Over a thousand celebrates Lunar Chinese New Year’s Eve at Fo Guang Shan – The Nobel Steed gallops into a bright future to liberate hearts and minds.

The evening of 30th January was especially festive inside the temple, where over 3000 visitors came to celebrate the Eve of Lunar Chinese New Year. The gathering of devotees, local Chinese and Kiwis, all shared this atmosphere of celebration together.

During the Respecting Buddhas and Longevity Dharma function on this special evening, Venerable Abbess Manshin and other venerables led the congregation to chant “88 Buddhas Repentance Text” and “Prayers and Wishes for Lunar New Year’s Eve” by Venerable Master Hsing Yun. This was followed by a video footage of Venerable Master Hsing Yun and Fo Guang Shan Abbot Venerable Hsin Bao’s New Year well wishes for everyone. An article by the Venerable Master discussing virtues of the horse’s personality was also shared with the audience. It described horses as possessing qualities such as the ability to travel at great speed, carry heavy burdens, gentle temperament, and perseverance to endure hardship. These words were intended to encourage everyone to take these good qualities as our examples, therefore becoming more in tune with the Buddhist Way.
The Abbess further explained with a simile from the Venerable Master’s parable, which compared qualities of horses to that of people. For a high grade horse will move without having to be told, a medium grade horse will move only after receiving instructions, a lower grade horse will only move after being whipped and an abysmal grade horse will fall asleep even after the rider has just mounted the saddle. Likewise, a high achiever can accept and endure discipline and admonition, the average person can be taught through guidance and encouragement and an abysmal person can’t stay humble after hearing praises and encouragement, nor are they willing to accept teachings and admonitions. Hence the Abbess reminded everyone that the Buddha is a teacher that’s able to harmonise and tame all beings. So as long as we follow the Buddha’s teachings there will be a way. But most importantly, we should learn self-awareness to improve ourselves. From virtues of the horse mentioned earlier, we can all learn to cultivate our tolerance, compassion, aspirations, comprehension and service to others. Finally the Abbess wished everyone a Happy New Year with the couplet “Noble steed gallops into a bright future while liberating the minds of the masses. May Buddha’s light shines far and wide over the land”.

At 11:00pm, the temple conducted the New Year’s first morning Dharma ceremony where everyone followed the Abbess to chant the “Heart Sutra”. Later everyone joyously continued the celebration by receiving auspicious red packets from the Abbess, offered the year’s first incense to the Buddha, ringing the wishing bell and counting down the New Year. The temple was filled with an atmosphere of warmth and celebration.