多元文化：澳洲佛教南北传僧众为亡者诵经祈福

      今天2020年11月20日星期五，早上9点由亡者八十多岁关老先生家属开车接我去殡仪馆。她们在车上告诉我，澳洲南传上座部佛寺住持Ajiahn Brahm已经到殡仪馆为亡者诵经，下午一点半派其他僧众来殡仪馆。（下图为Ajiahn Brahm 尊者）

如是修习之贤善，

以此亲证寂清凉，

This is what should be done 

By one who is skilled in goodness, 

And who knows the path of peace:  

常养勤快与真诚，

正直言语意和婉，

待人和蔼不骄慢。

Let them be able and upright，

Straightforward and gentle in speech,  

Humble and not conceited,  

知足易养俗务少，

俭朴六根悉平静，

谨慎谦虚不俗攀。

Contented and easily satisfied, 

Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways. 

Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful,  

Not proud or demanding in nature. 

慎勿违犯纤细罪，

以免将来智者诃，

Let them not do the slightest thing 

That the wise would later reprove. 

应常散发慈爱心，

惟愿众生得福安。

普愿一切诸众生，

心常喜悦住安乐。

Wishing: In gladness and in safety, 

May all beings be at ease.

凡有生命强或弱，

高壮中等矮粗细，

Whatever living beings there may be; 

Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none, 

The great or the mighty, medium, short or small, 

可见或是不可见，

居于邻近或远方，

The seen and the unseen,  

Those living near and far away,  

已生或是将生者，

一切众生常安乐。

Those born and to-be-born —

May all beings be at ease! 

愿彼恒于一切处，

不鄙视亦不欺瞒，

Let none deceive another, 

Or despise any being in any state. 

假使忿怒怨恨时，

心亦不念彼得苦。

Let none through anger or ill-will 

Wish harm upon another.  

犹如母亲以生命，

护卫自己独生子， 

Even as a mother protects with her life

Her child, her only child, 

愿能如此于众生，

施放无限慈爱心。

So with a boundless heart

Should one cherish all living beings; 

慈爱遍及全世界，

上下地平四维处，

Radiating kindness over the entire world: 

Spreading upwards to the skies, 

And downwards to the depths;  

遍满十方无障碍，

无有仇恨或敌意。

Outwards and unbounded, 

Freedfrom hatred and ill-will. 

无论行住或坐卧，

若是心中觉醒时，

Whether standing or walking,

seated or lying down 

Free from drowsiness, 

应常培育此正念，

此乃最高之德行。 

One should sustain this recollection.

This is said to be the sublime abiding.

心中不落于邪见，

具足戒德与慧观，

By not holding to fixed views, 

The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,  

去除欲乐之贪恋，

必定不再生于胎。

Being freed from all sense desires, 

Is not born again into this world.  

     比丘们诵完《慈经》后，示意殡仪馆的工作人员前来盖棺。接着，比丘们走在棺材之前，工作人员移动棺材上灵车，送亡者遗体去一个火葬场火化。

     灵车到了火葬场，先停在进门处办理火化手续，大家都下车等候。这时，南传佛寺三位比丘中的大长老问我：Where do you come from？你从哪里来？

    答：I come from XiaMen MinNan Buddhist college of China.  我来自中国厦门闽南佛学院。

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