拜万佛忏感言

Reflections on the Ten Thousand Buddhas' Repentance Dharma Assembly

Gwo Yeh, from Singapore

The Ten Thousand Buddhas repentance ceremony at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in America has been famous throughout Asia for years. The ceremony as conducted here is quite rigorous and strict. The Master of Ceremony's voice is quite pleasant to listen to, and the two sides of the hall bowing in sequence one after the other. All in all, it creates a truly delightful sound. We bow for more than twenty days, starting from eight in the morning until five at night, with each period lasting one hour, and a fifteen minute break in between. Bowing in respect to the Buddhas can eradicate karmic obstacles piled up for millions of eons. We can contemplate that we are bowing on behalf of our families, our kinfolk, and our friends. Some participants contemplate that the Buddhas are releasing lights that wash over and purify the Assembly, taking away all their defilements and impurities, so that their bodies, mouths, and minds are made pure. Other people come with serious illnesses, hoping that the aid of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will quickly pull them from the sea of pain and misery.

People who do not yet believe in the Buddha can also come bow in the ceremony, because it makes for excellent exercise. The slow, gentle rhythm of the bowing is quite suitable for especially for the elderly as well.

Friends, since the Ten Thousand Buddhas' Repentance has so many advantages, I hope that you will all come take part next year.

果业 新加坡

美国万佛圣城的万佛宝忏，早已闻名亚洲。这里拜万佛的仪式是相当严谨的。维那的声音很好听，东西两边配合唱起来很悦耳。二十多天的拜忏，从早晨八时至傍晚五时，其间每拜一小时，就休息十五分钟。拜万佛可以消除无始劫来的业障，我们可以观想着自己代表家人，亲戚朋友来拜有些人观想佛放慈光洗净他的污垢，使身、口、意清净；若疾病缠身的人，也盼望佛菩萨的加持，今之早离苦海。

若是尚未信佛者，也可以来拜佛，因为这是一种很好的运动；由其对于老年人，这种缓慢的拜佛也是非常适合的。朋友们，拜万佛忏的好处这么多，希望您明年一起来参加。

Ni De-eh, from Singapore

Before I came to the CITB I had never bowed for such an extended period of time. So the first few days of bowing took a lot of effort to get through. It felt like getting back in shape to exercise after too long a period of inactivity. My kneecaps ached, and my legs were sore. I heard someone say that we should contemplate each one of die Buddhas' separate physical appearances, but to me all Buddhas look alike, and I didn't know how to contemplate diem in that way. So I wound up simply contemplating the various features of Nature, like forests, flowers, rivers, mountains, ancient temples, the ocean, colored clouds, the stars, and the moon.

Sometimes I would contemplate that my mother and my father, my sisters and brothers, my family and friends were all there bowing alongside me. Otherwise, I would simply concen trate on each Buddha's name that appeared in the text.

The voice of the Dharma Master who lead the ceremony was nice to hear, seeming to be ethereal and light. The bowing during the last few days of the ceremony were joyful. I used to think that the ninety minutes of the Great Compassion Repentance passed very slowly; it never seemed to end. But now after having bowed the Ten Thousand Buddhas' Repentance, when we bow the Great Compassion Repentance, I feel elated and blissful in body and mind.

I hope to use this experience of the Ten Thousand Buddhas' Repentance to gain a pure mind and clear spirit; I also hope that this merit and virtue will bring the world to peace and put an end to wars.

Moreover, the "Style of Cultivation", the spiritual atmosphere here is different from other places.
 
倪德娥 新加坡

未到万佛城以前，我没试过以这样长的时间拜佛，所以开始的几天拜得好辛苦，就好像休息了很久又开始运动；膝盖跪得好痛，腿也很酸。以前听人说，拜佛要观想每一尊佛的样子，但是我看每一尊佛的模样都是一样的，不知如何观想；结果就观想大自然景物，如一片树林、一朵花、一条河流、深山古庙、大海、彩云、星星和月亮，有时也观想父母、兄弟姐妹及朋友和我一起拜，或者就专注在佛经中的佛名。领唱的法师声音悦耳，仿佛是仙乐飘送一般。最后几天拜得很愉快。以前拜大悲忏时，总觉得时间很长，希望快些拜完，但拜完万佛忏之后再拜大悲忏时，有身心愉快之感。希望借此拜万佛的因缘，能达到净化心灵的目的，并也以此功德，祈求世界和平，战争永息。

Gong Hwei Jen from Singapore

This was my first visit to the CTTB. I feel there is something special here that you won't find elsewhere: the young schoolchildren, even the young Americans can all recite sutras and mantras. It makes me happy to see that Buddhism is going to flourish here in this country. Moreover, the "Style of Cultivation", the spiritual atmosphere here is different from other places. The Sangha members eat just once a day at noon, yet they work hard all the time. I feel that the ascetic practices that are practiced here ought to be learned by monks the world over.

The first day I arrived, the Guest Prefect nun was very friendly, and helped me move a heavy suitcase upstairs. What a shame, I don't even know the right way to address monks and nuns, so I call them all "Shr Fu". and I still don't know the name of the Guest Prefect who helped me out. The CTTB is a large place, and to this day I'm not sure which part of the campus is restricted to men and which to women. Some of the guests here didn't even know how to find the worship hall, nor did they know the difference between the Long Life Hall and the Rebirth Hall. Others couldn't even recognize Shr Fu's face, if they saw it, they knew him only by reputation.

Some people came here only to bow to the Buddhas, they paid attention to nothing else, while others wanted to get the whole picture before they began to bow. The Ven. Abbot's comings and goings are not our business; but the one thing that I do regret was that I didn't join in on the Three Steps, One Bow pilgrimage to the Buddhahall. I'm really sorry I missed it!

洪慧真(新加坡)

这是我第一次到万佛城。觉得这里有别于其他的佛寺，是在万佛城中小学的学生，甚至是美国小学生，年纪小小都会念经、念咒，很高兴看到佛法能在此地兴盛。此外，这里的道风也与其他地方不一样，法师们日中一食，也很卖力工作，这里出家众修的苦行是值得其他的出家人学习的。

到万佛城时，知客师很友善，还帮我搬了一个大行李上楼。可惜我连出家人怎么称呼都不会，一开口就叫师父，也不知道知客师的名字。万佛城很大，我们也不知道那里是女众可去或不可去的地方；有些人连佛堂在那儿也不知道，更不晓得什么是延生堂、往生堂也不懂，连师父是什么样子都是听说的。有些人只想来拜佛，其他的事也不理；有些人要把事情弄明白了才拜佛。尤其是师父的行踪，更不易知道，还有浴佛节当天早晨的三步一拜，我也错过了，实在可惜！

Lucille Hui (Gwo Hsuan) from Hong Kong, currently a resident of Florida

Finally I got my long-held wish to come to the City Of Ten Thousand Buddhas! I was happy to learn that the CTTB was going to hold the Ten Thousand Buddha's Bowing Repentance in order to celebrate the Buddha's Birthday. In order not to miss this splendid chance, I bought a plane ticket from Florida to San Francisco.

Time flies and I've been here for two months now, the first month was spent in bowing to the Buddhas and climaxed by celebrating the Buddha's birthday.

I enjoyed the entire period spent bowing the Repentance. It passed in a daily state of "Dharma-bliss". I would like to share my experiences at the time. It was really exciting the first day, with everybody wearing their tidy robes and standing in straight lines in front of the Buddhas. Then after we made our first offering of flowers and incense, we got down to business bowing to the names of all the Buddhas. Everything was arranged according to Dharma, and stayed under control. The ceremony proceeded in orderly fashion. The nuns who worked in the kitchen were so kind to prepare us drinks everyday to soften our voices.

Once I read in a sutra that when we finish reciting we should transfer the merit to all living beings, and we should not be greedy for the virtue ourselves. So the first thing I did was to pray to the Buddhas to make transference to my parents. But then later on I realized that I wanted to transfer to every living being as well. So I did that very happily.

While we bowed and chanted, I tried hard to concentrate and focus on each Buddha's name, and if some other false thoughts arose, I would put them aside immediately.

My left leg has given me trouble for a long time, and for years it would hurt me from time to time. During the bowing the pain really got serious. It began to bother me, since we did so many bows each day. I worried that I might not be able to finish the Repentance. A friend gave me some medicine but it didn't change anything. Therefore I could only pray to the Buddhas and try the best I could.

The time passed, and one day I was kneeling down on a cushion to make a bow, I saw a Bhikshuni's face appear before me. She looked pretty and adorned, and she smiled. The vision lasted only an instant, and then disappeared. I recalled that the Ven. Master said that if we see anything, no matter whether it is the Buddha or a demon, we should just ignore it. So I continued to focus on the bowing. And a few days before the ceremony was over my leg was suddenly released from pain, and the soreness was all gone. I felt comfortable, and nothing bothered me.

It was quite incredible, but from then until now, I feel really fine. I pray and give thanks to the Buddha.
 

果璇 香港人—来自佛罗里达州

我想要到万佛城的愿望终于实现了！当我知道万佛城将举办万佛忏来迎接佛诞日时，我很高兴，为了不要错过此殊胜因缘，我买了飞机票从佛罗里达州到三藩市。

现在我于此已经两个月了。一个月的拜忏及佛诞日也已过了。回想起我参加万佛忏时，我觉得法喜充满。第一天的拜忏，我心情紧张，每一个人都穿得很整齐的排列在佛殿的拜垫前。献了花之后，接着唱佛名号及拜佛。一切事情处理得很有规律，厨房工作的法师也很慈悲，每天准备茶水给我们润喉。

我想起曾阅佛书说，当我们诵经之后，就要回向功德给一切众生，所以我也回向功德给我的父母；但接下来，我也领悟到我也要回向给一切众生，我就很高兴的这样做了！拜忏其间，我都在尝试观想佛名号，当妄想来临时，我就把它放下。然而，我的左脚向来有问题，很久以前它不时会有疼痛，所以现在愈加严重了。我拜忏几天之后，我的腿开始不听话，我很担心不能拜完整个万佛忏。我的朋友给了我一些药，也不见效果，所以我开始向佛来祈求。

几天过后，有一次我跪拜在拜垫上，我看到一位法师的面孔出现在我眼前。他很庄严的笑着，一闪即失。我记起师父曾说过，我们无论见到了什么，是佛或魔，也不要管他，所以我继续观想及拜佛。在万佛忏结束的前几天，我的疼痛消失了，觉得很舒服。还是件很不可思议的事，到现在一直很好，我只有祈祷和感激佛菩萨的慈悲。