2015 New Year’s Day Pilgrimage

On 1st January of 2015, over 300 BLIA members and devotees gathered to conduct the 3 steps and 1 prostration pilgrimage under the lead of the Venerables. With a devout heart, everyone started from the Park Lot to the Main Shrine while chanting “Namo Sakyamuni Buddha”, also wishing peace, health, purification of the land and Buddhahood while paying homage.

After purifying body and mind by completing the pilgrimage to the Main Shrine, everyone recited the “Heart Sutra” and “Prayers and Wishes for Pilgrimage” by Venerable Master Hsing Yun under the guidance of Venerable Abbess Manshin. Completing by transferring merits to all beings of the Dharma Realm.

Then the Abbess gave everyone a gift of Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s New Year calligraphy of “Auspicious Beginnings of Peace and Harmony”. She praised everyone’s diligence on sincerely paying homage to the ground in this new year and the corresponding limitless merits. She also reminded everyone that “Reduce a bit of habit to increase a bit of wisdom”. As the human form is difficult to obtain, so the most urgent matter is cultivate one’s wisdom to accomplish things perfectly without obstructions. This New Year’s pilgrimage is the tradition of this temple. This practice can forge our determination, subdue arrogance, increase virtue, cultivate will power and expand a spirit of perseverance; therefore putting the Dharma into daily life with both compassion and wisdom.

This was followed by transcription of the “Heart Sutra” at 9:00am. At it’s completion, the Abbess explained that sutra transcription is a meditation practice that can rein in delusive thoughts and observe one’s mind. It is a form of meditative concentration that allow one’s action, speech and thought to be completely immersed within to be in accordance to the Dharma. One an contemplate with each stroke of the brush to personally comprehend the real meanings behind the Buddha’s teachings.