中台禪寺一百一十四年新春團拜法語

Dharma Words for the 2025 Lunar New Year Assembly

主法大和尚　釋見穎　民國一百一十四年一月二十九日

金蛇巧步綻春暉　晨鐘暮鼓啟禪扉

The golden Snake steps gracefully, spreading spring's radiance,
As morning bells and evening drums open the gates of Chan,

眾集佛前同禮拜　心印中台共清輝

The assembly gathers and prostrates before the Buddha,
Basking in the luminous purity of the mind-seal of Chung Tai.

禪者佛心彰福慧　菩薩宏願布慈悲

Chan cultivators with buddha's minds, unlock blessings and wisdom,
Bodhisattvas, guided by great vows, spread boundless compassion,

以空合空平等相　如水入水無礙會

By emptiness merging with emptiness, universal equality perceived;
Like water flowing into water, unobstructed realm revealed.

新春伊始，大眾同聚釋迦佛前禮祖團拜，仰祈諸佛菩薩及開山祖師慈光護念，引領吾等於金蛇之年同登玄門、回歸本淨，共沐清明之光輝。禪行者，當以福德資糧扶持善行、以禪定功夫調伏自心、以教理智慧破除迷執，內證自性佛、彰顯本具福慧理體，並以菩薩宏願，慈悲普利有情、行菩提圓滿之大用。正所謂日用行住坐臥間，內密心印、外化眾生，以空合空，無取捨地顯現出真實平等之現量，又如水入水，渾然地交織成圓融無礙之法界。

With the arrival of spring, we gather before Shakyamuni Buddha to prostrate in homage to the buddhas and patriarchs. May all the buddhas and bodhisattvas, as well as the Founding Abbot, guide us with their compassionate light, that in the year of the Golden Snake, we may each enter the mystic gate, return to intrinsic purity, and bask in the luminance of unbroken clarity.

Chan cultivators sustain wholesome deeds through the nourishment of virtue and merits, tame their minds with the strength of samadhi, and overcome delusion through the Dharma and wisdom. We realize the intrinsic buddha of our self-nature and unlock the inherent body of blessings and wisdom. With the great vows of a bodhisattva, we extend compassion to benefit all sentient beings, and unfold the consummate activity of the bodhi mind.

Whether walking, sitting, standing, or lying down, we inwardly accord with the profound mind-seal and outwardly liberate sentient beings. By emptiness merging with emptiness, free of grasping or rejecting, the direct perception of universal equality is unequivocally perceived. Like water flowing into water, the perfectly harmonious and unobstructed Dharma realm is naturally interwoven.

諸位知識，即今新春團拜一事，最後一句又怎麼說法？

Good cultivators, for this prostration ceremony on the spring festival, what is the last verse?

金蛇化龍飛在天　行者契心垂入廛

The golden snake ascends as a dragon into the heavens,
Awakened to the mind, the adept returns to the world.