼很多的活動都要叫我們來做？」我想他們那時候學佛的心態，和他們現在是不一樣了。像這次會場的佈置，都是「佛青會」做的，有的人昨天晚上忙到很晚。他們在付出裏面，就得到成長，就感覺「佛青會」慢慢和大家融在一起。我們非常欣喜有這些新血的注入，這也是開展佛教前途又踏向光明的一步。
今天是「浴佛節」，有許多蓮友說他們是DRBE（Dharma Realm Buddhist Elderly）是老青，不是DRBY（Dharma Realm Buddhist Youth）。不管是DRBY或DRBE，我們都可以把今天，特別是今天當做我們新生命旅程的開始，就像我們早上浴佛浴心淨一樣。佛，其實不須要我們浴的，這是藉「事」來表「法」，最主要是我們要洗滌我們自己的身心，重新做人。我們也願意改過自新，願意去面對自己的習氣，這就是一種「青年」的現象，這是一種「青年」的特質。
其實真正的年輕不年輕，不在於外表，而在於我們內心是不是時時保持一個進取向上的心、願意「茍日新，日日新，又日新」，就像商湯王在盥盤上刻的這幾個字，每天來提醒自己，為自己開創生命中的新氣象，才不辜負我們今天來浴佛的目的。
同時，這麼多人共同來參與「懷少節」，也讓我們每一個人心中那個很珍貴年輕的菩提--不論你是菩提種子、菩提芽，還是菩提樹，都逐漸成長、茁壯。
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In the last few years, Dharma Realm Buddhist Books Distribution Society (DRBBDS)’s Cherishing Youth Day has been happening on the day of the Buddha’s birthday. Both become more meaningful because they bring out the best in one another. Shakyamuni Buddha’s birthday represents the start of a brand new life. The birth of the Buddha though, was not merely the birth of Shakyamuni Buddha, but the beginning of a new life for all of humanity and living beings.
Before the Buddha was born, living beings didn’t understand the principles that are true. Like people mired in the dark, they could not tell clearly the real meaning and worth of life. When the Buddha appeared in the world, he opened up a new beginning for living beings by bringing us compassion, telling us true principles, and telling us how to unleash our life’s potential. The birth of the Buddha could be considered the birth of all beings from out of the Buddha nature; compassion, wisdom, and light also simultaneously enter this world.
Cherishing Youth Day. Youth symbolizes an opportunity to soar. One characteristic to being young is that young people are like sponges; they continually absorb and pick up things around them because they are full of longing. This is the time to nurture and educate them so that they can be led down the right path. One sutra says, “All beings die because they take poisons and become born because they take sweets.” When we eat excellent vegetarian dishes like we did at noon today, we’ll all be healthy in body and mind; but if we eat something toxic or poorly suited to our constitution, we’ll get sick.
Young lives require many conditions and foods to nurture them. The food must be healthy. In this day and age, many people talk about eating health food. Similarly, we should also provide the younger generation with something healthy, something that is meaningful and valuable to their bodies and minds. This way, young people can lead a healthy and happy life with compassion and wisdom, meaning and worth.
I haven’t been back to Taiwan for nearly two years now. Coming back this time, I feel that DRBBDS’s children’s classes and DRBY have all improved and not only in a superficial sense. I feel that they’re gradually taking root. For instance, the children’s loud, clear recitations in the Reading Class, their parents’ enthusiasm, and the children’s heartfelt joy for learning are all excellent. Before the meal concluded, I passed by the stairs and noticed that they were filled with kids and their parents sitting there. The facilities of the DRBBDS are becoming too small. If the conditions allow, we hope to find another place in Taipei for everyone. If we can find a location in a natural setting, it will be excellent for the kids as they learn and soak up what’s in that environment. It will be delightful to see kids grow up in an excellent setting.
An adage says, “go down to take root and go up to bear fruit.” Cherishing youth means paying special attention to children’s education. In a time when the media industry is so developed, both adults and kids absorb a lot of unwholesome things. Given that, how do we select a good educational environment for children? How do we plant good seeds for our children? We’ll need everyone’s hard work here!
With regard to DRBY, I find these young people more and more adorable. I remember one year when I was back, DRBY youths asked, “Why are we told to do so many activities?” I believe their attitude in studying Buddhism was different from the present one. The decorations at this assembly was done by DRBY, for example. Some people were busy working until late last night. As they give, they grow. I feel that DRBY is gradually becoming more integrated. We’re very pleased to have new blood pouring in; this is a step towards the bright future of Buddhism.
Today is Shakyamuni Buddha’s birthday. Many Lotus Friends (people who practice the Pureland practice) call themselves DRBE (Dharma Realm Buddhist Elderly). They’re old people not DRBY, young people. Be it DRBY or DRBE, today, and particularly today, should be treated as the start of a journey in our new life as we bathed the Buddha and bathed our minds clean this morning. The Buddha actually doesn’t need to be bathed by us, but this activity symbolizes a teaching. It is most important that we cleanse our bodies and minds, and start anew. Being willing to change ourselves and start afresh, and being willing to face our habits are signs of youth, qualities particular to youth.
Real youth is not in looks, but in whether we maintain an enterprising heart and wish to better ourselves. We will not have betrayed our purpose in bathing the Buddha if we are willing to remind ourselves every day with these words which were carved on the bathtub of Emperor Tang of Shang Dynasty: “If we can really renew ourselves, we can renew ourselves every day and renew ourselves day after day,” hence creating a new outlook on our lives.
Furthermore, with so many people here celebrating Cherishing Youth Day, we are also letting that precious and young Bodhi—be it seeds, sprouts, or trees of Bodhi—develop and become strong over time.
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