Grand Ceremony Held at Shengji Temple on Sunday, Praying for World Peace and National Prosperity#
Shengji Temple held a celebration of the "Namo Guan Yin Bodhisattva Birthday Ceremony" on Sunday.
Under the leadership of Venerable Ruohui, the ceremony recited the "Guan Yin Bodhisattva Universal Door Chapter" and held a grand offering in front of the Buddha.
The ceremony was fully attended, with local residents and believers actively participating.
(Reporter Wang Dongliang/Los Angeles Report) Shengji Temple in Southern California held a grand "Namo Guan Yin Bodhisattva Birthday Ceremony" on Sunday, attracting the participation and attention of many believers. The event was jointly organized by the World Buddhist Headquarters, Shengji Temple, and Shengge Lecture Hall, and invited Venerable Shengde from Huazang Temple as the presiding monk. The event was fully attended, and the believers actively participated, experiencing the power of faith and practice.
Under the leadership of Venerable Ruohui, the attending lay devotees recited the "Guan Yin Bodhisattva Universal Door Chapter" and held a grand offering in front of the Buddha, praying for the protection of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, world peace, and national prosperity. The temple also provided a list for disaster relief and blessings, allowing believers to pray for their own and their family's well-being and health.
Venerable Ruohui said in an interview, "Due to the extreme climate change in recent years, natural disasters have occurred frequently around the world, coupled with the impact of wars, causing suffering and pain to humans and other beings. They are in desperate need of help to get out of their predicament. Namo Guan Yin Bodhisattva is the king of great compassion, with wonderful wisdom and supernatural powers, universally responding to the ten directions of the world, relieving the suffering of the masses, and fulfilling their wishes. Therefore, if we can generate faith and follow the teachings of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas, refrain from doing evil, practice good deeds, and frequently recite the sacred mantra, we will definitely receive the blessings and protection of Namo Guan Yin Bodhisattva and all the Buddha and Bodhisattvas, and be free from disasters and difficulties, and everything will go well."
The temple stated that in the infinite past kalpas, Guan Yin Bodhisattva, through the practice of reversing the hearing of the ear roots, achieved "ear roots' perfection," and could hear the sounds of the Dharma realm and rescue sentient beings from the sea of suffering, hence the name "Guan Yin." In the well-known "Universal Door Chapter," the Buddha personally spoke of the great divine power and spiritual response of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, making it a wonderful treasure for many Buddhist practitioners to pray for blessings. Guan Yin Bodhisattva has made a great vow that as long as sentient beings sincerely recite the name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, Guan Yin Bodhisattva will respond to their calls for help. Therefore, the miracles of Guan Yin's manifestation and salvation have been continuous since ancient times. In fact, when we treat others or animals in need with the great compassion of Namo Guan Yin Bodhisattva, and help them stay away from hunger and harm, we are truly practicing and learning from Guan Yin Bodhisattva, and in the future, we will also cultivate the great compassion of Guan Yin Bodhisattva.
Ms. Guo, who participated in the ceremony, told reporters, "I am very grateful to have the opportunity to hear the Dharma sound of Namo the Third Dharma King Dorje Chang, and I have learned that the principles of Buddhism should be applied in daily life. After volunteering at the temple, I didn't expect my work to go more smoothly."
Vietnamese overseas Chinese Jacky and his mother volunteered for the ceremony. He also shared his experience of participating in the "Joining Hands for Good Deeds, Warming Hearts" donation event held by Shengji Temple during the Lunar New Year, where he saw the selfless dedication of donors and volunteers and the gratitude expressed by the receiving groups, which deeply inspired him.