On 15th Oct 2017, the 9th Volunteer Training Session of Nanputuo Temple
ended successfully, A grand Buddhist Lamp (light) Transmission Ritual was held
for blessing. The Most Ven. Ze Wu, who is the Abbot of Nanputuo Temple and
Mentor of Volunteers, was invited to host the ritual.
At 6:00 p.m.,
about 3,000 volunteers of Nanputuo Temple with their relatives stood orderly
both inside and outside the Mahāvīra Hall. All the participants were chanting
and sincerely welcomed the Most Ven. Ze Wu for hosting the ritual. The Most
Ven. Ze Wu delivered a guidance speech, “The light of lamp stands for the
brightness as well as for the wisdom, the transmission of light represents the
lasting existence of Dharma. Everyone would meet all kinds of suffering and
pain before the final enlightenment and those suffering and pain need wisdom to
destroy. We would also encounter lots of obstacles and need the power of Buddha
to support us. The listening and practicing of the Dharma would turn our impure
mind to a pure one and, then, only by having a pure mind, we escape from
suffering and pain and avoid to trap into
trivialities happening for us. We not only hope that the Buddhist light could
light us but also hope that it could
brighten the world and all sentient beings as well. Now, everyone has a lamp in
hand. By watching it, I hope you all could focus on current moment attentively,
observe your breathing, concentrate on your mind and body, keep the right
mindfulness and find the brightness in you. Then you can feel the acknowledgement
given by the Buddha, which is the significance of the transmission of the lamp
tonight. In this evening, we gather the right mindfulness and faith as merits
from thousands of people. We transfer
these merits back to the world, which would make the world be more solemn and
purer, also transfer these merits back to ourselves, which would assist us to
remove obstacles on the path of practicing Buddhism and reach the enlightenment
as early as possible.”
During the
solemn and peaceful ritual, the monastics
led all the participants walked circularly to worship the Buddha situated in
the square in front of the Heavenly Kings Hall. Thousands of lotus lamps were
lighted in the dark, which reflected the light of wisdom of Śākyamuni Buddha
brightening all the directions to remove the suffering and ignorance of people.
At 7:00 p.m.,
all the participants chanted the Gāthā
(Praise) of Dedication of Merits, to dedicate the merits acquired from this
ritual to sentient beings in the world.
“Lamp” is one
of the six Buddhist supplies and the Buddhists use the oil lamp to make an
offering to the Triple Gems. There are two significances of the transmission of
lamp light: first, it stands for the inheritance of the Dharma for generations
in the sentient world; second, it represents the brightness of wisdom, which
could drive out the darkness and destroy the ignorance and suffering. Moreover,
it also means the uninterrupted inheritance of light of wisdom which is the dedication
of oneself to help others. By this way, we promote the wisdom of the Buddha, loving-kindness, and compassion and bring results
of endless warmness, hope, peace, safety and happiness for sentient beings.
