07/05/2026
果峻師父於5/1至5/3應邀到台灣參加「國際佛誕文化節」。參與這場盛會的，除了果峻師父來自新加坡，另外還有十多位來自澳洲、斯里蘭卡和不丹等地的高僧，包括大會主席台灣台中市佛教會理事長大慧大和尚、澳中佛教總會會長般若大和尚、斯里蘭卡佛教僧伽委員會秘書長阿努魯達尊者、不丹祖古貢噶顛津仁波切，以及藏研會主席堪布慈旺仁珍……等。
這場法會極為難得地齊聚了漢傳、南傳和藏傳佛教的高僧，雖然各地語言、文化、風俗不同，卻同受佛陀法恩，共負傳承佛法之責，高僧們分別以各具特色的唱誦為世間祈願。
果峻師父在法會開示中說：「《修行本起經》提到，佛陀出世，行七步，道：『天上天下，唯我為尊。』這個『我』指的是全人類。一般人常聽說這兩句，其實後面還有兩句：『三界皆苦，吾當安之。』這裡的『吾』也是指所有人。不論遇到任何狀況，都要安住！」
果峻師父笑著說：「眾生也是佛，是貪心的佛，懶惰的佛，煩惱的佛……。而佛是慈悲的眾生，是智慧的眾生，是安定的眾生。」
國際佛誕節源於淨耀法師三十年前一個願心。他看到台灣人過聖誕節，「卻為什麼沒有佛誕節？」於是希望推動結合漢傳、南傳和藏傳佛教共同供佛。淨耀法師曾任中國佛教會理事長、也曾是菩提閣第二任方丈，去年因病往生後，廣修禪寺住持大慧法師秉持此願，大力奔走，於去年在台灣舉辦了首屆國際佛誕文化節。
佛誕節活動最後一天，特別舉辦「全國警察、消防及矯正人員消災祈福大法會」，為警消殉職及往生人員祈願迴向，除了政府相關官員以及在職警察和消防人員之外，還有多位家屬出席。這場法會也是出於淨耀法師長年奔走監獄、看守所，以自身浪子回頭的經歷感化受刑人的願力所促成。
果峻師父在開示中說：「佛教有護法伽藍聖眾，警消人員即人間護法。」佛教界為這些一線守護者祈福超薦，願亡者得生淨土，願生者離苦而心安。
在活動中場休息時，會場人來人往、人聲嘈雜間，遠遠看到一個孤單的身影，站在前方警消殉職及往生人員的超薦牌位前，那是果峻師父在獨自誦經迴向。那一刻，彷彿感到佛的慈悲、教法的明燈，一時亮了起來。
Guo Jun Shifu was invited to Taiwan from May 1 to May 3 to attend the “International Buddha’s Birthday Cultural Festival.” In addition to Guo Jun Shifu from Singapore, more than a dozen eminent monastics from Australia, Sri Lanka and Bhutan participated in this grand event. They included the conference Chairman, Venerable Dahui, President of the Taichung City Buddhist Association in Taiwan; Venerable Banruo, President of the Australia-China Buddhist Association; Venerable Anuruddha from Sri Lanka, Secretary General of the World Buddhist Youth Sangha Council; Bhutan’s Trulku Kunga Tenzin Rinpoche; and Khenpo Tsewang Rigzin Rinpohe, President of the International Tibetan Buddhist Studies Institute, among others.
This Dharma assembly was a rare gathering of eminent monastics from the Chinese, Theravāda, and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Although they came from different regions with distinct languages, cultures, and customs, all share the Buddha’s compassion and the responsibility of transmitting the Dharma. Each offered prayers and chants in their own unique tradition for the peace and well-being of the world.
In his Dharma talk, Guo Jun Shifu said: “The Sūtra on the Origin of Practice records that when the Buddha was born, he took seven steps and declared, ‘Above and beneath the Heaven, I alone am the honored one.’ This ‘I’ refers to humanity. People often hear only these two lines, but there are actually two more that follow: ‘The three realms are filled with suffering, and I shall hold peace.’ Here, ‘I’ also refers to all people. No matter what circumstances we encounter, we must abide in peace.”
He continued with a smile: “All sentient beings are also Buddhas—the greedy Buddha, the lazy Buddha, and the troubled Buddha. And Buddhas are compassionate sentient beings, wise sentient beings, and peaceful sentient beings.”
The International Buddha’s Birthday Festival originated from a vow made thirty years ago by Venerable Jing Yao. He wondered, “Why do Taiwanese people celebrate Christmas, but not the Buddha’s Birthday?” Inspired by this question, he hoped to bring together the Chinese, Theravāda, and Tibetan Buddhist traditions to make offerings to the Buddha in unity.
Venerable Jing Yao formerly served as President of the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China, and as the second Abbot of Mahabodhi Monastery. He passed away last year after an illness. Carrying forward his vision, Venerable Da Hui, Abbot of Kuang Siu Buddhist Temple, worked tirelessly to organize the first International Buddha’s Birthday Cultural Festival in Taiwan in 2025.
On the final day of the festival, a special “National Prayer Assembly for Police, Firefighters, and Correctional Personnel” was held to dedicate merits to those who had died in the line of duty or passed away. In addition to government officials and active police and firefighters, many family members also attended. This ceremony was inspired by Master Jing Yao’s long-standing efforts visiting prisons and detention centers, where he used his own life story of transformation to guide inmates.
In his teaching, Guo Jun Shifu said: “In Buddhism, there are Dharma-Protecting Sangharama Bodhisattvas; police officers and firefighters are the protectors of the human world.” The Buddhist community offered prayers and dedicated merits to these frontline guardians, wishing for the deceased to be reborn in the Pure Land and for the living to be freed from suffering and find peace of mind.
During an intermission, amid the bustling crowd and noisy surroundings, a solitary figure stood quietly before the memorial tablets dedicated to fallen police officers and firefighters. It was Guo Jun Shifu, chanting sutras alone and dedicating merits. In that moment, it seemed as though the Buddha’s compassion and the illuminating light of the Dharma were shining forth.
