DDM Massachusetts Buddhist Association Joined Group Practice of Liang Emperor's Repentance via Live Stream

From November 23^rd to 30^th, 2024, Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) held the Great Compassion Water and Land Dharma Service at DDM World Center for Buddhist Education in Taiwan. Since November 25th EST, DDM Massachusetts Buddhist Association in Boston had broadcasted the livestreamed ritual of the Liang Emperor's Repentance held at Grand Hall of the Great Compassion Water and Land Dharma Service in order to sustain a six-day group practice. The ritual was completed on the morning of December 1^st, with the merits of the group practice dedicated to all sentient beings in the Dharmadhātu.

It has been years since the last time that Massachusetts Buddhist Association joined the Water and Land Dharma Service via livestream. The devotees joyfully participated in the Dharma service, while the volunteers also committed themselves to various tasks to ensure the success of the Dharma service. During the group practice, the on-site devotees followed the liturgy accordingly. Under the guidance of the timekeeper, they chanted the Budddhas' names, recited verses of praise, repented, and made vows with sincerity and respect.

The 10-chapter-long scripture of the Liang Emperor's Repentance contains the name of 1,275 buddhas, and over 2,000 prostrations were performed during its repentance ritual. The timekeeper led the participants in making vows at the first session of each day to remind themselves of the invaluable opportunity to be born as a human this life, in addition to the causes and conditions for virtuous karmic roots that allow them to cultivate spirituality. Then, with gratitude, joy and compassion, participants mindfully devoted their bodies and minds to the chanting of the buddha's name and the repentance liturgy. In addition to repenting for themselves, participants also repented on behalf of their karmic creditors throughout the eons, as well as all sentient beings in the six states of existence. While making prostrations over and over again, the devotees not only purified the mistakes committed through their physical, verbal, and mental activities in eons under the blessing of buddhas and bodhisattvas, but also dedicated the merit to all sentient beings, in the hopes that they can leave suffering behind and attain happiness.

Every day at noon, Massachusetts Buddhist Association livestreamed Chan Meditation Center's Dharma talk delivered by DDM Vice Abbess Ven. Guo Goang (果廣法師). On the first day, Ven. Guo Goang pointed out that, as the foremost among all repentance liturgies, Liang Emperor's Repentance recounts various unwholesome karmic activities that sentient beings engage in. By following the liturgy of Liang Emperor's Repentance, the participants had the opportunity to repent their unwholesome karmic activities one by one without reservation, like making a year-end deep mental cleaning that reaches every corner of the mind.

Since the Water and Land Dharma Service coincided with Thanksgiving Day in the US, Ven. Guo Goang also emphasized the importance of gratitude. Buddhism talks about showing gratitude to four kindnesses: namely, the kindness of the Three Jewels, parents, all beings, and one's nation. When we have achieved something, we should be grateful rather than taking it for granted. Spiritual practice aims to cultivate our mind, and a grateful mind is one of the virtuous mental factors. When each and every one of our thoughts corresponds to virtuous mental factors, we are able to transform our greed, aversion, and delusion arising with the notion of self into the wisdom of no-self (anātman). Ven. Guo Goang encouraged everyone to keep the common teachings of all buddhas in mind – "refrain from doing any evil, practice all good deeds, and purify your own mind." She suggested that we work on our mind by observing every thought that arises in our mind as well as repenting once we are aware of our unwholesome karmic activities. That is how we can eradicate afflictions and sufferings, thereby leading our life to ultimate peace and happiness.

After participating in the Liang Emperor's Repentance Ritual, the devotees were filled with Dharma joy, indicating that they would keep Ven. Guo Goang's words in mind to cultivate blessings and wisdom by correcting their past mistakes and continuing their practice into the future. In the end, all the participants vowed and dedicated the merits of practicing the liturgy of the Liang Emperor's Repentance to beings in ten directions in the hopes of world peace, the elimination of disasters, and sentient beings leaving suffering behind with the attainment of happiness.



Photos and original Chinese text / Dharma Drum Mountain Massachusetts Buddhist Association
Translation / Li Siang-ling
Editing / Keith Brown, YKL