Dharma Drum Mountain 20th Anniversary Inauguration Gratitude Ceremony - Attendees Pledged the Declaration of Pure Mind-Net Zero

October 19 at 2 p.m., Dharma Drum Mountain 20th Anniversary Inauguration Gratitude Ceremony commenced at the DDM World Center for Buddhist Education Grand Hall and Wish-Fulfilling Guanyin Hall. When the construction of the DDM World Center for Buddhist Education was completed and opened to the public in 2005, the "Rising Great Compassion" formed the spiritual guideline for the entire Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist organization. The 20th Anniversary Inauguration Gratitude Ceremony is a continuation of this spirit, guiding followers to vow and practice applying kindness, compassion and wisdom to bring blessings to all present and future sentient beings and the environment.


With the thunderous beat of the DDM Drum Team and the melodious singing of praises to Guanyin Bodhisattva by renowned singer Qi Yu (齊豫), this grand ceremony commenced by welcoming followers from all over Taiwan as well as  representatives from America, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Australia and Hong Kong back to Dharma Drum Mountain.



During the ceremony, in remembrance of his mentor Master Sheng Yen, Abbot President Ven. Guo Huei (果暉法師) explained that Master Sheng Yen's fundamental reason for establishing DDM was for the sake of the society and the world, an epitome of the spirit of the Rising Great Compassion, as well as DDM's emphasis on "Myriad Practices – Original Aspiration" for its 20th anniversary in 2025. The Abbot President hopes that all local and overseas monastics and lay followers will carry on the Master's vows, ceaselessly review their Bodhi-minds, reform themselves, and influence others through Buddhadharma.

Almost ten thousand followers of DDM monasteries and centers from around the world viewed the live broadcast online. Among the participants were: Abbot President Ven. Guo Huei, Head Monk Ven. Hui Min (惠敏法師), former Abbot President Ven. Guo Dong (果東法師), DDM pre-opening Chief Consultant Stanley Yen (嚴長壽), New Taipei City Vice Mayor Chu Tih-Ju (朱惕之), President of DDM General Association of Dharma SupportersChang Chang-pang (張昌邦), Sheng Yen Education Foundation Chairman Dr. Tsay Ching Yen (蔡清彥), DDM Dharma Practice Society Vice President Chen Mei-Ling (陳美伶), the Central Weather Administration of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications former Director Cheng Ming-Dean (鄭明典), renowned singer Alan Kuo (柯有倫), senior media person Susan Yeh (葉樹姍), DDMBA representative to the UN Ven. Chang Ji (常濟法師) and five young representatives of Global Emerging Climate Leaders--namely Alex Epstein, Ramphai Noikaew, Shephali Patel, Daniel Abreu Mejía and Reem Al Mealla. Everyone pledged the Declaration of Pure Mind-Net Zero in English and Chinese respectively, together making the great vow to uplift the character of humanity and build a pure land on earth.

Abiding by Master Sheng Yen's teaching: "Dharma Drum Mountain will endeavor in matters that benefit the world", one of the objectives of the 2025 DDM Gratitude Ceremony is to reach out to groups and individuals who are deeply concerned about the extreme climate with the proposal of choosing : "Net Zero Spiritual Living" based on kindness, compassion and wisdom, i.e. utilize "Protecting the Spiritual Environment" as a solution to the environmental crisis and restiveness of the people. Leading all the attending followers in hand-signing the message "twenty years of the Inauguration of Dharma Drum Mountain, pure mind – net zero from everyone", the Abbot President stated that this proposed global environmentalism act of "Pure Mind – Net Zero" is infused with the spiritual connotations and practical application methods of "Protecting the Spiritual Environment". He prays that every human being on earth could practice the "Five-fold Spiritual Renaissance", "Six Ethics of Mind" and "Four Kinds of Environmentalism" in their daily lives, to achieve true peacefulness and sustainable happiness for everyone.

DDM founding member Shi Jian-Chang (施建昌) was invited to the Grand Hall to guide the public in rediscovering the Buddha statues at Dharma Drum Mountain. He shared with everyone on how Master Sheng Yen, through the meticulous design of the Three Buddha Statues in the Grand Hall, thereby inspiring all the Buddhist followers to cultivate their inner treasure of kindness, compassion and wisdom. The DDM Choir and Malaysian singer Imee Ooi (黃慧音) performed the songs "Dharma Drum Mountain", "My Blessings for You" and "The Common Endeavor of Buddhists". Master Sheng Yen encouraged the DDM Choir members to practice these three songs. In return they sang out their gratitude to him and all the supporting followers of DDM.
Before the successful completion of the ceremony, the voice of DDM Founder Master Sheng Yen was broadcasted throughout the Dharma Drum Mountain World Center for Buddhist Education with his message to everyone: "This is your Dharma Drum Mountain. Perhaps you may think that your contribution is meager and insignificant, but it is the combination of everyone's smaller contributions or greater contributions that resulted in today's Dharma Drum Mountain". The DDM monastics, on behalf of Founder Master Sheng Yen, presented his calligraphic copies of "The Great Treasure Mountain" to all the followers as mutual encouragement to propagate the ideal of DDM, to cultivate blessings for oneself as well as to sow the seeds of great hope for generations to come. DDM sincerely hopes that everyone would shoulder the important mission of passing on DDM's ideal to the next generation.



Original text in Chinese: Chang, Yao-Chung (張曜鐘)
Photos: Public Relations and Communications Office (公關文宣室)
Translation: Cheng-yu Chang (張振郁)
 Editing: Keith Brown, YKL