|
- The Practice of Tantrayana leads to Expansion
of the Heart - Wishing all Sentient Beings Attainment of
Enlightenment
- A report on the Annual True Buddha School
Lunar New Year Blessing Ceremonies. Written by the Venerable
Lian Deng for the True Buddha News Weekly, issue #211, published
March 4, 1999.
- Translated by Janny Chow
|
On February 27th and 28th, 1999, the annual True Buddha School’s
Lunar New Year Blessing Ceremonies took place at the Meydenbauer
Convention Center in Bellevue, Washington, U.S.A.. Close to three
thousand True Buddha School students from around the world attended
the ceremonies. The two day event was also attended by many guests
and dignitaries. Mr. Mike Lowry, the former governor of the State
of Washington, Mrs. Martha R. Hathaway (president of the Peace Trees
Vietnam, a global peace organization dedicated to cleaning up landmines
in Vietnam), Mr. Yun Chung-chun (director of the Seattle Overseas
Chinese Center), Mr. Sun Le-yu, and Dr. Yu Ju-pin all gave speeches
of congratulations and thanks at the beginning of the ceremonies.
On the morning of February 27th, before the commencement of the
Padmakumara Dharma Ceremony, Living Buddha Lian-sheng personally
performed the rite of tonsure for eight True Buddha School students
who were taking renunciation vows to become monks and nuns. Later
the Living Buddha conducted a ritual in which twenty- one students
offically took up the Bodhisattva Vows. His Holiness also witnessed
the exchange of marriage vows for a couple of True Buddha School
students.
The master-in-charge of the Padmakumara Ceremony was Vajra Master
De-hui, and, as commemoration for the special occasion, he read
aloud the following verses to the congregation: “The True Buddha
Assembly, showered by light from the siddhi, purifying everything,
throughout the six realms of transmigration.” When His Holiness
was invited to speak, he said that the lunar new year was a time
many Buddhist organizations made supplications as well as dedications,
and he kindly wished auspiciousness for everyone: days, nights,
all the time, and in all things. At the conclusion of the morning
ceremony, there was the bestowal of blessing empowerment for refuge-taking
as well as for strengthening the affinity with the Buddhadharma.
On the morning of February 28th, H.H. Living Buddha Lian-shengconducted
a Vajrarajapriya Fire Offering ceremony. Afterwards, His Holiness
discussed with the students the meaning of supplication practices
in Tantrayana. The final goal of supplication is to reach a state
of non-supplication. In carrying out a task, one should put his
whole heart into it, while not harboring any intent for fame and
fortune. He commented that he would like to see more new writers
on the True Buddha News Weekly, and he also gave strong encouragement
and support to the group of new teaching assistants recently selected
after meeting the vigorous requirements set up by the True Buddha
Foundation. Afterwards, H.H. Living Buddha Lian-sheng personally
bestowed the Vajrarajapriya Empowerment to everyone present.
The two afternoons were devoted to the transmission of the Marici
Bodhisattva Practices. During the two days of the teaching, students
witnessed some special auspicious signs from the sky. There was
lightning, thunder, hail, and rain — all bearing witness to
the remarkable occasion of the transmission of a great teaching
by His Holiness. The Marici Bodhisattva is a Ferocious Diamond Protector.
Among all the mantras from deities in the deva realm, the one most
frequently chanted by His Holiness is the Marici Mantra: Om, Mo-li-ji-yu,
Soha. His Holiness revealed that, during this lifetime, he had met
countless crises and he was able to ride through all of them through
the intervention and protection of this Bodhisattva. Marici Bodhisattva
specializes in resolving disasters for the practitioner.
On behalf of H.H. Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Master Lianhua De-
hui first gave a succinct explanation on the mudra, mantra, seed
syllable, and visualization that accompany the practice for “rendering
oneself invisible,” “eliminating dozing off during meditation,”
“employment of thread and needle,” and “healing.”
At the conclusion of his supplemental teaching, His Holiness stressed
that in practicing the Tantrayana, one must have an expansive and
equinanimous heart towards everyone including those who slander,
hurt, and murder one. One should wish all to attain liberation and
Buddhahood, as all beings have the Buddha Nature in them. Afterwards,
the empowerment for Marici Bodhisattva was bestowed by His Holiness
and transmitted through Master De-hui to all students present.
During the auction event that occurred at the Dharma Ceremonies,
His Holiness generously donated a damaru and a brocade vest to raise
funds for the television broadcast of the True Buddha Dharma and
for the promotion of His Holiness’ books to the general public.
|
|
