中台禪寺慶祝三○五二年佛誕浴佛法會暨夏安居報恩藥師法會 – 為慶祝本師釋迦牟尼佛三○五二年聖誕，及念報開山祖師惟覺安公老和尚慧命再造之恩，本寺於一百一十四年五月三日，舉辦「佛誕浴佛法會暨夏安居報恩藥師法會」。
To celebrate the 3052nd Birthday of Shakyamuni Buddha and to repay the kindness of our founder, Venerable Hui Jue An, for rekindling our life, temple held the “Buddha’s Birthday Bathing Dharma Ceremony and Summer Retreat Gratitude Medicine Buddha Ceremony” on May 3rd, 114th year.
四眾弟子近一萬四千人於圓明講堂、五樓大禪堂、大雄寶殿、般若講堂等八個壇區，歡欣齊聚。法會中，住持見穎大和尚帶領大眾虔誠誦經、浴佛，慶讚佛德、念報師恩；下午並有逾二千位居士發心求受三皈五戒。萬眾一心，和合精進，以知恩感恩之心，開啟夏安居三月的精進報恩行，以此嚴淨功德，上報四恩，下濟三有，法界有情共證菩提。
Nearly 14,000 disciples from all walks of life gathered joyfully in eight altar areas, including the Yuanming Lecture Hall, the Fifth Floor Grand Zen Hall, the Main Hall, and the Prajna Lecture Hall. During the ceremony, Abbot Jianying led the crowd in chanting sutras and bathing the Buddha devoutly, praising the Buddha’s virtues and repaying the teacher’s kindness; in the afternoon, more than two thousand lay Buddhists made a vow to receive the Three Refuges and Five Precepts. With one heart and one mind, and with diligence and appreciation, we begin the three months of summer retreat with diligent practice of repaying gratitude. By doing so, we can purify our merits, repay the four kinds of gratitude, help the three realms, and enable all sentient beings in the Dharma Realm to attain Bodhi together.
夏安居報恩藥師法會中，住持見穎大和尚帶領四眾弟子近一萬四千人和合恭誦《藥師經》，以精進報恩之心，回向法界有情同霑法益。
During the Summer Retreat Medicine Buddha Dharma Assembly, Abbot Jianying led nearly 14,000 disciples from the four groups to recite the Medicine Buddha Sutra in unison, with a diligent heart of repaying gratitude, and dedicating the merit to all sentient beings in the Dharma Realm to share in the benefits of the Dharma.
浴佛法會中，大眾同聲唱誦〈浴佛偈〉，歡欣浴佛，共同慶讚佛誕。
During the Buddha Bathing Ceremony, everyone chanted the “Buddha Bathing Gāthā” in unison, bathing the Buddha with joy and celebrating the Buddha’s birthday together.
法會中，住持大和尚慈悲開示法要，提示大眾《藥師經》及《浴佛功德經》的功德與意義。
During the ceremony, the abbot compassionately expounded the key points of the Dharma, reminding the public of the merits and significance of the Medicine Buddha Sutra and the Sutra on the Merits of Bathing the Buddha.
逾二千名善信於大和尚座下至心皈依三寶、受持五戒，在佛誕日開啟光明人生。
More than 2,000 believers sincerely took refuge in the Three Jewels and observed the Five Precepts under the guidance of the great monk, starting a bright life on the Buddha’s birthday.
中台禪寺開山祖師惟覺安公老和尚，四川省營山縣人。一九六四年，於基隆十方大覺禪寺，依上虛下雲老和尚臨濟宗法脈嫡傳弟子上靈下源長老披剃出家，字號知安，法名惟覺。出家後任香燈職，精勤苦修，每天凌晨兩點即起打掃寺殿內外，午休期間亦不稍休息，獨在大殿禮佛。領園頭勞務時，常頭戴斗笠，使目光收攝不逾一尺，如是精進參究，深契心性之理。為了讓修行更上層樓，先後於宜蘭吉祥寺、新竹圓明寺、香港大嶼山寶蓮寺等地閉關修行。後在台北萬里茅棚潛居修行，衣破衲、食粗蔬，安貧守道。一九八七年應眾祈請入世弘法，於茅棚現址闢建靈泉寺，時近耳順之年。 靈泉草創，老和尚偕同弟子除草整地、挑磚、砌牆，備嘗艱辛。為節約工程經費，在工人收工後，師徒仍於夜晚繼續工作，胼手胝足，完成靈泉寺的建設。落成後舉辦第一次禪七，僧俗弟子二十多人參加，規模雖小，卻讓隱微的禪七法門重現。一九九一年十一月，舉辦一連四十九天的精進禪七，禪門宗風蔚然重興！
由於四眾弟子人數遽增，靈泉寺場地不敷使用，為建設道場、安僧度眾，老和尚於南投埔里籌建中台禪寺，歷經三年規劃、七年建設，中台禪寺於二○○一年圓滿落成，卓然開顯中台廣傳之願景。老和尚以「福德、教理、禪定」三環一體的修行方向，推動僧眾教育、社會教育與學校教育。在推動中台禪寺建設之際，同步創辦中台佛教學院，並在全世界設立一百零八家精舍、舉辦大型法會、百梯次弘法講座以及每年固定主持十期禪七、定期傳授三皈、五戒、八關齋戒與如來三壇大戒，以教法、禪法與戒法，淨化人心。積極推動兩岸佛教、文化交流活動，將佛法的慈悲、智慧透過交流，分享給大眾，以促進兩岸共榮、世界和平。更以佛法覺的教育，成立普台國小、國中、高中，樹立全人教育的典範。同時為了見證歷史、保存中華文化，發揮佛法境教之功，更積極建設中台世界博物館，展出歷代佛教造像文物典藏及西安碑林博物館所捐贈一千二百七十三套碑拓，以發揮藝術化世、淨化人心之功。
三十年來，老和尚致力於佛法的弘揚，帶領大眾一步一腳印，建立中台世界。以中台四箴行——對上以敬，對下以慈，對人以和，對事以真，做為落實佛法、維繫僧團的綱領。透過佛法五化——學術化、教育化、藝術化、科學化、生活化等方向，從不同的角度接引大眾認識佛法，契悟真理，進而點亮每一個人的自性光明。迢迢弘法路，長遊無疲厭，老和尚一生行道，啟建道場，安僧度眾，德範化世，功行圓滿，慟於二○一六年四月八日世緣報謝，薙染弟子隨侍左右，安詳示寂。享壽九十歲，僧臘五十二秋，戒臘五十二夏。四眾弟子和合共修、虔敬供養，伏請十方如來慈光加被，老和尚早日乘願再來，廣度有情，同證無上菩提。
Grand Master Weichueh, the founding abbot of Chung Tai, was born in Yingshan County, Sichuan Province, China. From an early age, he was deeply aware of life’s impermanence. Although he was educated in the Confucian classics, he felt worldly knowledge did not reveal the meaning of life and death. Seeking answers, he delved deeply into Buddhadharma. In 1964, the Grand Master was ordained under the Venerable Master Lingyuan at the Shifang Dajue (Great Enlightenment) Chan Monastery in Keelung, Taiwan. As an acolyte monk, he rose before dawn every day to clean the buddha hall and monastery courtyard. While others would rest after lunch, he stayed in the hall to make prostrations. In all his duties and interactions, he was devoted, considerate, and diligent. To deepen his cultivation, the Grand Master left Shifang Dajue Monastery to practice in seclusion for over a decade. He studied at monasteries in Yilan, Hsing Zhu, and Hong Kong before moving to a retreat hut in the mountains of Wanli near Taipei. There, he gave up material comforts for long days of hard practice.
In 1985-1986, an industrial road was built that passed by the Grand Master’s hut. As the area became accessible, more people discovered the presence of a genuine Buddhist master and came seeking his wisdom. At the behest of his followers, the Grand Master emerged from solitary practice to teach the Dharma. In 1987, the Grand Master built Lingquan Monastery on the land his retreat hut once stood. At Lingquan, he ordained his first monastic disciples, regularly held Chan-7 retreats, and taught a growing number of lay students. The Grand Master’s efforts reinvigorated Chan traditions and gave their practice new life in Taiwan. Before long, the Lingquan Monastery could no longer accommodate the number of disciples who came to learn the Dharma. To serve the ever-growing assembly of monastic and lay practitioners, the Grand Master began planning the construction of a larger monastery in Puli, Nantou County. After three years of planning and seven years of construction, the Chung Tai Chan Monastery was inaugurated in 2001.
For the rest of his life, the Grand Master continued the Buddha’s work of enlightening all sentient beings. He established Chan meditation centers in Taiwan and overseas. He frequently lectured at universities and other secular organizations. He held large-scale Dharma ceremonies, gave hundreds of Dharma talks, and presided over ten sessions of Chan-7 retreats every year. He taught disciples the way to lasting joy and worked tirelessly to create a peaceful world by helping all people realize their pure mind and intrinsic nature. The Grand Master emphasized education as a crucial part of Buddhist practice. He established the Chung Tai Buddhist Institute for monks and nuns, dedicated to training knowledgeable and qualified teachers of Buddhadharma. He also founded the Pu Tai Schools (K-12) to foster the values of respect, compassion, and moral integrity through children’s education. One of the Grand Master’s last accomplishments was the Chung Tai World Museum, a world-class platform for the public to interact with Buddhist art and culture. From Lingquan to Chung Tai, Grand Master Weichueh gave his vision, inspiration, and guidance to hundreds of thousands of followers, monks, nuns, and lay people alike. His example has planted the seeds of enlightenment in our hearts and continues to guide the world towards serenity and wisdom. The Grand Master passed away and entered nirvana on April 8th, 2016.
中台禅寺荣誉方丈见灯大和尚，一九九一年于开山祖师惟觉安公老和尚座下披剃出家，从灵泉至中台，跟随老和尚开山辟地、建寺弘法，始终奋勇当先，无有疲厌。历任中台禅寺都监、副住持、执行长、住持等重要执事，圆融的智慧、慈悲的胸怀，深受大众敬重。自二〇〇五年开山祖师惟觉安公老和尚亲付中台禅寺第二任住持法席以来，见灯大和尚身体力行老和尚的言传身教，安僧度众，举办禅七，推广禅修，并积极推动佛法五化，演传禅灯，不遗余力。尤其在开山祖师圆寂，四众恸失依怙之时，坚定无畏地引领大众摄心正念，奉行老和尚「守护道场，深化修行，落实弘法」教嘱，奋力不懈，完成了中台禅寺二期工程建设，五大建筑群、九栋建筑，拓展弘法量能，优化周边园林，稳固中台道场百年基业设施。更成立了「中台五明菩萨学院」、开设「大乘解行研经班」，透过完善的教育组织，系统性的课程安排，带领四众深化解行，落实菩萨行愿。期间更多次远赴美国、意大利、法国、荷兰、澳洲、泰国、香港、日本、菲律宾海外弘法，令中台心法广传十方。
二〇二〇年，卸任在即，适逢全球新冠疫情肆虐危机，更毅然承担带领大众落实防疫，安然度过艰辛的三年。疫情期间，更完成了美国普法禅寺建设，普上精舍、普信精舍、普佛精舍、普新精舍、普乐长期照护中心以及意大利华藏寺新建工程亦紧锣密鼓兴建中。二〇二三年五月见灯大和尚将住持重任续付第三任住持见颖大和尚，传续中台广传的弘法使命，祖意薪传，再开新页。铁作脊梁骨，金铸坚实心，统理大众一十八载，见灯大和尚始终以师志为己志，带领大众一步一脚印落实惟觉之道，中台世界，望之俨然。即今功德圆满，依开山祖师教诲、本寺组织章程规定，住持任满为本寺荣誉方丈，续扬宗风。谛观法王法，法王法如是。
The Honorary Abbot of Chung Tai Chan Monastery, Venerable Master Jiandeng, was ordained as a monk in 1991 under Grand Master Weichueh. From Ling Quan to Chung Tai, he followed the Grand Master over these years in breaking ground, building monasteries, and teaching the Dharma, always forging ahead courageously, never giving in to fatigue or frustration. At Chung Tai Chan Monastery, he served in key positions such as executive director, vice abbot, chief executive officer, and abbot. His thoughtful wisdom and heart of compassion have earned him the respect and esteem of all the monastery members.
In 2005, the Founding Abbot, Grand Master Weichueh, personally entrusted abbotship of Chung Tai Chan Monastery to Master Jiandeng, who as the second abbot tirelessly followed the Grand Master’s teachings, directions, and example. He secured the stability of the sangha in liberating sentient beings, organized Chan-7 retreats, promoted Chan practice, proactively applied the Five Approaches for Spreading the Dharma, and demonstrated and transmitted the mind-light of Chan. Through the years after the Grand Master’s passing, when many in the fourfold assembly mourned the loss of their teacher, Abbot Jiandeng firmly and fearlessly led all members of Chung Tai to anchor their minds in right mindfulness and earnestly carry out the Grand Master’s final instructions: preserve the monastery, deepen cultivation, and spread the Dharma. Under his leadership, everyone worked diligently to complete Chung Tai Chan Monastery’s second-phase expansion, with five major developments including nine new buildings, and a large-scale renovation of Chung Tai’s gardens and parks, significantly increasing the monastery’s capacity to spread the Dharma and strengthening the Chung Tai’s foundation for hundreds of years to come. During Abbot Jiandeng’s tenure, he helped establish the Chung Tai Bodhisattva Academy of Five Sciences and the Mahayana Principles and Practice Program. Using a systematic approach to education and curriculum design, he led students to deepen their understanding of the Buddhadharma and apply it in practice to realize their bodhisattva vows. Abbot Jiandeng also traveled to the United States, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Australia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, and the Philippines to teach the Dharma and spread the Chung Tai’s mind-teaching of Chan across the world.
While Master Jiandeng’s abbotship was scheduled to end in 2020, with the onset of the Covid pandemic, he committed to leading the monastery in its disease prevention efforts, remaining on as abbot for an arduous three years, until the height of the pandemic had safely passed. During this period, he oversaw the completion of the Great Dharma Chan Monastery in America. At the same time, the Pushang, Puxin, Pufo, and Puxin meditation centers in Taiwan, and the Pule Assisted Living Center and Italy’s Huazang Monastery also began construction under his guidance. In May 2023, Venerable Master Jiandeng transferred the responsibility of abbotship to the third abbot, Venerable Master Jianying, to continue Chung Tai’s mission of spreading the Dharma and passing on the Chan lineage, thus opening up a new page in Chung Tai’s history. Throughout his eighteen-year tenure, Venerable Master Jiandeng had always taken the Grand Master’s vows to be his own. He led the Monastery one step, one footprint at a time to follow the path of Grand Master Weichueh, the Way of pure awareness. Chung Tai World that exists today is a reflection of everyone’s efforts and contributions. Now that his term and his merit as abbot are complete, according to the instructions left by the Grand Master and the bylaws of the Monastery, he is appointed as Honorary Abbot to continue promoting the Chan tradition.
中台禅寺现任住持见颖大和尚，美国俄亥俄州立大学电机博士。一九九八年于开山祖师惟觉安公老和尚座下披剃出家，深入经藏，落实解行。出家后为助益佛法弘扬，再度赴美进修，先于加州大学柏克莱分校学习梵文，后至德州莱斯大学取得宗教学博士学位。历任美国普德精舍副住持、太谷精舍副住持、太谷精舍住持以及中台禅寺英译组组长、法务副住持、研考副住持等要职，学养丰富，愿心广大，深获大众肯定。中台禅寺在开山祖师惟觉安公老和尚的带领下，弘宗演教、安僧度众，为延续禅宗法脉，建立了完善的传承制度与弘法方向。二〇〇五年五月二十一日开山祖师将中台禅寺住持法席亲付见灯大和尚，一十八年统理大众，无有疲厌，迄今功德圆满。二〇二三年五月二十六日见灯大和尚将第三任住持重任续付见颖大和尚，继续引领中台菩萨僧团，演扬宗风，迎接中台心世纪、中台世界新气象。
见颖大和尚自出家以来，禀承师志，内密无上印，身行菩萨道，怀道弘化，始终不忘初心，真诚与大众广结善缘、广结清净法缘。际此薪传之际，期以如来知见、祖师心法，接引大众透过「禅心菩萨」的日常修行，发趣无上菩提，以此圆满开山祖师教嘱「守护道场，深化修行，落实弘法」之慈训，让四众弟子都能颖脱众妄，安住自性中台，让中台广传，落地生根，向上一路，禅灯永昌。
Venerable Master Jianying, the abbot of Chung Tai Chan Monastery, obtained his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from The Ohio State University. In 1998, he was ordained as a monk under the guidance of Grand Master Weichueh, the founding abbot of Chung Tai. He then delved deeply into the sutra treasury and learned to apply the principles of Buddhadharma in practice. Later, with the aim of further contributing to the spread of the Dharma, Master Jianying returned to the United States to pursue advanced studies. He studied Sanskrit at the University of California, Berkeley, before earning a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Rice University, Texas.
Master Jianying has served in key positions such as the vice abbot of the Chung Tai Zen Center of Houston, the vice abbot and abbot of the Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale, the director of the Chung Tai translation committee, the vice abbot of dharma affairs, and the vice abbot of research and development. His extensive scholarship and profound vows have earned him recognition and support from his peers. Under the guidance of Grand Master Weichueh, Chung Tai Chan Monastery became a place to demonstrate the principle of mind, embody the Dharma, and provide refuge for the sangha in their mission of liberating others. To ensure the continuity of the Chan tradition’s Dharma lineage, Chung Tai established a system for transferring the abbotship, along with a clear direction for spreading the Dharma. On May 21st, 2005, the founding abbot personally entrusted the abbotship to Venerable Master Jiandeng, who tirelessly led the monastery for eighteen years. On May 26th, 2023, Abbot Jiandeng passed on the responsibility of abbotship to the third abbot, Venerable Master Jianying. Abbot Jianying will continue to lead Chung Tai’s bodhisattva sangha in teaching and demonstrating the Chan principle of mind, as well as guiding Chung Tai World as it enters a new chapter in its history. Since his ordination, Venerable Master Jianying has upheld the Grand Master’s vows, harmonizing inwardly with the unsurpassed seal and unwaveringly practicing the Bodhisattva Way. He teaches the Dharma guided inwardly by the Way and never forgets the beginner’s mind to sincerely create wholesome affinity and pure Dharma affinity with others. As he assumes the role of abbot, Venerable Master Jianying is expected to lead with the Tathagata’s right view and the mind-Dharma of the patriarchs, guiding the monastery to integrate Chan-mind with bodhisattva practice in their daily cultivation, strive to realize the unsurpassed bodhi, and carry out the Grand Master’s compassionate instructions: preserve the monastery, deepen cultivation, and spread the Dharma. It is now Abbot Jianying’s responsibility to lead the fourfold assembly to overcome myriad delusions, abide on the intrinsic Chung Tai (lit. middle platform) of their self-nature, continue the Universal Transmission of Chung Tai and allow the Dharma to take root wherever it lands. Under his leadership, Chung Tai Chan Monastery will walk the one upward path, so the light of Chan may always shine.
Buddhika Sanjeewa
Founder / Chairman / Chief Editor of Chanxin / Bhikkhunis / Mettavalokanaya Magazines & Websites – Sri Lanka.
After visit to Puli, Nantou, Taiwan.