中台朝聖殊勝行
文/美國佛心寺禪修班學員 傳幸

 

  

  Between the vast heritage and kind smiles, our welcoming into Taiwan had been a warm one. Our travels have been busy, but always something new to discover - from beautiful monasteries to poetic landscapes and majestic mountains.

  On this pilgrimage I have been given the opportunity to come to this spiritual place called Chung Tai Chan Monastery. A special honor it had been. A few things I have learned:

  1. Our practice does not begin in the Chan Hall, but it begins at the first steep step into the monastery and then must be continued in every step and motion there after.

  2. To be a Shifu is to be compassionate and dedicated. It is not a job for everyone, but I am sure grateful for each of them.

  3. I have discovered I truly know next to nothing about the history of Buddhism. I may have understood basic principles and procedures, but now that my eyes have been opened to this history, I have a lot more studying to do and questions to ask.

  Grand Master Wei Chueh gave a Dharma talk which emphasized creating good connections with people. This spoke to my heart and pointed me in a more clear direction in my practice.

  Since I came to Taiwan and Chung Tai on our pilgrimage, I believed this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Now that my time here is coming to an end and I reflect on the blessings I have received from my Dharma brothers, participating in ceremonies and accepting the Dharma Association Award on behalf of our president from the Grand Master, I see I have only tasted a small piece of what is to come.

  I am immensely grateful for the Dharma and my Masters as well as all Shifus who have taken great vows to bring Buddha's teachings to our western land. Especially through the guidance of our Grand Master. I feel my roots are deep in Buddhism; I am just glad Buddhism has spread far enough to reach me again. For that, I vow to practice diligently life after life.

  My eyes have been the camera and my heart the storage - I can now take everything I learned back home to share.

  (初抵台灣,迎接我們的是豐富的文化遺產和溫暖友善的笑容。在每日緊湊的行程中,總有全新的事物等待著我們去發掘,如莊嚴的寺院、詩意的風景和壯麗的高山等。

  在此次朝聖之旅中,我感到十分榮幸能有難得的機會造訪心靈之鄉──中台禪寺。我學到了如下事項:

  第一,修行不是從禪堂中開始,而是開始於進入佛寺的第一步,並且延續到日後的每一步、每一舉止中。

  第二,成為一位法師代表著須有奉獻的精神及慈悲的心,這不是每個人都能勝任的事。我很感恩每一位法師。

  第三,我發現自己對佛教歷史幾乎一無所知。我或許已經了解一些基礎佛法和修行原則,但是參觀中台山博物館之後,我對佛教歷史的認識才大為增長。我應該多加研讀,以解答心中的疑問。

  惟覺大和尚在茶會中的開示,強調與人們建立善緣。這場開示說到我的心坎裡,明確地為我指出了日後修行的方向。

  這次的台灣朝聖之旅,對我而言是終生難逢的機遇。值此旅程接近終點之際,我省視在台期間所享有的種種福報,包含參加各種法會、代表精舍護法會會長向 惟覺大和尚領取證書,以及各精舍師兄弟的盛情接待,我覺得在這趟旅程中,自己領受了很多,但是只體會了一小部分。

  對於 大和尚、對於自己所學習到的佛法,以及所有的法師,我有著滿懷的感恩,感謝法師們在 大和尚的帶領下,發願將佛法弘揚到西方世界。非常高興佛教能傳播得夠遠,使自己有機會聽聞佛法。我與佛法已結下深厚的因緣,發願將生生世世精進修行。

  我用雙眼來記錄所見所聞,用心來珍藏一切經歷。我將會把在這裡所學到的一切,帶回家鄉與大眾分享。)




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