Vesak Celebration Sermon 浴佛法會開示
Date: May 8th, 2022
日期：2022年5月8日
Place: Cham Shan Temple (7254 Bayview Ave., Thornhill Ont.)
地點： 湛山精舍
Event: Vesak Celebration for Buddha Sakyamuni’s Birthday
活動： 浴佛法會
Sermon 開示内容：
“Today is the Vesak celebration, where we bathe the baby Buddha as a Buddhist tradition. This action symbolizes the purification of our body and mind with the pure, sacred water originated from Buddhas and bodhisattvas from all directions.
At the same time, we are grateful to our teacher, Buddha Sakyamuni, who was born over two thousand years ago in this world. He appeared to transform sentient beings in order to end their sufferings and attain blissfulness. Upon the vast teachings of the Buddha, there are three main doctrines that one should keep closely in mind.“
”我們今天來浴佛，是以諸佛菩薩清淨法水洗滌身心，令我們去除塵垢，還本清淨。同時也是為感恩我們的本師釋迦牟尼佛！他在兩千多年前降生世間，教化眾生，讓我們知道了應如何修行才能離苦得樂。佛陀一生所講之法可能我們一輩子也聽不完，但是有三句最重要的話我們一定要記住：“
1) When the Buddha attained enlightenment, he proclaimed, “How Wonderful and Exceptional! All sentient beings have the same potentiality, wisdom and virtues as the Tathagata, but have not attained Buddhahood due to erroneous attachments to the illusory.”
This is an illustration of the non-differentiation between the Mind, the Buddha, and sentient beings. All sentient beings are equal in essence; therefore, we should regard everyone with equity, gratefulness, and respect without exception.
第一句是佛證道時所說“奇哉！奇哉！一切眾生皆有如來智慧德相，乃妄想執著而不能證得”，意思是說心佛眾生三無差別，一切眾生佛性是平等的。我們對任何人都不能輕視，對所有的人都要存歡喜心、感恩心、恭敬心。
2) It is said that immediately after baby Gautama’s birth, he uttered: ”I am the chief of the world. Eldest in the world.” The “I” referred here is not the egoistic self, but the intrinsic nature that all sentient beings pose. As we recognize the preciousness of our intrinsic Buddha nature, we should refrain from the action of killing, including suicide and harming other living beings. Through diligent practice, one can also attain enlightenment and Buddhahood.
第二句是佛出生時說“天上天下唯我獨尊！”這個“我”不是貢高我慢的“我”，而是每一個人的靈性，我們大家都有靈性、覺性，每個人的生命都是很珍貴的，不能殺生也不能自殺，我們要靠自己的靈性，通過修行才能成佛，所以不能草率對待生命，也不能生害人之心。
3) After the Buddha entered Parinirvana, as Buddhist disciples, we are to “Regard the Precepts as our Teacher”.
第三句是佛陀臨入滅時，告誡佛弟子要“以戒為師”。
As Buddhist disciples, we are grateful to the Buddha and shall keep these three significance doctrines close to our hearts. The first doctrine illustrates that all sentient beings have the intrinsic Buddha nature. The second doctrine points out the importance of life and the third saying reminds us that we should practice according to the teachings of the Buddha in order to attain enlightenment!”
我們感恩和憶念佛陀，就要記住他的教導，所以這三句大家一定要記得，第一句說明眾生皆有佛性，第二句說明生命很重要，第三句我們按佛所說的依教奉行，一定能證道！
Way of Practice 修行方法:
“I encourage everyone to learn from Mahayana scriptures frequently. If you are too busy, at least selectively read a sutra, chant a mantra, or even invocates a single Buddha’s name. The chanting of the short “Heart Sutra” is also highly recommended as it is the core essence of the human and deity, sravaka, pratyekabuddha, bodhisattva, and Buddha realms of teachings.
On the other hand, the “Mantra of Great Compassion” is also highly recommended. It is the manifestation of the great compassion and kindness of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. This powerful mantra can facilitate us towards the path of awakening.
The invocation of the name of Amitabha Buddha is also an important way of practice. As the enlightenment all Buddhas are equal and indifference, invocating one Buddha’s name is equivalent to chanting the names of all Buddhas. The Buddha’s doctrine of “All in One and One in All” demonstrates that by reciting one particular sutra, mantra or Buddha’s name, all practices are simultaneously cultivated.
The teaching from Venerable Dayi is most beneficiary to the attendees of this celebration. One should focus to practice with a sutra, mantra, or a Buddha’s name diligently and the benefits of practice will come in time.
在日常修行中我們要多讀大乘經典，如果實在沒有時間，也要讀一經，持一咒，念一號。讀一經是讀《心經》，因為《心經》雖然很短，只有260個字，但是其中包含人天乘、聲聞乘、緣覺乘、菩薩乘、佛乘五乘的道理，是佛陀講法的濃縮；持一咒是持《大悲咒》，《大悲咒》是觀世音菩薩心咒，從觀世音菩薩大慈悲心中流出，持《大悲咒》能夠讓我們開悟、證道；念一號是念阿彌陀佛的聖號，因為佛佛道同，所以念一佛號即是念一切佛號。佛教當中講“一即是多”，所以誦一經即是誦一切經，持一咒即持一切咒，念一佛號即是念一切佛號。
大和尚的開示令在場大眾受益良多，明確知道日常修行功課應先以“一經、一咒、一佛號”為基礎，堅持下去，必有收穫！