DDM Global News
Dharma Drum Mountain Offers Care for Train Crash Victims in Hualien
Dharma Drum Mountain Abbot President Venerable Guo Huei flew to Hualien early in the morning on April 3, to offer his condolences and extend care to those affected by the Taroko Train crash accident, hoping to bring peace in the Dharma to passengers who had been injured or who had lost their lives.On arrival in Hualien, the Abbot President immediately headed to the waiting area of the Hualien funeral home to visit anxious family members, offering his condolences to them one by one. He handed them Buddhist prayer beads, and encouraged them to recite Amitabha Buddha's name and transfer the merit to their loved ones who passed away in the accident.
At 1 pm, on April 3, DDM's monastics conducted the Buddhist service at the memorial hall to conduct a Buddhist service for the victims killed in the No. 408 Taroko Express train accident. The Abbot President presided over the service, leading the family members, DDM's monastics, and volunteers from Hualien, Taitung, and Yilan in prayer so that all victims can let go of their horror and pain, in order to attain a favorable rebirth, empowered by the Buddhas' and Bodhisattvas' compassionate vows.
Following the Abbot President's instruction, about 40 volunteers from Dharma Drum Mountain Fellowship's Hualien Chapter soon departed to the accident site, hospitals, and the funeral home to conduct end-of-life chanting for the victims and care for their family members, through to the early morning the next day.Most of the passengers who were injured or killed were returning home for a holiday reunion. In response, Ven. Chang Jue, Director of Xinxing Monastery in Taitung, visited their family members, who had to cope with this sudden loss of their loved ones. The venerable also immediately sent other monastics to travel to Hualien to join the post-disaster care and pray for the dead. She said that the monastery would work together with relevant government agencies and social work units to help calm the minds of the grieving people using the Buddha's teachings.
Meanwhile, DDM's devotees worldwide are also praying for the victims by reciting mantras. Ven. Chang Jer, Director of DDM Social Caring Department, launched the end-of-life chanting effort for practitioners across Taiwan to recite the Buddha's name and transfer merits to help the dead leave their suffering behind, as well as pray that the injured will recover soon.Dharma Drum Mountain Social Welfare and Charity Foundation instructed its Disaster Care Team to set up a special work force for raising funds and offering long-term support to the victims' families. Secretary-General of the foundation, Ven. Chang Shun, and Director of Lanyang Branch Monastery, Ven. Chang Fa, traveled overnight to the Hualien Funeral Home to express gratitude to the volunteers who had conducted the chanting for the victims throughout the night. They also accompanied the Abbot President to offer comfort and emotional support to the victims' families, to see how they could further help them.
Experienced in post-disaster care service, Ven. Chang Fa remarked that some victims were young people with a bright future. Facing such a tragedy, their families and friends are experiencing grief. What we can do for now is to offer our companionship and attentive listening. When they eventually accept the reality of impermanence, we can then try to guide them to send blessings to their deceased loved ones, in gratitude for having shared beautiful memories with them. Meanwhile, we can continue to pray for a favorable rebirth for the deceased, wishing them to let go of fear, embrace good aspirations, and remain faithful.Text: Chang, Yao-Chuang (張曜鐘)
Photos: Dharma Drum Mountain Social Welfare and Charity Foundation
Translation: Hsiao Chen-an
Editing: Chang, Chia-Cheng (張家誠), Keith Brown