文／佛州大西洋大學歷史系郝樂為（Kenneth W. Holloway）教授（有律法師中譯）
圖／郝樂為教授、佛館國際組
喬納森‧福克斯（Jonathan Fox）博士2004年的一項研究表明，宗教是促使世界各地產生衝突的主要原因，特別是在1945年至2001年之間。在二十世紀的最後幾十年，宗教不但是衝突的主要根源，宗教更是加劇衝突惡化的推手。減輕衝突的一種常見作法是安排宗教間的對話，但星雲大師有一個更好的想法：在每年耶誕節，也就是佛陀紀念館開幕的週年紀念日，舉辦一個召集世界各地的宗教人士為世界和平祈禱的活動──世界神明聯誼會。
我在邁阿密佛光山的一次演講中，第一次得知這個活動。那裡的法師分享她如何訪問當地的每一個宗教機構並遞上星雲大師的活動邀請函。直到她分享了參觀當地偏遠山頂寺廟的經歷時，我才意識到這項任務的艱鉅性。聽了她的演講後，我非常期盼參加這次活動。2019年12月，在佛州大西洋大學歷史系進行為期一年的休假研究期間，我終於得到了參與活動的機會。
當我在耶誕節的早上七點前抵達活動現場時，已經有很多人湧入佛陀紀念館。當我走近時，聽到了一支遊行樂隊，我能感覺到內心的力量和激動。當日天氣宜人，天空晴朗，溫度介於70到81華氏度。
我觀察到的第一件事是參加者的多樣性。我看到預期的年長者、十幾歲的青年(包括一些帶有紋身和穿孔的青年)，以及攜帶小孩的家庭。看到各行各業的人們聚集在一起祈求和平，這樣的景色真美！國泰民安祈福法會在下午兩點左右開始，那時我意識到這一天會多麼特別──數千座宮廟的神明被排列在大佛的前面。
在我們共同為世界和平祈福時，我們同時對全台灣的神明表示敬意。參拜這許多的宮廟，可能要花上數年，但每年的這個時候，我們可以一次向所有的神明禮拜。到了下午兩點半，活動進入尾聲，有律法師帶我去觀察宮廟回鑾的盛況。我看著五萬人非常和諧地離開了佛館。
2019年耶誕節將是我一生中最特殊的一日。在一個宗教被視為相互競爭的世界中，這個慶祝宗教信仰多元的活動燃起了我對人類的希望。在許多層面上，它確實是深刻而有意義的。回到美國後，我開始閱讀有關新冠狀病毒(COVID-19)的新聞報導。當美國人民開始互相指責時，我渴望回到高雄，因為在那裡，人們共同努力維護社會安全。在撰寫本文時，2020年美國退伍軍人節這天，我聯想到美國許多州因新冠狀病毒喪生的人數，比第二次世界大戰中的士兵還多。第二次世界大戰期間美國傷亡率最高的十個州中，有五個州因新冠狀病毒喪生的人數增加。我帶著沉重的心情撰寫此文，不知道什麼時候我又有機會參與世界神明聯誼會。但是去年參與活動的經驗讓我的內心仍然充滿希望，我會繼續為世界和平祈福。
Religion
has been an increasing source of conflict around the world, particularly
between 1945 and 2001, according to a 2004 study by Dr. Jonathan Fox. It is not that religion is the only source of
conflict, but in the last decades of the twentieth century, it has become a
significant intensifier of conflict and it is getting worse all the time. A common approach to alleviating this
conflict is religious leaders will engage in interfaith dialogues. Venerable Master Hsing Yun has a better
idea. Every year on Christmas Day, the
anniversary of the opening of the Buddha Museum, he hosts an event that brings
together members of the world’s religions to pray for world peace. This event is called When Buddha Meets the
Gods.
I
first heard about the event at a lecture that was organized at the Miami Fo Guang
Shan temple. The Venerable there told us
how she visited every religious institution on the island to extend a personal
invitation from Venerable Master Hsing Yun for them to attend When Buddha Meets
the Gods. I had not realized just how epic the task might be until she shared
her stories of visiting remote mountain top temples around the island. After hearing her lecture, I had a deep
desire to participate in the event. Finally, in December of 2019, while on a
year-long research sabbatical from the History Department at Florida Atlantic
University, I got my chance.
When I
arrived on Christmas Morning, it was just before 7:00 am, but there were
already throngs of people streaming into the museum. As I approached, I heard a marching band, and
I could feel the energy, the excitement. The weather was beautiful, with a high
of 81 and the low 70 degrees Fahrenheit, with clear skies.
The
first thing I noticed was the diversity of those who attended. There were elderly members, which I expected,
but also teenagers, including some with tattoos and piercings, and families
with young children. It was beautiful to
see people from different walks of life coming together to pray for peace. The prayer ceremony began around 2:00 pm, and
that was when I realized just how special the day would be. Statues representing thousands of temples
were all lined up together on altars, under a giant seated Buddha.
As we
prayed together for peace in the world, we were simultaneously paying our
respects to the deities of temples from all over the island. It would take years to visit all these
temples, but once a year it is possible to pray to them together. By 2:30
things were wrapping up and Venerable You Lu brought me to see the procession
leave the museum. I watched fifty thousand people leave the museum in perfect
harmony, as they began their journeys home.
Just
by itself, Christmas Day 2019 would have been one of the most special days in
my life. In a world where religions are
often seen as competing with each other, this celebration of diverse religious
beliefs gave me hope for humanity. It
was really deep and meaningful on a number of levels. Upon my return to the United States, I
started to read about the COVID-19 pandemic.
As people in the US began to point fingers and blame each other, I longed
to be back in Kaohsiung where people were working together to stay safe. As I am writing this, on Veterans Day 2020, I
am reminded that the many states in the US have lost more people to COVID-19
than soldiers in WWII. Among the ten
states in the US with the highest casualty rates during the WWII, five of them
have lost more people to COVID-19. I am
writing this with a heavy heart, and I do not know when I may have a chance to
visit When Buddha Meets the Gods again.
However, having attended the event last year, I remain hopeful and
continue to pray for world peace.
圖說: 郝樂為教授與孔子合照
