157.至滬成立佛教總會Going to Shanghai and establishing the Buddhist Association

至滬成立佛教總會

滬佛會。新章制。略與諸方抵觸。電公住。晤寄禪。治開。普常。太虛。仁山。諦閒諸師。協商妥善。設佛教總會于靜安寺。南京晤孫中山。商改訂會章畢。復與寄禪至北京。晤袁世凱。寄公病于法源寺坐脫。公扶柩至滬。開佛教總會成立會。

宣化偈曰：

佛教總會設靜安。滇黔藏文公帶還。 印泉李公函介紹。蔡松坡等外護賢。

Going to Shanghai and establishing the Buddhist Association

Because of a new regime, the Buddhist organizations in Shanghai met with conflict on all sides, and telegraphed the Master, asking him to come. He met and discussed the situation with Dharma Masters Chi Ch’an, Chih K’ai, P’u Ch’ang, T’ai Hsu, Jen Shan, and Ti Hsien. It was agreed and arranged that a Buddhist Association would be established with headquarters at Ching An (Quiet Peace) Monastery. In Nanking, the Master conferred with Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and discussed the revising of the Association’s by-laws. Later, he went to Peking with Dharma Master Chi Ch’an and met with Yuan Shih-kai. Dharma Master Chi Ch’an became ill at Fa Yuan (Dharma Source) Monastery, and left the world while sitting up. The Master returned to Shanghai with the coffin, and later convened the opening ceremonies for the Buddhist Association.

The gatha says: The Chinese Buddhist Association was established at Ching An. To Yunnan and Kueichow Provinces he brought the news in Tibetan. Li Yin Ch’uan gave the Master letters of introduction. Telling General Ts’ai Sung P’o and others to protect the holy.