House Blessing for BLIA South Island YAD President Zhang Dong
Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) South Island Young Adults Division (YAD) President Zhang Dong and wife Jiang Dan Ni moved into their recently acquired house in mid-March 2018. To share their joy, on 15th April 2018, Zhang Dong and wife invited Fo Guang Shan (FGS) New Zealand Venerable Abbess Manshin to perform a house blessing ceremony. Joining Venerable Abbess for the occasion were Zhang’s friends and members of FGS South Island, numbering more than 10 people.
Abbess Manshin and other Venerable first led the gathering in the chanting of sutra. This was followed by the house cleansing and blessing ceremony. Afterwards, Venerable Abbess presented Zhang Dong with Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s One-stroke calligraphy “Good to Have You”. In her discourse, Venerable Abbess stressed that if we could keep our hearts clean and pure, then automatically our surrounding environments would likewise become clean and pure. By practicing good deeds frequently and developing our wisdom, we would be able to have a clearer understanding of things around us. By keeping our hearts clean and pure, our external fields would change and become clean and pure too. Zhang Dong thanked for all the venerable in temple’s care for all these years. He stressed that this house blessing ceremony meant a lot to this new family of theirs. It was not merely a cleansing ceremony, but more importantly, it made them understand the importance of always keeping their hearts clean and pure.
Zhang Dong afterwards treated the Venerable and BLIA members to a simple tea and dessert which made his wife. He thanked FGS venerable for their cares and blessings bestowed on them, and mentioned that to be able to listen to Dharma teachings, joined FGS and became active BLIA members were the best rewards they ever got. He promised to adhere to the advices and guidance of Venerable Abbess, to follow the Dharma teachings, and to form a three good deeds family.