一九九三年十月十四日至二十一日，在北京友誼賓館舉行的「中國佛教協會第六屆代表會議」，是一次團結整頓振興佛教的大會。會議在廣濟寺舉行開幕式，以藏語、巴利語、漢語三種語言誦經開始，這顯示出全世界佛教的三大語系－藏語系的藏傳佛教，巴利語系上座部南傳佛教，和漢語系北傳佛教（並由中國傳到朝鮮、日本的，都包括在北傳佛教中），都在佛教的第二故鄉中國融合貫通、發揚光大了！這次會議中，還決定設立藏傳佛教，和上座部南傳佛教兩個工作委員會，象徵我國多民族和各教派的融合團結，以及佛教大慈平等的精神！
會議著重提出佛教要加強自身建設。以戒為師，修持用功，建立道風，按照「漢族地區佛教寺廟管理辦法」和「共住規約通則」兩個文件，落實「學修一體化」，「學僧生活叢林化」，實行上殿（早晚功課）、過堂（平等一律的簡樸齋食）、誦戒（半月一次）、結夏安居，整頓好寺規僧紀，做到寺像寺，僧像僧，僧尼管理寺廟，提高四眾弟子的素質；並要求辦好僧伽教育（佛學院校），培育合格僧才，這樣才能振興佛教啊！我們更希望在會後，全國的四眾師友，能振奮自強，貫徹執行會議的決議，辦好僧教育和寺院管理，健全如法僧團的制度，則興教弘法、自度度他，愛國愛教並在其中矣！
上殿、過堂、誦戒、結夏，這四種叢林制度，其中上殿、過堂這兩種是佛教界所熟悉的。後兩種同樣重要，受具足戒者，要半月一次集體誦戒，如有違犯當眾發露懺悔，如已犯了根本大戒，就要收回戒牒、剝下法衣，離開僧團，使僧團常得保持清淨和合。受戒不誦戒者，連飲水吃飯都算犯盜戒（居士也是）。佛在世時和比丘都行托缽乞食制，受四事供養（飲食、衣服、臥具、醫藥），所以規定比丘不捉持生像金銀，（在我國，因社會習慣不同，乞食制從來沒有通行過，而是自做伙食過集體生活的叢林制，所以寺院有集體公有的財物，而僧人只應有些零用錢，也因為不是托缽乞食，而是集體自餐）。因為印度夏天有三個月雨季，外出托缽不便，所以佛制訂在農曆四月十五日到七月十五日的三個月，為結夏安居期，約定由發心供養的施主送供養來。弟子們在此安居期間，是倍加精進用功，學戒修定，在戒定薰修下，弟子們多於此時證果（初、二、三果）證道（四果阿羅漢道），弟子們三個月勤修證果證道了。所以在七月半安居圓滿時，定為佛歡喜日、僧自恣日（發露懺悔自己的過錯或不足之處，也可指出別位同學的缺點，就是進行批評與自我批評）。這是多麼好的集體生活僧團制啊！
佛制受具足戒後，參加結夏安居為戒臘之算法；戒臘五年的為阿闍黎，十年的為下座師，二十年以上為中座師，三十年以上是上座；在僧團中大小先後的排次，不依年齡，而依僧戒臘為次序；居士受菩薩戒的，也應學習開、遮、持、犯的戒相，使能持戒清淨，所以也應半月誦戒。五戒則意義明顯，易於記牢，就沒有誦戒的規定了。但如能在居士團體裡，時常討論講習五戒的戒相，也是好事。從前上海市佛教青年會中有「五戒策進會」，就是舉事例討論明確持犯，使大家重視戒律，護持淨戒的，值得繼續與發揚。 |
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The Sixth Congress of Buddhist Associations in China was held at Friendship Hotel in Beijing from October 14 to October 21, 1993. It was a meeting that promoted unity and reform in Buddhism. The opening ceremony at Guangji Temple began with the recitation of Sutras in Tibetan, Pali, and Chinese--the three main languages in which the world's Buddhist scriptures are recorded. This showed that the Tibetan branch of Buddhism, the southern tradition of Theravadan Buddhism in Pali, and the northern tradition of Chinese Buddhism, which later spread to Korea and Japan, have re-united and are flourishing in this "second hometown" of Buddhism! At the conference, two working committees were set up for Tibetan Buddhism and Theravadan Buddhism, symbolizing the integration and harmony of various nationalities and religions in our country, and the spirit of compassion and equality in Buddhism.
The conference emphasized that Buddhism should work to develop and expand itself. Buddhists should take the precepts as their guide, work hard in their practice, and establish a good tradition of practice. The integration of study and practice, and the development of large Sangha communities, will be achieved following two articles: "Management Methodology for Buddhist Temples in China," and "Regulations for Sangha Dwellings." Sangha members are expected to attend daily ceremonies (morning and evening recitations), take meals with the assembly (simple vegetarian fare), recite the precepts every half month, hold summer retreats, reform the monastic rules, and in general make the monasteries and Sangha communities genuine, not in name only. The monasteries and temples should be managed by Sangha members (monks and nuns), who should strive to raise the standards of the fourfold assembly of disciples (monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen). They should also focus on Sangha education! (Buddhist academies) and make sure Sangha members are well-qualified. Only then can Buddhism prosper.
What's more, we hope that after the conference, Buddhists will work earnestly at implementing the resolutions of the conference, doing a good job of educating the members of the Sangha, managing the temples, and expanding the system of Sangha governance. Then not only will Buddhism flourish, but we will save ourselves and others, and serve our country and religion.
Attending the daily ceremonies, taking meals formally with the assembly, reciting the precepts, and holding the summer retreat are four things the Sangha should do. Of these, daily ceremonies and formal meals are familiar to most Buddhists. The latter two are just as important. Those who have received the complete precepts should assemble to recite them every half month. If one has violated the precepts, one should confess and repent before the assembly. If a person has violated a fundamental precept, the Sangha should confiscate his precept certificate, ask him to take off the Dharma robes, and expel him from the Sangha in order to preserve the purity and harmony of the assembly. If one does not recite the precepts after receiving them, one commits the offense of stealing simply by eating and drinking in the temple (the same holds true for laypeople).
When the Buddha was in the world, he and the Bhikshus (monks) made almsrounds and received the four kinds of offerings (food, clothing, bedding, and medicine). Thus, Bhikshus were expected to hold the precept of not touching money. (In China, due to the different culture, begging for food is not practiced. Instead, monks cook for themselves and live in monastic communities. The monasteries have communal assets and distribute small allowances to the monks, since they no longer follow the practice of making almsrounds.)
In India, since it was inconvenient to go out to beg during the three months of rain in the summer, the Buddha established the summer retreat lasting from the fifteenth of the fourth month to the fifteenth of the seventh month. During this time, donors would bring food to the Buddha's disciples, who would cultivate with increased diligence, studying the precepts and practicing meditation. Many disciples attained to the four stages of Arhatship during this period. Therefore, the end of the retreat was known as the Buddha's Happy Day. How wonderful the communal life of the Sangha must have been!
After the Buddha established the complete precepts, his disciples counted their age in the precepts by the number of retreats they had participated in. Those with five years in the precepts are acharyas, those with over ten years are junior-seated teachers, and those with over twenty years are middle-seated teachers, and those with over thirty years are senior-seated teachers. In the Sangha, rank is based not on age, but on the number of years one has been ordained in the complete precepts.
Laypeople who have taken the Bodhisattva precepts should study the distinctions of holding, violating, exceptions, and restraints, so that they can uphold the precepts purely. They should also recite the precepts every half month.
The five precepts are simple and easy to remember, and so one is not required to recite them. However, it would be nice if lay groups could hold frequent discussions and lectures on the five precepts. In the past, the Young Buddhists Association of Shanghai had a Committee for Promoting the Five Precepts, which held discussions on the five precepts and gave examples of their maintenance and violation, helping people to understand the importance of the precepts and of upholding them purely. Their work is worth continuing and expanding. |
