Remembering the Master’s Kindness
On February 14, 2016, the seventh day of the Chinese New Year and also the Valentine’s Day, Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Centre Malaysia held a Remembering the Master’s Kindness event in memorial of Master Sheng Yen, founder of DDM, who passed away seven years ago, for his inheriting the Dharma lineage and inspiring many practitioners worldwide.
In a feature film titled “The Master’s Three Wishes,” Master Sheng Yen explained about his three extraoirdinary wishes: “May the Buddha and Bodhisattva help me fulfill the vow to benefit people. May my disciples develop a consistent and constant mind to benefit themselves and help others. May all sentient beings be diligent in practicing the Dharma and free of afflictions.” The Master also urged people to make vows to benefit themselves and others with the Dharma. After the film, Ven. Chang Zao briefly explained about the meaning of making vows and gave examples of the way the Master devoted himself for the benefit of others, while encouraging the participants to realize their aspirations and vows step by step by starting small, staying focused on set goals and priorities, and always remaining flexible.
Another film, titled “The Master’s Great Vow: Inheritance, Faith, and Aspiration,” was also shared. It shows that the Master embraced difficulties with a grateful mind, using them as a means to nourish his life. Growing even stronger in character particularly in challenging circumstances, the Master always used his faith and determination to solve the problems he faced in different phases of his life. For example, as a novice monk the Master already realized that “the Dharma is so good, yet so few people know about it and so many misunderstand it,” which prompted him to aspire to devote himself to Buddhist practice and share the Buddha’s teachings he knew, with other people.
Afterwards Ven. Chang Zao lit a candle first and passed the light to all of the participants holding candles at their seats, adorning and lighting up the venue all the more. Then the venerable led all participants to say a prayer together: “May I face all causes and conditions with a broad and open mind, learn to take care of myself while looking after others, and benefit sentient beings by helping them leave suffering behind and attain happiness.”
Towards the end of the event, devotees wrote down their respective aspirations and vows on the wish cards. To wrap up the event, the venerable presented gifts to every devotee and volunteer as souvenirs, wishing them all the best in the Dharma.
Translated by Frances Liu (劉珮如) and edited by Chiacheng Chang (張家誠)