水陸法會緣起

1. 梁武帝有一次夢見一位高僧跟梁武帝說：「六道四生受苦無量，要建水陸大齋普濟」。梁武帝於次日早朝問諸大臣及沙門，沒有人知道，只有誌公和尚勸梁武帝從經書裡面去找，一定能找出答案。梁武帝就派人把「大藏經」請到法雲殿，日夜披覽，根據經典，創寫水陸儀文，歷經三年才完成。

2. 完成之後，梁武帝就在宮內，嚴建道場，親手捧著寫好的水陸儀文，並把道場內的燈燭全部熄掉，向諸佛秉告誓白：「如果這篇水陸儀文，能夠益利聖凡，祈請燈燭隨我禮拜，不燃自明；如果不夠周備，沒有利益，則燈燭依然熄暗」。

3. 梁武帝秉告之後，禮佛一拜，道場內所有燈燭全部不燃自明；再拜，宮殿震動；三拜，空中遍下花雨。

4. 梁武帝得此應驗，立即在金山名勝之地啟建水陸大齋法會，並在二月十五日，禮請僧祐律師親宣疏文。當時獲得應驗的感應非常多，水陸法會從此大為盛行。

5. 到了隋朝時期，水陸法會暫時潛息（比較少人舉辦）。到了唐高宗咸亨年間中期，法海寺的英公禪師，在夢中到泰山府君處做佛事，夢後十天，英公禪師ㄧ個人獨自在方丈室，看到一個異人，衣冠雄偉，跟英公禪師說：「弟子之前曾在泰山府君處尊睹禪師尊容，知道禪師慈德尊勝，能利群品。弟子聽說世間有水陸大齋，可以利霑幽品。水陸儀文是梁武帝編集的，現在大覺寺的僧人儀濟保有此儀文，放在箱內，因被蟲咬，快要損壞殆盡。祈請大師前往求取，在下個月的十五日，按照儀文修設水陸法會」。英公禪師允其所請。

6. 英公禪師隨即前往大覺寺，果真取得水陸儀文，並按照該異人所說的日期，依照儀文修設水陸大齋法會，法會圓滿，又看到那位異人，和他的屬從十幾人，向英公禪師致謝說：「弟子就是秦莊襄王（秦始王的父親）」，又指著他的從屬說：「這幾位是范雎、穰侯、白起、王剪、張儀、陳軫，都是秦國的臣子，都因罪業，幽禁地府。梁武帝在金山設水陸大齋時，隋朝紂王的臣子都獲救得脫。當時弟子等因為案情還沒了結，所以未能得脫，這次蒙禪師設齋懺罪，弟子和這些臣子、以及列國君臣（應該是指戰國時期的各國君臣），都承此水陸大齋善力，將生人間，特來致謝」。說完之後，就不見了。

7. 從此以後，英公禪師就常設水陸大齋法會，水陸法會因此盛行天下。要消災除病的、要求願祈福的、要求資量財富的、要超渡祖先的，都會優先考慮修設水陸大齋法會。

The Origin of ShuiluFahui

(水陸法會)

Around 502 AD, there was an emperor of the Southern Liang Dynasty in ancient China, called Emperor Liang Wu who was a very devoted Buddhist.

Emperor Liang Wu once dreamed of a senior eminent monk who told him that “Spirits from all four realms in the Six Path of Reincarnation had suffered immensely. ShuiluFahui(水陸法會) should be held to redeem them."

Emperor Liang Wu asked the ministers and monks the next morning. No one can explain the meaning of his dream.

No one knew but the monk Zhi Gong (a very famous monk). He persuaded Emperor Liang Wu to find answers in the scriptures, and monk Zhi Gong believed the answers would definitely be found out.

Emperor Liang Wu commanded his people to send Tripitaka(大藏經) to the Fayun Hall(a palace), and had the team to study and doing researches day and night.

According to the findings from Tripitaka(大藏經), the team took three years to complete written of ShuiluFahui Rituals.

After the completion, Emperor Liang Wu held ShuiluFahui Rituals, extinguished all the lights and candles in the palace. He prayed to the Buddhas. “If this ShuiluFahui Rituals could benefit all the beings, all the lights and candles in the palace would light up automatically; if not, the lights and candles would remain extinguished.”

After praying, Emperor Liang Wu then worshipped the Buddha. All the lights and candles lighted up automatically when he worshipped Buddha at the first time.The palace was shaking while Emperor Liang Wu worshipped the Buddha once again.The sky was raining flowers when the third time liturgy was taking place.

Emperor Liang Wu got this fulfillment by Buddha, immediately he set up a ShuiluFahui Ceremony in the scenic spot of Jinshan(a district of Zhejiang Province, Mainland China). Meanwhile, on February 15th, Emperor Liang Wu respectfully assigned the monk Seng-You(the most famous monk at that time) to announce the wishing paper.

There were a lot of feelings to be fulfilled at this ShuiluFahui Ceremony, ShuiluFahui(水陸法會) became very popular afterwards.

Those who want to eliminate disasters and diseases, those who wish to pray for blessings, those who request wealth and health, and those who want to redeem their ancestors, to setup a ShuiluFahui(水陸法會) will be their first priority.

白話水陸大義綸貫

觀世音菩薩知道阿難將墮入餓鬼道中，為救阿難，觀世音菩薩化身為餓鬼道名為面然的鬼王，在阿難靜坐時，告訴阿難『三天之後，你一定會墮入餓鬼道』，阿難急忙去找佛陀，請求佛陀解救。佛陀為救阿難，立即慈悲演說微妙的施食法門，這個微妙的施食法門，可以慈悲救濟一切餓鬼、婆羅門仙、異類鬼神，得到飲食飽滿，解脫苦趣，超生天界，或得聖果，這是最初施食的由來!

中國梁朝武帝夢見一位奇異的僧人告訴梁武帝，能救拔群靈超脫苦趣的，莫過於水陸法會。梁武帝於是詔令誌公和尚等創建水陸法會儀軌，這是水陸法會開始在東方興起的由來!

水陸法會憑藉的是佛的威德佛力，所以法會一開始外壇先誦經，聚集誦經的功德法力。

水陸佛事開啟，迎請諸佛菩薩雲臨、六道眾生奔赴會場之前，要先劃定佛事會場範圍，讓施行法會會場的地下、地面及空中，全部變成一個立體的壇城，像琉璃一樣清淨無染，又像金剛塔城一樣，邪魔不能侵犯，稱為「結界」，只有符合一定條件的，才能進入。結界後的佛事會場，稱為「內壇」。