2022 Sangha Day Celebration
The 2022 Ullambana Dharma Service & Sangha Day Celebration was held at Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple Auckland on the 14th of August. The sound of bells and drums filled the air, as Abbess Manshin and Venerables were respectfully welcomed into the Main Shrine by 22 BLIA NZ Directors. On top of this, the Amitabha Triple Contemplation Service was held in the afternoon. Nearly 300 BLIA members gathered at the Main Shrine for these events and took the precious cause and conditions to sow blessings for themselves, their families and their descendants.
BLIA North Island President Yulin Ku, addressed in her speech that despite experiencing challenges, she was joyful that the Sangha Day Celebration was finally held with great success after a 3-year preparation during the pandemic. All are sincerely grateful that Venerable Master Hsing Yun established Fo Guang Shan Temple and sowed Dharma seeds in New Zealand 20 years ago due to his great compassion. In her speech, President Ku prompted all to gratefully reflect on how the Temple have taken arduous efforts to build the Temple into such a peaceful shrine, have guided us to settle our minds and body by applying the Dharma wisdom, and have led us during the Pandemic to donate hand sanitisers, masks and rapid antigen tests to schools in NZ to help with their urgent needs. More than 5000 students have participated in the 8th 3G4G Festival of Cultural Sharing this year. Such mind-purifying activities have brought abundant kind and pleasant causes and conditions to the community. Counties Manukau East District Police also affirmed, praised and awarded the Temple for its enormous contribution to the service and support to the community.
BLIA South Island Deputy President Dong Zhang, expressed in his speech that the Venerables have been promoting the Dharma and benefiting all beings in New Zealand selflessly over the years. They accompanied the BLIA members which is the true blessing of both BLIA members and the congregation. He thanked all Venerables deeply for their continuous education which has helped us to gain wisdom from the Dharma. Sergeant Anson Lin from Manukau East Police said “I am a member of the BLIA family, due to the care of the Temple and venerables, the police officers have been able to serve the community with a peaceful mind, which is our real fortune”.
BLIA NZ members then offered delicious food and delicate gifts and presented creative performances to the Venerables. Through joy and enthusiasm, they expressed their hearts of gratitude. The performances recalled the journey of the Venerables and the BLIA members’ joint efforts in cultivating this area of pure land since 2007, led all attendees performed the sign language song Faith together, which allowed life to be sublimated by the power of faith and to be filled by joy, practice, vitality and wisdom.
During the Dharma talk, the Abbess thanked everyone, who is also a future Buddha, for having planned this Sangha Day Celebration by compassion, joy, sincereness and aspiration. The Abbess also thanked everyone for serving the community together. The Abbess then explained the meaning of Amitabha Triple Contemplation. The first contemplation reveals that faith, practice and wish are what we were originally equipped. The second contemplation refers to Repentance, which indicates that once dirt is washed off mind and practice direction is clarified, then returns to the heart of Amitabha. The third contemplation refers to the enhancement of trust, which reminds that we need to continuously trust that all achievements will be accomplished. Confidence derived from Vows, we need to strengthen our confidence towards faith, to enhance our quality of life. Finally the Abbess wished for everyone to filled with compassion, kindness and joy.