|
 我的名字是謝淑華，來「培德女中」已兩年，今年是應屆畢業班。今天是我一年內二度上臺與大家分享個人經歷與心得。
去年在女校上了九個月之後，我迫不及待的想趕快回家。但一回家過暑假，卻開始倒數計日；還剩下幾天，可以回美國與法友見面啊？很幸運，我有這個機會參加「法界佛青會」活動，跟隨「法界佛教總會(法總)」代表團去西班牙的巴塞隆納參加「世界宗教聯席大會」。那成了我最難忘的夏日回憶。
「世界宗教聯席大會」是四年一聚。各各不同的宗教領袖和修行者聚集在一起，去了解其他宗教。此會舉行了七天，為七千多位與會者準備了豐富多彩的節目，而且每個人都可以自創節目。同一時段進行著許多不同節目，各個節目交光輝映，每人都可以挑選自己有興趣的節目參加。我與來自世界各個角落(包括從我的祖國越南，到我的家鄉荷蘭) 的不同宗教人士與朋友有了接觸。我們的代表團，跟隨實法師、良法師、音法師、丙法師等，在巴塞隆納逗留七日。因為在「培德女中」已當慣了學長，在團隊中當最年輕的代表，讓我覺得自己微不足道；當我在大會中感悟到我有多麼需要去更了解這世界時，我倍覺渺小。
芸芸眾生每天面對著芸芸眾事，卻鮮少能睜眼反觀自己。我們對自然環境的破壞會實在令人大吃一驚。聽完許多節目下來，我的心充滿悲傷與沮喪。但不捨希望者，在於看到這麼多人，不遠萬里迢迢，到此共聚，一起討論這些問題，一起宣導各自的宗教，一起致力世界和平。由此看到一絲希望之光：一個更美好的平等生機的的世界。來女校就讀之前，我從未聽說過甚麼「聯合宗教倡議會」；一直到去年，該會在聖城開會，我才知道：原來我的故鄉荷蘭也有他們的成員。大會中，我與他們又見了面，甚至幸會了那些荷蘭來的新會員。
其中有一位荷蘭與會者倡議推行在荷蘭的每一城市與鄉村都興建「信仰之和平屋」。有人告訴我一個計劃：打算在荷蘭海牙的聯合國「和平宮」附近，建一所「和平之家」。所以現在知道我的國家也繼續在建造通往和平之路。這十八年來，直到去年夏天，我才知道荷蘭有類似宗教倡議會的組織。再者，父母親的宗教朋友圈中，沒有與我年齡相近的；我幾乎無法和朋友談論宗教方面的事，因為無人對嚴肅的心靈討論感興趣。很幸運，我能聽聞到萬佛聖城。沾聖城的光，能就讀「培德女中」，並參加「佛青會」；所遇同齡之友，都能理解我的宗教觀點。這個盛大的活動，是我一生之中最珍貴的經驗。所以凡成就我此次旅程者──特別是帶給我生命許多歡樂的「法總」代表團──我皆感恩；這份禮物，我終身感戴。
「世界宗教聯席大會」後，代表團轉往巴黎和布魯塞爾，受到當地大眾的歡迎。在巴黎停留二天，布魯塞爾則有五天法會。在巴黎，我見到了全家人和歐洲的朋友，他們趕來參加布魯塞爾的法會。除了類似聖城的法會，我們也為年輕人和長者舉行特別法會。我在荷蘭的朋友教年輕人功夫，荷西(如今的親和師)開瑜珈班，而比丘尼則和很多參與者打太極，佛友更有機會受三皈五戒。對人介紹聖城或者佛法，我一向感覺還很困難；此時他們已有幸聆聽詳細的佛法介紹了。我原以為給我家人和朋友介紹上人的教化，得等更久、因緣都具足之後，才可能發生呢！所以這次在歐洲辦法會，對我的意義，真非言語所能形容的。我知道在歐洲有很多人想到聖城來，只是還沒有機會。
能參與把法引進家鄉，我真是非常高興。在那幾日中，我有機會介紹培德中學，也與我的歐洲同學分享我第一年求學的經驗。
法會後，好多朋友都想來培德求學，我十五歲的弟弟是其中之一，目前他已就讀培德男校。我很高興趁著我還在聖城時，他就決定來。我真開心見到有四位新的歐洲生正在本校就讀。我對這些歐洲同學的願望是：繼續保持學校的精神！在不久的將來吸收更多歐洲新生！
對所有住眾，我由衷地感謝您們造就了今日的培德女中和聖城。雖然現在我在校所剩的日子屈指可數──離畢業只剩幾個月；我希望在這些日子裡充滿歡笑。在我人生裡，聖城和我們學校已成為很重要，也是永難忘懷的一部份。
|
|
My name is Thuc Hue Ta, and this is my second year and also my senior year attending Developing Virtue Girls’ School (DVGS). This is my second time in the twelve months to come up to share my experiences and insights.
After my first nine months attending the Girls School last year, I couldn’t wait to visit my home again. Once I got back home for my summer vacation, I started counting the days to go back to meet again with my Dharma friends here in the States. Fortunately, I was given the opportunity to do so by joining the Dharma Realm Buddhist Youth (DRBY) program and following our delegation to the Parliament of the World’s Religions 2004 in Barcelona, Spain. It became part of my most memorable summer ever.
The Parliament of the World’s Religions is a great event that occurs every four years, where leaders and cultivators from all religions gather together to learn about one another’s religion. The Parliament of the World’s Religions offered the 7,000 participants a variety of programs; also every participant could create their own program. Each person could choose their favorite program among the many workshops that occurred at the same time, and each program enriched the others. I got acquainted with many religious groups and friends from all over the world — from my native country Vietnam to my home country, the Netherlands. Along with Dharma Masters Sure, Liang, Yin, Bing, and others, our delegation spent seven days in Barcelona. Since I’m used to being one of the older students at DVGS, being the youngest delegate there made me feel tiny. Also, realizing at the Parliament how much we still need to learn about this world, made me feel even smaller.
There are countless issues that we beings are dealing with in our daily lives, yet only few of us have opened our eyes to reflect upon ourselves. It’s amazing how much harm we have done to our own environment. Sadness and depression filled my heart at the end of many workshops. However, when realizing that so many people have travelled thousands of miles from home to gather together to discuss these issues and to educate each other about our religions, with the aim of achieving world peace, I saw a ray of light for not giving up hope — the hope for a better world, with equal rights for every being. Before attending the Girls School, I’d never heard of the United Religions Initiative (URI), and so I didn’t know that my hometown has URI members too until we had a URI Conference at CTTB last year. At the Parliament, I met again with these URI members and even met new URI members from the Netherlands.
One of the Dutch participants promoted the idea of “an interfaith peace house in each city and village in the Netherlands.” I was told of a plan to build a House of Peace near the UN Peace Palace in Hague, the Netherlands. So now I know that my country too is continuously building a path to peace. Until this very summer, I never realized in my 18 years that the Netherlands has organisations like URI. None of my parents’ religious friends were even close to my age. I could hardly discuss religion with my friends, because none of them were interested in serious spiritual discussions. I’m very fortunate to have learnt about CTTB. Since CTTB brought me to the Girls School and the DRBY where people of my age understand my religious points of view. This great event was one of the most valuable experiences I’ve ever gained. Therefore, I owe my gratitude to all who made this trip possible for me, especially the Dharma delegation for bringing so much joy into my life. This is a gift that I shall cherish forever.
After the Parliament, our delegation traveled on to Paris and Brussels where a great assembly was looking forward to welcome us. We held two days of Dharma events in Paris and five days more in Brussels. In Paris, I met with my entire family and friends from Europe — they came along to join the Dharma assembly in Brussels. In addition to doing the regular ceremonies we do in CTTB, we created some special programs for the youth and even for the elders. One of my friends from the Netherlands taught the youth martial arts; Jose (now the novice monk Chin He Shi) provided yoga classes, while the nuns did Tai Chi exercises with many participants. People were given the opportunity to take the Three Refuges and the Five Precepts.
It had always been really hard for me to introduce CTTB and the Buddhadharma to people before. Now they listened to the Dharma skillfully explained in detail. It is beyond words how much this Dharma assembly in Europe meant to me. I thought that introducing the Venerable Master’s teachings to my family and friends in Europe wouldn’t occur until much later in the future when all the conditions came together. I know that many people in Europe wish to come to CTTB one day, but don’t have the opportunity yet.
I was very pleased to be able to contribute to bringing the Dharma closer to home. During those days, we gave some presentations on our secondary school and I shared my first year experiences with my European friends.
After this Dharma assembly, many friends wanted to attend DVS, including my brother Kim Vinh who just turned 15. I’m glad he decided to come now before I graduate this summer. I am glad to see four new European students attending our secondary school. I hope all the European students keep up the school spirit and recruit more Europeans in the near future!
To all others here: Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making DVGS and CTTB possible. Although it’s only a few more months to graduation, I hope that this brief time will be filled with joy. This City and this School have become an important part of my life that I shall always cherish.
|
