FGS South Island Welcomed 2019 with Diligent Cultivation
To welcome the arrival of 2019, on 1st January 2019, Fo Guang Shan (FGS) South Island hosted a special ‘New Year Day Dharma Function’ for its devotees. More than 40 devotees participated in the function, welcoming the New Year with new vigour and vitality. The Dharma Function started at 8.00 am and included a session of Sutra Chanting, followed by Sutra Transcription and Sitting Meditation. The day ended with the devotees participating in a house cleaning of the Temple.
Led by FGS South Island Minister-in-charge Venerable Jue Xi, the congregation piously chanted “88 Buddha Repentance sutra”. Following this, in response to the “Million Heart Sutra entering the Fo Guang Buddha” event, they proceeded to carry out the transcription of the ‘Heart Sutra’ with the aim of keeping these transcribed copies of ‘Heart Sutra’ inside the body of the Buddha Statue at the Buddha Memorial Centre, Kaohsiung. At the same time, the merits in the copying of the ‘Heart Sutra’ would be transferred to their relatives and friends.
Later in the day, Venerable Jue Xi led the devotees in C’han Meditation. The participants first carried out a walking meditation in the Car Park area. This was then followed by the Sitting Meditation. Under her guidance, Venerable Jue Xi taught the participants the correct sitting posture, the correct breathing method, the correct way to calm their minds in order to enter into the state of ultimate tranquillity. Venerable touched on the basic attitudes to be adopted and stressed the importance of breathing in C’han Meditation. Only through correct breathing can one calm down one’s mind and enter into a state of peace and tranquillity.
Other than the Dharma Function and the Meditation Session, the participants also took the opportunity to stay back at the Temple to carry out cleaning of the kitchen and the Dining Hall, mowing of the lawn, cleaning of the pools and washing of the external wall and the statues of the four Bodhisattvas. Through the joint efforts of everyone, the Temple was thoroughly cleaned and restored to its pristine state. With this, the 2019 New Year Day ended with the participants feeling happy and contented that they have successfully contributed towards the cleanliness of the Temple.