​DDM Massachusetts Buddhist Association Held the Earth Store Dharma Assembly for Tomb Sweeping Day to Honor the Spirit of Filial Piety

Tomb Sweeping Day, also known as Ching Ming Festival, is an event observed by Chinese communities – which traditionally consists in honoring the ancestors by cleaning their gravesites and paying homage to them. On this occasion, Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) Massachusetts Buddhist Association held the Ching Ming Earth Store Dharma Assembly for Expressing Gratitude on March 29^th, 2025. More than 40 participants joined the assembly and dedicated merits to their ancestors and deceased family members and all sentient beings. On the following day (March 30^th), Ven. Chang Hwa (常華法師), Director of Chan Meditation Center, was invited to give a Dharma talk on the "Earth Store Bodhisattva's Dharma approach" to expound on the spirit of filial piety in the Earth Store Sutra – the Buddhist scripture of filial piety. 

Ven. Chang Hwa led everyone to comprehend how both understanding and practice can mutually enhance the other when applying the Earth Store Bodhisattva's Dharma approach. The Venerable first encouraged everyone to attentively recite the scripture so that they can generate bodhicitta by emulating Earth Store Bodhisattva. She explained that the common saying of "veneration of the deceased parents and ancestors" among the Chinese community comes from the Confucian Analects, which says, "Be conscientious about the funeral rites to parents, and commemorate the long gone. The virtue of the people will thereby resume its proper excellence." This means that Chinese people believe that one should express their filial piety by conscientiously conducting parents' funerals in accordance with etiquette and sincerely commemorate their ancestors when making offerings to them.

Ven. Chang Hwa also pointed out that, as shown in the stories of the Brahmin girl and the bright-eye daughter in the Earth Store Sutra, filial piety is the main reason that inspired Earth Store Bodhisattva to make the great vows. As we ceaselessly transmigrate in the suffering sea of samsara, all sentient beings have once been our parents. Following this line of thinking, we should seize the invaluable opportunity to be born as a human being by cultivating virtue and establishing good relationships with all sentient beings, treating them with the same filial piety that we have toward our parents. In her Dharma talk, Ven. Chang Hwa correlated the three sutras on Earth Store Bodhisattva with "vows, understanding, and practice" as a framework for practicing Earth Store Bodhisattva's Dharma approach. Based on the faith and vows in the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Purvapranidhana Sutra (The Sutra on the Former Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva), we can further understand what traps us in samsara and how we can be freed from it and realize the true reality through spiritual cultivation. 

During and after the lecture, many participants asked questions to better understand the ways to practice the Earth Store Bodhisattva's Dharma approach, as well as how we can face up to various issues in our lives with the spirit of Earth Store Bodhisattva. Ven. Chang Hwa shared an excerpt from the Dasacakra Ksitigarbha Sutra, "[Earth Store Bodhisattva is] patient and unmoving like the vast earth; meditating in deep contemplation like a secret store." The metaphor of the vast earth and a secret store represents forbearance and piety respectively. Only when we cultivate ourselves by treating our parents, family members, and all the people around us with such wisdom and compassion can spiritual cultivation be meaningful. 

On the completion of the Ching Ming Earth Store Dharma Assembly, everyone dedicated merits to wish a favorable rebirth for their ancestors, peace and longevity for their family and friends, and blessings for our vulnerable and fragile environment. In addition, they prayed for all sentient beings in all dharma-realms to leave sufferings behind and attain happiness as they realize enlightenment. Finally, the Venerable encouraged everyone to cherish all the favorable and unfavorable causes and conditions, aspiring to dedicate ourselves to benefiting all sentient beings. 



Original Chinese text / Dharma Drum Mountain Massachusetts Buddhist Association
Photos / Dharma Drum Mountain Massachusetts Buddhist Association, Hou Jing-hua (侯靜華)
Translation / Li Siang-ling
Editing / Keith Brown, YKL