地點：印度 菩提加耶
時間：2009年01月01日 Thursday 1st January 2009
報導：Jo Gibson
攝影：Tashi Paljor、鄭履中

法王噶瑪巴在清晨的課程開始前﹐以貴賓的身份參加了各宗教聯合會的世界和平祈福法會。法會的地點座落於正覺大佛塔的菩提樹下。

此法會的舉辦單位為國際佛教印度協會的菩提迦耶與迦耶分會﹑正覺大佛塔管理委員會﹑與當地的各宗教聯合組織。法會的目的是為紀念去年11月在孟買的恐怖爆炸事件中的亡者﹐另外也在新年的第一天為世界的和平與和諧祈願。

法王先是在正覺大佛塔的佛殿中拜佛燃燈﹐然後才行至菩提樹下與會。由於法王的造訪沒有事先對外宣佈﹐所以只有一小群的民眾聚集在會場﹔他們主要是印度的僧眾﹐當地的學童﹑菩提迦耶各宗教聯合會的會員﹑以及一些藏人與西方人。

在為哀悼孟買恐怖爆炸事件中身亡者的一分鐘靜默後﹐法王在菩提樹下的壇城中點燃了兩隻蠟燭。祈願文的念誦是由梵文的皈依文開始。接著各宗教領袖代表一一上台念誦世界和平的祈願文。首先上台的是緬甸寺院的主持﹐接著是藏傳佛教﹑印度教﹑基督教﹑耆那教﹑錫克教﹑與穆斯林的代表。穆斯林的代表激動地聲明穆斯林教是一個和平反暴力的宗教。他說﹕「救一個人﹐就是救所有的人類﹔殺一個人﹐就是殺所有的人類。」

會議的最後是以寂天菩薩入行論中的一個偈子做為結束﹕

「路人無怙依，願為彼引導，
　 並作渡者舟，船筏與橋梁！」

His Holiness made a surprise visit to the Mahabodhi Stupa as guest-of-honour at an inter-faith prayer meeting, under the bodhi tree, where a small crowd was gathered, mainly Indian sangha, local schoolchildren, and representatives of the faith communities in Bodh Gaya. A few Tibetans and Westerners were also evident.

His Holiness first visited the main shrine hall and paid respect to Buddha image, later attended the meeting.

The meeting, organized by the International Buddhist Council of India, Bodh Gaya and Gaya branch, the Mahabodhi Management Committee and the local interfaith organisation, was held partly in memory of those who had died in the November Mumbai bombings, partly as an opportunity to pray for world peace and harmony on New Year’s Day.

There were chants and prayers for world peace, led by representatives of the Tibetan Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Jain, Sikh and Muslim communities

The meeting concluded with a reading from Shantideva’s “Way of the Bodhisattva”, beginning with the verse:

May I be a guard for those who are protectorless,
A guide for those who journey on the road,
For those who wish to go across the water
May I be a boat, a raft, a bridge.