應奧斯丁德州大學、休士頓玉佛寺、加爾維斯頓的「明燈光精舍」的邀請，萬佛聖城一行四人－－比丘尼恆賢師、恆信師、恆音師、祥蓮師，於四月二日至十三日專訪了德州。
四月三日星期五，弘法團首先訪問加爾維斯頓島上唯一的佛寺－－明燈光精舍。弘法團領眾舉行一場「大悲懺」法會，而後介紹了「法界佛教總會」，並以宣公上人越南文開示錄書籍與錄音帶作結緣品。其中一位居士曾在一九八○年代時，協助宣公上人及佛教總會分擔承辦政府的難民收留安置工程。對於安置兩百多名越南難民在休斯頓地區落腳，他起了極重要的作用。許多居士都是附近德州大學醫學研究中心的學生與教授。
四月四日星期六，弘法團參訪了德州修格蘭市的越南寺，並贈送「佛經翻譯學會」的一些出版書刊。四月五日星期日，弘法團受邀至玉佛寺舉辦一場禪修班，作法語開示，並解答問題。弘法團成員介紹了法界佛教總會的歷史；在給那真心修行及禪坐的初機者開示中，訪問團強調了《楞嚴經》與戒律的重要性，及重興注重道德倫理教育的教育改革的迫切性。
星期一，弘法團搭機抵奧斯丁。四月八日星期三，比丘尼們給奧斯丁德州大學佛學社作了一場演講，主題為「禪定、持咒、持戒」：一心不亂的途徑。星期四他們介紹並帶一場「大悲懺」。對於幾乎每個人來說，這是他們第一次拜懺，他們的感覺是功效大，且祥和。星期五早晨，弘法團成員給德大「亞洲研究」系副教授約翰‧尼爾遜博士教的佛學班談了當前中國、台灣、越南、美國的佛教現狀，同時也談了宣公上人在佛教中的改革；當晚，她們給德大佛學社講了「行菩薩道」。星期六在校園裡則舉行了一日禪七，從上午九時至下午五時，交替進行靜坐、行香、開示。中午有居士們發心供養素齋。星期天下午，比丘尼們參觀了奧斯丁僅有的兩座越南寺廟，並給那兒的信眾們介紹了萬佛聖城。
弘法團所到之處皆暢說宣公上人的三大願：（一）將正法傳播到西方，並建立能嚴遵佛制的僧團。（二）將佛經典藏譯成西方語言。（三）倡導教育改革。一般而言，聽者都非常對機，許多人表示有興趣到萬佛聖城來參訪和學習。他們也希望未來聖城能派更多的弘法團到德州去。 |
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At the invitation of the Buddhist Association of the University of Texas at Austin, Jade Buddha Temple of Houston, and Minh Dang Quang Hermitage of Galveston, a delegation of four nuns—Bhikshunis Heng Hsien, Heng Syin, Heng Yin, and Syang Lian—from the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas visited Texas from April 2 to 13, 1998.
On Friday, April 3, the delegation first visited Minh Dang Quang Hermitage, the only Buddhist temple on Galveston Island. The delegation led a Great Compassion Repentance and introduced Dharma Realm Buddhist Association to the laity there. Books and tapes of the Vietnamese translations of the Venerable Master’s Dharma Talks were distributed. One of the laymen had worked with the Venerable Master and the Buddhist Council for the Rescue and Resettlement of Refugees in the 1980’s, and had been instrumental in settling over 200 Vietnamese refugees from that program in the Houston area. Many laypeople were students or faculty from the nearby University of Texas Medical Branch.
On Saturday, April 4, the nuns visited Vietnam Buddhist Center in Sugarland, Texas, and gave the temple Vietnamese and English publications of the Buddhist Text Translation Society. On Sunday, April 5, they were invited to Jade Buddha Temple, where they led a meditation class, gave Dharma talks, and answered questions. They spoke about the history of the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association, the importance of the Shurangama Sutra and of holding precepts for those who are serious cultivators and meditators, and the need to reform education by re-introducing ethical values.
On Monday, the delegation flew to Austin. On Wednesday, April 8, the nuns spoke on “Meditation, Chanting, and Precepts: Ways to Achieve Mindfulness” to the Buddhist Association of the University of Texas at Austin. On Thursday, they introduced and led a Great Compassion Repentance. For almost everyone, it was the first time they bowed this repentance, and they found it very powerful and peaceful. On Friday morning, the delegation spoke to a class on Buddhism taught by Dr. John K. Nelson, Assistant Professor of Asian Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. The nuns spoke on contemporary Buddhism in China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the United States, and also about the Venerable Master Hua as a reformer of Buddhism. That evening they spoke to the UT Buddhist Association on “The Practice of the Bodhisattva Path.” On Saturday a One-Day Meditation Session was held from 9 to 5 on the UT campus. The schedule consisted of alternating sits, walks, and instructions, as well as a vegetarian lunch brought by the laity. On Sunday afternoon the nuns visited the only two Vietnamese temples in Austin and introduced the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas to the laypeople there.
Everywhere the delegation members went they spoke about the Venerable Master’s three vows: 1) to bring the Proper Dharma to the West and establish a Sangha that strictly follows the Buddha’s tradition; 2) to translate the Buddhist canonical texts to Western languages; and 3) to promote educational reform. In general people were very receptive to these ideas and many expressed interest in visiting or studying at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. They also hoped the City would send more delegations to Texas in the future. |
