Reflection on Tao Seminar – To Be of Service

◎ Fatimah

The Chinese Tao Seminar October 11-13, 2019, has come and gone—but its virtue still touches our hearts and nourishes our souls.

Thanks to the Grace of Heaven, and the support and guidance of our Chinese Tao family—who we deeply love and appreciate, we (English Tao cultivators) were fortunate to be of service.  It was an honor and a blessing to be present, and to be a part of the Service Team.

We continue to assess and reflect on the experience— and the experience continues to impress upon our consciousness— the wisdom and blessings of cultivating Tao.

It was amazing to come together as one family—with multi-cultural, multi-generational Tao Cultivators studying and practicing Tao as one.  The Tao seminar was the embodiment of the potential for humanity to restore its True Nature, and to live in oneness, peace and love.  Truly inspiring to witness!

The power of service is one of our greatest lessons from the Seminar.  Being a part of the service team truly deepened our understanding of service.  Our capacity to love, respect and value the blessings of service was greatly expanded.

In the kitchen there are many opportunities for egos to rise, and differences of opinion to create judgment and anger.  But, as students of Tao we were able to reflect on our most recent class study of Buddha Conduct.  Applying Buddha Conduct as we worked with one another gave us the wisdom we needed to remember to be—flexible, humble, courteous and kind, and to highly regard heavenly work.  With our focus on the proper conduct we were able to keep our hearts focused on the most important things—keep Tao Joy in our hearts, love in the food, stay flexible, be good role models, and follow in the footsteps of our predecessors.

The Tao seminar taught us the meaning of service-cultivation—It created an opportunity to practice, and apply Tao principles and Buddha Conduct—creating both a practical and spiritual learning experience.  It gave us an opportunity to build our self worth, value others, lead by example, and bring care and goodness to others.

It is with humility and gratitude that we receive the blessing and gift of Tao.  We (English Tao Cultivators) are truly grateful for the VOW of our Chinese Tao family, who have made many sacrifices to keep the purity and sacredness of Tao intact.  The journey of Tao from East to West has endured many challenges including cultural and language barriers.  We thank you whole-heartedly, for your perseverance and that of our predecessors. 

It is ‟Thanks to the Grace of heaven,” and your sacrifices that we too can know the truth, peace and love of Cultivating Tao—and returning to our True Nature. 
We are all connected to each other!  Our collective cultivation brings peace and good merit to one’s self, family and to the world.

美國中文新道親法會回顧--無畏施

◎ 中譯  美國密西根忠恕道院文書組

2019年10月11至13日假美國密西根忠恕道院所舉辦的中文新道親法會，來得快、去得也快；法會中大德們所示現的德行，仍然觸動我心，滋潤著我們的心靈。

感謝　天恩師德，感謝我們所深愛和要感恩的道，在整個大家庭的支持和帶領下，讓我們（美國英文道親）很榮幸地承擔無畏施，有服務了愿的機會。能夠參與，並成為服務團隊的成員，讓我們深感那是一份榮耀及福報。

我們思量及回顧此次的經歷，它持續不斷銘刻在我們的腦海中，這應該就是修道的福氣和智慧。

能在一個多元文化、多代同堂的道場中一起學習及實踐道學，成為一個大家庭，真是太幸福了！法會讓人體現恢復其真如本性的潛力，並經歷一起生活在無緣大慈、同體大悲、祥和與愛的環境裡。能有幸親身感受，真是鼓舞人心！

法會中，後學學到一項寶貴的課題，就是「無畏施的影響力」。藉由參與服務了愿，加深了後學對無畏施的理解，亦拓展了後學對「無私的愛」、「尊重」和「施比受更為有福」的體會。

在廚房，有很多時機會讓自尊受到挑戰；意見分歧時，更容易產生批判或生氣。但身為「後學」的我們，也因此有機會能藉事煉心、反省，將課堂中剛剛學習過的「佛規十五條」拿出來運用。一起共事時，運用佛規禮節，提醒了我們要有「活潑應事」及「謙恭和藹」的智慧，並且處處要「重聖輕凡」。藉由時刻檢視自身行為舉止是否合於理，可以使自己的心專注於當下要完成的事情，進而學習提起喜悅的心情，將愛心放入食材內，注意謙恭低下，以身示道，並追隨前人輩的腳步。

法會讓我們有機會了解到「無畏施修持」的真諦，給予學員實踐及落實「一貫道宗旨」及「佛規禮節」的機會，並提供了實務和精神兩種層次的學習經驗。我們得以建立自我價值，珍惜他人，學習以身作則，以及己立立人，己達達人。

因為謙恭和感恩，讓我們體悟到得道的福報。我們（美國道親）對所有前人輩及前賢大德們的愿力，表達由衷的感謝─―他們為道尊德貴做出了許多犧牲。一貫道今天能從東方傳到西方，經歷了文化和語言障礙等無數的挑戰，我們衷心感謝所有前人輩和前賢們的努力不懈。

因　天恩師德和前人輩的犧牲奉獻，我們才能夠體證「修道的真諦、和平與愛」，並學習回歸自己的真如本性。

我們彼此相連著！我們的共修亦將為自己、家人和整個世界帶來和平與繁榮。