Completion of Merits for Offerings to Universal Buddhas and Celestial Beings Dharma Function – Cultivating Wisdom through the Tens of Thousands of Practices stemming from the Six Paramitas.

The annual “Offerings to Universal Buddhas and Celestial Beings Dharma Function” was held on the evening of 8th February. It was presided by Venerable Abbess Manshin, over a congregation of 300 who chanted the “Golden Light Sutra”.

Like previous years, the Main Shrine was magnificently adorned and a delicious banquet was meticulously prepared by the volunteers for offering to the Triple Gem and Celestial Kings. Throughout the Dharma function, all the devotees were filled with Dharma joy from hearing the reverberating sounds of scripture chanting, knowing that all will surely receive blessings from our celestial protectors. Everyone was inspired to be more diligent on self-improvement for this coming year.

Afterwards the Abbess used words of Venerable Master Hsing Yun to express that as long as we possess a heart of respect, have sincerity toward repentance and make efforts to manifest the Bodhi mind, connections with Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will certainly be developed. Faith can generate confidence within people and confidence can be described as being:
• Like treasures that can adorn our inner world.
• Like a cane that allows us to advance or back track without hindrance.
• Like a loyal friend that stands by us throughout trials and tribulations.

Hence confidence can nurture all wholesome foundations. The Abbess encouraged everyone to practice the Six Paramitas (perfections) of giving, upholding precepts, tolerance, diligence, meditative concentration and Prajna (wisdom). This can allow us to experience the wisdom and infinite merits.