FGS South Island NZ Emperor Liang Repentance Service Day 2
Fo Guang Shan (FGS) South Island continued its Emperor Liang Repentance Dharma Service for the 2nd day on the 9th June 2018. FGS NZ Abbess Venerable Manshin, assisted by several Venerables from FGS Oceania, led more than 80 devotees from Australia and New Zealand in the chanting of Chapters 2, 3 and 4 of the Repentance Sutra. In the Dharma Service, the devotees also offered flowers, lights and lotions to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
In her talk at the end of the Dharma Service, Venerable Miao Yi from Nan Tian Temple Australia first briefed the congregation on the causes and conditions leading to the Waterland Dharma Function planned for Nan Tian Temple. After that, Venerable went on to tell that the Repentance Dharma Service was the founded by Emperor Liang. According to legend, in his dream, Emperor Liang was told by a Monk to conduct a Waterland Dharma Function to free the beings in the six realms from their sufferings. After the dream, Emperor Liang immediately commissioned 100 Venerables, within 3 years, to written the ritual steps for the Waterland Dharma Function. He also started the construction of the ritual site at Jin Shan Temple. Subsequently, to clarify his mind, Emperor Liang sought the help of Buddha to confirm whether the ritual steps proposed were proper and appropriate or not. He was given the answer when, while carrying out his bow in front of Buddha, the whole Temple suddenly lit up brightly and the sky turned auspiciously colourful. Due to this legend, the Waterland Dharma Function becomes the most sought after Buddhist repentance Dharma Service.
Venerable Miao Yi went on to tell that the Waterland Dharma Function is the grandest and most solemn Buddhist Repentance Dharma service. In addition to the main Waterland Dharma Function itself, there are other external Dharma altar such as Liang huang altar, Lotus Sutra altar, Medicine pure land Altar, Flower Garland Altar, Shurangama Altar, Yogacara Altar that need to be carried out at external sites as preludes to the main repentance Dharma service. In all these Dharma Service, it is imperative that the Sutras be chanted by many Venerables supported by large congregations of devotees. At the Temple level, the kitchen staffs will prepare the necessary food to be offered for prayers, and the main shrine attendance group will be responsible for setting up the ritual sites. The success of these Dharma Functions depend very much on the support of the devotees. Afterwards, Venerable introduced to the devotees the ritual steps for the Waterland Dharma Function such as: Temple boundary, purification, Sending Charm and hang up the banner , inviting the 4 sages and heavenly deity, offering the 4 sages and heavenly deity, giving name list for asking pardon, inviting the being from netherworld, giving precepts for the netherworld, offering to the lower realms, Complete offerings, Complete Incense and completely sending off the Sages. Venerable Miao Yi pointed out that all the above rituals and experiences need the personal participation of the devotees themselves in order for them to feel the solemnity of the occasions, and also in order to transfer merits to their deceased ancestors. Finally, Venerable encouraged the devotees to share the information with the public and to get them to participate in the grand Waterland Dharma Function to be held at Nan Tian Temple Australia from 24th to 31st March 2019.