New Zealand devotees celebrated the enlightenment day of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, reciting sutra and praying for awakening

In order to celebrate Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s day of enlightenment, being the nineteenth day of the sixth lunar month, devotees returned to Fo Guang Shan North Island New Zealand on the night of 22nd July to participate in praying for Inner Fortune Dharma Function. More than a hundred devotees gathered at the Avalokitesvara Shrine to recite the name of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, sincerely reciting the sutra, praying and hoping to be connected heart to heart with the Bodhisattva, and hoping to ignite the illumination of one’s mind ground”, “purify body and mind”, and to elevate and enrich one’s lifestyle.

In her opening speech, Venerable Abbess Manshin indicated that one must pray and wish for co-existance with Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, and to chant the Bodhisattva’s name until you are in the presence of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. If you want Buddha to reside in your heart, you must first find the intrinsic Buddha nature in your heart. When you can eliminate greed, hatred, ignorance and doubt,then the Buddha will be able to reside in your purified mind.

“A Decisive and complete severing is for the sake of change; awakening is for realising one's mind and seeing one's nature”, said Abbess. In “Six Paramita’, “Giving” is utmost important. “Giving” must ignore you and me. It must not differentiate between you and me. Like giving your time to the community, you gather meritorious conditions and strengthen your faith. When faith is strong and the time is right, the door of wisdom will open automatically. Abbess encouraged everyone to make full use of the present to diligently practice Ch’an meditation, paying homage, making vows, Buddhist theories, and application of our learning. Then we can truly actualise Humanistic Buddhism’s Bodhisattva practices.