南加州長堤市福祿壽聖寺自2022年8月20日至9月10日，連續四週，每逢週六、日，都舉行「梁皇寶懺」法會。法會期間除了傳授八關齋戒之外、還舉辦「花燈供地藏菩薩」、「慶祝地藏菩薩聖誕法會」、「慶祝中秋節」、以及「齋天法會」，總計近百位善信參加，其中約三分之一為線上參加。法會圓滿後，若干信眾都表示，深深感受寶懺功德不可思議。
From August 20, 2022 to September 10, 2022, the Blessing, Prosperity and Longevity Monastery (BPLM) in Long Beach, Southern California held the “Emperor Liang’s Jeweled Repentance” for four consecutive weeks, every Saturday and Sunday. During this Dharma session, in addition to transmitting the Eightfold Precepts of Purity, it also held “Candle Light Offerings to Earth Store Bodhisattva,” “Celebrating Earth Store Bodhisattva’s Birthday,” “Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival”, and “Offering to Devas Ceremony”, attracting nearly 100 participants, around one third of them participated online. After the bowing session, quite a few participants expressed that they deeply felt the inconceivable merit and virtues of the Jeweled Repentance.
這是福祿壽聖寺自疫情以來，第一次舉辦梁皇寶懺。四個週末期間，每天上午八時至下午五時拜懺，午間上供、午齋、出坡或休息，大約三小時。每週六晚間7時15分至8時15分，由恒江法師講解梁皇寶懺十卷大意，近威法師也參與講法。
This is the first time that BPLM has held the Emperor Liang’s Jeweled Repentance since the onset of the pandemic. During the four weekends, bowing the repentance went from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, as well as the Meal offerings before noon, lunch, a work period or resting of about three hours. Every Saturday evening, from 7:15 to 8:15, Bhikshu Heng Chiang explained the general idea of the ten volumes of Emperor Liang Jeweled Repentance, and Bhikshu Jin Wei also gave Dharma talks.
梁皇寶懺自公元六世紀流傳至今，已有一千五百餘年，仍然盛行不已。懺文由寶誌禪師與高僧十人所集，拜此懺能斷無量煩惱，消除罪業，與冤親債主解除怨結，又稱「慈悲道場懺法」。懺文中提及，夢感彌勒依事題名，賜予「慈悲道場」四字為懺法之名。因此儀文一開始就是「梁皇啟建，彌勒題名。誌公集華藏之玄門，群經錄諸佛之聖號。」
The Emperor Liang’s Jeweled Repentance has been in practice for more than 1,500 years since the sixth century AD, and it is still popular. The repentance texts were compiled by ten eminent monks led by Zen Master Baozhi. Bowing this repentance can cut off countless afflictions, eliminate karmic offenses, and relieve grievances with karmic creditors. It is mentioned in the repentance text that Maitreya Bodhisattva, in a dream, gave the name of this Repentance Dharma as “Kindness and Compassion in the Bodhimanda” according to the event. Therefore, the beginning of the ceremonial text states “The Emperor of Liang initiates this Repentance, Maitreya Bodhisattva names it. Venerable Baozhi compiles it from the sacred Flower Treasury, with names of Buddhas fathered from the sutras.”
對於法界佛教總會（法總）的四衆弟子而言，禮拜梁皇寶懺還有特殊的緣分。法總創辦人上宣下化老和尚師承禪門二宗，一是由虛雲老和尚指定為潙仰宗傳法人之一；另一是自三緣寺常智老和尚處，傳承金頂毘盧派法脈，而禪宗金頂毘盧派恰源於寶誌禪師。因此法總四衆弟子禮拜梁皇寶懺，正是禮拜祖師傳下的懺法。
For the fourfold assembly of the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association (DRBA), there is a special affinity to bow the Emperor Liang’s Jeweled Repentance. The founder of DRBA, Venerable Master Hsuan Hua, is a master of two lineages of the Chan School. One is designated by the Elder Master Xuyun as one of the transmitters of the Weiyang lineage, and lineage of the Golden-crowned Vairochana Sect of the Chan School originated from Chan Master Baozhi. Venerable Master Hua inherited this lineage from Dharma Master Chang Zhi of Three Condition Monastery. Therefore, when the fourfold disciples of DRBA bow the Emperor Liang’s Jeweled Repentance, it is exactly the repentance method handed down by the founding Patriarch.
福祿壽聖寺這次舉辦梁皇寶懺，期間恰逢地藏菩薩聖誕。為配合週末，在菩薩聖誕次日（8月27日）敬獻花燈，並於8月28日慶祝地藏菩薩聖誕，緬懷菩薩「地獄不空，誓不成佛」的慈悲宏願。
During this bowing session held by BPLM, which coincided with the birthday of Earth Store Bodhisattva. Candles were offered on the Saturday right after the Bodhisattva’s birthday (August 27), and the birthday of Earth Store Bodhisattva was celebrated on August 28, in memory of the Bodhisattva’s compassionate vow that “As long as hells are not empty, I vow not to become a Buddha”.
第三個週六9月3日（農曆八月初八）清晨8時傳授八關齋戒。當天由恒江法師以及近孝法師共同傳戒；約有30人誠心求受八關齋戒。不僅幫助大眾以清淨的身語意繼續拜懺，而且八關齋戒若能清淨受持一日一夜，臨命終時，便得中品中生極樂世界，十分殊勝。
On the third Saturday, September 3 (the eighth day of the eighth lunar month), the Eightfold Precepts of Purity were transmitted at 8:00 in the morning. Dharma Master Heng Chiang and Dharma Master Jin Xiao co-transmitted the precepts; around thirty people sincerely asked for receiving the Eightfold Precepts of Purity. Not only does it help them to continue to bow the repentance with pure body, speech, and mind, but if the precepts can be upheld purely for one day and one night, at the end of life, the preceptee will be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, which is very extraordinary.
9月10日中秋節，天心月圓，正好也是寶懺圓滿日，大眾在拜懺的「家」團圓，慶祝寶懺功德圓滿。當天清晨5時，展開齋天法會，「禮拜供三寶，請諸天吃齋」。因為諸天護持佛法與修行人，在法會圓滿日一早齋天，聊表感謝諸天護法之意。江法師也在開示中，祝福大眾法喜充滿、身體健康、業障消除、早成佛道。
On the Mid-Autumn Festival, (September 10), the moon was full in the sky. It was also the day of the completion of the Jeweled Repentance. The participants reunited at “home” where they bowed the repentance and celebrated the completion of the Jeweled Repentance. At 5 o’clock in the morning, the Offering to the Devas ceremony was held, “Promise to the Three Jewels, and invite all the gods (devas) to enjoy the vegetarian feast.” Because the gods protect the Dharma and practitioners, they were offered vegetarian feast early in the morning on the completion day of the bowing session. That’s the way people expressed their gratitude to the gods for protecting the Dharma. During the lecture to conclude the bowing session, Dharma Master Chiang wished the participants full of Dharma joy, good health, elimination of karmic obstacles, and the realization of Buddhahood as soon as possible.
這次梁皇寶懺期間，近孝法師擔任維那師，常於唱誦佛號前，加唸一句「這一禮拜為父母」。因拜下時間較長，法會大眾可觀想自己的父母也來道場，一起誠心禮佛懺悔業障，信眾紛紛反應很受用。
During this Emperor Liang’s Jeweled Repentance, Dharma Master Jin Xiao served as the cantor. He often recited the phrase “this bow is for our parents” before chanting the Buddha’s name. Due to the long bows, the participants were able to visualize their parents coming to join them, and sincerely bowing to the Buddhas, repenting of their karmic offenses. The participants responded that it had been very helpful.
參加拜懺的信眾張親宗説，她母親罹患敗血症、肺炎，腦部基本失靈，處於精神錯亂狀態。這次她代表母親禮拜梁皇寶懺，並求受八關齋戒。法會圓滿後，母親不但能走路，而且記憶正在恢復中。醫生與護理之家的物理治療師都覺得難以置信。醫生甚至拿出母親的病歷給她看，意思就是根本不可能恢復得這麼好，只能說禮拜「梁皇寶懺」為母親消除了業障，令她感恩不盡。另外在受持八關齋戒之後，她察覺到自己的心境改變很多，因為受戒為她帶來力量，所以她也非常感恩。
A devotee, Chin Zong Truong who participated in the repentance and the Eightfold Precepts of Purity on behalf of her mother, said that her mother suffered from sepsis and pneumonia, her brain had basically shut down, and was delirious. After Emperor Liang’s Repentance Ceremony was completed, not only was her mother able to walk, but her mother’s memory was recovering. The doctor and physical therapist in the nursing home found it unbelievable. The doctor even showed her the medical records, which meant that it was impossible for her mother to recover so well. She could only say that bowing “Emperor Liang’s Jeweled Repentance” had eliminated many karmic offenses for her mother for which she was very grateful. In addition, after taking the Eightfold Precepts of Purity, she noticed that it made a big difference. Because taking the precepts gave her strength, she was also grateful for that.
另一位信眾親啟則説，這是他生平第一次參加梁皇寶懺，很高興能幫助歷代祖先、父母、天龍八部、以及其他所有眾生，不僅可以幫助他們避免墮入三惡道，更可以幫助他們往生阿彌陀佛極樂淨土。感恩江法師的講法，讓他對這部寶懺更加瞭解；也感恩近孝法師以及其他所有人，共同成就梁皇寶懺法會。
Another participant, Qin Qi, said that this is the first time for him to participate in the Emperor Liang’s Jeweled Repentance. He is glad to help ancestors, parents, dragons, and all other living beings. It not only helps them avoid falling into the three evil paths, but also helps them to go to Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. He is grateful to Dharma Master Chiang for his lectures, which helped him understand more about this jeweled repentance. He is also grateful to Master Jin Xiao and everyone else for making the Emperor Liang’s Jeweled Repentance possible.
福祿壽聖寺在疫情期間，曾舉行兩天的千佛懺，每天禮拜五百尊佛；並曾舉行淨土懺、楞嚴懺、以及藥師懺，都是一天的法會。這次梁皇寶懺為期最長，令許多人受益匪淺，大家都期望下一次的梁皇寶懺儘快來臨。♦
During the pandemic, BPLM had held two days of the One Thousand Buddhas Repentance, bowing five hundred Buddhas each day. It also held the Pure Land Repentance, the Shurangama Repentance, and the Medicine Master Repentance, which were all one-day Dharma gatherings. This time, the Emperor Liang’s Jeweled Repentance lasted the longest, which has greatly benefited many people. Everyone hopes that the next Emperor Liang’s Jeweled Repentance will take place as soon as possible.♦