Welcome 2014 at Nung Chan Monastery
Are you ready to welcome the new year? Apart from watching splendid fireworks or attending bustling concert on New Year’s Eve, DDM Nung Chan Monastery in Beitou provides a good place to pray and welcome the new year.
The Water-Moon Pool of Nung Chan Monastery organized the “Amitabha Dharma Assembly on the New Year’s Eve” for the first time. The event will begin at 22:30 on 31 December 2013 and will be two hours of dharma activities, including reflecting on the past while chanting “Amitofo” and opening a bright and illuminating 2014 with peaceful and calm body and mind. Anyone who wishes to participate in the event can enroll now. For further information please contact (02)2893-3161.
The New Year countdown is replaced with the recitation of “Amitabha”. Although fireworks will not be seen on the sky of Nung Chan Monastery, the great compassion of Buddha Bodhisattva will lighten our mind of disturbances and acquiring spiritual joy and peacefulness. While being in the Chan atmosphere of peacefulness, participants will “enter the gate of compassion, and contemplate mindfulness” and from the illusive nature of the mundane world, learn to treasure the present moment and happily welcome the arrival of 2014.
The spokesperson of Nung Chan Monastery said that Amitabha represents infinite light and life. Amitabha illuminates all sentient beings by the compassionate light, and provide guidance and support to all sentient beings. If sentient beings are in need of Amitabha Buddha anytime or anywhere, he will take care of them. On the night of 31 December, participants will get together to chant Amitabha Buddha’s name, circle the Buddha, listen to the Dharma, and meditate to purify body and mind. With a purified body and mind participants will make their wishes and welcome the New Year
In addition, from 28 December 2013 to 3 January 2014, Nung Chan Monastery will hold a “Seven-day Amitabha Buddha recitation retreat”. Recitation starts at 9:00 and finishes at 21:00 each day for the duration of the retreat. Everyone is encouraged to come along with family members and practice together. Chanting unifies body, speech, and mind. When every thought is Buddha’s name and everywhere is a Buddha land, the purity and brightness of right mindfulness can be felt.
Nung Chan Monastery is located next to the Taipei MRT Qiyan Station. Please visit our website http://ncm.ddm.org.tw/ for more detailed information.
(Translated by Tom Hsieh/Edited by DDM Australia Editing Team)