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七月五日至十五日期間，萬佛城再次舉辦了夏令營，吸引了共計一百位四歲到十五歲來自瑜珈市、加州、美國和世界的學生參加；學校的校友或在校生，約廿位擔任輔導員，加上許多義務老師和家長協助使此次夏令營特別成功。
「今年夏令營的小孩子都很棒！」這是所有參與夏令營的老師們共同的感覺。這些孩子既純真又可愛，散發著一股特異的氣質。老師們越教越起勁，孩子們則是越玩越開心；他們在萬佛聖城度過一個難以忘懷的快樂時光。有一半以上的學生表示，他們明年還要再回來。
男童夏令營：共有十二個四歲到八歲的孩子，一半以上來自瑜珈市附近；另外的則從加州各地，由家長陪同而來。Graciela（來自加州Fresno）及張敏老師負責安排活動及照顧小朋友們。許多老師及輔導員協助帶領打坐、藝術及戶外等活動。K-2夏令營活動中心設在男校育良小學教室，在這裡進行各種活動和享用點心。早上的課程，包括自由活動及團體活動，諸如茶會、藝術、聽故事、講解樂高玩具及簡短的唱誦等。室外活動從九點半開始，有徒步到聖城內的小溪、籃球及足球等。十點二十分，小朋友到佛殿參加午供，然後到齋堂用餐。午餐後，有一小段安靜的時間，每個學生拿一本書及一個坐墊，開始閱讀及休息。小朋友最愛的下午活動就是用回收的材料，在大藝術教室裡，做建築模型。很多孩子也喜歡在寬敞的禪堂裡跟近梵師打坐及聽故事，坐得住的孩子，可以跟法師並排而坐；幾天後，幾乎所有的孩子都坐在法師旁邊了。最後一天，大家用電鍋爆玉米花，還用太陽能烤爐做小甜餅，夏令營在有趣和健康的點心中圓滿結束。
二十二個九歲到十四歲的男學生，來自美國各州，有兩位遠從法國而來，只會講法文。在兩週內，他們經驗了從未有過的寺廟生活，包括學習打坐，一開始孩子都須克服腿痛的困難，幾天後很多人已可靜心盤坐。在佛學課中，學生最感興趣的就是天堂與地獄的問題，孩子們有很好的概念，做壞事就會下地獄，做好事可以上天堂，老師就順勢教導「五戒十善」的道理。
第一天在齋堂時，孩子們興高采烈的聊了起來。進禪堂時，鞋子也七零八落的丟在門口。可是他們很受教，隔天在佛殿、齋堂、禪堂孩子們都安靜了下來，每天鞋子也都整整齊齊的排列。善根深厚的他們，見到出家人迎面而來，就畢恭畢敬地合掌問好。他們也學習要惜福、不浪費食物、對佛像要恭敬，不可穿短褲上佛殿；還有，不要追逐孔雀，傷害小動物；要保護地球，做好環保工作等。
在籃球、足球、國樂、太鼓、舞獅等活動中，他們則學習到要合作，才能有完美的效果。即使在隊伍行進中，一個人任意而行，也會破壞團體規律。孩子們非常順從，所以這次夏令營在生活上的教育，可說是相當成功的。
這次學生的平均年齡較低，有一半以上中文的聽說能力都很好，可見家長對中文教育的重視。在中文課，他們學習了更多的中文，也聽了很多孝順或佛教高僧的故事。有個孩子剛來時，太想家了，吵著回去；過了幾天，就捨不得下課了。聽不懂中文的學生，就學下中國棋，乃至聽簡單的中國話。在美術課，孩子們發揮了高度的想像力，以回收材料來創作，玩得不亦樂乎！老師教導他們怎麼節約能源，所以他們學習到用太陽能來烤小點心；在短時間中，他們得了很多寶貴的知識。
值得一提的是，培德男校畢業校友蔡傑至；他已連續七年參與夏令營的工作，這兩年，他領導其他的輔導員同心協力幫助孩子們，乃至不眠不休規劃整個活動，讓孩子們在安全舒適的環境下，盡情的學習與遊戲，深得孩子的愛戴。男校夏令營能夠辦得有聲有色，輔導員們的努力，功不可沒。
家長的關心和參與，是夏令營成功的另一因素，他們每天做三餐及點心、陪同孩子們去公園野餐、到游泳池幫忙維護安全；夏令營結束時，家長都感到非常滿意，覺得孩子們沒有虛度光陰。
從這次成功的經驗，我們樂見更多的孩子能來到萬佛城讀書或參加夏令營，讓孩子在祥和寧靜的環境中，綻放更多天真純樸的笑容，我們也希望藉此活動，孕育出更多優秀的人才。
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From July 5th - 15th, the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (CTTB) hosted a summer camp for children ages 4-15. The camp attracted both local students and those from other parts of California, the U.S. and the world. There were about 100 students in all. Approximately 20 counselors (many of them students or alumni of CTTB’s schools), and many volunteer teachers and parents helped make this year’s camp particularly successful.
“The kids in summer camp were really wonderful!” This was the common feeling of all the teachers. These innocent and adorable kids had a very special quality about them. The more the teachers taught them, the more inspired they felt. The more the kids played, the happier they felt. They experienced an unforgettably happy time at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. More than half the students said they would come back next year.
Boys’ Camp. There were 12 boys between the ages of four and eight. Graciela Rodarte (from Fresno, CA) and Min Zhang were the main teachers. Many teachers and counselors helped with activities such as meditation, art, and outdoor playing. The “center of operation” was the elementary classroom in the Boys School. This was where the boys had their indoor play and snacks.
 Early morning schedules included free play and activities such as tea parties, arts, storytelling, Lego constructions and brief chanting. Outdoor activities such as hiking to the creek, basketball and soccer started around 9:30 am. At 10:20 am, students walked to the Buddha Hall for the meal offering and then had lunch in the dining hall. During quiet time after lunch, each boy took a book and a cushion to read and rest. One favorite afternoon activity was doing construction with recycled material in the enormous art studio. Many also loved the meditation-and-story hour with Jin Fan Shi at the spacious Chan Hall. Whoever sat quietly got to sit beside the Dharma Master and after a few days almost all the boys were sitting with him. The day concluded with a fun and healthy snack. The class popped popcorn in pots and even baked our own cookies in solar ovens.
The 22 boys between the ages of nine and twelve came from various states. Two hailed from as far as France and only spoke French. During these two weeks, they experienced monastic life for the first time. Although most kids struggled with the pain in their legs during meditation, many were able to sit quietly in lotus posture after a few days. In Buddhist studies, the students were most curious about the heavens and hells. They knew that bad deeds cause one to fall into the hells, and good deeds lead one to the heavens. Building on their understanding, the teacher taught them about the five precepts and ten wholesome deeds.
On the first day, students chattered excitedly in the Dining Hall, and left their shoes lying everywhere outside the Chan Hall. However, they learned quickly, and by the second day they were quiet in the Dining Hall and Chan Hall and also lined their shoes up very neatly. Children with deep roots of goodness would respectfully put their palms together when they saw a monastic. They learned to cherish their blessings and not waste resources, and to show respect to the Buddha images by not wearing shorts in the Buddha Hall. They also learned not to chase peacocks or hurt small creatures, and to protect the earth and environment.
 During activities such as basketball, soccer, orchestra, taiko drumming, and lion dance, they learned how to work together as a team to produce the best result. A careless move by even one individual would break the team’s rhythm. As the students were exceptionally cooperative, the social education aspect of this year’s summer camp’s was quite successful.
Although this year’s students were younger than average, more than half could speak and understand Chinese quite well, showing that their parents’ emphasis on Chinese education. In Chinese class, students learned more Chinese and heard stories about filial people and eminent Buddhist monks. Some students were homesick at first, but after a few days, they did not even want the classes to end. Students who did not understand Chinese learned to play Chinese chess and to speak simple Chinese phrases. In art class, the children had great fun creating imaginative works of art out of recycled materials. The teacher taught them how to conserve energy, and they baked snacks in a solar oven. In a short time, they acquired much valuable knowledge.
We should mention that Richard Tsai, an alumnus of Developing Virtue Boys School, has volunteered in the summer camp for seven consecutive years. In the past two years he led the other counselors in helping the children and planned the entire camp’s activities in such a way that the children could learn and play safely and comfortably. He is greatly loved by the students. The counselors’ efforts made the camp especially enriching and successful.
The camp’s success also comes from parent involvement. About a dozen mothers helped make breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks every day, accompanied the kids to the park for a picnic, and watched over their safety at the swimming pool. At the end of camp, the parents were extremely satisfied that their kids had not wasted their time here.
From this successful experience, we hope to see more children come to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas to enroll in school or attend summer camp. In this serene environment, they can smile in youthful innocence and develop their talents.
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女童夏令營：今年女學員，都相處和樂融融。已有幾位學員，提出申請就讀女校。今年的主題是「文化與環保」，所以特別活動包括在聖城的有機菜園工作、採水果、插花、芭蕾舞、國畫和書法；幸運的請到金山寺的恆異師和中文學校的薛老師、林老師及其他的義務老師能來帶領。以下是學員、輔導員和家長流露各人純真的心聲：
莫海怡 (十歲)：我結交了很多新朋友、上戲劇課、國樂課、學《法華經》，也聽很多菩薩救度眾生離苦得樂的故事，還背了〈普門品〉呢！
方慧怡(十四歲)：萬佛聖城是對身心都有益的地方。在這兒，朋友、老師、機會──當然，還有快樂的時刻，都是無止盡的。去年參加過夏令營後，我就來聖城讀書，在這裡很好玩。我真的很喜歡一些新課程，特別是藝術課和佛學課。非常感謝輔導員安排的晚間活動。總之，今年夏令營很棒！
泰米(十五歲)：我來自維吉尼亞州；這是唯一的機會，來看聖城和我的朋友，因此參加夏令營對我是很有意義！聖城是個很妙的地方，我在這裡最開心、最有歡笑。在夏令營，我學更多中國文化、我們的環境、更多佛學、戲劇和美術；當然，我還學了二胡！最令我難忘的是當我第一次走過聖城的山門！這是一個心靈的經驗，感覺很棒。
劉嘉璿(十歲)：我在這兒學到很多事情：如何資源回收、舞蹈、背誦，做美勞。我愛聖城，因為這兒好玩、又大。我最喜歡參加障礙賽和打水球。
李嘉儀(十二歲)：我學到要負責任，與人合作和分享等等；總之，就是做人要做得更好。我覺得所有輔導員就像是我姊姊似的。我們學習如何一起玩遊戲和相處。對我而言，聖城真是一個很特殊的地方！
李思伶(八歲)：我來自德州。我喜歡孔雀。我來這兒，是因為我喜歡這兒；這是我第六次來聖城。我學佛法、聽佛菩薩的故事；我認為這裡很特別，因為這就像是佛留下來的地方。當我的家人得知有這麼一個地方時，我們就想要來拜訪了！我發現：聖城是個可以住、可以學習，又可盡力做事的地方。在這地方，佛很費心地想幫助我們得到健康，所以大家都吃素！
楊中裕(輔導員/校友)：今年是我第五度做輔導員。很欣慰今天講話的學員，都沒有忘記感謝所有法師、老師、家長和輔導員所付出的辛勞。 我也希望將來有更多人來幫忙，我們真需要大眾的支持！我相信能來參加夏令營的孩子，都是很有潛力，我們希望她們都能來培德。
謝謝所有的輔導員犧牲暑假，付出心血，來帶動這個夏令營。最後，特別感謝學員們都很合作，尤其這幾天都這麼熱，仍願意進行日常活動！
黃美娟：我是思伶的母親。沒有聖城這大家庭，小朋友就不會有這麼愉快的夏令營。陪伴孩子跟著大家團體行動，才瞭解這也是不容易的事。要督促孩子，跟上時間表就很不簡易。感謝法師們寬容孩子們大大小小的聲音，讓他們有這麼好的環境，能跟法師們在一起，能親近佛法。
因為在廚房幫忙，才明白自己在家煮三餐，實在算不了什麼！當我拿著鐵鏟，連要把右手伸到鍋的另一頭都夠不到；我可以想像她們日常要為大眾準備三餐，實在相當辛苦。使我由衷的敬佩，所以在此特別向廚房工作的法師們致謝！
我們就要回到世俗的世界，我想告訴法師們：我們很需要你們為我們維持正法的道場，讓在煩惱世界裡的我們有個投靠的地方。在這裡我們可呼吸新鮮的空氣、接觸清淨的環境，我全然覺得這裡有別於外界。所以請為我們在外面煩惱的眾生善自珍重各位的法體，我們很需要您們！
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Girls’ Camp All the girls in this year’s camp had a wonderful time. Several applied to study at the Girls’ Schools. Since this year’s theme was “Cultural Understanding and Environmental Awareness,” special activities included working in CTTB’s 2-acre organic garden, picking fruit, arranging flowers, ballet, and Chinese painting and calligraphy. We were lucky to have Heng Yi Shr, Echo Hsueh, and Mr. Lin from Gold Mountain Monastery’s Chinese School come to teach this year, along with many other volunteers. Here are some impressions shared by students, a counselor, and a parent.
Hoy Yi Moh (age 10): I made a lot of new friends, practiced drama and Chinese orchestra, learned the Lotus Sutra, listened to stories about Guanyin Bodhisattva helping suffering beings, and memorized the Universal Door Chapter.
Jessica Fong (age 14): CTTB is a wonderful place to be in for both mind and body. There is no end of friends, teachers, opportunities, and happy moments. I enrolled in school here after attending summer camp last year and it is fun. I was really happy about some of the new classes, especially art and Buddhist Studies. I’m grateful to the counselors for planning our evening activities. All in all, summer camp this year is awesome!!
Tammy Tran (age 15): I’m from Virginia. Summer camp means a lot to me for it is the only time I get to visit CTTB and my friends. CTTB is a very wonderful place. Here is where I mostly laugh and smile. In camp, I learned more about Chinese culture, our environment, Buddhist studies, drama and art, and to play the Er-hu! I’ll never forget when I got to walk through the mountain gate for the first time! It was a spiritual experience and a wonderful feeling.
Tiffany Liu (age 10): I learned a lot of things here: how to recycle, dance, memorize a sutra, and make art projects. I like CTTB because it’s fun and big. My favorite games were the obstacle course and the water balloon fight.
Catherine Li (age 12): I learned be responsible, to cooperate as a member of a team, to share, etc.—over all, be a better person. I feel counselors are all my elder sisters. We learned how to play together and get along with each other. CTTB is a very special place for me indeed.
Linda Lee (age 8): I’m from Texas. I like the peacocks. I come here because I love it here. This is my 6th visit. I get to learn Buddhism and hear stories about Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I think this place is very special because it’s like a place left by the Buddhas. When my family found out about this place, we really wanted to visit. CTTB is a place where we can live and study and do a lot of work to help out. In this place, the Buddha wants to help us be very healthy and that’s why we eat vegetarian food!
Angel Yang (counselor/alumna): This is my fifth year as a summer camp counselor. I’d like to thank all the campers who talked just now for not forgetting to thank all the Dharma Masters, teachers, parents and counselors. I invite those who have the opportunity to come back to help out the summer camp and dedicate yourself. We truly need it! This is a great opportunity for us to develop virtue while working with kids.
I’d like to thank all the counselors for working so hard and spending your summer vacation here. I’d like to thank all the campers who have been really cooperative.
 Although it has been so hot in the past few days, they were still willing to do their daily routine!
Mei Chuan Huang: I’m Linda’s mother from Texas. Without this big CTTB family, there would not be such a joyful summer camp for children. After accompanying the kids through all the scheduled group activities, I see that dorm life isn’t easy. To supervise the children so that they follow the schedule on their own isn’t easy. I am grateful to the Dharma Masters for tolerating the kid’s voices and noise level. Thank you for providing them such a wholesome environment, and for allowing them to draw near to you and to the Buddhadharma.
Having helped out in the CTTB kitchen, I realized that my cooking three meals a day for my family at home is nothing in comparison. When I held the huge spatula I couldn’t even reach the other side of the wok! I can imagine how tough a job it is for the kitchen staff to cook three meals for the assembly. I respect and admire them from the bottom of my heart, and hereby express my gratitude to them.
Before going back to the mundane world, I wish to tell the Dharma Masters: We need you badly to help maintain this monastery of the Proper Dharma, so that in this world full of afflictions, we have a refuge. Here, we breathe the fresh air and enjoy the pure environment. It is a totally different world here. For the sake of all the suffering living beings, please take care of your health. We truly need you!
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