Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Centre Malaysia Organized its First Onsite and Online One-day Chan Meditation Retreat

On October 16th, Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Centre Malaysia held its first onsite and online (Hybrid) One-day Chan Meditation Retreat. The event attracted 56 onsite and 4 online participants. For more than two years since the pandemic broke out, all meditation activities have been conducted online. This was, indeed, the first time that a One-day Chan Meditation Retreat has been conducted in a hybrid form (both onsite and online). The content of the activity included eight-form moving meditation, sitting meditation, walking meditation, yoga exercises, Venerable's teachings, and Q&A, with both online and offline interaction.
 
Venerable Yan Lian, Chief Retreat Coordinating Fashi, encouraged the participants to experience the whole day of meditation with a relaxed "holiday" attitude. In this activity, half of the retreatants participated for the first time in a full-day meditation activity. Among them, one online participant just happened to be diagnosed with COVID-19. Not only did she decline to withdraw from the retreat itself, but she also continued to participate in the activities at home, following along with the agenda. She said it was beneficial to experience how "true relaxation is not imagined, but experienced". Many participants fell asleep due to their busy daily routines and frequent physical fatigue during meditation. The Venerable encouraged everyone not to be discouraged, to accept their current state wholeheartedly, and continue to return to the method of relaxation and breath counting. This is a practice in continually returning to the method.


At the end of the retreat, Venerable Yan Lian encouraged all the participants, citing what Master Sheng Yen had remarked in the video: "Buddhist practice requires a long-time effort. We need to return to the initial aspiration to Buddhahood from time to time." The so-called "initial aspiration to Buddhahood" is the diligent mind that first made a vow to get rid of suffering and achieve happiness. Continuing to practice and derive benefits from our experiences will give rise to a sense of confidence to move forward on the path.

In the end, the Venerable led all the volunteer team and the online and onsite participants to end the day's activities with three prostrations to the Buddha, as well as gratitude for the combinations of causes and conditions.