蒋坚永副局长英语总结佛教外语交流会 掌声雷动

　　2008年7月11日下午,“2008佛教外语交流会”，闭幕式在上海玉佛寺觉群楼举行。国家宗教局副局长、中华宗教交流协会蒋坚永副会长用英语作了"放眼世界 方能薪火相传"的总结发言,整个会议掌声雷动.发言内容如下:

　　尊敬的一诚会长

　　各位评委、各位法师、各位居士，各位朋友：

　　大家下午好！

　　经过三天紧张而激烈的演讲、点评、座谈和专家授课，“2008佛教外语交流会”，如期圆满地落下了帷幕。这三天过得很快，快是因为丰富，快是因为精彩，快是因为难忘。首先，我代表国家宗教局、中华宗教文化交流协会向在座的各位法师、各位评委专家和参会代表表示衷心的祝贺，并致以诚挚的谢意！同时，向为筹备这次外语交流会给予关心、帮助和支持，做了大量工作、付出很多辛劳的上海市民宗委、市佛协和玉佛寺的各位相关人员表示由衷的感谢！

　　上海是中国最具国际化的大都市，中西方文化在这里交汇，玉佛寺更是上海名刹。当年曾驻锡玉佛寺的太虚大师最注重培养人才，也不遗余力地推动国际交流，培养了大批各种语种的外语人才。对玉佛寺关爱有加、赞赏有加的赵朴老也是非常注重培养人才，他有一句名言：当前佛教界重要任务:第一是培养人才,第二是培养人才,第三还是培养人才。培养人才，包括讲经人才、管理人才，当然也包括国际交流人才，进行国际交流，最重要的就是外语人才。中国佛教协会副会长、上海市佛协会长、玉佛寺方丈觉醒法师，高度重视外语人才的培养，很有远见和魄力，选派了一批年轻法师到华东师大学习外语，值得我们借鉴。

　　今年4月，我们刚刚举办过2008汉传佛教讲经交流会，这次又举办这样大型的、云集海内外两岸三地众多法师和居士、以佛教外语交流为主题的活动，建国以来这是第一次，也是一个非常好的开端。开展这次佛教外语交流会重要目的之一就是为论坛选拔优秀外语人才。经过三天的交流，既进行了友好的互动交流，增长了外语知识和技能，也发现和选拔出了一批优秀的佛教外语人才，更为我们的第二届世界佛教论坛翻译工作打下了坚实的基础。我相信这次交流会的举办必将为我们进一步培养佛教界自己的外语人才，促进留学教育的开展和佛教界的对外交流产生深远的影响，它也必将载入佛教史册。

　　总结这次外语经验交流活动，我们有以下几点体会：

　　一是参会人多、覆盖面广，代表性强。此次活动共有来自两岸三地的佛教团体、寺院、院校和学术机构约一百余位代表出席，其中大陆70余位，港台30余位，既有法师、又有居士、还有留学生。可谓群贤毕至，盛况空前。既真实反映了中国佛教界的外语状况和水平，也充分展现了当代中国佛教的新气象、新风貌，见证了多年来佛教界在外语人才培养上所取得的成果。

　　二是内容丰富、形式新颖。此会不仅有交流，还有授课，不仅有演讲，还有座谈，内容非常丰富；所选题目“面向世界的中国佛教”和“中国佛教的过去与未来”，紧跟时代步伐，有对中国佛教未来的展望，也有对历史的回顾；演讲方式也很新颖，一些代表运用了幻灯片（PPT）；更为精彩的是各位评委的点评，可谓是妙语连珠。需要特别指出的是，这次交流会的语种非常广泛，涉及英、日、韩、法 、泰、德、西等七种语言，这样多语种、大范围、不同层次的交流是前所未有的。我们还召开了专场留学生座谈会。从赵朴老最初选送五比丘到斯里兰卡留学到现在，大陆出去的留学生已有近两百人。十几年来，大家从来没有聚在一起过，这次是我们佛教界留学生的第一次大聚会，也是一次佛教外语人才的大聚会。我相信在座的很多留学生都一定很感慨。你们有语言的优势，有丰富的留学经验，希望你们把自己的所学所习都毫无保留地奉献给中国佛教，为中国佛教的对外交流和走向世界增光添彩！

　　三是两岸三地人才齐聚，共同交流，分享经验。这次参会的百余位代表中，有港台代表30余位。港台佛教界在外语人才培养方面走在前列，水平较高，积累了丰富的经验。今年4月两岸三地的法师刚刚在讲经方面进行了切磋，现在又在外语方面进行交流。这可以使我们两岸三地的佛教人才互相促进、共同提高。同时，有交流就会有理解，有理解就会有认同，相信此次交流会将进一步加深两岸的法谊亲情。

　　希望大家回去以后，能将这次外语交流会的经验加以总结，并希望各地佛协以此为契机，充分重视佛教外语人才的培养，全面促进整个佛教界外语水平的提高，立足自身，放眼世界，方能薪火相传，续佛慧命。

　　第二届世界佛教论坛的筹备工作正在紧张地进行。与首届论坛相比，这届论坛的内容将会更加丰富多彩。通过这次佛教外语交流活动，将会选拔培养出更多的优秀外语人才，为论坛的成功召开，打下更好的外语基础，提供更有力的外语保障。

　　契理不易，契机尤难。时代的发展给佛教弘法传道和对外交流提出了新的要求。中国的佛教要发展，要发挥大作用，需要走出国门，走向世界。我们衷心期待着，中华佛教在新世纪新阶段为社会和谐、民族振兴、世界和平放大光明，做大贡献。

　　在这里，我们要特别向上海玉佛禅寺致以诚挚的谢意，此次会议筹备时间很短，参会人员众多，会议接待工作难度很大，但玉佛禅寺高水准、全方位的接待工作赢得了与会者的一致赞叹。可以说，是玉佛禅寺付出的努力为此次会议的圆满成功奠定了坚实的基础。同时，我还要向几天来一直辛勤工作的媒体界朋友的出色工作表示由衷的感谢！向顶着高温酷暑前来参会的法师、居士们表示感谢，你们的热情参与给了演讲嘉宾以巨大的精神鼓舞!

　　最后，祝大家身心康泰、吉祥如意!

　　谢谢大家!

　　The Most Venerable Yicheng, Presiden Buddhist Association of China,

　　Members of Sangha,

　　Distinguished Guests,

　　After three busy days of enthusiastic speeches, comments made on the speeches, a round table discussion and specialist presentations, the Seminar on Buddhist Studies in Foreign Languages 2008 has been successfully completed. The past three days passed quickly since there has been so much going on, it has been filled with an impressive program and unforgettable experiences. First of all, on behalf of China Religions Culture Communication Association, I would like to extend my most sincere gratitude and the warmest congratulations to all the participants and judges. Also I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff of Shanghai Ethnic and Religions Affairs Committee, Buddhist Association of China and Shanghai Jade Buddha Temple, for their support and dedication to the success of this seminar.

　　Shanghai is an international metropolis where the east meets the west, and contains the well known Jade Buddha Temple. Venerable Taixu, who previously lived in Jade Buddha Temple, put a lot of emphasis on the strengthening of Buddhist education, and made every effort possible to enhance communications with the world outside China. As a result, it has brought about a large number of members of the Sangha who are talented in a variety of foreign languages. Mr. Zhao Puchu, who cared a lot about the Jade Buddha Temple, also paid great amount of attention to training talent among members of the Buddhist clergy. He repeatedly stated that the first pressing task of Chinese Buddhism was to cultivate talent, the second was still to cultivate talent, and the third was to cultivate talent as well. The talent Mr. Zhao mentioned include ability in preaching, management and international exchange. In order to engage in international communication, what we need the most is those who are fluent in foreign languages. Following this instruction, Venerable Juexing, President of Shanghai Buddhist Association, has sent a group of young Buddhist clergy to Eastern China Normal University to study foreign languages. This is a worthy of note.

　　In April this year, we held a competition on teaching dharma from the Chinese Buddhist Canon. Now, for the first time ever, we have held a seminar on Buddhist studies in foreign languages, and it is on such a scale that it has attracted Buddhist monastics and lay followers from the three areas cross the Strait and abroad. This seminar marks a very promising beginning. One of the purposes of this seminar is to select foreign language talent for the world Buddhist forum. Over the past three days, we have not only engaged in friendly discussion, improved our knowledge and ability of foreign language communication, but also we have discovered and selected a highly skilled group of people who have mastered foreign languages and thus laid very firm groundwork for the translation work of the Second World Buddhism Forum. It is my belief that this seminar is bound to be remembered in the history of Buddhism and to have a lasting and deep impact on developing specialists in foreign languages, and enhancing the efforts of studying abroad and paving the way for international exchanges.

　　In summary, we have several feelings towards this seminar:

　　Firstly, over 100 participants, both laity and monastic, from various Buddhist groups, monasteries, schools and research institutions, some seventy participants are from the Chinese mainland and over thirty participants are from Hong Kong and Taiwan. We have found from the seminar that Buddhist circles in Taiwan and Hong Kong have been in the front rank in fostering foreign language talent, and have reached a considerably high level with abundant experience.

　　The second feature of the seminar is that all of the speeches have been rich in content and creative in style, all comments are have been both appropriate and intelligent. The theme of the seminar is: “Chinese Buddhism meets the world” and “The past and future of Chinese Buddhism”. The speakers gave their speeches in original styles and new techniques such as PPT. The most wonderful point I want to mention, is that the comments given by our moderators have been brief and to the point, and have made the seminar lively and colorful.

　　Thirdly, I want to specially point that this seminar has used as many as eight foreign languages for the speeches, including English, Japanese, Korean, French, Thai, German, Spanish, and Mongolian. Such a large scale, multi-lingual Buddhist exchange is unprecedented in China.

　　I hope every participant will summarize the main points of this seminar when you return home, and that local Buddhist Associations will seize the golden opportunity to pay more attention to fostering Buddhist foreign language ability, to promote foreign language level in general throughout Buddhist circles. In this way we will surely be able to strengthen ourselves, to hand down the Buddha’s light, to prolong the BUDDHA’S wisdom and to march on down the road towards the whole world.

　　The preparation of the second World Buddhist Forum is now underway. Compared with the first Forum, the coming forum will have a richer and more colorful content. So much outstanding foreign language talent has come out from this seminar, and many will surely play important roles in laying down a firm foundation and offering foreign language service for the Second World Buddhist Forum.

　　It can be seen that another successful World Buddhist Forum is fast approaching.

　　It is said: “It is not easy to follow the truth, it is more difficult to seize the proper opportunity.” The development of the times has raised new demands to the propagation of the Buddha Dharma and international exchange. To meet such requirements Chinese Buddhism has to develop itself, to play a greater role, to go out from our own country, and to spread throughout the world. Chinese Buddhism will greatly contribute to social harmony, to national prosperity, and to world peace, with its brilliant light of wisdom.

　　Last but not least, we want to express our gratitude especially to the Jade Buddha Temple. The time given to set up this seminar was short, the participants are many and the logistics involved is difficult. However, the work done by the Jade Buddha Temple is of a very high standard and thus has won the hearts of all the participants. It is fair to say that without the efforts made by the Jade Buddha Temple the successful completion of the Seminar would not have been possible. Also, I want to thank the hard-working media circle friends for their industrious and excellent performances; thank all the venerables and laity who have gone such lengths to come to this Seminar during these hot summer days. Your active participation has been the true inspiration for all the speakers!

　　aFinally, may you be happy and healthy, with the auspicious blessings of the Buddhas