民政事務總署助理署長李百全太平紳士
各位嘉賓，新聞、傳播界
各位女士們、先生們：

　　 「香港佛教暨各界迎請佛指舍利瞻禮祈福大會」今天舉行記者招待會，很高興得到各位光臨參加，本人謹代表大會向各位表示歡迎。

　　 今年香港市民享有「佛誕公眾假期」的第六個年頭，香港佛教團體除在港九新界各區分別為市民舉辦多項精彩慶祝活動，為祈求佛力加被，祝願國家昌盛、香港繁榮安定、人心向善、社會祥和。

　　 藉著佛誕公眾假期來臨，香港佛教聯合會與各界信眾經多月努力，各界人士積極爭取，成功向國家申請獲批准迎請「佛指舍利」及二十件稀有之國寶文物蒞港供市民瞻禮。將由五月廿五日至六月四日，一連十一天，在香港會議展覽中心五樓舉行「慶祝佛誕——香港佛教暨各界迎請佛指舍利瞻禮祈福大會」。是次活動承蒙香港特區政府及中央有關當局全力支持，同時香港大公報和鳳凰衛視亦予以鼎力協助，因而得以實現。

　　 「迎請佛指舍利」乃為了宣揚佛陀教理，廣播慈悲種子，利樂眾生，並祈願香港繁榮穩定、世界和平、人民安樂。今次恭迎到港供市民瞻仰的「佛指舍利」，是佛教教主釋迦牟尼佛的真身指骨，乃當今佛教界的最高聖物，屬世界僅有之國寶，千多年來恭奉在陝西省西安市扶風縣的法門寺，甚少公開展覽，若非因緣具足，一般人絕難親眼目睹。此外，隨「佛指舍利」蒞港的還有二十件稀世珍寶，屆時亦將於會展2A展館展出。如此龐大規模的國寶聖物一齊出境展示，是國家史無前例的安排，可稱千載一時，機緣難得的盛事。

　　 一連十一天的慶祝活動，大會每日將安排多場「佛指舍利」瞻禮和「文物展覽」開放。此外，還有多項莊嚴殊勝的佛教典禮舉行，如「拜願」、「祝聖普佛」、「浴佛典禮」、「皈依典禮」、「傳燈法會」等等，大會同時和香港大學佛學研究中心合辦「佛陀的宇宙人生」一系列講座，邀請多位佛學專家主講，所有節目均歡迎公眾持票免費參加。在會展大會堂前廳，大會設置了浴佛亭，市民可親自以香花淨水灌沐佛像，祈增福慧。門票由四月二十六日開始於香港佛教聯合會免費派發。此外，市民亦可報名「海會雲集耀香江齋宴」，或成為「迎請團」和「護送團」等等。

　　 這次盛會不單極富傳統特色，對世界各地，特別是亞洲的佛教徒來說，更別具意義。香港多間電子傳媒已組成了「佛指舍利蒞臨香港廣播委員會」，協助全面報導這次盛事。香港旅遊發展局亦正透過設於全球各地的辦事處，全力在海外推廣這項大型活動，估計可吸引一批對東方人文、佛教文化有興趣的人士專程到香港瞻仰「佛指舍利」。

　　 本港倘能加強海外宣傳，對香旅遊業、文化交流、工商繁興，都會有一定幫助。希望社會各界將此項好消息向本港及海外各地廣為傳播，令更多人有機會親臨其盛，同獲法喜、均沾法益。■
　

Celebration of Buddha's Birthday
Reverence and Blessing Ceremony of Buddha's Finger Relic
Gratefully Received by Hong Kong Buddhist and General Community

Organized by The Hong Kong Buddhist Association, co-organized by Phoenix Satellite Television Holdings Limited and Ta Kung Pao (ILK) Limited, the captioned event will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre during the period from May 25 to June 4, 2004.

The Buddhist community as well as the general public in Hong Kong have the rare privilege and permission to borrow the Buddha's finger relic from Famen Buddhist Temple in Xian (Shaanxi Province). So sacred is this occasion to Buddhism, the finger bone relic is the only one of its kind in the world and is one of the most precious cultural assets in human history. The Buddha's finger relic is accompanied by 20 articles of "super-national treasure", normally not open for public viewing. Such a graceful occasion is strongly buttressed by various departments of the HKSAR Government. The moving forces behind this grand occasion in China are the State Administration for Religious Affairs and Buddhist Association of China.

We are honored to invite Mr. Tung Chee-hwa, the Chief Executive of HKSAR Government to be the honorable president of the ceremony. Together with each chief official from all government departments as our honorable advisors, the public administration and the general public will go hand in hand to achieve the common ends of the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong.

According to the historical document, the holy finger bone of Sakyamuni Buddha remained in the world when his body was cremated after His passing into nirvana. The Buddha's relic is admired and worshipped by hundreds of millions of faithfuls all over the world.　Seizing this opportunity to worship the relic in person, this solemn and serene figure of the Buddha's relic will fill the onlookers with good thoughts and the beholders with seeds of wisdom. The presence of Buddha's relic will also bring blessing to the Hong Kong community, bringing closer the tie between Hong Kong and Mainland China, and between Hong Kong and the world countries as well.

In the Shaanxi Province where the Buddha relic is enshrined, this place corresponds to the territory where the ancient Yangshiu and Lungshan culture were developed. The Xian Famen Temple in which the pagoda currently stands used to be an imperial temple from Tang Dynasty to Song Dynasty. There were several spectacular occasions when the Buddha's relic was escorted to the palace for emperor's consecration. During the royal pilgrimage, treasures for worship were sealed in an underground palace under the Famen Temple pagoda. Since then these treasures had not been seen in the public until 1986 when the Shannxi provincial government cleared the rubble of the pagoda, which collapsed in 1981 amid torrential rains. The Buddha relic is declared the 9th wonder by the UNESCO. The many other precious cultural heritages discovered at the Famen Temple are noteworthy for their cultural values and observing them in person is certainly an unforgettable occasion to join and share.

Led by the compassionate Ven. Kok Kwong, President of The Hong Kong Buddhist Association, the theme of the Ceremony is upheld as "Buddha's relic shows up in Hong Kong, its consecration by the general public brings long lasting blessing to the worl". It is hoped that through the celebration of Buddha's Birthday, it can achieve the aim of propagating the Buddha's teaching of loving kindness, stability and growth, joy and equanimity for the benefit of all beings. During the 11 consecutive days of the ceremony, a number of activities are planned including paying homage in front of the Buddha's relic, bathing ceremony of Buddha, Buddhist heritage exhibition, refuge-taking ceremony of ten thousand people, and light transmission dharma gathering. Apart from people in Hong Kong, we may expect ten of thousands of visitors from all over the world to join the Ceremony, thus forming a key incentive to the boom of tourism as well as to cultural exchange.

Seeing the significance of this auspicious event, the organizing committee has already planned an escort team to receive the Buddha's relic from Famen Temple, and to return the relic to Xian after the Ceremony is completed. We also welcome faithfuls to join our escort delegation as well.

To highlight this memorable occasion, the Hong Kong Buddhist Association welcome the general public to participate with the hope of evoking respect, grace, compassion and equanimity in the mind of the participants. With this strong resolve, surely this occasion will cast great blessing to the community, bringing virtues which are beyond compare.

Introduction of The Hong Kong Buddhist Association

The Hong Kong Buddhist Association was founded in 1945 with the objective of propagating Buddhism and providing charitable social services to the public. It is the largest and leading Buddhist organization in Hong Kong with a total membership of about 10,000 comprising bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas. The Association is actively engaged in all kinds of services and activities, including: propagation of Buddhism, medical service, education, child care service, youth activities, service, for the elderly, charity welfare service, burial service and international affairs with relation to Buddhism.