Saturday, January 27, 2007

New Year New Wish

We promote the Zen practice and propagate the Zen Buddhism at the Buddha Mind Monastery. While celebrating Chinese New Year, we want to follow the Bodhisattva’s spirit to benefit not only ourselves but also others. Moreover, in order to facilitate better understanding of Eastern and Western culture, we held the New Year Medicine Buddha ceremony and Chinese New Year celebration.

On the day of Dharma ceremony, the weather was sunny with a light breeze. Around 9:00 am, all of the Dharma supporters gathered at the Buddha Mind Monastery. Everyone recited” Medicine Crystal Light Tathagata’s Vow and Merit Sutra” and the sounds of chanting were like from heaven. Master Jian Tai, the Abbess of the Buddha Mind Monastery, gave a Dharma lecture in both Chinese and English to demonstrate the merit and virtue of chanting Medicine Buddha Sutra. The Medicine Buddha makes a great vow to cure the physical illness and eradicate vexations of sentient beings. Only when we have a peaceful mind and healthy body as well as do good deeds, will our inherent wisdom manifest naturally.

The New Year Dharma ceremony included offering to the Buddha, for prosperity, and dedication to the deceased. Everyone sincerely offered incense and vegetarian food to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. With a wish to have nice weather and to handle public affairs smoothly in Oklahoma, now celebrating its centennial, people attending the Dharma ceremony chanted mantras and dedicated the merits to this land. From the diligent practice of everyone, we wish that all Dharma supporters gain blessings and wisdom, and the deceased can transcende to the pure land.

Following the Dharma ceremony, there were many performances and celebration programs. It began with New Year songs in Chinese from eight students of our Mandarin Learning class,followed by Buddhist song choir, nunchakus performances, Tai Chi martial art, electronic piano performance, and Chinese prose. These programs fully showed the rich content of Chinese culture. The performance of “Fairy offers Fortune” by Zweng-Yen Liang reached the most excited period during the Chinese New Year celebration program. She placed her palms together and very sincerely offered to the Buddha. Following her performance was a ribbon dance and distribution of fortune envelops. Everyone had a great time and enjoyed the joyful atmosphere of Chinese New Year.

“In the New Year and New Spring, all is new. Every new day should focus on clearing and purifying the Mind. At the right moment, the ancient moon illuminates. From morning till evening, we meet Spring again.” In the New Year, no matter where you are, you should increase your understandings and breakthrough your limitation. If you can be the master of the Pure Mind all the time, then every day is a good day, and every year is a good year.

新年新氣象—佛心寺2007年新春活動記實

佛心寺平日推廣禪修,弘揚正信佛法。於新春佳節之際,學習菩薩自利利他的精神,促進中西文化交流,故舉行新春藥師祈福法會及春節聯歡表演。

法會當天,陽光普照,涼風徐徐。上午九時左右,護法信眾陸續雲集。在悠揚的梵唱聲中,大眾恭誦《藥師瑠璃光如來本願功德經》。佛心寺住持太法師用中英文開示持誦藥師經的功德利益,讓與會大眾了解藥師佛除了發願幫助眾生醫治身體的病苦外,更要解除心裡貪瞋癡的煩惱。當調整好自己的身心,廣修善法,我們本具的智慧自然可顯現出它的妙用。

新春法會尚有佛前大供及消災超薦等佛事。大眾至誠以清淨香齋供養諸佛菩薩,並誦經持咒回向正逢一百周年的奧克拉荷馬州,能風調雨順,諸事呈祥。也藉由每一個人的精進用功,祈願護法善信增福增慧,往生者超生淨土。

法會結束後即開始一連串的春節聯歡表演。這次之節目,在八位華語班學員,用中文唱的拜年歌中,展開序幕。接下來的佛曲二部合唱、雙截棍表演、太極拳演出、電子琴演奏及散文朗讀,表現出中華文化豐富的內涵。而活動最高潮是梁遵燕居士表演的仙姑獻瑞,只見她雙手合十,至誠供養諸佛菩薩,接下來的彩帶舞及福袋結緣,讓與會的中西人士,體會中國年的歡喜氣氛。

「新年新春萬事新,日新又新在明心。直下承當照古月,朝朝暮暮在逢春。」新的一年就要有更多的體悟與突破,無論處於何種境界,希望這念心始終清楚明白作主,如此一來,日日皆是好日,年年便是好年。