一位外籍戒子的感恩和體會

我在台灣領受三壇大戒：一位外籍戒子的感恩和體會

Attending the Bhikshuni Ordination in Taiwan

文：Pema Chod ron (Karen Schaefer)

By Venerable Pema Chodron (Karen Schaefer)

各佛教流派的出家眾都知道，台灣的授戒儀式極為嚴謹。在漢傳佛教傳統中，儀式包含長時間站立誦經和唸咒，聆聽開示，以及在懺悔儀軌中反複跪拜。三壇大戒的儀式，包括傳授沙彌戒、比丘戒和出家菩薩戒，是深受尊重的盛典。

The monastic ordinations performed in Taiwan are renowned among the sanghas of the various Buddhist traditions for being extremely rigorous. The Chinese practice entails long periods of standing to recite sutras and mantras and to listen to Dharma talks, as well as a great deal of bowing and kneeling during repentance practices. The Triple Platform Ordination, incorporating novice, ordained monastic, and bodhisattva precepts, is very highly respected.

2015年，我參與了一次授戒儀式。此次授戒在台灣高雄日月禪寺舉行，為期三十五天，有來自十八個國家的一百五十名男眾及三百五十名女眾參與其中。如此大規模的授戒儀式須累積多年經驗才能成就，以傳統中國式的規格和方式進行──繁複的儀典包含多種不同的細節，主辦者的籌辦能力實在令人讚嘆。

The particular ordination ceremony in which I participated was sponsored by the Buddhist Association of the R.O.C. and held at Ri Yue Chan Temple in the city of Kaohsiung over 35 days, with 150 male and 350 female candidates from 18 countries.* The occasion was obviously the result of many years’ experience in conducting this type of large-scale ordination, and was carried out with characteristic Chinese order and efficiency—I could not help but admire the competency and organization of this complex event, with its diverse activities and programs.

不同的挑戰

Challenges

我的母語是英語（目前居於泰國北部），對我來說，參與三壇大戒其中一些挑戰是適應中文和中國文化，以及與文化背景各有不同的人互動和溝通。幸好，有一名很友善的台灣比丘尼曾在美國居住多年，主動在講解的時候協助將內容翻譯為英語。

As a native English speaker (currently based in northern Thailand), among the initial challenges for me personally were adjusting to the Chinese language and culture, and interacting and communicating with people from a great many different cultures and backgrounds. Fortunately, a very kind Taiwanese nun who had lived in the United States for many years stepped forward to assist with translating the various classes and teachings into English.

我們住在大型宿舍中，七十個女性住在一處，睡在棉造的軟墊上，每個人擁有的空間只足夠放一個行李箱。對於我們習慣了按照個人喜好（舉例來說，是否開動電風扇，或有人喜歡在休息時間和深夜談話）來生活的人來說，適應環境也是頗大的挑戰。

We were accommodated in large dormitories, with up to 70 women living shoulder-to-shoulder, sleeping on soft cotton mats, and with only enough personal space for a suitcase. This presented a challenging adjustment for those of us accustomed to exercising a greater degree of personal preference, such as whether or not to turn on a fan, or what, if anything, to do about fellow candidates who talked during rest periods or late into the night.

僧團的定義是眾人同時和諧地做同一件事情。戒會的日程和生活條件，正正考驗我們能否遵從這個原則，拋卻對個人愛惡的執著。很明顯，這種生活會令大家很注意對他人的影響，因為即使最微小的聲響或動作，都會影響到很多其他人。有一天午飯時，副住持問我們：「你們令同伴愉快嗎？天氣開始轉冷，如果你見到人家沒有蓋上被子，找一張來蓋在他身上。」這種對他人的覺知會締造奇妙的效果，可以消除大家對自己個人需要過分重視和先入為主的心態。

The definition of sangha was explained as: “doing the same thing, at the same time, together in harmony,” and the schedule and living conditions were a proving ground of one’s ability to surrender to that and let go of any sense of attachment to individual preference. It became very clear how this kind of life builds a deep mindfulness of one’s impact on others, as the smallest noise or movement can affect many others in such an environment. One day at lunch the vice-abbot asked us: “Are you making your neighbor happy? It’s getting cold, so if you see someone without covers, help them by putting a quilt over them.” This kind of awareness of others has a wonderful effect of eradicating self-cherishing and preoccupation with one’s own needs.

這裏紀律嚴謹，每天的日程也不易應付，來自其他寺院、協助授戒的師父都很和藹友善，盡心照顧我們。我們不時聽人說起，他們的職責是協助每名參加者成功地、安全地完成授戒儀式。隨著時日過去，我們越來越明白為甚麼他們會說「安全地」。

Despite the strict discipline and demanding schedule, the supervising shifu (masters), who had come from other monastic communities to assist with the ordination, were extremely kind, going out of their way to take care of us. We often heard it said that they were there to assist each and every participant in completing the ordination successfully and safely. As the days went by, the reason behind the choice of the word “safely” was to become much clearer.

戒會期間，修持的項目節奏急速，日程也令人吃力，要準備自己作出上求佛道、下化眾生的承諾，這一切彷彿會令業障現前，這可見諸情緒和身體的徵狀。有些參加者的健康出了嚴重問題，到了後期，由於很多人染病，日間甚至有醫生駐場。病症由較輕的感冒和胸口發悶，到較嚴重的肺炎、高血壓、腦瘤和心臟病都有。幸好，他們獲得多位義工悉心照顧。

The intensity of the practice, the demanding schedule, and the very nature of preparing oneself to take vows to serve and benefit others seemed to bring on a great many karmic obstacles, which often manifested in the form of emotional and physical ailments. Some participants developed serious health issues and toward the latter part of the schedule, a doctor was even made available throughout the day because so many people were falling ill: many came down with flu symptoms and chest congestion, while others experienced more severe ailments. Some of the more serious cases included pneumonia, high blood pressure, a brain tumor, and a heart condition. All were treated with great kindness by the many volunteers who were there to help them complete the ordination.

授戒儀式

The masters conducting the ceremony

負責主持儀式的是淨心、圓宗和本靜三位長老。他們全都有八、九十歲，已出家超過六十年。三位大德仁厚非常，在整個儀式過程中孜孜不倦。雖然他們都是寺院住持，也在中國佛教會擔當重責，但是主持授戒儀式仍是他們其中一項主要工作。三人都要長時間工作，特別要花心思照顧所有參加者，更會分享他們自己受戒時遇上疾病和其他障礙的經驗。

The three primary masters, Senior Ven. Ching Hsin, Senior Ven. Yuan Tsung, and Senior Ven. Pen Ching, all aged between 80 and 90 and each with more than 60 years’ experience of monastic life, were extraordinarily kind and diligent in facilitating the entire process. Such ordinations are among their primary responsibilities, even though each of them is an abbot of his own monastery and plays a major role in the Buddhist Association of the R.O.C. All three worked tirelessly for long hours, with an extraordinary spirit of care for all the participants, and did not hesitate to share stories of the health issues and other obstacles that had arisen during their own ordination.

多位大師出席了為比丘和比丘尼授戒的主要儀式，作為見證。雖然按照規定，儀式需要有十名長老、十名長老尼出席，但是結果出席的多達約四十位，分別來自台灣各地、馬來西亞、新加坡，甚至美國。

Many masters participated in the main ceremony—the granting of the bhikshu and bhikshuni vows—as witnesses. Although it is stipulated that 10 senior bhikshus and 10 senior bhikshunis are required for the ceremony, some 40 master bhikshus and bhikshunis attended from various parts of Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, and even the US.

每一天的功課包括早上講課，由多位法師講解授戒的守則和規範。沙彌戒和比丘／比丘尼戒的授戒儀式都有極為嚴謹的規範，包括戒子要回答由十位見證戒師提出的問題。準備接受比丘尼戒者更須回答兩輪提問，分別接受多位比丘和比丘尼的考驗。

Each day consisted of morning study sessions to learn the rules of conduct and precepts for the three stages of the ordination, with different masters giving the teachings. The novice ordination and the bhikshu/bhikshuni ceremonies each involved very strict protocols, with groups of three candidates appearing before 10 witnessing masters to reply to questions posed in Chinese. This process took place twice for the bhikshuni candidates, who had to appear before both a council of bhikshus and a council of bhikshunis.

有一次，我們來自藏傳佛教各派的多名弟子，請求謁見日月禪寺的住持。我們有一些關於藏傳佛教傳統與漢傳佛教授戒的問題。住持和阿闍黎跟我們見面了。他們鼓勵我們，並提到達賴喇嘛曾安排多名藏傳的比丘尼到台灣受戒。兩位法師也說，我們不必擔心以另一套傳統受戒，因為以後我們可以繼續按照自己的傳承修行，穿回自己的儀服。

At one point, a group of us from various schools of the Tibetan tradition requested an audience with the abbot of Ri Yue Temple as we had questions concerning our tradition and Chinese ordination. Both the abbot and the Karma Acharya met with us to offer encouragement, reassuring us that His Holiness Dalai Lama had sent many nuns from the Tibetan tradition for ordination in Taiwan. The masters also said we should not be concerned about ordaining in a different tradition because afterwards we could confidently return to our own practice, tradition, and robes.

儀式中，戒子均領納戒體，意即我們的阿賴耶識中發願世世代代出家度眾的善業種子。儀式中，法師鼓勵我們集中思想，禮敬諸佛。戒子若能誠心受戒，就能得到師父的加持。那是影響深遠、改變一生的經驗。

One particularly striking feature of the ceremony was what was described as “the precept body”—an energetic transmission the seed of which was said to reside in our alaya-vijnana (“storehouse consciousness”), thus generating an aspiration to live a monastic life for many lifetimes to come. During the ceremony we were encouraged to focus our minds on a massive cloud of Buddhas and bodhisattvas gathering above our heads. The blessings were transmitted by the masters and internalized by the candidates based on the purity of their intention to receive and honor the precepts. It was a profound and deeply life-changing experience.

授戒儀式得到不少捐助者慷慨支持，提供僧袍、僧鞋、缽盂、藥物和其他資具，並且有很多勤奮的義工，每天清早就起床為大家做飯。眾多大師和導師都盡心盡力，令三壇大戒得以圓滿，參加者均十分感恩。儀式結束後，每位參加者均獲贈一本「護照」──那是製作精美的小冊子，詳列我們受戒的程度、儀式的日期、地點，以及主持和見證儀式的名單等細節。

The entire ordination was supported by many generous donors, who provided robes, shoes, alms bowls, medicines, and other items, and a great number of diligent volunteers who awoke early each morning to prepare food for everyone. The efforts of the various masters and teachers, who demonstrated incredible dedication in the kindest possible manner to facilitate the safe and successful culmination of the Triple Platform Ordination, were received by the participants with tremendous gratitude. Afterwards, we were each presented with a “passport”—beautiful booklets that certified our level of ordination, with details of the time and place and the names of the masters and witnesses.

我知道，自己會一直珍惜在儀式中感受到的鼓勵和慈悲，並且發願以比丘尼的身份，在日常的細行中加以彰顯。我們在日月禪寺多次聽到以下的教訓：「不要以言語作教導，要以身作則。」我們的師父，全都是出色典範。

I know I shall always cherish the encouragement and kindness we experienced during the ceremony, and I will aspire to reflect that in my actions as a bhikshuni. One teaching that we heard repeatedly throughout our time at Ri Yue Chan Temple was: “Don’t teach with words; teach through your behavior.” The senior monastics who supported us were all extraordinarily inspirational examples of that teaching.

* 下一次同類的三壇大戒定於2016年11月1日至12月30日舉行。目前只有漢傳佛教為比丘尼傳授三壇大戒，因此不少其他傳承已受沙彌戒的戒子，若要成為比丘尼，都會參與這個儀式。以下是聯絡的電郵：syg012019@gmail.com。

* The next such ordination is scheduled for 1 November–30 December 2016. Full ordination for nuns presently exists only in the Chinese tradition, so many nuns from other traditions who have already taken novice ordination participate in these ordination ceremonies in order to become bhikshunis. The English-language email contact for prospective candidates is: syg012019@gmail.com.