A Prayer for Victims of the Earthquake in Sichuan, China
May 19th, 2008 by weichia-chengA Prayer for Victims of the Earthquake in Sichuan, China
Oh great, compassionate Buddha,
An earthquake happened in Sichuan, China on the 12th of May.
Hundreds of thousands have lost their lives or homes.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha,
Have you heard the wailing of the suffering masses?
Have you witnessed the agony of the shattered families?
Oh Buddha,
These are the pleas from a hell on earth!
These are the cries for help from a Saha calamity!
Oh great, compassionate Buddha,
Here,
Buildings and houses have collapsed,
And devastation abounds amidst the wreckage and rubble;
There,
Sand and stones fly all over,
Misery and suffering greet the eye everywhere.
So many were trapped in the wreckage,
Filled with fear;
So many were confined in dangerous places,
Unable to escape;
So many youthful students lost their lives in just one moment,
Forever separated with loved ones;
They are desperate for the relief of the rescue crew!
They are in dire need of your blessing and protection!
They are like lost travelers looking for a secure home;
They are like frightened lambs seeking a safe shelter.
Some of them unfortunately fell victim to the disaster;
Some of them were innocently wounded and disabled.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha,
We pray for your blessings:
May the survivors be relieved of their suffering and recover their good health;
May the deceased be reborn in the land of Amitabha and progress smoothly through the nine stages of lotus incarnation.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha,
May they all realize that their physical homes will go through the stages of birth, existence, decay and demise,
That only their self-nature can sustain forever;
May they all understand that death and separation from family and loved ones befalls all of us,
That only enlightenment and liberation are our ultimate reliance.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha,
Please bless and protect the survivors of these disasters,
Please grant them the confidence to live a new life;
May they know that where there is life, there is hope;
Please grant them the courage to move on;
May they understand that where there is survival, there is strength.
Please give them your blessings,
May their bodies and minds heal quickly;
Please give them the strength of concentration,
May their painfully sad spirit regain joyfulness.
Please let them understand that,
Only with fresh energy to rebuild their lives can the deceased obtain the greatest consolation,
And can oneself obtain the ultimate success.
Furthermore,
We pray that this disaster will not worsen,
That such disasters never occur again.
Please bless and support all people:
May we all realize that the lives of self and others are interconnected;
May we all understand that we all affect each other in our relations.
We must take preventive measures in time of peace,
We must cooperate with and help each other
And be prepared for possible future perils while enjoying peace.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha,
Please accept my sincerest prayer!
Oh great, compassionate Buddha,
Please accept my sincerest prayer!
星雲大師《為中國四川大地震祈願文》
慈悲偉大的佛陀！
五月十二日中國四川發生了大地震！
據聞已有數萬人往生
數十萬人受傷、無家可歸
慈悲偉大的佛陀！
您可曾聽到苦難眾生的呼號？
您可曾看到親人離散的慘痛？
佛陀啊！佛陀！
那是人間地獄發出的哀嚎！
那是娑婆浩劫傳出的聲音！
在那兒，
山崩地裂，家園全毀，
飛沙走石，滿是瘡痍；
在那裡，
路基流失，橋樑全毀，
房倒人亡，觸目驚心；
多少人身陷災區中，正在恐慌；
多少人困在危地裡，無法出離；
尤其那許多青少年的學子們
在一瞬間，骨肉離散，天人永隔。
他們多麼需要救難人員能夠及時趕到！
他們多麼需要佛陀您能夠加持與庇護！
他們此時正像迷失的遊子，都在尋找寄住的家園；
他們此時正像驚惶的羔羊，都在尋覓安全的依怙；
有的人不幸罹難了，
有的人無辜傷殘了。
慈悲偉大的佛陀！
祈求您的加被
讓他們生者消災免難，健康如昔；
讓他們亡者往生佛國，蓮登九品。
慈悲偉大的佛陀！
請求您讓他們都能體悟，
現實的家園會有成住壞空，
只有自己的本性才能永恆安住；
請求您讓他們都能了解，
即使骨肉至親，也會有生離死別，
只有證悟解脫，才是究竟的依靠。
慈悲偉大的佛陀！
請求您庇佑劫後餘生的人們，
賜給他們再生的信心，讓他們知道：活著就有希望；
賜給他們向前的勇氣，讓他們明白：生存就是力量。
請您給他們福佑，讓他們身心的創傷趕快轉危為安；
請您給他們定力，讓他們悲痛的情緒得到轉苦為樂。
請求您讓他們明白，
唯有振作精神，重整家園，
才能讓亡者得到最大的安慰，
才能讓自己得到最後的成功。
我們更祈求，
這次的災情不要再擴大，
類似的禍害不要再發生。
更祈求您加被所有的民眾，
讓大家都知道你我生命是共通的，
讓大家都體會自他關係是互動的；
我們一定要在平時作好防範工作，
我們必須要互助合作，居安思危。
慈悲偉大的佛陀！
請求您接受我至誠的祈願，
慈悲偉大的佛陀！
請求您接受我至誠的祈願。
南無本師釋迦牟尼佛
