The Ninth “Three Steps-One Bow Pilgrimage” at Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden
加拿大五臺山舉辦第九屆三步一拜
On September 8, 2024, Ven. Dayi Shi, President of the Buddhist Association of Canada, led sangha and lay disciples in the 9th “Three Steps-One Bow Pilgrimage” at Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden. This event marks the first outdoor Dharma activity since the Garden opened to the public.
At 10 AM, Ven. Dayi Shi led over 500 devotees, ranging from elderly participants to five-year-old children, in a ceremonial offering of incense at the Manjushri Bodhisattva Square by the shore of Wisdom Lake at Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden. A light drizzle began at that moment, feeling particularly fitting as if the guiding devas were blessing the gathering and showering the participants with sweet dew, nurturing their minds. As the devotees commenced the Three Steps-One Bow practice, sunlight broke through, illuminating each practitioner and instantly uplifting their faith in the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
As the crowd began their diligent “Three Steps-One Bow” practice, wholeheartedly chanting "Homage to Manjusri Bodhisattva of Great Wisdom,” it felt as if they were embarking on the long and arduous journey to Enlightenment.
Ven. Dayi Shi shared, "There are numerous merits of the “Three Steps-One Bow Pilgrimage”: Firstly, it repays the kindness of parents; Secondly, it purifies body, speech, and mind, eliminating karmic obstacles; Thirdly, it brings inner peace and joy; and Fourthly, it removes arrogance and pride." As the teaching goes, "One bow to the Buddha can extinguish countless unwholesome karmas, and a single recitation of the Buddha’s name increases merits immeasurably."
With each step of the pilgrimage, the devotees expressed their gratitude to the Buddha and esteemed monastics for their teachings, honoring the aspirations of our three founders who disseminate Dharma in North America, and appreciating Ven. Dayi Shi for carrying forward their vision in establishing the Buddhist Garden. With sincere reverence, they bowed from the foot of the mountain to its summit, journeying from the world of suffering to the Pure Land.
The practice of "Three Steps - One Bow" is a profound form of spiritual cultivation, requiring a steadfast mind that can endure challenges and achieve difficult goals. One must cultivate firm determination and learn to tame the disturbances of the mind. As the crowd ascends from the foot of the mountain to its peak, many pause to reflect along the way. Upon reaching the Central Platform of Manjushri Bodhisattva at Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden, volunteers line up to welcome them, joyfully scattering flower petals to celebrate their arrival. At that moment, everyone’s faces shine with joyful smiles—exhaustion evident in their bodies yet uplifted by the sincere faith that brings inner joy. Only through firsthand experience can one genuinely appreciate the happiness that follows such ascetic practice. Some, moved by deep emotion, find themselves shedding tears that mingle with their sweat. Upon gazing at the solemn and compassionate visage of Manjusri Bodhisattva, they instantly feel as if they have returned to the embrace of a loving mother, akin to the way one only knows the temperature of water by actually tasting it.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Ven. Dayi led the congregation in dedicating the merits of today’s “Three Steps - One Bow Pilgrimage” to world peace, the goodwill of humanity, the health and well-being of all pilgrims, and the smooth progress of future projects at Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden. Many gathered beneath the Central Platform of Manjusri Bodhisattva to make their wishes, hoping that the seeds of merit from their pilgrimage would soon bear fruit.
Ven. Dayi expressed his heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to this meaningful event, thanking the resident monks and nuns for their dedication and the volunteers for their support. He reflected on the first pilgrimage, which began on rugged terrain and evolved through newly opened paths, gravel roads, and the heavy rains of 2019. Today, all roads have been paved with asphalt. These achievements are the result of the collective merits of those who invested their time and resources in the Garden's development, and he dedicated these merits to all for their health and longevity.
This activity also attracted a diverse group of participants visiting Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden, adding profound significance to the event through the promotion of multicultural exchange.
2024年9月8日，加拿大佛教會會長、加國五臺山住持達義大和尚率領四眾弟子在加國五臺山舉辦第九屆三步一拜朝山活動。這是加國五臺山自對外開放以來首次舉行的戶外禮拜活動。
上午十時，達義大和尚帶領500多位信眾，上至耄耋老人下至五歲孩童，在加國五臺山靈泉湖畔的文殊菩薩廣場舉行了起香灑淨儀式，此時很應景，天空也下起了毛毛細雨，感受到龍天護法降臨壇場共同普灑甘露，滋潤每位信眾心田。當信眾開始三步一拜時，陽光普照在每位拜山者的身上，讓大眾瞬間升起了對佛菩薩的信心。
大眾隨著一心稱念“南無大智文殊師利菩薩”而開始進行虔誠的三步一拜，似乎走在漫長與艱辛的成佛之道。
達義大和尚說：“三步一拜功德很多，第一可以報答父母恩；第二清淨身、口、意三業；消除業障；第三讓內心平靜喜悅；第四去除貢高我慢心”。正所謂“禮佛一拜，罪滅河沙，念佛一句增福無量”。朝山的大眾，在一步步禮拜的方寸間，以感恩心拜山，感恩佛陀和古德澤被；感恩湛山三老在北美弘法的宏願在此時實現；感恩達義大和尚秉承師志，領眾建山始成。大眾當下以虔誠恭敬心拜山，從山下拜到山上，從娑婆拜到淨土；大眾以堅定信心拜山，身心與佛心漸漸相融。
三步一拜是一種修行，修行是一條艱辛的道路，要有“難忍能忍，難行能行”之堅固心，培養堅定的道心，調伏自心煩惱。大眾從山下拜到山上，途徑之處讓很多人駐足，當拜到五臺山中臺文殊菩薩座下時，義工們列隊歡迎，用花瓣散到空中來慶祝大家到達終點，此時人人臉上都洋溢著幸福的笑容，這笑容飽含著身體的疲憊，但在虔誠信念淬煉下，昇華出的內心喜悅。只有身臨其境才能深深體悟到這種苦行之後的快樂。有的人此時已經情不自禁地留下了激動的淚水，淚水和汗水交融在一起，當看到文殊師利菩薩那種莊嚴慈悲的面容，大家瞬間感到如同回到慈母的懷抱，如人飲水，冷暖自知。
達義大和尚最後帶領大眾將今天三步一拜的朝山功德，回向世界和平，人心向善，拜山人身心康泰，五臺山未來的工程一切順利！此時大眾紛紛在中臺文殊菩薩座下，許下心願。願這一顆顆朝山拜佛的功德種子，早日開花結果。最後，達義大和尚說：“感恩這次參加拜山的人共同來成就此次的殊勝因緣；感恩常住諸位法師發心成就，感恩義工菩薩對這次拜山的護持”，回想起首屆大家從崎嶇的曠野拜到第二年開出的山路，再拜到鋪下的石子路，到2019年的瓢潑大雨，到今天已經全部道路鋪上了瀝青。這些都是建山人和參與建山中出錢出力的大眾功德，所以我們也把功德回向給大家福壽康寧。
此次，朝山活動亦吸引不少前來加國五臺山參訪的各族裔信眾，使此次活動促進多元文化的交流而增添了深遠意義。
