2024教師節敬師感恩活動 弘聖師父上人致詞(英譯)

20240922 教師節敬師感恩活動「星艦覺航」

恭請 弘聖師父上人致詞

 

“The Journey to Enlightenment”

The 2024-09-22 Teacher Appreciation Event for Celebrating Teacher’s Day

The Speech from Master Hong Sheng

 

 

一覺元學會恭敬整理

Respectfully organized by the Yi Jue Yuan Association

 

 

Master: I thought all I needed to do was just sing a little earlier, but it turns out I also have to speak. Was the performance earlier very entertaining?

Students: Yes!

 

Master: Not only was it entertaining, but it was also quite meaningful. Today we are celebrating Teacher's Day. Of course, today isn’t the actual day, but why do we always have a memory of Teacher's Day? It’s because of education. Since ancient times, there has been a saying, “To build a nation and guide the people, education must come first.” Education has always been the key. In the past, people established a whole set of ruling systems by creating rituals and music. Of course, in today's era, these things are no longer emphasized. The reason why they are no longer emphasized is that humanity has misunderstood the essence of life. We often focus on appearances and cannot grasp the flow of life’s essence through its external manifestations. As a result, we make incorrect judgments about life, which makes education even more important.

 

The ancestors taught us, "At the beginning of life, human nature is inherently good. Human nature is similar, but habits make them different." The essence of our life is actually pure and flawless. However, due to immersing in the habitual practices, we have generated the concepts of good and evil. Our habitual tendencies or practices are all called habits, which contains the so-called good and bad ones. On the basis of our superficial understanding, there are good deeds and bad deeds, good people and bad people that are existed in this world. However, if an educator holds such a bias, there will never be true "happiness and fulfillment" in this world. Therefore, we also hope that all those who are fortunate enough to be called "Master" or "Teacher" today, like ourselves—I’m deeply humble to be called "Master" by you, must maintain a cautious and vigilant attitude in our daily lives, as if walking on thin ice. We must constantly hold ourselves to higher standards, as this is an ongoing energy flow.

 

From the perspective of an educator, it is essential to truly understand that "all entient beings inherently possess the wisdom and virtues of the Tathagata." In more worldly terms, this aligns with the saying "At the beginning of life, human nature is inherently good." We must let go of our biases, attachments, distinctions, and even the subtle thoughts of delusion. Only by doing so can we rebuild the so-called era of peace and  prosperity, and truly return to the original state of our existence, what we call "happiness and fulfillment," a world completely free from opposition.

 

I don't want to take up too much of everyone's time, so I won't ramble on here. I've usually spoken enough, haven't I? I hope the educational significance and values embodied by Teacher's Day can be passed down through generations. After all, the stabilizing force of any society absolutely stems from filial piety and the respect for teachers, and the Way of the Teacher is built upon the foundation of filial piety. The operation of these two traditions is the genetic foundation for leading our lives toward harmony. If we are fortunate enough to encounter this in our lifetime, we should start with ourselves, putting filial piety and respect for teachers into practice.

 

In addition to those who are currently teachers, all sentient beings are inherently our teachers as well. This is highlighted in the example of Sudhana’s Fifty-Three Teachers, where it is said that in the entire world, I am the only student, and everything—every person, event, and object—is our teacher. As the ancestors said, "When three people walk together, one of them can be my teacher." If each of us can maintain this mindset and behavior, I believe that even in the current era of the Five Corruptions, the world can be purified through our own actions, and the beautiful, inherent state of our lives will naturally manifest. I wish everyone well. Thank you! Amitabha!

 

Host: Thank you, Master. Master, could we respectfully request you to offer a blessing of "Yuan He Miao Yin" for us?

 

Master: There's a start, and there's also a finish (laugh), isn't there? I sang earlier, so I'll sing again at the end. Earlier, we were like the dumb birds that flied first and now... Am I the finale at this point?

 

Host: Yes, whenever Master is present, it's always the grand finale.

 

Master: I’m gathering things for you all (laughs), holding things together for you so that everyone can secure a golden insurance policy, right?!

 

Host: Wow! Thank you, Master.

 

Master chants and sings "Yuan He Miao Yin".

 

Master: Thank you, everyone.

 

Host: Thank you, Master, for your guidance and the blessing of "Yuan He Miao Yin." We are also grateful that you always guide us in the most correct direction. Thank you, Master.