DDM Vancouver Celebrates the Center's First Anniversary Since Establishment
Dharma Drum Mountain's branch office in Vancouver, Canada celebrated the center's first anniversary since establishment in September 2006. To celebrate this wonderful occasion, DDM Vancouver prepared a number of activities from 25 August to 16 September, 2007, such as the Samadhi Water Repentance Assembly, the Ksitigarbha (Di Zhuang) Assembly, the Seven-Day Chan Retreat, a talk on the Dharma Drum Lineage of Chan School and a Garden Party. Altogether over a thousand DDM followers in Vancouver gathered to celebrate the event.
The celebration began with the Samadhi Water Repentance Assembly presided by the Abbot of Chan Meditation Center of Dharma Drum Mountain in New York, Venerable Guo Ming, and the Prior of DDM Vancouver Venerable Guo Shu. Over one hundred and sixty people wholeheartedly chanted the holy Buddhist scriptures to cultivate inner peace.
The Seven-Day Chan Retreat was conducted from 31 August to 7 September. The practice under the teachings of Venerable Guo Che from Dharma Drum Sangha University in Taiwan was enjoyed by more than thirty people. Not only were students able to understand the uniqueness of Dharma Drum Mountain's teachings through practices such as sitting meditation, slow-walking meditation and fast-walking meditation. Furthermore, video screening of Master Sheng Yen's Dharma talks enabled them to learn more about his vision.
A Garden Party was held on 16 September focusing on Master Sheng Yen's 2007 blessing "Harmony, Respect and Peace". The Mayor of Vancouver City, Mr. Sam Sullivan, the representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Vancouver, Mr. Kung Chung-Chen, a parliamentarian of British Columbia Province of Canada, Mr. Hohn Yeh, a parliamentarian of Canada's Congress and Miss. Linda Reid, were all present at the party.
The party began with the "Eight Form Moving Meditation" demonstrated by the Vancouver Dharma Drum Young Buddhist Society. Afterwards, the Mayor congratulated DDM Vancouver on its first anniversary. He also shared his story of how a skiing accident at the age of nineteen had left him as a quadriplegia. For seven years he lived through a most distressing and depressing period. "If I could have heard Venerable Master Sheng Yen's Dharma teachings at that time, I wouldn't have suffered so much," the Mayor said.
A variety of stalls with activities such as tea meditation, scribing Buddhist scriptures, viewing videos of Venerable Master Sheng Yen, and so on, not only attracted many people but allowed them to thoroughly enjoy the party. The participants were very grateful for a successful celebration.
(translated by Jin Yang/edited by DDM Australia Editing Team)
