拜萬佛忏感言
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.
果業 新加坡
美國萬佛聖城的萬佛寶忏，早已聞名亞洲。這裏拜萬佛的儀式是相當嚴謹的。維那的聲音很好聽，東西兩邊配合唱起來很悅耳。二十多天的拜忏，從早晨八時至傍晚五時，其間每拜一小時，就休息十五分鍾。拜萬佛可以消除無始劫來的業障，我們可以觀想著自己代表家人，親戚朋友來拜有些人觀想佛放慈光洗淨他的汙垢，使身、口、意清淨；若疾病纏身的人，也盼望佛菩薩的加持，今之早離苦海。
若是尚未信佛者，也可以來拜佛，因爲這是一種很好的運動；由其對于老年人，這種緩慢的拜佛也是非常適合的。朋友們，拜萬佛忏的好處這麼多，希望您明年一起來參加。
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
未到萬佛城以前，我沒試過以這樣長的時間拜佛，所以開始的幾天拜得好辛苦，就好像休息了很久又開始運動；膝蓋跪得好痛，腿也很酸。以前聽人說，拜佛要觀想每一尊佛的樣子，但是我看每一尊佛的模樣都是一樣的，不知如何觀想；結果就觀想大自然景物，如一片樹林、一朵花、一條河流、深山古廟、大海、彩雲、星星和月亮，有時也觀想父母、兄弟姐妹及朋友和我一起拜，或者就專注在佛經中的佛名。領唱的法師聲音悅耳，仿佛是仙樂飄送一般。最後幾天拜得很愉快。以前拜大悲忏時，總覺得時間很長，希望快些拜完，但拜完萬佛忏之後再拜大悲忏時，有身心愉快之感。希望借此拜萬佛的因緣，能達到淨化心靈的目的，並也以此功德，祈求世界和平，戰爭永息。
Gong Hwei Jen from Singapo…
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