Dharma Drum Mountain Vancouver Centre Holds Universal Bowing Dharma Assembly to Celebrate Lunar New Year

On the first day of the Lunar New Year (January 22) at 9 a.m., Dharma Drum Mountain Vancouver Centre held the Lunar New Year Universal Bowing Dharma Assembly, with over 100 people participating in the event both online and in person. Led by the monastics, participants solemnly chanted both sutra texts and various Buddha names, to usher in a peaceful and harmonious new year.

The Centre's Director, Ven. Chang Wu, first explained the meaning of Universal Bowing, as well as the origin and essence of the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance Liturgy. In addition, she urged all participants to sincerely pay homage to the Buddhas, while repenting past evil deeds resulting from ignorance, and vowing to refrain from them going forward.

This year, visitors can see red lanterns hung up at the entrance and at both sides of the Buddha hall, with festive ornaments decorated everywhere. The Centre organized a series of events to mark the Lunar New Year, including offering lamps to the Buddha, paying homage and praying to Guanyin Bodhisattva (Avalokiteshvara), participating in the Chan-in-Tea ceremony, and transcribing the sutras. In preparing for these activities, the volunteers in charge of purchase, reception, and venue decoration joyfully engaged in arranging the event details, while gratefully prepared to welcome visitors to celebrate the Lunar New Year. The kitchen volunteers also prepared special dishes for lunch so that everyone could enjoy a variety of dishes.

Finally, the monastic gave every participant the Rice of Peaceful Life, Spring Festival Couplets, a calendar, and Master Sheng Yen's book entitled "Freedom in Merit and Wisdom". These gifts served as a blessing to wish the participants good health, peace, and increased blessings and wisdom for the New Year.
 
Text：Chia-Lun Chen (陳家倫) 2023.01.22
Photo：Dharma Drum Vancouver Centre 2023.01.22
Translation：Ariel Shen (沈純湘)
Edited by：Keith Brown, Chia-Cheng Chang (張家誠)