​Dharma Drum Mountain Hong Kong Centre Held the 7-Day "City Ksitigarbha Week Dharma Assembly"

Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) Hong Kong Centre held a 7-Day "City Ksitigarbha Week Dharma Assembly" from August 11^th, 2024. The event, full of believers with Dharma joy, concluded successfully on August 17^th. During the assembly, participants chanted the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra and made Grand Offerings before the Buddha in the morning, followed by the recitation of the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Repentance and merit dedication in the afternoon. The final day of the assembly coincided with the important Buddhist festival of Ullambana. Participants not only prayed for blessings for their own families, but also for those suffering from war and disasters, as well as for beings in lower realms to have their karmic obstacles purified, thereby seeking the Buddha's compassion to help alleviate suffering.

The event attracted nearly 3,000 people, with almost half of the attendees in the main hall participating throughout the entire event. Some were introduced to the Ksitigarbha Sutra for the first time through this event, thereby starting their connection with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. Venerable Guo Pin (果品法師), the Vice Abbot of Dharma Drum Mountain, encouraged everyone to emulate the spirit of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and to follow the boundless compassion of Master Sheng Yen, continuing the unfinished work of Ksitigarbha and Master Sheng Yen and protecting the Dharma throughout many lifetimes.

Venerable Guo Pin mentioned how pleased he was to see the scale of the Hong Kong Centre today. Reflecting back to 1996 when he followed Master Sheng Yen to Hong Kong to spread the Dharma, he recalled how they had to arrange various items, utilize school premises for events, rent large trucks, and borrow cushions, tables, and chairs. Then, with the help of the followers, they carried equipment up the stairs to set up the venue together. Though the process was arduous, it was their dedication that led to such a solemn Dharma center in Hong Kong, welcoming people to learn Buddhist teachings. On behalf of Dharma Drum Mountain monastic community, Venerable Guo Pin expressed his gratitude to the followers for their support, as well as to the founding members who, who against all odds, established the Hong Kong Centre in its early days.

Fung Mei-ji (馮美儀), a volunteer of the meditation team, said that since her father passed away in July, she vowed to participate fully in the assembly. By chanting and dedicating merits, she hoped to plant the seed of Buddhahood (bīja) for her father and prevent him from falling into lower realms. After work each day, she came to chant the scripture. She occasionally used the methods of Chan practice to combat fatigue, keeping herself clear and relaxed at all times. She expressed gratitude for the teachings of Venerable Yan Jiu (演究法師), encouraging everyone to diligently study and resolve doubts using the scriptures, in addition to emphasizing that cultivation requires personal effort.

A first-time participant, A-kai (阿啟), shared that with the loss of a loved one during the Covid-19 pandemic, he thought that many people passed away around the world due to the pandemic over the past few years and, therefore, wanted to offer his blessings. A friend introduced him to the Centre for chanting and dedication. The description of hell in the sutra deeply shocked him, but the text also listed many benefits of practice, filling him with hope.

Coi-ha (彩霞), a student of the Senior Program of Hong Kong Centre, attended every day, joining study sessions followed by evening chanting, thereby showing great diligence. She humbly said that although she is not very highly educated, she had learned to chant at the center, feeling great Dharma joy and gratitude for the blessings of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.



Original Chinese text / Publicity Team of Dharma Drum Mountain Hong Kong Centre
Photos / Tam Chyu-sek (譚柱石), Wong Zi-hao (王子豪)
Translation / Anne (麗萍)
Editing / Keith Brown, YKL