DDM Global News

​Cleaning Our Spiritual Environment, Carrying the Responsibility of Benefiting Others

Due to the pandemic, the Great Compassion Repentance Ceremony to greet the year 2021 organized by Dharma Drum Mountain Malaysia Centre was instead held online on December 31, 2020. The practice of repentance is meant to clean our spiritual environment, and practicing repentance prostrations on New Year's Eve is especially meaningful. Guided by the monastics of the center, some 200 devotees repented the negative karma they had created over the past year and prayed for the elimination of their karmic obstructions and misfortunes in the new year.
 
At the start of the assembly, Ven. Chang Shi first introduced the origin of the Great Compassion Repentance Rite for the attendees to gain a better understanding of the practice. She said that only by repenting sincerely can one truly eradicate one's karmic obstructions. Using a personal story of Master Sheng Yen as recorded in Master Sheng Yen on Guanyin Bodhisattva's Methods, she mentioned that it was his continuous effort since childhood in practicing repentance and upholding the mantra, and thanks to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas' empowerment, that helped him overcome difficulties and obstacles. The venerable further explained that the repentance practice enables us to be more mindful of our physical, verbal, and mental acts, reminds us of our faults, and thereby changes us for the better.
 
The content of the rite reflects the wisdom of enlightenment as realized by Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, as well as his ten great vows and his methods of practice. It is believed that by practicing accordingly, we'll be able to attain the Path sooner, and in turn, universally deliver sentient beings.
 
Finally, the venerable encouraged everyone by saying that the best way to eradicate our mental obstructions and external obstacles is to form good karmic affinities with people and practice repentance. The former allows us to increase in merit, and the latter helps us eradicate our karmic obstructions. As our inner negative karmic force decreases, our merits and karmic blessings will naturally increase.
 
 
Text: Li Mei-Fang (李美芳)
Translation: Hsiao Chen-An
Editing: Chang Chia-Cheng(張家誠), Mei Beh