New Year’s Day Pilgrimage and Sutra Transcription at the Temple

The “New Year’s Day Pilgrimage and Sutra Transcription” was held on 1st January 2017. This event was participated by over 250 devotees, who followed the Venerables to take three steps and make one prostration while chanting: “Namo Sakyamuni Buddha”. This way the congregation approached the Main Shrine to start the brand new year.

Venerable Abbess Manshin praised everyone’s diligence on getting up so early to make prostration to the Buddha. All the homage paid will surely bring out right view and Dharma joy.in everyone. These sincere efforts are the way to cultivate one’s future. The Abbess also reminded everyone that they can all receive a gift of Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s New Year’s couplet with the phrase “Rising Dawn of Success”, this couplet sought to pass down the Venerable Master’s message of “Life should be lived with soaring success and good reputations spread far and wide”.

After breakfast everyone practiced sitting meditation to settle the mind through contemplation. This was followed by transcription of the Heart Sutra. Through this process the sagely words of the Buddha were deeply imprinted in each person’s mind, and a mind to mind connection is made with the Buddha by hold back our action, speech and thought.

Afterwards one Buddhist youth Wei Luan exclaimed: “It’s great to be able to be close to the Triple Gem at such a magnificent Temple while living overseas.” Every year’s pilgrimage and sutra transcription event has the great power to awaken us so we can plan a clear path for our lives in the coming year.