The Holy Miracles Temple held the "Welcoming the Birth of the Buddha of the Lamp" ceremony on September 22
(This report) The Holy Miracles Temple in Pasadena held the "Welcoming the Birth of the Buddha of the Lamp" ceremony on the 22nd, co-hosted by the World Buddhist Headquarters, the Holy Miracles Temple, and the St. Gregory Chapel, with the esteemed Abbot of Huazang Temple, Jin Kou Yi Duan Sheng De Ruo Hui Ru Zun, serving as the main officiant.
The Buddha of the Lamp is the incarnation of the primordial Buddha, the Buddha of the Lamp, who once prophesied the future Buddhahood of Shakyamuni Buddha. He is a well-known ancient Buddha among Buddhist disciples. The site of the "Buddha of the Lamp Hall" at the Holy Miracles Temple is where the classic "True Meaning of the Heart Sutra" was first expounded by the Third Buddha of the Lamp, Dorje Chang Buddha.
On March 7, 2014, on the day of the ceremony, the Buddha descended from the void in a non-human form, showering three-colored nectar to demonstrate that the "True Meaning of the Heart Sutra" is the true teaching of the Buddha. Subsequently, the Holy Miracles Temple built the Buddha of the Lamp Hall on this auspicious site for devotees to light lamps and offer to the Buddha.
The ceremony invited the Abbot of Huazang Temple, Sheng De Ruo Hui Ru Zun, to serve as the main officiant
The ceremony commenced solemnly in the Great Hero Hall amidst the chanting of sacred verses. Under the leadership of Sheng De Ruo Hui Ru Zun and the monastic community, the attendees recited the "Diamond Sutra," led the congregation in bowing to the Buddha, and held a grand offering before the Buddha. Through this merit, they celebrated the Buddha's birthday, dedicated blessings to all beings, eliminated all ignorance and darkness, and prayed for world peace, national stability, and social harmony.
During an interview, the main officiant Ruo Hui Ru Zun stated: "The name of the Buddha of the Lamp originated from the light surrounding the Buddha at the time of his birth. Today, we hold this ceremony to celebrate the birth of the Buddha of the Lamp, lighting lamps and reciting scriptures to pray for the light of the Dharma to bring peace and auspiciousness to the world."
Ms. Tan shared during an interview after the ceremony: "Her whole family lights an annual lamp in the Buddha of the Lamp Hall at the Holy Miracles Temple, which brings them great blessings and auspiciousness in all aspects of life." Benjamin Hong said: "He truly began to understand Buddhism when his uncle was diagnosed with cancer. At that time, the whole family sought various ways to help him, and during this process, they encountered the true teachings of the Buddha. From the teachings of the Buddha of the Lamp, they gained a deep understanding of what Buddhism is. This experience helped their family through the most difficult time and led them into the Buddhist path."
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Ruo Hui Ru Zun sprinkled blessed water on the attendees.