7th Day of Emperor Liang Repentance

7th day of Emperor Liang Repentance Dharma function commenced on the evening of Friday 31st May. Under the lead of Venerable Abbess Manshin, 150 devotees recited the 7th fascicle of the Repentance text and Buddha’s names to eliminate past transgressions.
Afterwards Venerable Juexi continued to share Buddhist stories with everyone. Through stories about making offerings to the Buddha, such as Celestial Kings using a treasured bowl to make food offerings to the Buddha, and Eldar Ananda offering food to the Buddha while he was a little Sramanera in a previous life; the Venerable expressed the great merits of food offerings. From the texts, the “8 calamities” was mentioned, which are:

1. Rebirth in Hell realm
2. Rebirth in Hungry ghost realm
3. Rebirth in animal realm
4. Rebirth in the Border land
5. Rebirth in the Longevity Heaven
6. Reborn without fully functional sense organs
7. Reborn with mundane cleverness
8. Reborn before or after while the Buddha was present in the world

The above are taught in order to encourage everyone to cherish their time of being born as a human, having exposure to the right Dharma, and knowing the need to cease all evil and do all that are good, this is fortunate indeed. So we should nurture our right views to leave the seas of suffering in order to liberate ourselves and others.

Venerable Juexi also explained the Repentance text’s original title that is “Repentance Dharma method within the Compassionate location of practice”. Compassion means to strengthen our self motivation, disciple and requirements, so as to reduce troubles for others. Hence the “Compassionate location of practice” is within our mind. We should practice like the “Far Reaching” Bodhisattva stage’s ability to transcend Saha world’s vexation. Fulfil the cultivation of “skilful Means” Paramita, so we can conduct our businesses in accordance with the Dharma and our wishes whether we are in or out of meditative concentration.