散文朗读 Reading Chinese prose

佛曲二部合唱 Buddhist song choir

彩带舞 Ribbon dance

　　佛心寺平日推广禅修，弘扬正信佛法。于新春佳节之际，为学习菩萨自利利他的精神，促进中西文化交流，特举行“新春药师祈福法会暨春节联欢表演活动”。

　　法会当天，阳光普照，和风徐徐，护法信众于上午九时左右，陆续云集。在悠扬的梵呗声中，大众恭诵《药师琉璃光如来本愿功德经》。本寺住持见太法师亦以中、英文开示诵持《药师经》的功德利益，让大众了解药师佛除了发愿救度众生病苦外，更要去除每个人心中的贪瞋痴烦恼。只要善调身心，广修福德，我们本具的智慧自然能显现出它的妙用。

　　接着，是佛前大供及消灾、超荐等法事。大众除了以清净香斋供养诸佛菩萨外，并将诵经、持咒的功德回向予正逢百周年的奥克拉荷马州，祈求风调雨顺，诸事呈祥；此外，也祈愿护法善信增福增慧，往生者超生净土。

　　法会结束后，即展开一连串的春节联欢表演。首先，由八位华语班学员所带来的“拜年歌”揭开序幕。接下来的佛曲二部合唱、双截棍表演、太极拳演出、电子琴演奏及散文朗读，皆表现出中华文化丰富的内涵。而活动最高潮是梁遵燕居士所带来的舞蹈，其以精湛的表演，至诚供养诸佛菩萨及与会大众，博得全场热烈掌声。而最后的彩带舞及福袋结缘，更让与会的中西人士，感受中国年节的欢喜气氛。

　　“新年新春万事新，日新又新在明心。直下承当照古月，朝朝暮暮在逢春。”新的一年就要有更多的体悟与突破，无论处于何种境界，希望这念心始终清楚明白作主，如此一来，日日皆是好日，年年都是好年。


　At Buddha Mind Monastery, we promote the Zen practice and propagate the truths of Buddhism. To celebrate the Chinese New Year, we held the New Year Medicine Buddha ceremony and Chinese New Year celebration. These enabled us to learn the Bodhisattva’s spirit of benefiting oneself and others. Furthermore, they helped to facilitate the cultural exchange between the East and the West.

　On that day, the weather was sunny with a light breeze. Around 9:00 am, all the Dharma supporters gathered at the Buddha Mind Monastery. Amid the melodious chanting and Dharma instruments, the assembly recited the “Medicine Crystal Radiance Tathagata’s Vow and Merit Sutra.” Master Jian Tai, the Abbess of the Buddha Mind Monastery, gave a Dharma lecture in both Chinese and English to elucidate the merit and virtue of chanting the Medicine Buddha Sutra. The Medicine Buddha makes a great vow to cure the physical illnesses and eradicate the vexations of sentient beings. Only when we have a peaceful mind and healthy body and broadly cultivate virtues and blessings, will the wonderful function of our inherent wisdom naturally manifest.

太极拳表演 Tai Chi martial art

电子琴演奏 ?erformed electronic piano

　Next followed the Grand Meal Offering, Blessing Service and Memorial Service. During the ceremony, everyone sincerely offered incense and vegetarian food to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. By chanting the sutras and mantras, we dedicated the merits to those in Oklahoma, who are now celebrating their centennial, and wish them prosperity and success in everything. We also wish that the Dharma supporters will increase blessings and wisdom, and that the deceased will transcend to the Pure Land.

　After the Dharma ceremony, there were many performances. They began with New Year songs, sung in Chinese by eight students from our Mandarin Learning class. Next were two-part singing of Buddhist songs, nunchakus, Tai Chi, electronic piano, and recitation of Chinese prose. These performances fully demonstrated the richness of Chinese culture. The dance, “Fairy offers Fortune”, as an offering to the Buddha, performed by Zweng-Yen Liang with devotion, won much applause and response. In the end, the ribbon dance and the gifting of fortune envelopes further added to the joyful atmosphere of the Chinese New Year celebration.

　“In the New Year and new spring, all things are renewed;
Each new day, our mind is awakened, clear and bright as the moon.
Day and night, anytime is springtime.”
In the New Year, we should have greater realizations and breakthroughs. In all circumstances we hope this mind will be clear, aware, and in command, then each day will be a good day, and every year a good year.