Liang Emperor’s Repentance Dharma Assembly at Nung Chan Monastery Completed
The 20th Liang Emperor’s Repentance Dharma assembly organized by Dharma Drum Mountain, held at Nung Chan Monastery, came to an end on August 12 amid chanting of sutras, followed by the Offerings to Heaven and Yoga Flaming Mouth ritual on August 13. The seven-day service drew a participation of over 40,000 practitioners. On the afternoon of August 13, Ven. Guo Dong, abbot president of DDM, gave a Dharma talk, followed by a Yoga Flaming Mouth food-offering ritual presided over by three Vajra masters, to help deliver beings in the ghost realm. Towards the end, the merit of chanting Amitabha Buddha’s name was dedicated to all the suffering sentient beings in the world, wrapping up the service.
Ven. Guo Dong urged everyone to purify their minds and help build a pure land on earth by “having fewer desires and being content; practicing giving; having loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity; and adapting to the causes and conditions.” We should learn to act like Guanyin Bodhisattva, and regard everyone as a Guanyin Bodhisattva that benefits us. He also reminded participants to live a life of ease and freedom by “worrying less about gain and loss, while being more hard-working and diligent; fighting less, and instead having more compassion and humility; having less doubt and suspicion, but more mutual respect and consideration; as well as having less fear and anxiety, but more worthy aspirations and wisdom.” In addition, he urged all to live out the spirit of Guanyin Bodhisattva, who universally manifests himself for the benefit of others, and tread on the same path sharing the same vow that promises great light ahead.
Having realizing that a Dharma assembly cannot be accomplished without the volunteers’ contribution, Liang Yiping, a long-time participant of the service who took part in the entire session with her husband Zhou Zhongxin and her children, also decided to join the volunteering team. She expressed that she felt utterly joyful to have participated in this 20th Liang Emperor’s Repentance service at Dharma Drum Mountain together with her family, where a video Dharma talk by Master Sheng Yen for the first Repentance service at DDM back in 20 years ago was played, all the more strengthening their resolution to keep coming to this repentance prostration practice.
Huang Guiying, who was drawn to the practice of repentance prostration at an early age through the influence of her mother, has been a regular participant of the Repentance service for the past 20 years. She said that repentance prostration is in itself a practice to rein in the mind, and an opportunity to spiritually recharge the mind through calm and relaxation. While praying for blessings and deliverance for sentient beings, she aspired to emulate the Dharma teachers by developing the mind of universal kindness and empathetic compassion.
Xin Meihui, who had participated in the Repentance service before the reconstruction of Nung Chan Monastery, joined the practice with her family to celebrate her 20th participation of the service. Feeling happy to be able to grow and develop together with Dharma Drum Mountain, she expressed utmost gratitude to the Buddha’s teachings for bringing calmness and peace in her family, and for enabling people around her to live in a more positive and peaceful manner.
DDM promotes the practice of repentance prostration as a way for us to develop compassion and cultivate the Bodhisattva path, with an aim to deliver sentient beings from suffering, dissolving their hatred, illnesses, and disasters. Thanks to many dedicated Dharma teachers and volunteers, Nung Chan Monastery has been holding Liang Emperor’s Repentance service annually for the past 20 years, in the hope of enabling participants to develop Dharma joy that serves as a power of spirituality to help purify human minds in society. DDM encourages people to invite their friends and relatives to join in Dharma assemblies and group practice activities organized by its monasteries and practice centers more often, to develop their compassion and aspirations, helping to bring peace and stability to society.
Translator: Frances Liu (劉珮如)
Editor: Chiacheng Chang (張家誠)