20250921 教師節敬師感恩活動—杏壇春暖
恭請 弘聖師父上人致詞
Teacher’s Day Appreciation Ceremony —
“Warmth and Prosperity in the Realm of Education”
Respectfully inviting Venerable Master Hong Sheng to deliver a speech, September 21, 2025
“Have you eaten yet? If not, come to my house and eat!” (Taiwanese)Or, as in the earlier play, “If you’ve already eaten, come to my house for tea!”(Taiwanese — referring to the line in the skit just now). Either way, both are fine.
First of all, I wish all the teachers here a very happy Teacher’s Day. And to all the guests as well. Happy Teacher’s Day to you, too. In fact, may all teachers across the world be filled with joy today.
Just now, after the final scene of the play, we saw on the screen a series of words. Those words actually express all the virtues that naturally manifest from our original enlightened awareness, the state of effortless being. They reveal the most pristine and beautiful state of our original being. Alas, while we are meant to respond to all worldly phenomena with the state of non-action, delusive perceptions arise within us. From these illusions spring forth greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, doubt, and wrong views, spreading without end. Thus, it is because of these delusions that we come to experience “suffering” in this world.
In ancient times, the sages established rites and music. And why did they do so? It was to bring harmony to the body and serenity to the mind. Yet alas, in this present age, the rites have collapsed and the music has perished. As a result, our bodies are unbalanced and our minds are unsettled. Therefore, in such a time, education that awakens awareness and cultivates virtue becomes ever more essential.
And so it was said that the ancient sage, the Master, had four great concerns. As it is said: “Failing to cultivate virtue, failing to teach what is learned, being unmoved by righteousness, and being unable to correct one’s faults.”In our present age, if we can keep these teachings deeply rooted in our hearts, and express them through the actions of our body, speech, and mind, then this world can indeed regain its beauty and harmony. Rather than becoming what we see now as shown in the play just moments ago.In contrast to the warmth of human affection, what we see on the other side is a cold indifference. Yet from beginning to end, such states of being were never meant to exist within our true life nature. Therefore, it has long been my hope that everyone, in this generation, can do their part to embody and bring forth the ancient virtues passed down by our ancestors. This is the very reason for such an aspiration: that through our practice, we may beautify and elevate this present generation.
Many who study the Dharma often long to be reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, yet they do not realize that “All fields of blessings lie within the span of one’s own mind; seek from within, and every response shall manifest. ”Here, in this very world, if we can restore the virtues and harmony we just saw displayed on the screen, then at this very moment, we are already dwelling in the Pure Land. It is untouched by all conditioned phenomena. Therefore, in this present time, we must continue to take the realities of society as a mirror, and in doing so, turn inward to harmonize our body and mind. This is the urgent task before us.
In this age, people have grown increasingly indifferent to filial piety and respect for teachers, and we cannot force all beings to live according to any fixed standard. However, the truth within the phenomenal world never departs from this principle: “The environment transforms in accordance with the state of the mind. ”As long as we can cultivate and harmonize our own body and mind, our surroundings will naturally transform along with us. Therefore, in this turbulent age of the Dharma’s decline, I offer these words for our mutual encouragement. Thank you.
Host: Thank you, Master. On this Teacher’s Day, such a meaningful occasion, may we humbly invite Master Hong Sheng to offer “Yuan He Miao Yin”?)
I originally thought I wouldn’t have to perform this year, but just now I was called on stage to “sweep the floor. ”As they say, when we sweep the floor, we are in fact sweeping our own mind, isn’t that so?
Backstage just now, Teacher Weiwei and I saw Teacher Atsung and Teacher Hamazaki preparing to go on stage to perform. We greeted each other and asked, “Are you nervous? ”They both said, “No, not at all.” But Teacher Weiwei and I said, “We’re the ones who are nervous!” Why is that? Because we thought we didn’t have to go on stage this year. I was so nervous, turns out I had to go on stage after all!
What we are doing here is not truly a performance.We simply wish, through the purity of our own true nature,to send blessings to everyone through the medium of sound,and to share a meeting of hearts and minds. May everyone, through the flow of this sound, experience a deep awakening and an inner elevation of the spirit. After all, the mind is the true master of both our physical and spiritual phenomena.Once this master within is uplifted,then as our outer conditions transform, no change will be difficult to face.
Host:Venerable Hong Sheng now offers the chanting of “Yuan He Miao Yin”
Thank you, everyone.
