Ashes Internment Ceremony for English Sub-chapter Member

On 15th February, an Ashes Internment Ceremony was held for English Sub chapter member Ruth Wagner Toomer. Ruth officially passed away on 8th February. In Accordance to her wishes, her ashes are to be housed within the Ksitigarbha Hall. The ceremony was presided by the two Venerable Miaoyus, Ruth’s family members, friends and BLIA members, altogether 30 people in attendance. The “Amitabha Sutra” was chanted through the proceedings.

Afterwards Venerable Miaoyu spoke that life has no real death. The completion of one period of life leads to the beginning of a new period of life. Therefore life endlessly continues within the cycle of birth and death until one is able to transcend this cycle. Ruth was very wise to choose her resting abode to be within the temple, where she can continue to hear the Dharma and be close to the Buddha. She is the first Kiwi local to be housed inside the Ksitigarbha Hall. Ruth was a member of the English sub-chapter, where she often joined in with various temple activities. Her main volunteering contributions included guiding temple tours, looking after the art gallery and providing nursing services during every Buddha’s Birthday Celebration since the establishment of Fo Guang Shan in New Zealand.

On 14th February, Venerable Miaoyu and 4 ESC members were also invited to Ruth’s funeral, where they recited “Eight Realisations of a Bodhisattva Sutra” and “Prayers and Wishes for the Deceased”.
Ruth’s family were very grateful toward BLIA members for joining Ruth’s Ashes Internment Ceremony . Attending BLIA members expressed that Buddhism can help us face death with positivity, which will enabled them to better manage this period of life, leading to the transcendence of the cycle of birth and death and obtain true happiness.