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 Singapo…
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