Special Topics

​Great Compassion Water and Land Dharma Service: Benefiting all beings of the past, present and future

Water and Land Dharma Service (shuilu fahui 水陸法會), also known traditionally as the "Water and Land Universal Deliverance and Grand Feast Assembly for Saints and Ordinary Sentient Beings in the Dharma Realm (法界聖凡水陸普度大齋勝會)" , is a practice method in Chinese Buddhism.  It is considered the grandest and elaborate Dharma assembly in this tradition.   The assembly aims to liberate sentient beings in the six realms from their suffering by making offerings to all...

​General Hall

Among all eleven halls set for Dharma Drum Mountain Water and Land Dharma Service, the General Hall serves as the pivotal or central hall.   The services in the General Hall involve various practices based on the Great Compassionate Liberation Rites of Water and Land (大悲心水陸法會儀軌) and the Compassionate Samadhi Water Repentance (慈悲三昧水懺),  followed by the chanting of the Mind Ground Chapter of the Sutra of Brahma's Net (梵網經-心地品), as well as listening to Dhar...

​Grand Hall

The Grand Hall offers Dharma services of the largest scale at Dharma Drum Mountain Water and Land Dharma Service. Its rituals include Emperor Liang Repentance Service (梁皇寶懺), Offering Ceremony to Buddhas and Celestial Guardians, Yogic Rite of Food Bestowal to Flaming-Mouths and Dharma talks on the Sutra of Yoga Flaming Mouth Dharma Service and food bestowal service.   Emperor Liang Repentance Service   Emperor Liang's Repentance Service (梁皇寶懺), origina...

​Wish-Fulfilling Hall

The Buddhist services in the Wish-Fulfilling Hall are mainly focused on Guan Yin Bodhisattva's approaches, including the chanting of The Universal Dharma-Door of Guanyin Bodhisattva (觀世音菩薩普門品), participating in the Great Compassion Repentance Ceremony, and the recitation of Great Compassion Mantra.   The Universal Dharma-Door of Guanyin Bodhisattva, as a chapter of The Lotus Sutra, is noticeably far-reaching, both in its impact and effects. This text, when practiced ...

​Dharma Lotus Hall

The Buddhist service in Lotus Sutra Hall is to chant The Lotus Sutra.   The Lotus Sutra was one of the highly revered scriptures during the early Mahayana period in India. It then became significantly influential in Mahayana Buddhist regions, particularly in China, Japan, and Korea, and is also one of the most frequently recited and transcribed scriptures.     It consists of all doctrines in Buddhism, and is therefore also known as the 'King of all sutras'.&n...

Pure Land Hall

The Buddhist services at the Pure Land Hall include chanting the Amitabha Buddha Sutra, reciting Amitabha Buddha's name while walking, sitting, and during silent meditation, prostrating to the Buddha, repenting, transfer of merits, and listening to dharma talks related to the practice.   Pure Land is a common goal for many Mahayana Buddhist practitioners. The Pure Land of Amitabha in particular has been widely accepted in areas where Chinese Buddhism flourishes.    Ma...

​Medicine Buddha Hall

The Buddhist services at the Medicine Buddha Hall include chanting the Medicine Buddha Sutra, reciting the Medicine Buddha Mantra, and reciting the sacred name of this Buddha.   The Medicine Buddha Sutra, translated by Master Xuan Zang of the Tang Dynasty, describes the twelve great vows made by the Medicine Buddha while treading the Bodhisattva path in his previous life. His vows concern not only the equanimity of all beings and their eventual attainment of supreme Buddhahood, but a...

​Earth Treasure Bodhisattva Hall

The Buddhist services at the Earth Treasure (Ksitigarbha) Bodhisattva Hall include chanting the Sutra of the Earth Treasure Bodhisattva's Original Vows, participating in the Earth Treasure Bodhisattva Repentance Ceremony and attending dharma talks by monastics.   The Sutra of the Earth Treasure Bodhisattva's Original Vows is the most commonly known of all the sutras related to Earth Treasure Bodhisattva's practice. Written in beautiful language and rich in content, it exp...

​Avatamsaka Hall

The Buddhist service conducted at the Avatamsaka Hall is led by two senior bhikshus. Practitioners reverently and silently read the 80 scrolls of the Avatamsaka Sutra that was translated by the Tripitaka Master Sramana Siksananda of Khotan in the Tang Dynasty.   The Avatamsaka Sutra, also referred to as the Huayen Sutra (華嚴經), is a far-reaching scripture in the Mahayana canon. It describes the state of perfect interfusion without any obstructions attained by buddhas and bodhisattv...

​Chan Hall

Practice methods conducted in the Chan Hall are based upon the teachings of the Chan School, and primarily take the form of meditation. Meditative contemplation, sitting meditation, walking meditation, standing meditation and moving meditation are practiced in the Chan Hall. In addition, practitioners reverently recite The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, accompanied by the striking of the wooden fish, which is the sole Dharma instrument used in the ceremony.   The Platform Sut...

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