Offering to Universal Buddhas and Heavenly Kings Dharma Function – Receiving Protection from Celestial Guardians

This year’s annual Offering to Universal Buddhas and Heavenly Kings Dharma Function was on the evening of 13th February. Earlier at 6pm auspicious cloud pattern appeared to signify the arrival of constellation of Celestial Dharma Protectors, Nagas and phoenixes. Buddha’s light universally shines.

Inside, the Main Shrine is illuminated by bright lights, blooming flowers and fragrant incenses, all to welcome the Triple Gem and show appreciation to the long term protection from Celestial Guardians. Then Venerable Abbess Manshin led a congregation of 300 to recite the “Golden Light Sutra” to bestow protection from disasters and calamities and good fortune to our people and nation.

Kitchen volunteers toiled ceaselessly to create meticulously cooked 9 piece meals for the occasion. These glamorous gourmet dishes were offered by the congregation according to ceremonial procedures, received and placed by YAD members. These dishes were offered to Celestial Guardians to show our appreciation to their benevolent caring toward us in New Zealand.

During the Dharma talk the Abbess explained that the “Golden Light Sutra” uses similes of gold, light and illumination to express clarity and purification from defilement. The Sutra’s “Emptiness Chapter” expounded Buddhist’s foremost doctrine of “nature of emptiness”, because only “emptiness” can give allow us space to create, work hard, improvement and reconsider and retract. Then we can understand the principals of cause and conditions to uncover more wisdom in life. World peace can only come about when every person can education themselves, improve themselves and be at peace with themselves. The Abbess hopes everyone to receive limitless wisdom from the sutra texts, increase Bodhi from personal motivation and bring more brightness and power to the world.