​Local Officials in North Coast Attended DDM Water and Land Dharma Service

From November 23^rd to 30^th, 2024, Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) is holding its 17^th Great Compassion Water and Land Dharma Service at DDM World Center for Buddhist Education in Taiwan. On November 23^rd at 3:00 p.m., DDM Abbot President Ven. Guo Huei (果暉法師) led DDM Sangha and nearly a thousand devotees to recite the Great Compassion Mantra (Nīlakaṇṭha Dhāraṇī) and perform the sprinkling ritual for purification, in the hopes that all sentient beings of the ten directions in the Dharmadhātu can gain benefits from Buddhist teachings during the Dharma assembly.

This week, tens of thousands of devotees are expected to participate in the Dharma assembly to wish that all sentient beings leave sufferings behind and attain happiness. A wide range of Buddhist scriptures are recited during the Dharma assembly, including the Brahmajāla Sūtra, Liang Emperor's Repentance, Platform Sūtra, Śūraṅgama Sūtra, Heart Sūtra, Chapter of the Universal Gate of the Lotus Sutra, Kṣitigarbha Sūtra (also known as the Earth Store Sutra), Medicine Master Sutra, Amitâbha Sūtra, Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra, and Lotus Sutra. 

On November 25^th, 10:00 a.m., the Dharma service was attended by local officials, including Director Liu Chang-song (劉昌松) of the Jinshan District, Director Huang Pang-mian (黃雱勉) of the Wanli District, Director Lai Shiau-ping (賴小萍) of the Sanzhi District, Director Chen Ming-huei (陳明惠) of the Shimen District, Secretary Tsai Zhi-ying (蔡智穎) to the Mayor of Keelung City, as well as President Tzeng Ji-chiun (曾濟群) of DDM Community University. After the Dharma service, they had a conversation over tea with Ven. Guo Huei, expressing their gratitude to DDM for their cooperation with the local governments in providing disaster recovery service in the North Coast region after Typhoon Krathon and Typhoon Kong-rey hit. Ven. Guo Huei, on behalf of the Sangha and the local devotees, thanked the local officials for their dedication. Ven. Guo Huei also invited them to join DDM's Lunar New Year's Eve Bell Ringing Ceremony to pray for the blessing of the world.

To encourage participation, live online streaming of the Dharma service is offered during DDM's 2024 Great Compassion Water and Land Dharma Service at its branch monasteries in Taiwan as well as at overseas Dharma centers in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Vancouver. The 8-day Water and Land Dharma Service will be completed with a dedication of merits on November 30^th.



Original Chinese text / Chang Yao-chung (張曜鐘), Fu Li-xian (傅莉嫻)
Photos / Fan Lee (李東陽), Chang Yao-chung (張曜鐘), Fu Li-xian (傅莉嫻), Li Jia-Chun (李佳純), Hsu Chao-yi (許朝益)
Video / Fu Li-xian (傅莉嫻)
Translation / Li Siang-ling
Editing / Keith Brown, YKL