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比丘尼照湛是第一位受具足戒的阿根廷人。照湛師於1947年誕生於阿根廷，長大後在布宜諾斯大學修讀美術史。1969年結婚，遷居巴西聖保羅，且生了兩個孩子。後任職於美術館，將英文和法文的文章書籍翻譯成西班牙文。有一次，她閱讀東方美術史，開始研究東方藝術的宗教內涵，特別為佛教所吸引。由於對自然養生食物的濃厚興趣，她成了素食者。
988年，她回阿根廷照顧父母。有一天，她看到一則新聞報導，在她家附近有間佛教寺院新成立。她跑去參訪。她接觸了佛教的道理和修行，並且開始翻譯許多英文佛書成西班牙文。
1990年，她想去臺灣修行，有人介紹她去一間尼寺。她在那兒當了一年半的居士，學習佛教課誦、禪坐、寺廟工作，以及簡單的中文。
1992年3月觀音誕辰日剃度出家，並在當年年底受具足戒，成為比丘尼。1993年她回阿根廷，並參加聖保羅一間佛寺的開光典禮。從此她就往返於巴西和阿根廷之間，從事翻譯佛經成西班牙文和葡萄牙文的工作。她所協助翻譯的經典包括『觀音菩薩普門品』，『地藏經』，各種佛門儀軌，以及『楞嚴經』的部份章節。目前正在翻譯『金剛經』。 |
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Bhikshuni Dzau Dzan is the first native Argentinian to be ordained in the Buddhist Sangha. Born in Argentina in 1947, she studied Art History at the University of Buenos Aires. In 1969 she got married and moved to São Paulo, Brazil, where she had two children. Later when she was working in an art gallery, she translated articles and books from English and French into Spanish. Once, after she read about Oriental art, she began studying the Eastern religions that inspired such art and felt particularly drawn to Buddhism. She became a vegetarian through her interest in macrobiotics.
In 1988 she returned to Argentina to look after her parents. One day she saw an announcement in the newspaper about a new Buddhist temple opening near her home. When she went there, she was introduced to the principles and practice of Buddhism and started translating many English Buddhist books into Spanish. Later in 1990, went to visit Taiwan and practice in a nunnery there. She lived there for one and a half years as a layperson, learning Buddhist ceremonies, meditation, monastic duties, and basic speaking and writing in Chinese.
In March of 1992, on the Birthday of Guanyin Bodhisattva, she left the home-life and at the end of that year she received full ordination as a Bhikshuni. In 1993 she returned to Argentina and participated in the inauguration of a temple in São Paulo. Since then she has divided her time between Brazil and Argentina, translating or collaborating in the translation of several Buddhist texts into Spanish and Portuguese. Some of the texts she has helped to translate are: "The Universal Door of Guanyin Bodhisattva," The Earth Store Sutra, various Buddhist ceremonies, and sections of the Shurangama Sutra. She is currently translating the Vajra Sutra. |
