Ormiston Primary School Joins the Temple’s “3G4G Festival of Culture Sharing” for the Third Time

On 12th May Principal Heath McNeil led 280 students from Ormiston Primary School to join Fo Guang Shan North Island’s “3G4G Festival of Culture Sharing”. This is their third year of participating in this festival.

It was raining on the day, which prompted BLIA volunteers to form a "umbrella arch" to shield the students from the shower. This act touched the hearts of teachers. Upon arriving at the Front Shrine Venerable Zhiming taught the children how to make greetings by joining their palms, and chant the slogan of “3 Good Deeds and 4 Kinds of Giving” under the rhythm of hand claps. Many students can already remember and recite the contents of “3G4G”.

BLIA volunteers organised the students into different groups and led them through a tour including activities such as: The story of Sakyamuni Buddha, why the bell and gong were struck in the morning and night, making a wish by striking the wishing bell and making lotus origamis. Two Manukau Police officers also performed comedy sketch for the students and asked them questions in order to teach them the values of “3G4G” during daily life.

The “Siddhartha in the Human World” exhibition was the student’s favourite part of the tour. They watched a short movie called “The Buddha”, walked 7 lotus steps liked the baby Prince Siddhartha, bathed the Buddha, and wrote down their heart’s wishes and nailed it to the wishing wall. Teachers and parents were gladdened to see loving wishes such as: “I wish to become a useful person”, “I wish to do 3 good deeds and 4 kinds of giving”, “I wish to become a teacher”, and “I wish for peace and good health to my family” etc.

At the end teachers exclaimed: “3G4G Festival of Culture Sharing is fantastic!” Even overactive kids will become docile after descending upon temple ground and attentively listened to the volunteer’s explanations, which showed the great influence of Humanistic Buddhism. The temple’s magnificent architecture and lively art exhibition demonstrated Humanistic Buddhism’s diversity, richness and sanctity. Even though the students were the target audiences for this Buddhism cultural tour, the teachers themselves also received their own spiritual re-structuring through the various activities.