Over 3.6 Thousand Buddhist Followers Recite the Diamond Sutra at Nung Chan Monastery to Welcome the Advent of 2024

At approximately 3PM on December 31^st, a queue for the cross-year Dharma service began to form at Nung Chan Monastery. By 7PM, the halls and corridors of Nung Chan Monastery were filled with more than 3.6 thousand people, setting a new record for the number of participants in the New Year's eve Dharma service. 

During the New Year's eve Dharma service, everyone followed the Venerables' guidance to chant the Diamond Sutra and the Bell Ringing Verses, joyfully embracing the new year of 2024 with peaceful minds. In the Dharma talk following the service, DDM Abbot President, Ven. Guo Huei, noted that "crossing a year" implies an occasion to clear our minds, seize the moment, and embrace the future. With wisdom in our minds, we are free from vexations, while compassion prevents us from developing rivalry with others. By taking good care of our body and mind, we can be in harmony with ourselves and others. The Abbot President also reminded everyone to apply the concept outlined in the Diamond Sutra — "no notion of a self, others, sentient beings, and lifespan" — as a means to contemplate on the significance of "Each year is a good year, and each day is a good day."

Yun-jhen Hong, who has attended the Nung Chan Monastery's cross-year events for seven consecutive years, shared that, through this event, she transferred the merit from performing the end-of-life chanting for the departed throughout the year, not only as an offering to all Buddhas in the ten directions and all beings in realms of phenomena (dharmadhātu), but also as a blessing to all the suffering people. Meanwhile, she includes in her prayers her parents and karmic creditors in previous lifetimes. Her wishes extend to the peace and wish fulfillment of her family, the attendees, and the volunteers of the Dharma service.

Lian-syun Shao, a ninth grader, made a special visit to Nung Chan Monastery to experience a unique New Year celebration. Reciting the Diamond Sutra for the first time on this occasion, he hoped to attain better results in his upcoming exams. Together with his mother, Ruei-ci Chen, and his younger brother, Wei-ran Shao, he attended the cross-year Dharma service to pray for good fortune for his father working overseas, wishing him safety in a foreign land.


As a warm welcome to the followers returning to their spiritual home, Ven. Guo Yih, the Director of Nung Chan Monastery, mentioned that Dharma Drum Mountain would like to bless the society with the annual theme for 2024: "A World of Blessings." Only when we ourselves feel blessed, can we bring blessings to others. The DDM Founder, Master Sheng Yen, once said that the sense of being blessed arises from contentment with life. Contentment means to be content with what we have, whether it is much or little, or even having nothing. Ven. Guo Yih wished that everyone would cherish the present moment, be grateful for what they have, and manage and enjoy their lives by applying the practice of mindfulness. 



Text and photos: Chang, Yao-Chung (張曜鐘)
Translation: Siang-ling Li
Editing: Keith Brown, YKL