Please take some time to read this piece of news.
【人间社记者李家仁 六龟报导】觉培法师遇险！慧传法师立即赶回佛光山处理突发状况！
总统马英九昨天至旗山署立医院探视灾民，佛光山救灾中心总指挥慧传法师得知马总统前来，而从临近的旗山禅净中心绕道医院等待招呼，总统到医院各楼关怀，直到12点多仍未见其下楼。期间，因不断收到前往屏东六龟探察灾情的觉培法师传简讯求救，立即折返佛光山处理。
「六龟比想象中的还严重。」通往六龟乡的台27甲这条对外通道被冲垮，佛光山非常担心当地居民的安危，南屏别院住持满益法师、国际佛光会中华总会秘书长觉培法师等五位法师，偕同佛光童军团执行长李耀淳等三十人自告奋勇，不顾山路危险，扛著疏果、素粽及白米等民生物资，毅然跟著国军与救难人员徒步挺进灾区送物资，并给予各项协助。
「进入山区，走过绳索、崖边，突然间河床上涨，由于路况不好，救灾人员脚滑，差一点连同食物一起掉下去。」看着简讯，慧传法师胆战心惊，他皱起眉头，一手拿着手机，严肃地转述觉培法师传出来的简讯，他说，因堰塞湖破堤，河水开始暴涨，情况非常危险，一度想放弃前进的救难队，想着外头还有很多焦急的家属在等待而踌躇不已，经大家讨论后，全部赞同「热往热里去，危险就往危险去！」无论前方的道路多艰险，都要继续前进六龟山内救援。
「进入后，才知道里面仍有一万多人受困，所幸遇到六龟育幼院的修女，她自愿带我们进去救灾。」看到第二封简讯传来，慧传法师继续说，他们一路经过三个山洞及泥泞的山路，两旁的房子全倒塌，虽然灾民陆续徒步走出来，但仍有人不少人受困其中，「还好里面因为地势高，我们也都在安全的地方，但困在山里头的居民已出现断炊情况。」
「直升机已来回好几趟，但我们目前很安全，因豪雨走不出去。」慧传法师说完这第三封简讯的内容，彷佛卸下心中的大石头，紧绷的眉头缓缓舒解，他继续说，由于这个地方的灾情已传送出去，政府也已派出直升机空投物资。
再隔一个半小时，觉培法师再度传回简讯：「现在雨停了，已有四架直升机往返送物资，民众很欢喜。我们也将食物送至谛愿寺，暂时解除灾民食物匮乏的问题。我将前往旗山，继续关怀灾民所需。」
Hello People,
I got the article off 佛光山's website. The reason why i ripped it off and stuck it on this web was because i felt that us being 佛光少年s, we should be kept in loop of how the Venerables over at Taiwan are playing their part in aiding this disaster. Venerables and volunteers involved here are those at the top of the hierarchies... and they can choose to stay indoors in the temple and do day-long dharma services to pray for these victims, but they chose not to. Instead, these 佛光人 are out and going deep into the worst-hit areas, risking their lives and trying their utmost best in helping the victims.
To add on to that, if you had lasted till the end of the article, you'll read that VenJuePei didn't return home after the good were successfully delivered. Instead, she went on to see what else they had needed, and to continue caring for the victims. This is feel is highly commendable. She had finished her job, but the dangerous conditions didn't encourage her to return back to shelter. She stayed on.
These people out there, are part of our big 佛光 family. I'm sure that if you hear that lives of our own 佛光人 are lost, you'll be deeply saddened, or at least slightly disturbed.. Similarly, (if you're not THAT into 佛光山) i choose to believe that you guys would be slightly more concerned over matters over at Taiwan, and whatever's happening to the 佛光人 there. Actually.. not only 佛光人, but all of the victims of this typhoon.
Don't forget, we have Singaporeans over there too.
So, may i implore upon you.... to keep these victims, and the rescue teams in your prayers. Although I highly doubt any of you actually pray.... But i'm just hoping that this would change your mindsets over the magnitude of things. Just for convenience purposes... 大师 has written a 祈愿文 for this disaster, and i'm uploading the english one, i figured that more chinese would probably turn you guys off..
A Prayer for the Victims of Typhoon Morakot
By Venerable Master Hsing Yun
Great and Compassionate Buddha!
The central, southern and eastern regions of Taiwan
have been devastated by Typhoon Morakot,
on August 9th, 2009.
Buddha! Oh! Buddha!
Have you heard the cries of their suffering?
Can you see the pains of suffering?
They are the cries from hell on earth.
They are the voices of catastrophe in the Saha world.
Over there,
the entire city was engulfed in water and raging torrents.
Over there,
a scene of devastation is created with millions of destroyed homes.
At this moment,
they are like lost wanderers looking for a hopeful future;
they are like fearful lambs seeking for a safe shelter.
Great and compassionate Buddha!
We pray for your blessings.
Please help the survivors be delivered from suffering,
and recover their good health;
Please help the deceased be reborn in the Buddha land,
and progress smoothly through the nine stages of lotus incarnation.
Please let them all realize that,
their physical homes go through the stages of
creation, existence, decay and destruction,
and only their self-nature can sustain forever.
Please let them all understand that,
death and separation of family and loved ones befall all of us,
only enlightenment and liberation are our ultimate reliance.
Great and compassionate Buddha!
Please give them the courage to move on with life,
Let them realize that living brings hope.
Let them understand that survival means strength.
Please let them realize that
the self and others are inter-connected in life,
and we all affect each other in our relations.
We ought to take preventive measures
and be prepared for the worst at good times,
and we must all cooperate in our work in doing so.
We also pray that
this disaster will not worsen,
and similar disasters will not recur.
Great and compassionate Buddha!
Please accept our sincerest prayers!
Please accept our sincerest prayers!
On the other hand, the english one seems less 'forceful'.... I'll put the chinese one as well la..
◎为莫拉克台风水灾灾情祈愿文 星云大师著
慈悲伟大的佛陀！
八月八日，台湾中、南、东部地区遭受天灾「莫拉克」台风袭击，各地区传出了严重灾情。
佛陀啊！佛陀！
您可曾听到他们的求救？
您可曾看到他们的哀伤？
那是人间苦难的现象！
那是娑婆浩劫的声音！
在那里，整个地区淹没在大水中， 洪流惊人，
在那里，千万人的家园受到毁坏，满目疮痍；
他们此时迷失人生的未来，都在寻找希望的明天；
他们此时正像惊惶的羔羊，都在寻觅安全的依怙。
慈悲伟大的佛陀！
祈求您的加被，让他们生者消灾免难，安全如昔；让他们亡者往生佛国，莲登九品。
请求您让他们都能体悟，现实的家园会有成住坏空，自己的本性才能永恒安住；
请求您让他们都能了解，即使骨肉至亲，也会有生离死别，只有证悟解脱，才是究竟的依靠。
慈悲伟大的佛陀！
请您赐给他们再生的信心，让他们知道：活著就有希望；
请您赐给他们向前的勇气，让他们明白：生存就是力量。
让大家都知道：你我生命是共通的，自他关系是互动的；
我们一定要在平时作好防范工作，
我们必须要互助合作，居安思危。
我们更祈求，
这次的灾情不要再扩大，
类似的祸害不要再发生。
慈悲伟大的佛陀！
请求您接受我们至诚的祈愿，
请求您接受我们至诚的祈愿。
