Facing Fortune and Misfortune with an Ordinary Mind: Abbot President shared solicitude in Thailand
[THAILAND News]
From July 21st to 27th, 2017, Abbot President Venerable Guo Dong paid a visit to share his solicitude and propagate Buddhism in Thailand, accompanied by Venerable Chang Yuan, Managing Director of the DDM General Association of Dharma Supporters, and Venerable Chang Xue, newly appointed Monastic Advisor of the Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhism - Thailand Chapter (Also referred as DDM Thailand).
On July 23rd, Abbot President presided over a Refuge-Taking Ceremony in the Three Jewels and Five Precepts, at the DDM Thailand, and delivered a speech on “Fortune and Misfortune as Two Sides of the Same Coin”. Full of solemn silence and warmth, the Refuge-Taking Ceremony had forty-one participants.
Among them was Wu Shengxiong, sharing that since he had health problem, he has received a lot of loving care from the DDM Thailand and started to value the compassion in Buddha’s teaching and the importance to practice. Therefore, Wu took this invaluable opportunity and became a disciple of the Three Jewels. Wu was delighted to make such positive affinity and attended refuge-taking with other practitioners. Furthermore, Wu hoped that he could improve his dharma practices together with all in the future.
Abbot President’s speech was given right after the ceremony, with more than one hundred Thai and Chinese audience members from all walks of life. Abbot President shared that a carefree and ordinary mind is free of preoccupation, comparison, and from gain or loss, just like
“Fortune and Misfortune as Two Sides of the Same Coin". He further emphasized that if one does not oppose or cling to likes or dislikes, there would be no place for vexations. All causes and conditions, including people, events, and surroundings, are resources and enhancement to cultivate merits and wisdoms. Abbot President encouraged the audience to keep the faith of Buddhism alive on Dharma, remain humble, and to keep repenting, in order to better oneself in life and awaken one’s compassion and wisdom.
“Abbot President’s speech was lively and easy to understand. I don’t know much about Buddhaharma, but I still find it useful and inspirational”, said by Yang Chenghan, a new college graduate who accompanied his parents to attend the speech. Yang agreed with the Abbot President’s wisdom. Although he could not remember the whole speech, he still got benefits from the Abbot President’s loving care, full of reasoning and positivity to the right point, which enabled him to turn away from the negative emotions and his vexations at present.
After the speech, Abbot President blessed the audience and gave each participant a gift for building up an earnest karmic connection. Culinary volunteers from the DDM Thailand prepared a vegetarian lunch for a wholesome affinity for everyone. The event ended with an atmosphere full of loving care and joy in Dharma.
Texts: Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhism - Thailand Chapter
Translator: Wang, Hao
Editor: Christine Huang (Canada), Angela Chang (Canada)