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Memorial Ceremony At Buddha Gate
by Tony Khoury

I would like to thank the Abbess of Buddha Gate for allowing me this opportunity to address you as a neophyte of the Mahayana Buddhism. I have been a student of Buddhism since September 2003 and in March 2004 I received the Three Refugees.

Today we are gathered here to remember the events that took place on September 11, 2001. those violent events have created much suffering among the people of this nation. They have also created confusion, anger and fear.

It is also worth mentioning that people everywhere are suffering from the same feelings of dread and uncertainty. It is universal. Suffering is not alien to human existence. As a student of Buddhism I have learned the causes of suffering and ways to instill peace in one’s mind.

We the practioners of the faith must not waiver form the teachings of the Dharma. We should always stand fast against anger, fear and hate. We should extend our feelings of compassion to all sentient beings. And when the dark storms blow wild and deadly we should always seek refuge: in the Buddha, in the Dharma, and in the Sangha.

The Gratitude, Blessings and Memorial Ceremony
by Bob Clark (Chuan Bo)

I have been a student in the Meditation classes at Buddha Gate Monastery for some time. I have enjoyed my classes immensely, but recently decided to begin exploring the actual ceremonies and hopefully use that experience to further deepen my awareness of Buddhism.

There are several steps, or phases to the Gratitude, Blessings and Memorial Ceremony. I would like to focus on one aspect of the Ceremony wherein I felt that the process, as well as the concept of gratitude, moved front and center, then out into the assembly.
Those people with children or parents who were celebrating a birthday that month were asked to come to the front of the room to express their gratitude to their parent(s). Their comments were all heartfelt, spontaneous, and deeply meaningful—not only to those expressing their gratitude, but also for us in the audience. I’d like to give you a few examples.

Grace

Grace, from the Beginning Meditation Class, expressed her gratitude and appreciation for the loving kindness of her parents, who have passed away. She wanted the audience to know she regretted that when she was a young woman raising her family, she felt that she had perhaps been too preoccupied with her own duties, had assumed that her parents would be around forever, and that there would be time to express her gratitude to them. She likened her life at that time to a tree being blown about by the wind and “though the trunk of the tree wishes to be calm and steady, the wind of life moves the branches, unsettles the tree trunk and opportunities to express gratitude are sometimes lost through distraction.” Her story served as a thoughtful warning to me not to take the living for granted.

Lily

Lily is a student at St. Mary’s College in Moraga. Her adoptive parents were not in attendance but she wished to express her gratitude for their loving care of her as a child. Her gratitude expanded to include her biological parents and then expanded still further to include the Triple Gem of the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.

Grace, Betty and Hsi-Hsien Chen

Grace is the daughter of Betty and His-Hsien and she wanted to thank them for the sacrifices they made to give her a stable, loving upbringing. She said that she knows they could have had other careers, greater material benefits and more for themselves, but they took less for themselves so she (Grace) could have more stability in her life. She remembers seeing other students in High School and college who did not have that solid and loving structure in their lives and knew even then how fortunate she was to have these parents.

Then her mother, Betty, took the microphone and in turn thanked Grace for making room in her busy life for her mother and father. She said that once she told Grace, “I don’t know how you make time in your busy schedule to help us the way you do.” Grace had replied, “Mom, I have my priorities in order and you and Dad are at the top.” Betty felt so happy to know that she and her husband mattered so much to their daughter.

Finally, Grace’s father, Hsi-Hsien, spoke from his wheelchair. He wanted to express his great appreciation to his daughter and son-in-law Louis (Lou) for finding Buddha Gate Monastery (yes, they “Googled” it) and bringing him there to the Ceremonies.

One thing I did know was that as each of these people spoke, it became more and more difficult for me to keep from crying. It was not out of sadness, but appreciation for the greatness of these people, how much they cared for one another and the essential goodness that shone out of each of them. I kept shifting my gaze to others in the audience to help hold back the tears, but then more and more people were wiping away tears. I finally ran out of “options” and let them flow freely down my cheeks.

After everyone had spoken, the Ceremony shifted to each Birthday person receiving pieces of a large cake that had been brought into the Hall. As each person came forward to take a piece, we sang “Happy Birthday” to them in English.

At the completion of the Ceremony, as I stepped outside, I felt a light sprinkling of rain drops. A kindly man near the door handed me an umbrella. “Are you going up for lunch?” he asked. “Yes” I nodded. “In case it starts raining again,” he said as he extended the umbrella. I took it from his hand and thanked him. I suddenly felt an unusually strong upwelling of gratitude toward this man and smiled from the top of my head to my toes.

SUGGESTIONS IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING ATTENDING A CEREMONY

• If you have questions, please speak to any of the Shifus and ask for a short meeting with them before attending a ceremony. They sincerely want to encourage understanding and participation.
• If possible, provide some volunteer service in preparation for the Ceremony and/or after the Ceremony. It not only builds merits, but builds friendships and generates a deeper sense of being a part of the Ceremony and the Sangha. There is much preparation that goes into a ceremony and the members of Buddha Gate are so grateful for any extra help. It truly can be the first step in generating gratitude.
• Come early for ease of parking. Also, it can be very reassuring to bring a classmate or friend. Not only is this helpful in terms of mutual support during the Ceremony, but can also be an opportunity for discussion after the Ceremony.
• When attending the Ceremony, dress in appropriate, comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. There are bows and prostrations during the service, as well as some sitting and kneeling on the meditation pads. Along these same lines, if it is too difficult or uncomfortable for you to participate in prostrations and kneeling, then there are chairs and reading stands set up at the back of the room. Please take good care of yourself. This is not a test of endurance, but rather a further cultivation of character and practice.
• It is natural to be a bit lost or confused when first attending the ceremonies. Be willing to forgive yourself for not knowing, feel free to ask for direction and guidance, and when in doubt, follow the lead of those nearest you. This is a situation where mistakes can be embraced and made part of our practice.
• If you generate questions or concerns during the ceremony, write them down and present them to one of the Shifus at an appropriate moment. You will get answers and they will gain a better understanding of the attendee’s needs.
• There are many “forms” present during a ceremony (besides our bodies). There are many intricate and beautiful decorations, statues, lights, flowers, etc., as well as movement (Ceremony); sounds (Music); and smells (Incense). It’s easy to become distracted and even a bit overwhelmed. It important to remind ourselves that though the forms, etc. remain a necessary part of this process, they are not the end we seek. Make an effort to see all of this as a mirror to redirect us back inward towards our own Buddha Nature.
• Give yourself the treat of attending the lunch. The food is delicious and the company is sacred.

[:zh]

紀念法會

Tony Khoury

 

感謝佛門寺住持法師給我這個機會，讓我以大乘佛教新進弟子的身份發表感想。我從2003年9月開始學佛，2004年3月皈依三寶。

今天我們聚集在此悼念發生於2001年9月11日的一連串事件，這些攻擊事件為美國人帶來痛苦，也製造了混亂、忿怒和恐懼。值得一提的是，不同地方的人們感受著相同的害怕與不安。這已經成為普世現象。人類的生活離不開苦厄。身為佛弟子，我瞭解造成苦厄的原因以及讓心境平和的方法。

我們有虔誠信念的人一定不能背離佛法的教誨。我們要穩健地對治忿怒、恐懼與仇恨。我們應該把慈悲廣施予一切有情眾生。當黑暗風暴狂野地吹起時，我們永遠會有佛、法、僧三寶做為依怙。

 

感恩、祈福、紀念法會

Bob Clark(Chuan Bo)

 

        參加佛門寺的禪修課有一段時間了。我一直非常喜歡上課，但最近我決定開始參加法會，希望藉著法會的體驗增進我對佛法的體悟。

「感恩、祈福及紀念法會」包含幾個階段與流程。我把焦點放在法會中最讓我感動的過程，其間感恩之情洋溢在會場前前後後，觸動了與會大眾。有幾對親子一同前來參加每月一次的慶生會，他們受邀到前方表達對父母的感謝之意。他們的發言都非常誠懇、感人、深具意義，不只發言的人感動，聽眾也感同深受。我舉出以下幾個例子:

 

Grace

Grace是初級禪修班的學生，她對已逝雙親的慈愛表達感激之意。她希望聽眾瞭解她的遺憾，年輕時為了養家，她覺得自己好像投注太多心力在自己要負的責任上，認為父母永遠都會在身旁，所以一定會有時間向父母表達謝意。她用「樹欲靜而風不止，子欲養而親不待」來比喻現在的心情。她的故事深刻地警惕著我，不要將生命視為理所當然。

Lily

Lily是Moraga市聖瑪麗大學的學生。她的養父母沒有出席，但她要感謝養父母在兒時對她的關愛。她感謝的人還包括她的生父與生母，更將謝意延伸到佛法三寶:佛寶、法寶、僧寶。

Grace, Betty and Hsi-Hsien Chen

Grace是Betty和His-Hsien的女兒。她感謝父母犠牲了自己，提供她安穩又充滿了愛的童年。她知道父母可以有其他事業和更好的物質生活，但父母自己很節省，好讓Grace有更安定的生活。她記得在高中和大學時看到其他同學的生活沒有穩固與愛的建構，才知道自己有這樣的父母是多麼的幸運。

她的母親Betty接著拿起麥克風對Grace說，謝謝女兒為了父母在忙碌的生活中騰出空檔。有次Betty問Grace說：「我不知道妳怎麼能在這麼緊湊的行程裏挪出時間來幫我們。」Grace回答：「媽媽，在我的優先順序中， 您和爸爸排在第一位。」 知道女兒這麼在乎父母親，Betty十分欣慰。

最後Grace的父親 Hsi-Hsien坐在輪椅上說，他要謝謝Grace和她的女婿 Louis（Lou）在網路上Google搜尋到佛門寺，還帶他來參加法會。

我發現隨著他們的發言，我愈來愈難教自己不要哭。不是因為傷心，而是對他們德行的激賞，他們這麼關心彼此，散發出美德本性的光芒。我不停地轉移目光，希望能忍住淚水，可是後來愈來愈多人在拭淚。最後我別無選擇，任憑淚水流在臉龐。

發言結束後，每位壽星都拿到一大塊會場準備的糕點，當他們上前拿糕點時，我們為他們唱頌英文的生日快樂歌。

法會結束後我步出禪堂，感覺下著小雨。站在門邊的一位好心人拿把傘給我。他問我：「去用午齋嗎?」我點頭稱是。他把傘遞給我時說：「如果再下雨時可以用。」我接下了雨傘並向他道謝。刹那間我心底湧出了特別強烈的感激之情，全身上下充滿了喜悅。

參加法會前的建議事項

• 如果有問題，可以在法會前向任何一位師父請教。師父會不吝解答並且誠摯地鼓勵大眾與會。

有機會的話可在法會前後擔任義工。這不僅可以培植功德、建立友誼，也能增加對法會和道場的歸屬感。法會有很多準備工作，佛門寺的成員歡迎更多人加入義工的行列。出坡真的可以培養感恩心。

• 早點抵達比較容易停車。歡迎帶同學或朋友一起參加。同行的人不僅可以在法會上相互支持，法會後也可以一同討論心得。
• 參加法會最好穿著合宜、舒適、寬鬆的服裝。法會中有問訊、禮拜的動作、也會在禪墊上靜坐和長跪。如果不方便長跪和禮拜，禪堂後方準備了椅子和經架可以使用。請注意自己的身體狀況，法會的目的是培福修慧，不是耐力測驗。
• 首次參加會跟不上或不清楚狀況很正常。請不用自責，有問題時歡迎尋求協助，或是跟隨身旁的人行動。出點差錯無可厚非，這也是修行的一部份。
• 如果有問題或疑慮，可寫在紙條上於適當時機交給師父。你將會得到解答，師父也會更瞭解與會大眾的需要。
• 法會上有許多「表法」 (除了身體之外)。有精美的裝飾、塑像、燈、花等等，還有動作(法會) 、聲音(唱誦)、香味 (薰香)。這些表法容易讓人分心或是不知所措。我們必須提醒自己，這些表法雖然是法會不可或缺的部份，但不是我們最終尋求的目標。試著將這一切當作我們向內心尋找本具佛性的明鏡。

去齋堂享用午齋。食物非常可口，大眾都很莊嚴。[:]