DDVC Held Earth Store and Compassionate Samadhi Water Repentance Dharma Assembly

From August 2^nd to August 4^th, 2024, Dharma Drum Vancouver Center (DDVC) held the "Earth Store and Compassionate Samadhi Water Repentance Dharma Assembly for Expressing Gratitude in Ullambana Festival." During these three days, a total of 350 people participated in the event. The participants repented sincerely and vowed to emulate the aspiration and virtues of Earth Store Bodhisattva (Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva) to pray for the well-being of all sentient beings.

On the afternoon of August 2^nd, Ven. Chang Wu (常悟法師), the Managing Director of Monasteries in Europe and America and Director of DDVC, led the congregation and the benefactors of the Dharma assembly in a sprinkling ceremony. On August 3^rd, with Ven. Chang Wu as the officiant, the Earth Store Dharma Assembly began. The Venerable cited Chapter 10: Comparing the Merit of Giving of the Earth Store Sutra to give a Dharma talk on the three levels of giving imparted by Earth Store Bodhisattva: namely, giving to the poor, making offerings to the Three Jewels, and transferring the merit to the realm of all phenomena (dharmadhātu).

The Venerable emphasized that transferring merit is an advanced practice of giving. Because Dharma centers uphold the Three Jewels, we have the opportunity to dissolve our vexations and reveal the light of our own nature through learning the Buddhadharma. Therefore, all the merit of our practices should be transferred to the worlds of the ten directions. Meanwhile, dedicating merits helps us to uproot our jealous and discriminating thoughts, as well as transform the bigotry, darkness, and disturbance in our mind into openness, joy, and warmth. This is a simple and feasible practice that can immediately help us tame our own mind. The Venerable encouraged everyone to transfer merit with gratitude at the end of their practice every day, so that the practice can facilitate the attainment of peace for all sentient beings.

The Compassionate Samadhi Water Repentance Dharma Assembly was held on August 4^th. In addition to the development of the repentance practice, the Venerable mentioned that in the Buddha's time, Buddhist monastics performed the Karmavachana on a semi-monthly basis to repent their mistakes in physical, verbal, and mental actions. Due to practitioners' need for intensive spiritual cultivation, the repentance practice of Mahayana Buddhism has become even more extensive and subtle. By practicing it, one can repent one by one all the afflictive hindrances, karmic hindrances, and retributive hindrances throughout the past, present and future. Such repentance practice manifests the profound compassion in Mahayana Buddhism.


Afterward, based on the Samantabhadra Meditation Sutra (佛說觀普賢菩薩行法經), the Venerable introduced the "Repentance of the Karma of Six Senses for Eliminating the Sins" (六根懺悔滅罪法) and the "Five Kinds of Repentance of a Bodhisattva" (菩薩五懺悔法), which includes repentance, beseeching the turning of Dharma wheel, rejoicing in all good, transferring the merit, and making vows to attain Bodhi. Other Buddhist practices also can help to eliminate heavy vexations, such as reciting the Buddhas' names, making prostrations, taking the Three Refuges, making offerings to the Three Jewels, and reciting and transcribing the Mahayana sutras. These practices can further help us to cultivate our meditative concentration, subdue our vexations, and develop in our wisdom.

In addition to attending repentance Dharma assemblies, the Venerable recommended a significant and practical method – the orientated repentance, which means to repent to the person we have harmed and vow never to do it again. The people we are most likely to harm are usually our closest family members and colleagues. The Venerable reminded everyone that the causes and conditions for people to be a family in this life must accumulate over numerous lifetimes, so we should cherish it. She encouraged us to put aside our pride and muster the courage to practice orientated repentance to our parents, children, and coworkers. In this way, families will be more harmonious and the society will be more stable as a whole.

At the completion of the Dharma assembly, the Venerable sincerely thanked all the monastic members, volunteers, and practitioners who engaged in and supported the event. She also hoped that everyone would earnestly devote themselves to the Buddhist practices they find suitable and attain Buddhahood together.



Original Chinese text and photos / Dharma Drum Vancouver Center
Translation / Li Siang-ling
Editing / Keith Brown, YKL