|
法界佛教總會第十次傳三壇大戒己於8月7日星期三在萬佛城圓滿成就。108天的戒期於4月18日星期四於無言堂開訓；沙彌(尼)戒早經傳授；
8月5日星期一傳二壇比丘(尼)戒；7日星期三傳三壇菩薩戒。此次登壇受戒的戒子有沙彌5名，沙彌尼23名；在三師七證的祝福聲中，在方丈恒律師的勉勵聲中，在師兄們的恭賀聲中，新戒比丘及比丘尼們，個個精神抖擻，人人法喜充滿。
今年的戒期，女眾方面有多位比丘尼講戒，不僅深入探討了戒條的精神，並將上人對戒律在今日的時空之下，於日常生活中如何落實，傾囊相授，冀望以教學相長的機緣，共同研習；以佛陀平等民主的制戒本懷，開明合理地解決當前的現實問題，在修行道路上群策群力，互勉互助，朝向「個人除障道法」、「僧團和樂清淨」、「世人信敬三寶」的目標一起努力，令正法得以久住，眾生得以離苦得樂。
對於早期上人在美國建立道場時，在日常生活中所給予的指導，及立下的條規，前輩比丘尼們擺擺道出其緣起及精神所在，以便晚輩們日後在時空轉變時，能抓得住戒律的重心，即事顯理，圓融地處理事情。
上人來美前在香港雖收有出家弟子，但那些弟子與上人在美所收之弟子並無接觸；在美之弟子，可說是在沒有前輩師兄可仰望學樣的情形之下，一切一切從頭摸索，卻也因此奠下了上人座下美國佛教道場之風氣。上人生前常謂亞洲正法佛教式微，自嘆無力挽回狂瀾，因不願見亞洲佛教僧團之不良風氣，延伸到美國及西方
，所以要在西方佛教興起之初，即設定新的佛教道場風範。
所謂「新的」風範，其實並不新，只是恢復教主釋迦牟尼佛創教之初，所設之制度，及其精神所在。譬如：出家人應行日中一食，衣不離體，不受(貝+親)錢，不蓄私人財物，不受私人供養；所有私人供養應入公庫，不住個人精舍：僧人應依僧團而住，男女界限分明等僧人本有的風範。
萬事起頭難，上人常說，「開始時必定有不圓滿的地方，但可逐漸改善
；跟我出家的人，要有浩然正氣，不畏譏讒，不辭辛勞，則正法佛教必可在西方樹立起來。」
上人又為弟子們立下了「不爭、不貪、不求、不自私、不自利、不打妄語
」的六大宗旨作為戒律的基礎精神，並說，「研究戒律，不要在戒本上去找，要在六大宗旨裏去找」(見《1993年上人訪臺開示》一書)，又立下「凍死不攀緣、餓死不化緣、窮死不求緣」的三大條款，做為行為的準則。1993年，萬佛城有出家弟子聽了外來「法師」的話，竟然打禪七時在禪堂脫卻袈裟，壞了日中一食的家風！為防範未來，上人由是規定每日早晚課開始前，大眾必定先念一遍六大宗旨、三大條款，並問「問自己是不是吃一餐？是不是衣不離體？這是萬佛城的家風，任何人都不能改。」上人改革佛教風氣的決心，於此可見一斑。
前輩弟子不負師恩，態警告教導；後輩弟子如臨師保，涓滴入耳。上人雖去日遠，其對戒法的指導，藉由弟子們薪火相傳，必將長留於世，惠及後學。可喜！可賀！
方丈和尚恒律師對沙彌戒子們的期許是：「修忍辱行，出污泥而不染。」事實上，這一期的戒子們所受到考驗是相當多的。戒子們雖有種種的習氣和不足，但最難能可貴的是，為了道場，出坡區務，不畏艱勞，在做工修福當中，無形中減少了「我執」，同修間的道情也隨之增長，正是藉事練心的好機會。
今年的戒期，男眾請比丘恒斌講授《四分律》；方丈並要求戒子們背五十三小咒、《沙彌律儀要略》、《梵網經菩薩戒》，並安排比丘近巖驗收。戒子們背戒不是小事，因在聖城，除了日常緊湊的佛殿功課不能少，還要完成每天所分派的工作，包括在學校授課。有的戒子們已年過半百，背戒真不容易！六月時，有兩位戒子已全部背完。其他的發願，背不完的，一定要在登壇後補背完畢。」欣喜之餘，驗收人近巖師以詩話、之：
庭前竹子庭後松 五位戒子出其中
句若風揚聲流水 涵注根深光吾宗
戒期將結束時，比丘尼恒瑞以詩一首，與戒子們共勉：
一襲灰衫換黃袍 萬縷塵情從此拋
常行菩薩精進道 真把如來家業挑
比丘尼恒雲也藉唐朝太賢大師之詩，勉勵戒子們：
勇士交陣死如歸 丈夫向道有何辭
初入恆難永無易 由難若退何劫成
丈夫欲取三界王 當揮智劍斬眾魔
吾於苦海誓無畏 莊嚴戒法攝諸方
比丘尼恒通歡喜之餘，也以詩相賀：
二零零二八月天 狀元及第百日選
女中丈夫任勞怨 菩提路長不畏遠
尼眾知客師比丘尼恒鐘，負責安排戒子們戒期中的住宿，眼看戒子們圓滿受戒完畢，即將分散各地道場，亦有詩祝福：
戒期充實要珍惜 受具過後要研習
時時警惕要留意 習氣毛病要轉移
難得人身要滿意 努力修行要盡己
研習佛法要中義 正法久住要人力
戒子們的生活輔導師之一－－比丘尼恒霞，任務完成即將返臺，特將上面詩中頭兩句換字為「聖城生活要珍惜，幸遇善法要研習」，更為擴大其精神，與大家共勉，並期望下次戒期時，還能有機會回來進戒壇共同學習。
|
|
The Dharma Realm Buddhist Association's
tenth transmission of the Three Platforms of Great Precepts
concluded on Wednesday, August 7th. The 108-day Ordination
Training Period began on Thursday, April18 th, at the Hall
of No Words. The Shramanera/Shramanerika Precepts had been
transmitted previously. The Bhikshu/Bhikshuni Precepts were
transmitted on Monday, August 5th. The Bodhisattva Precepts
were transmitted on Wednesday, August 7th. Five Shramaneras
(male novices) and 23 Shramanerikas (female novices)
received ordination. Blessed by the Three Precept Masters
and Seven Certifiers, exhorted by Abbot Heng Lyu Shr, and
congratulated by their Dharma brothers and sisters, the new
Bhikshus and Bhikshunis were filled with energy and Dharma
joy.
Many Bhikshunis explained the precepts to
the novice nuns during this year's Ordination Training
Period, not only exploring the essence of the precepts, but
imparting the Venerable Master's views on how to apply them
to daily life in this day and age. In this way, they hoped
everyone would study together and mutually teach and learn
from one another. They sought to emulate the Buddha's
egalitarian and democratic spirit in establishing the
precepts, and the way he resolved rnatters with wisdom and
reason. That way everyone can help and emcourage each other
on the path of cultivation. As we all strive to eradicate
our individual obstacles to practice, maintain harmony and
purity in the Sangha, and inspire people to have faith and
respect in the Triple Jewel, the Proper Dharma will remain
long in the world and living beings will be liberated from
suffering and attain happiness.
The senior Bhikshunis made every effort
to relate the circumstances and the spirit behind the
instructions that the Venerable Master gave in daily life
and the rules that he set up in the early days as he started
to establish Way-places. Their hope was in the future, this
next generation of Bhikshunis would understand the essence
of the precepts and be able to resolve matters in the
appropriate way, revealing the principle through those
specific matters.
Although the Venerable Master accepted
disciples in Hong Kong before coming to the United States,
those disciples had no contact with his American disciples.
Therefore, it could be said that the disciples he accepted
in the United States had no earlier generation to look to or
learn from. They had to start from scratch and create a new
tradition for the Venerable Master's American Way-places.
The Master often lamented the degeneration of Buddhism in
Asia. Unable to turn the tides, and unwilling to watch the
unwholesome trends of the Asian Buddhist Sangha spread to
United States and the West, he set up a new model for
Buddhist Way-places as Buddhism was just beginning in the
West.
The so-called "new" model is not really
new. He was simply returning to the rules and form that
Shakyamuni Buddha had set up in the beginning, and the
spirit behind them. Some examples of basic monastic rules
include: monastics should eat only one meal a day at noon
and always wear their kashaya sashes; they should not
receive allowances, have their own money, or receive
personal offerings; personal offerings should be handed over
to the monastery; monastics should live in a Sangha
community and not in individual hermitages; there should be
a clear separation between men and women.
Everything is difficult in the beginning.
The Venerable Master often said, "Nothing is perfect in the
beginning, but we can improve gradually. Those who leave the
home-life with me must have a righteous spirit and be
undaunted by ridicule and gossip. That way the Proper
Buddhadharma will take root in the West."
The Master captured the spirit of the
precepts in the Six Guiding Principles that he formulated
for his disciples: no contention, no greed, no seeking, no
selfishness, no pursuit of personal benefit, and no lying.
He said, "In investigating the precepts, do not merely study
the precept texts. They are to be found within the Six
Guiding Principles." [See The Venerable Master's Talks on
Dharma During the 1993 Trip to Taiwan.] The Master also
composed the Three Great Ideals as standards for
practitioners: "Freezing, we do not scheme. Starving, we do
not beg. Dying of poverty, we ask for nothing." During a
1993 Chan session, following the instructions of a guest
"Dharma Master," some of the left-home disciples at the City
of Ten Thousand Buddhas actually took off their kashaya
sashes in the Chan Hall and broke their tradition of taking
only one meal a day at midday! To prevent such mistakes in
the future, the Venerable Master required the assembly to
begin the morning and evening ceremonies by reciting the Six
Guiding Principles and the Three Ideals, as well as these
questions: "Ask yourself: Do I eat one meal a day? Do I
always wear my precept sash? These are the traditions of the
City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, and no one can change them"
From this, one may glimpse the Venerable Master's
determination to reform Buddhism.
The senior disciples, remembering their
Teacher's kindness, earnestly instructed the preceptees, who
eagerly took in every word. Although the Venerable Master
has long since departed, his instructions on precepts will
certainly remain for a long time and benefit future
generations as his disciples pass on the torch. What a
reason to rejoice
The Abbot's advice to the Shramanera
preceptees was, "Practice patience, so that you can emerge
from the mud without being defiled." Actually, the
preceptees this year faced many challenges. Although they
still have habits to change, the most precious aspect of
these preceptees is their spirit of hard work and service to
the monastery. In working and cultivating blessings, their
egos imperceptibly diminished and their enthusiasm for
practice increased . They were truly "using the work to
train the mind."
During the ordination training this year,
Bhikshu Heng Bin Shi instructed the male novices in the
Vinaya in Four Divisions. The Abbot required them to
memorize the 53 Small Mantras, the Essentials of the
Shrarnanera Vinaya, and the Brahrna Net Sutra Bodhisattva
Precepts, and Jin Yan Shi listened to them recite from
memory. It is no small matter for the preceptees to memorize
precepts, for in addition to the tight daily schedule of
ceremonies at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, they had to
complete their daily workload, including teaching in the
schools. For those preceptees over fifty, memorizing
precepts was truly hard! Two preceptees had already
memorized everything in June. The rest vowed, "Whatever we
are unable to memorize now, we will finish memorizing after
ordination." Bhikshu Jin Yan Shi, who heard their
memorization, composed this verse:
From the bamboos in front to the
pines in back,
Five preceptees wander in the courtyard.
The breeze carries their phrases, which sound like flowing
water. Engraving the words in their minds, they shall
glorify our school.
Bhikshuni Heng Ruey Shi wrote this poem
as an exhortation to the preceptees:
As you trade your gray robe for a
yellow one,
Cast off all mundane sentiments.
Constantly practice the vigorous Bodhisattva Path.
Truly take the Thus Come One's mission upon yourself.
Bhikshuni Heng Yun Shi quoted a poem from
Great Master Tai Xian of the Tang dynasty to encourage the
preceptees:
When knights go to battle, they
fight to the death.
How can a hero retreat from seeking the Way?
It is difficult from start to finish.
Yet one who quits because it is hard will never succeed.
A hero who seeks to be King of the Three Realms
Must slash through all demons with the wisdom sword.
Vow to be fearless in the sea of suffering.
Adorn the Dharma of Precepts, and gather in beings
everywhere.
Bhikshuni Heng Tung Shi also wrote a
verse to congratulate the preceptees.
In August 2002, the champions
return after a hundred-day selection process.
Heroes among women, you endured hardship.
Have no fear, though the path to Bodhi is
long.
Bhikshuni Heng Jung
Shi, guest prefect for nuns, arranged housing for the
preceptees during the ordination training period. Seeing the
preceptees receive ordination and prepare to go out to the
various branch temples, she, too, composed a verse:
Cherish all that you have learned
in the ordination period. Study and practice the complete
precepts you've received. Be cautious and attentive at all
times. Change your bad habits and faults. Be content, for a
human body is hard to obtain. Cultivate diligently and do
your best. Be loyal and righteous in studying the
Buddhadharma. It takes human effort to perpetuate the Proper
Dharma.
Bhikshuni Heng Hsia Shi, one of the
preceptees' counselors who is about to return to Taiwan,
changed the first two lines of the above verse, thereby
expanding their spirit to encourage the assembly:
Cherish the lifestyle of the City
of Ten Thousand Buddhas.
Study and practice the wholesome Dharmas you've encountered.
She hopes to have the opportunity to
participate in the next ordination training as well.
|
