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卡加利華嚴聖寺—雙十敬老紅楓國
華嚴聖寺因擴建，現暫遷移至卡加利市的南區。原本二萬平方呎的面積縮減成僅有三千平方呎，實在很困難舉辦大型活動，幸好附近一間餐廳願意提供場地，才能如期籌辦。
2004年10月10日，一隊志工開車將中國城的耆老們接到廟上；午供後，一列四十輛的車隊開往「鳳凰餐廳」，好不壯觀！
二百人就座後，隨即表演如舞獅、功夫，週日班學生的節目，以及擴建工程的幻燈片介紹，大夥共享了歡樂美好的時光。
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Avatamsaka Monastery in Calgary Honors Elders on 10/10 in the Land of Red Maples
Due to the construction for expansion, Avatamsaka Monastery has moved to the south part of Calgary. The temporary location, which is only 3,000 square feet, compared to 20,000 square feet in the original site, is too small to hold big events. People had been debating how we could celebrate Honoring Elders Day. Fortunately the owners of a nearby restaurant offered their facilities for this event.
On October 10, a group of volunteers drove seniors from Chinatown to the monastery. After the meal offering ceremony, everyone was transported in cars to Phoenix Vietnamese Restaurant. Imagine a caravan of forty vehicles!
The spacious restaurant could seat 200 people comfortably, even with the performance of lion dance, martial arts, the Sunday School students and a slide show presentation on the expansion project. It was a time for everyone to share and enjoy.
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沙加緬度法界聖城—多元文化齊敬老
「法界聖城」的廣場上，工作人員把座椅圍繞著草坪，擺出一個表演臺。我們的鄰居來自諸多文化，因此我們邀集這些族群光臨，以其音樂歌曲，來共襄盛舉。
十月廿四日率先登場的是代表中國文化的舞龍，所有佳賓紛紛為舞龍的亮麗色彩和靈活的表演所吸引。
緊接著是克麗絲•王騰躍空中，以劈腿招式，輕落於草坪中央，她的兄弟也緊隨身後，以絕佳的陣容，向耆老致敬；其它有慈濟合唱團唱的手語歌曲。英格麗•彼得絲和她九歲學生艾弗莉• 摩爾演奏巴哈的小提琴雙重奏。
在午餐時，表演節目繼續，「聖十字天主學校」兒童合唱團以英語、西語演唱聖歌；寇飛• 柯密特穿著摩洛哥傳統的白色卡夫騰(kaftan)演出非洲的鼓樂和孝思歌曲。國樂演奏則將節目推向最高潮。在美妙的音符與熱烈的掌聲中，為大家留下美好的回憶！
敬老之時，又能睦鄰，兼促進文化交流誠其善哉！ |
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The City of the Dharma Realm in Sacramento Hosts a Multicultural Honoring Elders Day
The weeklong rains faded to a drizzle and stopped at the break of dawn on Sunday, October 24. Chairs were set up around the lawn in the plaza, creating a stage. Acknowledging the rich diversity of cultures among our neighbors in West Sacramento, we invited performers from different ethnic groups to share their music and songs.
The program opened with a Chinese dragon dance. The elders and guests were dazzled by the dragon’s dancing colors and bouncing movements.
With the dragon safe back in its lair, Crystal Wang leaped into the air and landing in a Kung Fu split in the middle of the lawn. Her two brothers, in perfect formation followed close behind their sister, all paying tribute to the honored elders with an exciting performance of Kung Fu. Next the Tzu Chi choir sang songs with hand movements. Ingrid Peters and her student, Avery Moore, age 9, touched the hearts of those who were listening as they celebrated the greatness of Bach by performing a double violin concerto.
An elegant array of Chinese cuisine was served while the performances continued. The children’s choir from Holy Cross Catholic School graced the elders with songs of their faith in both English and Spanish. As an envoy, Kofi Khemet, dressed in the traditional white kaftan of Morocco, played the drums and shared the African songs of filiality shown to the elders in Africa. Then came the highlight of the day, the Chinese Orchestra.
Honoring Elders, besides its own significance, also serves as good publicity for our organization, as well as promoting the exchange of cultures. |
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溫哥華金佛寺—您，讓我們學會感恩
金佛寺的敬老節，一向是溫哥華地區老人家最期待的活動之一，在宣佈索取入場券的一週內，近六百張入場券就被索取一空。
一年一度的金佛寺敬老節，十月卅、卅一日，在期待中上場了；兩天近六百位老人參與盛會。今年的敬老節主題是「您，讓我們學會感恩」，以四段感恩進行節目。首先為表達對上人的感恩，金佛寺全體義工合唱上人作詞的「宇宙白」，氣勢磅礡非凡，義工們都唱得意猶未盡；表達對佛菩薩的感恩，則由育良小學週日班的小朋友以鐘鼓、木魚及歌聲表演「普門品」及「阿彌陀佛」；對正法道場的感恩，則以投影片介紹了「金佛寺的廿年」；對天下老人家的感恩之心，則以投影片，介紹「世界上最美麗的花—水結晶」，老人家都看得津津有味，大開眼界。
其間穿插了吉他、太極扇表演；慈濟志工也提供了山地舞及手語表演，節目進行緊湊，歷時三個半小時的敬老節，就在全體義工列隊合唱歌聲中，2004年金佛寺敬老節，劃下圓滿的休止符。
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Gold Buddha Monastery in Vancouver:
You Let Us Learn How to Be Grateful
Honoring Elders Day sponsored by Gold Buddha Monastery was the most anticipated event among senior citizens in Vancouver. As soon as the monastery announced that admission tickets were available, nearly 600 tickets were reserved within a week.
The celebration took place on October 30th and 31st. About six hundred elders participated.The theme of this year’s luncheon was “You Let Us Learn How to Be Grateful” illustrated by people expressing their appreciation in four categories.
First, to show appreciation to Venerable Master Hua, all the volunteers in the monastery sang the poem, “White Universe,” composed by Master Hua. The performance was so majestic that even after the song ended, it continued to echo in our ears and the volunteers continued to be moved by their feelings. To show gratitude to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, students from Instilling Goodness Sunday School chanted the “Universal Door Chapter” and Amitabha Buddha’s name with musical instruments such as the bell, drum and wooden fish. To appreciate the existence of a Bodhimanda of the Proper Dharma, the monastery gave a slide show introducing “Gold Buddha Monastery’s Twenty Years.” Gratitude for the elders was shown and introduced via a musical slideshow, “The Most Beautiful Flower in the World – The Water Crystal.” The seniors watched it with relish and broadened their perspective.
Guitar playing and Tai-Chi Fan Dance were added in between shows. Tzu-Chi’s volunteers performed Taiwanese indigenous dance and songs with sign language. The three-and-a half hour program concluded with a song from all the volunteers. Honoring Elders Day 2004 at Gold Buddha Monastery was a great success. |
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馬利蘭華嚴精舍—溫馨時刻甜在心
十一月七日，秋高氣爽，「華嚴精舍」謹遵上人所提倡「敬老尊賢」的精神，舉辦一年一度的「敬老聯歡會」，與會者將近兩百多人。
循例大家先誦《佛說阿彌陀經》，隨後繞佛念佛。九點半表演節目正式開始，由「東西舞蹈社」的“千手觀音”拉開序幕，節目內容有舞蹈、歌唱、樂器演奏，功夫。舞蹈方面，除“千手觀音”外，還有「李清秀舞蹈社」的“西藏舞”、“蓮花”等，舞姿曼妙，令人賞心悅目；歌曲方面，是中、日、台，粵俱全；而小朋友們的合唱活潑逗趣，更令老人家眉開眼笑，表演就在「舞獅」的掌聲中落幕。
接下來是上供用齋，十桌精緻的素筵，每桌都有兩位年輕人服務。席間並穿插有居士主持的有獎問答，熱鬧滾滾，增加不少趣味。菜足飯飽之餘，並送每位嘉賓一份禮品，但願「人間溫情」，能夠常暖心頭。 |
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Avatamsaka Vihara in Maryland Holds a Heartwarming Honoring Elders Day
November 7 was a pleasant fall day. The Avatamsaka Vihara, following the teaching of Venerable Master Hua, held its annual celebration of Honoring Elders Day. There were two hundred guests for this meaningful occasion.
First, the assembly recited the Amitabha Sutra and circumambulated the hall reciting the Buddha’s name. The program started at 9:30 a.m. The first show was “Guanyin of a Thousand Hands,” by the East-West Dance Troupe, with a variety of dances, songs, musical instrument playing and martial arts. Another dance troupe performed the “Tibetan Dance” and the “Lotus Dance.” The elegant melodies and the intricate dance steps delighted the audience. Songs were sung in Mandarin, Cantonese, Taiwanese, as well as Japanese. The children’s choir was lively and entertaining and gave the elders a good laugh. The finale, the Lion Dance, was enthusiastically applauded.
The Meal Offering Ceremony and luncheon followed. Ten tables were set up. Two young people served at each table. While dining, people listened to a Q&A session hosted by the laypeople. The fun questions and answers really enhanced the atmosphere. The respondents who scored the highest were awarded prizes. On leaving, each elder was given a small gift, but more importantly, they took home a feeling of warmth and caring. We sincerely wish that this warmth can always remain in their hearts. |
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香港佛教講堂—充滿法喜的一天
11月7日「香港佛教講堂」舉辦一年一度的「敬老節」，邀請了廿多位「健柏老人院」的長者參與，年齡由70至96歲不等；本寺亦有三十多人出席，他們都是師父上人三十至五十年的老弟子。
上供後，義工協助各位長者用齋，大家都吃得津津有味，讚不絕口。節目表演亦同時開始，首先由小朋友「接力方式」背誦〈弟子規〉；跟著有招式純熟的太極拳表演。11時，比丘恒速法師講解「十念法門決定往生」；接著由兩位小朋友講故事，題目是「和尚飲酒念經」及「萬般帶不去」，發人深省；比丘恒興法師為大家開示，感謝長者們畢生對社會的貢獻，他們的精神值得我們效法。在張玉珊小妹妹為大家彈奏「Long Long Ago」及「Turkey Mirror」後，比丘尼恒禪法師及恒慮法師開示並帶領長者唱誦「南無阿彌陀佛」，義工組唱「三寶歌」及「道德歌」；梁果賢老居士講「南無龍眼荔枝核」的故事。
今年的敬老節，參加人數是歷年來最多的一次，表演項目緊湊而精彩；恒持法師剛巧由溫哥華到香港，她開示大家要常常自我反省「為什麼要念佛？」，令與會人士充滿法喜。 |
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Hong Kong Buddhist Lecture Hall—A Day of Dharma Bliss
On November 11, the Hong Kong Buddhist Lecture Hall conducted its annual Honoring Elders Day Celebration. Twenty some elders between the ages of 70 and 96 from Healthy Life Cedars Senior Home participated, along with over thirty Buddhists from our temple, who had taken refuge with the Venerable Master between 30 and 50 years ago.
After the Meal Offering, the volunteers helped serve the elders who enjoyed the delicacies and desserts. At the same time, the program started. Children recited
The Standards for Students from memory. A skillful performance of Taijiquan was next. At eleven, Dharma Master Heng Su explained the method of recitation in ten breaths for rebirth in Pure Land. Next, two children told inspiring stories about “the importance of upholding the moral precepts” and “nothing but karma follows us as we revolve in the six paths.” DM Heng Xing spoke in appreciation of the elders’ lifelong contributions to society and urged us to emulate them in our practice. A little girl played two songs on the piano: “Long Long Ago” and “Turkey Mirror”.
DM Heng Chan and Heng Lu gave Dharma talks and led the elders to recite “Namo Amitabha.” Then the volunteers sang “The Triple Jewel Song” and “Song of Virtue.” Elder layperson Leung told a story and explained the importance of resting the mind to cultivate the Way. Then DM Heng Chih lectured. She urged the elders to reflect on the reasons we should recite the Buddha’s name.
Honoring Elders Day this year was well attended and had a rich and wonderful program, and DM Chih’s participation brought Dharma bliss to the event. |
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臺北法界佛教印經會─法界一家親 |
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Dharma Realm Buddhist Books Distribution Society in Taipei—Connected in a Family of the Dharma Realm |
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在「敬老」觀念已經日漸淡薄的今日，近百位長者在十一月七日，齊聚於法界佛教印經會，共度一個特別為他們細心安排的節日──敬老節。法師、法界義工、佛青會、兒童班老師、家長和小朋友們，共同努力獻上他們的敬意和表演。
當天上午先由法師帶領大家一起誦《父母恩重難報經》。接著是來賓和大家分享人生經驗。
上供後，長者們一邊享用美味齋菜，一邊欣賞兒童讀經班的表演──陶笛、少林拳、背經、樂器表演、詩詞背誦；此外還有法界佛青會話劇（南無佛）、李家韶女士的古箏演奏……等精彩節目。最後，恆雲法師以上人的偈頌〈福慧雙增〉祝福長者，開導他們：要把心打開，有一分快樂，有一分法喜，常念阿彌陀佛，讓佛光普照進來。多幫助別人，就會有福；多看經典、念佛，就會有慧，福慧雙修。吃素、不殺害其他眾生，有助增福延壽。發揚孝道精神，才是「敬老節」真正的意義。
活動結束後，一位長者表達他對目前社會的憂心和對青年人的期望。另一位長者則表示：有此機會到道場，仔細瞻仰佛，專心看、專心聽、真心在學，感覺很高興。有一些把子女佈施給道場出家的長者，看到法界就像一個大家庭般和樂融融，大家對三寶又這麼恭敬，內心很欣慰。
法界敬老節，是大家體會和實踐「老吾老以及人之老」的機會，更讓大家打開心量，感受到「法界一家親」──不論在家或是出家；冀望藉由弘揚「孝道」的精神，能改善社會「親情澆薄」的現象。 |
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In a time when the idea of honoring elders has been forgotten by our society, on November 7, almost a hundred elders gathered at the Dharma Realm Buddhist Books Distribution Society (DRBBDS) to participate in Honoring Elders Day, an event prepared just for them. Dharma Masters, volunteers, DRBY (Dharma Realm Buddhist Youth) members, Sunday School teachers, parents and children jointly offered their respect and performances.
Early in the morning, Dharma Masters first led the assembly to recite
The Sutra of the Deep Kindness of Parents and the Difficulty of Repaying It. Following that, some elders shared their life experiences.
After the meal offering, elders enjoyed a sumptuous vegetarian lunch and watched the children perform instrumental recitals, songs, recitation from memory, martial arts, and drama. Last but not least, Dharma Master Yun blessed the elders with a verse entitled “May Your Blesssings and Wisdom Grow” composed by the Venerable Master.. She urged the elders to open their hearts to experience happiness, to recite Amitabha’s name often and let the Buddha’s light shine within. By helping others, one attains blessings, and by reading Sutras and reciting the Buddha’s name, one gains wisdom. Following a vegetarian diet and not killing creatures increases one’s blessings and lengthens one’s life. The true purpose of Honoring Elders Day is to promote filial piety.
After the celebration, an elder relayed his worries about society and his expectations for the youth. Another elder said, “I rarely go to the temple. This is my opportunity to come and take a good look at the Buddha. I am looking, listening, and learning with all my attention, and I feel so happy!” Some parents of the Dharma Masters were happy to see DRBBDS become a big harmonious family with everyone paying respect to the Triple Jewel.
Honoring Elders Day at DRBBDS is a time when we experience and practice “cherishing and respecting all elders the way we would our own parents.” It expands our minds so that whether we are monastics or laypeople, we all become one family in the Dharma Realm. This can be seen in the process of this event. It started with a few people planning it, but by the end many people were involved and the idea of filial piety became widespread. We hope to correct the abnormal situation in today’s society where family members being alienated from each other. |
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馬來西亞般若觀音聖寺—福壽無量樂陶陶
連雨兩週，大眾齊心祝禱今年敬老節天氣不要掃興，十一月七日，果然風和日麗。在美麗多彩的旗幟飄揚下，九點開始，五百位銀髮貴賓陸續入場。
在雙獅向佛致敬，恆泰法師致詞後，當天節目開始。幼兒苑的學童穿著各種民族的服裝表演背經，其中米老鼠裝扮的三、四歲娃娃最為逗趣；另外有位六歲的小朋友也表演二首古箏，老少同樂。
午供後，在佛殿及五觀堂內，各有男女長者二位就座，分別由二童跪敬奉茶，這時大眾唱出「阿彌陀佛」的生日歌，兩對最高壽的夫婦切糕。
用餐時，精彩節目繼續推出，包括國樂、話劇、合唱、扯鈴等。
一位來欣賞兒子表演的家長表示，她見到眾多耆老聚集一堂，有別於其他場所的喧鬧，認為真是可敬。 |
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Prajna Guanyin Sagely Monastery in Malaysia:
Limitless Blessings, Life and Happiness
It had been raining continuously for a couple of weeks and we prayed hard that this year’s Honoring Elders Day would not be a wash out. However on November 7, the sun peeked from behind the clouds and it bespoke of a very warm, sunny day. The volunteers put up colorful banners to add a festive air. By nine o’clock our five hundred honored elderly guests began to stream in.
Two golden lions came prancing in to pay their respects to the Buddhas. Dharma Master Heng Tai welcomed our guests and the day’s program began. Kindergarten students from the Young Learners Meadow dressed in various ethnic costumes enthralled guests with their recitation of Chinese Classics. Three- and four-year-olds dressed like Mickey Mouse brightened the day for the guests with their performance. A six-year-old played two pieces on the guzheng [a Chinese instrument].
After the Meal Offering, in the Buddha Hall and the Five Contemplations Hall, two elders, male and female respectively, were guided to their seats. Then in each location, two kindergarten children knelt and offered each elder a cup of tea. Then we chanted “Amitofo” to the tune of Happy Birthday while the two pairs of elders cut the cakes simultaneously.
Throughout lunch, the guests were entertained by a variety of performances, including Chinese Orchestra, drama, choral singing, and Chinese yoyo.
One parent who had come to see her son’s performance was fascinated to see so many seniors gathered in one place and to see how calm they were compared to other crowds. It was quite admirable. |
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達摩鎮萬佛聖城—敬老尊賢祝君康 |
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The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Talmage: Honoring Elders and Worthies - May You Be Blessed with Health |
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參加了十一月十三日(星期六)在萬佛城舉行的一年一度敬老節，這是個令人印象深刻又很溫馨的經驗。
培德、育良學校各年級學生，從幼稚園到高中，熱情地表演了舞蹈（扇舞、雨傘舞，舞獅）、歌唱、日本太鼓、國樂團演奏和精彩的舞龍。學生的才氣和服飾的美麗令人驚喜。
贏得滿堂起座掌聲的兩項節目，一個是五歲男孩阿列‧葛西亞獨奏一首高難度的小提琴曲，另一個是一位89高齡的來賓葛登‧麥諾，吹喇叭及示範難得一見、比人長的艾爾卑喇叭。
用餐時，初、高中同學熟練地服務全體佳賓。豐富佳餚，中外來賓稱不絕口。
培德女中應屆畢業同學擔任此次慶典主持人，成績斐然。以下是其部份開場白，深具醒世的教育意義：
「萬佛城創辦人宣公上人，鑒於現代社會人們都想抓住青春，否定年華不再，於1992年開始提倡敬老節。回首過去，長壽是一種多福、一種榮耀的象徵；耆老的人生閱歷和智慧受到人們的尊重。透過今天的慶祝，我們希望提醒大家，記得我們的根本，重視久被忽視的倫理道德，做到『老吾老以及人之老』，以此表達對長者付出的感恩，更願我們的社會能夠更和諧安寧。祝福所有老人家快樂安康！」 |
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The annual celebration of Honoring Elders was held at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas on Saturday, November 13. It was truly a spectacular and heartwarming experience.
The children of Developing Virtue and Instilling Goodness Schools in all the grades, from kindergarten through high school, performed dances, songs and instrumental pieces. There were Chinese fan dances, umbrella dances, lion dances, high school orchestral performances, Japanese drumming (taiko), and the outstanding dragon dance. I was in awe of the talent and the beauty of the costumes.
Solo performances by a young boy and an elderly man received standing ovations. Alejandro Gracia, age 5, played the intricate piece, “Gavotte” on his violin, while Gordon Minor, age 89, played the famous “Sugar Blues” on his trumpet and also gave a rare demonstration on the Alp Horn.
The delicious vegetarian lunch was served by the high school and junior high school students to all the guests in a most gracious manner. Much time and care had obviously been given by the residents to create such an outstanding meal.
The senior girls from the Developing Virtue School were the MC’s of the event. The following is a quote from their introduction:
“The Venerable Master Hua, founder of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, began the tradition of honoring our elders in 1992, because he saw that in modern society, so many desire to stay young and deny that they are getting old. In the past, longevity was a blessing and an honor. Elders were venerated for the wisdom and maturity that comes from many years of life experience. Through this celebration, we hope to remind everyone to remember our roots and rediscover our long-lost traditional values, and to cherish and respect all elders the way we would our own parents. That way we hope to repay a small part of what they have done for us. Then our society will certainly be more harmonious and peaceful. May all of you elders be blessed with happiness and good health!” |
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聖荷西金聖寺—松柏長青祝君安
十一月十四日，上午九點念誦《父母恩重難報經》，揭開金聖寺敬老聯歡會的序幕。
恒良法師首先致歡迎辭，醫生吳國忠居士隨後教導大家養生之道，金聖寺的「週日育良佛學班」十幾位小同學也以三首合唱曲致上敬意。 |
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Gold Sage Monastery in San Jose:
May you be evergreen like the cedars and pines!
At 9:00 am on November 14, the celebration at Gold Sage Monastery began with the recitation of the
Sutra of the Deep Kindness of Parents and the Difficulty of Repaying It.
Dharma Master Heng Liang gave a welcome speech. Then Dr. Peter Wu instructed us
on the “Way to Health.” Next, children from Gold Sage Sunday
School sang three songs. Their sweet and innocent voices won
people’s hearts. |
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在「談古說今」節目中，嘉賓暢述自身經歷，如王羅碧霓老居士談其一生的歷練，以及學佛因緣；余昭平老先生則以七十高齡，高吟兩首杜甫詩。
十一點多，兩百四十多位長者在用餐時，精彩的節目繼續表演，如四街的「老人中心」楊再女士三年都高歌一曲「大海」，這已成了她的招牌歌；「元極舞」則是由四街老人中心五位長者表演；江國城居士以口琴吹了「茉莉花」與「大阪城的姑娘」，以及一首以愛爾蘭蕭吹奏的「綠島小夜曲」；全場合唱，氣氛非常熱絡。
「有獎問答」把節目帶入高潮，大家踴躍搶答，甚至有一位可愛的長者，因聽力不好，不知問什麼，她卻熱烈的舉手，而她的答案總是同一個。
敬老之意，一讓長者感覺到被敬重與關懷，二讓年輕人學習「老吾老以及人之老」之道。活動當天，全部義工，約一兩百人，大家了解到一個活動的成功，真是眾緣和合；活動結束，大家都很法喜，感謝這麼多義工熱忱的投入，才使活動有聲有色。 |
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In an Open Discussion, seniors talked about their life experiences and how they came to learn Buddhism. Mr. Yu, although in his seventies, was still able to recite two poems by the Chinese poet Du Fu.
At 11:00 a.m., as the guests enjoyed the performances, they savored dish after vegetarian dish. For three years, Ms. Yang from the Salvation Army Senior Center earned her reputation by singing the song “Ocean” — which has become her hallmark. Another group of five seniors from the same center performed the “Dance of the Ultimate.” Mr. Jiang played the harmonica (“Jasmine Flowers” and the “Osaka Maiden”) and also performed a song on the Irish whistle. The old songs brought back memories. As everyone joined in and sang together, the spirit of the whole place was uplifted.
In the Q&A that followed, people rushed to answer and winners received prizes. One adorable senior, who did not know what was being asked because of her poor hearing, still raised her hand to answer, and gave the same answer every time she was called upon.
Celebrating this holiday makes elders feel that we care for and respect them; it also helps the youth learn to cherish all elders as their own grandparents. On this festive day, one to two hundred volunteers joined in to help. People realized to make a program successful, it needs many conditions working together. When the program concluded, everyone was full of bliss of Dharma. This program’s success was possible only with those people’s enthusiastic contribution. |
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舊金山金山聖寺—增福增壽喜洋洋
宣公上人於九三年時，在金山寺齋堂為他的三哥、三嫂辦慶生會，並希望推及普天之下的老人，都能得到安養和適當的關懷。所以上人倡導法界總會各道場，每年秋末為老人家舉辦敬老會，邀請長者同聚一堂過生日。也令我們年年都有機會表示孝心和感恩。
金山寺每年於梁皇寶懺圓滿翌日，舉辦敬老活動。藉佛菩薩恩德加被和大眾虔誠禮懺的功德，迴向所有長輩們身心安樂、增福添壽。因場地有限，每年只能招待百餘位嘉賓；對有些行動不便年長的佛友，我們也會去探望他們。
今年的敬老節在11月28日，從各地發心而來的表演者和義工，都非常誠心又賣力的各盡所長，節目精彩、齋宴豐盛，全場氣氛洋溢著滿足和歡喜，老人家個個喜氣洋洋，結束道別時，都情不自禁相約下次再見。 |
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Gold Mountain Monastery in San Francisco—
Increasing Blessings, Longevity, and Happiness
In 1993, the Venerable Master held a birthday celebration for his third elder brother and his wife with the assembly at Gold Mountain Monastery (GMM). He compassionately wished that all the elders in the world may receive good care and support. Therefore, he instructed all the branches of the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association to organize Honoring Elders Day each fall so that the elderly may gather together to celebrate their own day. Ever since then, year after year, we have taken the occasion to show our filial respect and repay the kindness of the elderly.
Each year following the final day of the Emperor Liang Repentance Session, GMM holds its celebration for the elders. With the blessings of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, we transfer the merit from bowing the Repentance and wish that elders may enjoy peace, happiness and longevity. Due to the limited space, we can only accommodate about a hundred elders. We also visit seniors in their homes when they are not able to come to the monastery.
This year’s celebration was on November 28. Coming from different places, the performers and volunteers did their best and offered wonderful performances and plenty of delicious vegetarian food. Everyone worked harmoniously and the monastery was full of joy. All the elderly guests were happy. When it was time to conclude, everyone anticipated seeing one another next year. |
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洛杉磯金輪聖寺—四眾齊心來敬老
金輪聖寺在四眾弟子老、中、青三代齊心籌備下，11月28日的敬老節，可說是成功而圓滿。
敬老節當天，陽光普照，應邀而來的老人家有二、三百人，年輕義工不時的為老人們熱忱地服務。
 為慶佳節，金輪寺悉心安排了豐富的節目和精美的壽筵。其中有金輪寺合唱團及中文學校的小朋友們，為來賓合唱〈法界頌〉、〈大同世界〉，小朋友謝博文精湛的鋼琴演奏，博得滿堂喝采。大陸有名的聲樂家楊傑，也應邀參與盛會，高歌〈長江之歌〉、〈送別〉等曲，歌聲渾厚嘹亮。
午供完畢後，年長嘉賓切壽糕，大眾齊唱「松柏長青」，現場和樂融融。素宴結束後，來賓帶著精緻禮物回去。我們深知，敬老不是年年而已，而是天天、時時都要敬老，金輪寺的大門永遠都為他們開著的。 |
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Gold Wheel Monastery in Los Angeles—The Fourfold Assembly Comes Together to Honor the Elders
At Gold Wheel Sagely Monastery, the fourfold assembly of disciples worked together to plan the celebration. People of all ages worked closely as a team to make November 28th’s Honoring Elders Day a great success.
To everyone’s delight, that day was blessed with sunshine and blue skies. Two to three hundred elders came. During the banquet, young volunteers at each table served for the elders, attending to their needs wholeheartedly.
The Monastery prepared a delicious vegetarian banquet and a wonderful program for their elderly guests. The Gold Wheel Monastery Choir sang the “Verse of the Dharma Realm” and “World of Great Unity” with Chinese Sunday School students. In addition, a young friend Hsieh Bo-Wen performed a piano solo that won everyone’s heart. Mr. Yang Jie, a renowned vocalist from China, sang “Song of the Yangtze River,” “Farewell” and other songs with a resonant voice full of feeling.
After the Meal Offering, the elders were invited to cut the birthday cakes while everyone sang “Evergreen Pine and Cedar” with joyful and harmonious voices.
After the banquet, every guest was given an exquisite gift prepared by the monastery. Deep in our hearts, we all know we should not only respect the elderly once a year, but every day, at all times. The door of Gold Wheel Monastery will always be open to them. |
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