Zhai Ming Branch Monastery Transfer the Year-End Grand Merit of Over Three Thousand Recitations of the Lotus Sutra to Pray for World Peace

On the evening of December 31^st, DDM Zhai Ming Branch Monastery hosted the "2023 Year-End Praying for Blessings Dharma Assembly" and "The Blossoming Lotus of Mind 2024 — Grand Merit Transfer of the Lotus Sutra." Buddhist followers gathered alongside their families from various places at Zhai Ming Branch Monastery. In total, 330 people participated in the cross-year Dharma service.
 
Commencing with a brief group meditation in the Chan hall, the Venerable guided everyone to experience the relaxation of both body and mind. Subsequently, led by the chanting master, participants respectfully recited the Lotus Sutra's Universal Gate Chapter on Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. In addition, they devoutly prostrated amidst the recitation of the Bell Ringing Verse, extending their wishes for a world of blessings and peace in the upcoming year everywhere.
 

Afterwards, as Zhai Ming Branch Monastery presented the video of Dharma Drum Mountain's annual theme for 2024 — "A World of Blessings" — the attendees received the teachings of DDM founder, Master Sheng Yen. The Vice Director of Zhai Ming Branch Monastery, Ven. Chang Lin, explained that the year of 2023 was Zhai Ming Branch Monastery's second consecutive year to promote the collective recitation of the Lotus Sutra. Starting from October 2023, Zhai Ming Branch Monastery initiated the event "The Blossoming Lotus of Mind 2024 — Collecting Recitations of the Lotus Sutra." By December 31^st, participants had completed the recitation of Lotus Sutra 3,064 times, thereby surpassing the original goal of 2,024 recitations with a high completion rate of 151%.
 
Ven. Chang Lin maintained that the collective merit derived from diligent recitations of the Lotus Sutra with pious and respectful minds can bring blessings to society, thereby transferring the peaceful power outward as a prayer for peace and happiness for all beings in the world.


 
Text: Siou-jhen Lan (藍秀貞)
Photos: Jheng-yi Chen (陳正義)
Translation: Siang-ling Li
Editing: Keith Brown, YKL