〈盧勝彥佈施基金〉總裁盧佛青師姐於十一月十四日在【三輪雷藏寺】開光安座大典致詞
文／盧勝彥佈施基金會 提供
師尊、師母、〈三輪雷藏寺〉住持蓮鎮上師，各位上師、各級弘法人員、各位貴賓，現場的同門以及網路上的同門，大家好！
很高興能參加〈三輪雷藏寺〉的開光安座大典，以及參加師尊主持的「時輪金剛大法會」。〈三輪雷藏寺〉非常莊嚴，諸佛菩薩金光閃閃，相信由住持蓮鎮上師的帶領下，一定可以廣度眾生。在此祝福與會大眾得到師尊及諸佛菩薩的加持，事事平安、如意吉祥！
〈盧勝彥佈施基金會〉主要的工作目標是「健康和教育」，今天，我想跟大家談的是「教育」。師尊說：「教育是生命的文明之燈。」教育的重要性的確不言而喻。教育是人生成功的關鍵，它為人們創造機會，是人們實現自己夢想的工具。研究報告表明，教育對我們壽命與健康有巨大的影響力。據統計，高中畢業但沒有上過大學的人，比大學畢業生的健康狀況幾乎惡劣兩倍。可憐的是，在美國少數族裔及低收入家庭學生的高中畢業率只有大約五○％。
另一個數據顯示，全球有七千五百萬個小孩不能上學；以每間隔五年計算，有上學的孩子，她的生命存活率提升四○％；有受教育的孩子，得愛滋病而死的機率會減少五○％。由此可知，教育不僅提供了機會，事實上，它還拯救了生命。
目前基金會的作用之一是：我們將部分獎助金用在能改進教育系統的單位。例如說，全球首富Bill Gates的基金會花費了好幾十億美元研究出的結果報告說：「能真正改善教育品質的是教師的能力，而不是學校或教室的人數。」所以申請獎助金時，我們會嚴格審核申請單位是否注重教師品質為前提。
每個人都知道「教育」十分重要，但我要強調的是緊迫性。我們應該馬上行動，不要等待明天或想等待有更多時間或金錢的時候才做。師母說：「大家捐多一點錢做慈善，我們這基金會就有更多的力量，去幫助更多的人。」有多少錢做多少事。不然滿懷菩提大志要行善布施，但是口袋空空，也是很難去做。我想如果結合《真佛宗》全球五百萬弟子的力量，任何慈善目標都能成就。如果每個人捐One Dollar或一小時的勞務，你想我們可以做多少善事啊！
我們共同來支持師尊的基金會！謝謝大家。嗡嘛呢唄咪吽。
I am honored to be attending the grand opening of the Triple Dharma Wheel Temple today and to be a part of the special ceremony conducted by Living Buddha Lian Sheng. The temple is very grand yet welcoming and I believe that under Master Lian Jen's leadership, Buddha dharma will be widespread among all people.
The Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation's core mission encompasses two areas: Health and education. Today, I would like to talk to everyone about education. Living Buddha Lian Sheng says, "Education is the light that guides one's civilization." Indeed, the importance of a quality education cannot be emphasized enough. Education is the key to success in life, creating opportunity and giving people the tools to achieve their dreams. Moreover, research shows that education has a tremendous impact on how long and how well we live. Statistically, those who graduated from high school, but did not attend college are almost twice as likely to be less healthy than college graduates. Sadly, in the U.S., high school graduation rates for minorities and low-income students are only about 50%.
Globally, an alarming 75 million children are not in school, but for every 5 years a child goes to school, her childhood survival rate goes up 40%. A child who goes to school is 50% less likely to die of HIV/AIDS. Education not only provides opportunity, in fact, it saves lives.
One of the Foundation's current roles is to fund programs that tackle the inadequacies of our education system. For example, we now know that the real key to better education lies with effective instructors rather than school or class size. By the way, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation spent billions of dollars to arrive at this outcome. So as grant applications come in, we will look at whether improving teacher effectiveness is a goal.
In sum, everyone agrees that education is important, but what I want to assert is a sense of urgency. We need to act now, not tomorrow, not when we have more time or more money, but today. Master Lian Hsiang says, "The more people give to the Foundation, the greater the impact and the greater the number of people we help." Otherwise, no matter how much compassion we have in our hearts, it would be difficult to help when our pockets are empty. But with five million disciples around the world, it is not difficult to imagine the combined power within True Buddha School to accomplish any charitable goal. If everyone gives $1 or donates 1 hour of his/her time, just think of all the good we can do.
Thank you and let us come together to support the Foundation! Om a mi padme hom.
