DDM Sounds the Lotus Bell to Welcome the Lunar Chinese New Year
On the eve of Lunar Chinese New Year, 9 February, 2013, Dharma Drum Mountain held a Grand Prayer Ritual at the DDM World Center for Buddhist Education to welcome the new year.
The event attracted over 6,000 participants, including President Ying-Jeou Ma and Vice President Dun-Yi Wu.
The ritual took place at the Center’s Lotus Park, where the public and DDM Sangha chanted holy Buddhist scriptures and sounded the Lotus Bell together, creating an atmosphere of holy blessing and peace. When the clock struck twelve at midnight, Abbot President Venerable Guo Dong and the Vice President together sounded the Lotus Bell for the 108th time to welcome the Lunar New Year and to offer blessings to people of Taiwan.
The Abbot President reminded us that our surroundings are like a mirror, and our mind is our teacher. If our mindset is adjustable and we are willing to treat our surroundings as a mirror, we can see hope, create happiness, embrace peace, as well as defeat challenges with courage and determination.
Following the sounding of the Lotus Bell 108 times, many devoted followers went to the Grand Buddha Hall to pay their tribute and make compassionate vows, lighting lamps to wish for an auspicious year of 2013.
(translated by Jin Yang/edited by DDM Australia Editing Team)