NZ Fo Guang Youth’s “Temple Day” Experience – Aspiring for the Buddha Mind while Achieving through the Gathering of Multitude of Conditions

For the month of May, Fo Guang Shan’s YAD have started a new initiative to spend a “Temple Day” once every week. Where during every Sunday the youth group will gather to fortify their determination and cultivate a spirit of diligence for their practice. On the day they will also volunteer to do car wash in order to fundraise for the upcoming ANZBYC and IBLY.

On the morning of 4th May, Team leaders Liang and Sean led 12 members to vacuum and wash the vehicles to a satisfactory level.

In the afternoon, Venerable Rulian gave the youths a lesson regarding Dependent Origination. The topic was explained from the relationship between cause, effect and creation of Karma between past, present and future. Descriptions of the Law of causes and conditions start from 12 Link Chains of Dependent Origination where it had arisen from one thought of Ignorance. One should understand that “All phenomenon arises due to coming together of appropriate causes and conditions and all phenomenon ceases due to the cessation of appropriate causes and conditions.” The Venerable continued to explain that Dependent Origination is Buddhism’s fundamental teaching. In fact, the Buddha obtained Ultimate Perfectly Enlightenment from realisation of the truth of this Natural Law. As to how to understand Dependent Origination, Venerable Rulian gave further explanations below:

1. Effects arises from causes
2. Becoming arises from coming together of conditions
3. Phenomenon arises from Principals/Laws
4. Many arises from one
5. Existence is established upon emptiness
6. Buddhahood is achieved by human beings.

She also encouraged the youths to have a Bodhisattva’s heart that is compassionate and altruistic, which benefits self and others. They should understand that Buddhism is not just about understanding theories, but is about application in real life.