FGS South Island’s Ullambana Festival Dharma Functions

Coinciding with the month of Filial Piety, starting from 2nd August 2018, Fo Guang Shan (FGS) South Island holds the ‘Ullambana Festival Dharma Functions’ for its devotees for a period of 2 weeks. On 11th August 2018, a special Dharma Function was held and FGS New Zealand Abbess Venerable Manshin and several other Venerables were invited to lead a congregation of more than 80 devotees in prayers and the chanting the ‘Sutra on the Past Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’. For a period of 3 hours, the devotees piously carried out the chanting and praying, filling the ritual altar with blissfulness.

Later in her sermon, Abbess Manshin encouraged the devotees to practice Buddhism by first tidying up their own bodies and minds. If they can do that, their lives will become simple, gracious and of quality. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva possesses great wisdom because he has, in his heart, Directions, Sense of Mission, Objectives and Ideals. In addition, He possesses unimaginable amount of Compassion, Wisdom and Will-Power. No matter whichever realm and time he is in, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva always knows clearly what his mission is. Though we do not have the will-power of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, nevertheless, through reading ‘Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s Complete Works’, we too can develop our own wisdom and ability.

Abbess Manshin urged the congregation to focus in completing each of the jobs they set out to do; not to simply stop halfway to engage in self-pity; and to learn from their mistakes and constantly engage in self-improvements. Abbess encouraged the devotees not to be just the small candles emitting tiny lights, but to become the shining moons in darkness, illuminating themselves while casting lights onto others. Using the example of a devotee who, in her sickness, managed to recover by holding on to her faith in the Dharma, Abbess encouraged the devotees to plant the seeds of the Dharma into their Eight Consciousness so as to positively improve their spiritual strengths. At the end, Abbess Manshin wished the devotees a diligent session of Ullambana Festival Dharma Functions, a gaining of Dharma wisdom and a better connectivity with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.