FGS South Island NZ Kṣitigarbha Dharma Chanting Service for the Pandemic
On 7th August, Fo Guang Shan (FGS) South Island New Zealand held a Ksitigarbha Dharma Service. FGS NZ Venerable Abbess Manshin led about 80 devotees to recite the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's Vows Sutra. It was a cold winter day in New Zealand, with the temperature in Christchurch below 5 degrees Celsius, but the public still followed the sutra chanting in the solemn main shrine with a devout heart, wishing that the merits of the sutra would be transferred to the ancestors and all sentient beings in the ten realms of the world, purify the three karmas, eliminate disasters, and bless all the victims of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Abbess explained that Buddhism is a religion of enlightenment, which is practiced through having an ordinary mind, vows, bodhi heart and transferring merits. Buddhism refers to an ordinary mind as one which is focused on one thing, and having it integrated into one's life, which then expresses itself as habit. To do something, one must set a goal, and achieving goals require energy, which then allows one to realize karma. Karma is for those who are ready. For example, when people at the temple were informed that the vaccination programme was open, they were the first to register, and by coincidence, the opportunity came and they received the vaccination successfully. "We are fortunate to live in a safe country like New Zealand, where we do not need to wear masks when we go out and even during prayers. It is the great compassion and bodhi heart of the temple to arrange for its volunteer staff to receive the vaccination, and through these precautions, we hope to give visitors to the temple a better peace of mind. It is an important Buddhist practice to transfer merits to others, as it benefits others and one’s self, increasing both our blessings and wisdom.
After the Dharma session, Abbess presented everyone a gifts and encouraged them to constantly self-cultivate. They should make good use of the Prayer Card for the Practice of the Ksitigarbha Sutra in the Month of Filial Piety, and encouraged to recite the sutra and pray for the deceased to be reborn in the Pure Land, leaving suffering and attaining happiness, and wishing for social peace and family harmony everywhere.