[美新社洛杉磯訊] On June 30th and July 1st, the World Buddhist Headquarters, Shengji Temple, Huazang Temple, Charity Temple, and Shengge Lecture Hall held two grand and solemn ceremonies to welcome the birth of the third generation of the Namo Dajieqiang Buddha and the publication of the "Namo Dajieqiang Buddha Sutra Collection" at the Glendale City Hall in Los Angeles County, California. Buddhist disciples from all over the world gathered to celebrate the birth of the world's Buddhist Pope, the Namo Dajieqiang Buddha, and the publication of the sutra collection that speaks the Dharma for the sentient beings of this world.
During the two-day ceremony, more than a thousand Buddhist disciples from various states in the United States, as well as from China, Germany, Japan, Canada, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Peru, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other countries and regions, including venerables, masters, Rinpoche, Acharya, Dharma teachers, and lay practitioners, attended the event, filling the entire city hall. This welcoming ceremony will have a profound impact on all sentient beings, clearly pointing out an important path to liberation from birth and death!
Upon entering the venue of the event, the first thing that catches the eye is the giant statue of the Namo Dajieqiang Buddha in the center of the Dharma platform, holding the scepter of the world's Buddhist Pope. The left and right sides of the Buddha statue are decorated with Buddhist banners, flags, curtains, jewels, and treasures. The offering table is filled with Dharma instruments, fresh flowers, incense, candles, offerings, pastries, and mandalas. The entire Dharma platform is arranged in a colorful and radiant manner, with golden light shimmering and candles shining brightly, creating a magnificent and solemn atmosphere!
On June 30th, the ceremony to welcome the publication of the "Namo Dajieqiang Buddha Sutra Collection" began at 10 o'clock in the morning. Under the call of the emcee, the seven groups of Buddhist disciples on the left and right sides of the Dharma platform respectfully bowed towards the red carpet in the middle. The first to enter was a procession of dozens of ordained monks and nuns, walking with a slow and dignified pace, striking the Dharma instruments in their hands, leading the crowd in chanting the "Namo Dajieqiang Buddha" mantra. The sound of the mantra, along with the sound of bells, drums, gongs, and Dharma instruments, resounded throughout the hall, filling the air with sacred music and touching the hearts of the people!
Following that, Venerable Mozhi, the chairman of the World Buddhist Headquarters, carried the incense case, while Venerable Zhai Mang and Venerable Bodhi Winturu carried the scripture palanquin of the "Namo Dajieqiang Buddha Sutra Collection". Accompanied by a male monk holding a yellow parasol, they ascended the central staircase to the Dharma platform. Venerable Zhai Mang, on behalf of the Namo Dajieqiang Buddha, placed the first three published scriptures of the "Namo Dajieqiang Buddha Sutra Collection" on the Dharma table: the first volume "Teachings of the Eastern Journey", the second volume "Teachings for Disciples on the Journey", and the third volume "The True Meaning of the Heart Sutra". They also offered a pure white scarf.
Then, to the melodious Buddhist music, the procession of offering teams, each holding offerings, slowly entered and ascended the Dharma platform to make offerings in front of the Buddha. After the offerings were made, the blessing ceremony of the ceremony officially began. The bells and drums rang together, and the attendees bowed to the Buddha three times. After the sacred Dharma practice, the congregation chanted the "Great Offering Before the Buddha" together. On the occasion of the publication of the "Namo Dajieqiang Buddha Sutra Collection", Buddhist believers in the audience expressed their gratitude and admiration, offering their merits through welcoming, praising, offering, and practicing the Dharma, thanking the Namo Dajieqiang Buddha for teaching the true Dharma and saving sentient beings from suffering.
The Namo Dajieqiang Buddha is the second officially recognized Buddha in the history of the world. The previous Buddha was the Namo Shakyamuni Buddha, who was born more than 2,500 years ago in India. At that time, the Namo Shakyamuni Buddha, as a Bodhisattva of Equal Enlightenment, descended to the world of Saha and became a Buddha in this world. On the other hand, the Namo Dajieqiang Buddha is not a Buddha who attained enlightenment in any sentient world. He is the Buddha who directly descended as the Dharmakaya Buddha, the primordial Buddha of the Dharma realm. Therefore, the Namo Dajieqiang Buddha is the only Buddha legitimately recognized in the whole world since the Nirvana of the Namo Shakyamuni Buddha, and he is the highest leader of world Buddhism. At the same time, he is also the only Buddha in the history of Buddhism who has left the most complete and supreme evidence of "comprehensive understanding of the five wisdoms" and achieved the ultimate realization.
More than 2,500 years ago, the Namo Shakyamuni Buddha attained supreme enlightenment (became a Buddha) under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India. The Namo Shakyamuni Buddha taught the Dharma for 49 years, imparting 84,000 Dharma gates. Shortly after the Nirvana of the Shakyamuni Buddha, the venerable Mahakasyapa convened a gathering of 500 Arhats at the Seven Leaves Cave on Mount Gridhrakuta in Rajgir, where the first collection of Buddhist scriptures in history was compiled. At that time, the scriptures were orally recited by the venerables Ananda and Upali based on their memory of the Buddha's teachings and the established precepts. After being unanimously confirmed by the Arhats present, the content of the earliest Buddhist scriptures and Vinaya was established, known as the "First Council" in the history of Buddhism. In the following period, the patriarchs of later generations wrote commentaries and explanations on the meaning of the scriptures, gradually forming the Abhidharma Pitaka, which was added to the original Sutra and Vinaya, forming the threefold canon.
According to historical records of Buddhism, it was not until the third compilation after the Nirvana of the Shakyamuni Buddha that the content of the canon was first inscribed on palm leaves in written form, preserving the written scriptures. This was more than 200 years after the Nirvana of the Shakyamuni Buddha.
In the history of the propagation of the Dharma, the Tripitaka was successively translated into many different languages of different countries. This inevitably led to problems of misinterpretation and mistranslation during the translation and printing process. In addition, when emperors of different dynasties, modern Buddhist institutions, and academic institutions recompiled the Tripitaka, they mistakenly included pseudo-canons, heretical doctrines, and non-Buddhist teachings, leading to confusion and difficulty in distinguishing between the correct and the false in the doctrines of various Buddhist sects in the Dharma-ending period.
During many years of propagating and benefiting sentient beings, the Namo Dajieqiang Buddha has given more than 2,000 Dharma teachings and published Buddhist scriptures such as "Debates between Monastics and Laypeople," "Commentary on the Heart Sutra of Prajnaparamita," "The True Meaning of the Heart Sutra," "Essence of Buddhism," "Commentary on the Ancestor Bodhidharma's Treatise," "What is Cultivation," "Understanding the Meaning Sutra," "Great Liberation Seal of the Supreme Holy," "Learning Buddhism," and other precious Buddhist books. These books not only reveal the truth of the universe and life, but also clarify the correct principles of Buddhism from the basic to the advanced stages. Moreover, they are authentic and directly relevant to the language of today's sentient beings, allowing the profound to understand its profundity and the shallow to understand its shallowness. At the same time, the Namo Dajieqiang Buddha has corrected the misinterpretations of the scriptures by past patriarchs and translators, exposed the chaos in Buddhism in the Dharma-ending period, and pointed out the necessary path to achieve liberation and enlightenment. That is, "one must have cultivation as the foundation, and after cultivating well, then study the Dharma, naturally achieving liberation"!
The "Namo Dajieqiang Buddha Sutra Collection" is mainly based on the written records of the Dharma teachings spoken by the Namo Dajieqiang Buddha, and includes all the scriptures, poems, and works of the Buddha. Venerable Zhai Mang said in his speech at the ceremony, "The publication of the 'Namo Dajieqiang Buddha Sutra Collection' is not only a manifestation of our gratitude and nostalgia for the Namo Dajieqiang Buddha, but more importantly, countless sentient beings will attain liberation through studying the 'Namo Dajieqiang Buddha Sutra Collection'! It can be said with certainty that the 'Namo Dajieqiang Buddha Sutra Collection' will be the fundamental guide for all Buddhists to achieve liberation! The 'Namo Dajieqiang Buddha Sutra Collection' contains the essence and essential teachings of all three baskets of Buddhism, including precepts, knowledge, practice, and cultivation, whether it is Theravada, Mahayana, or Vajrayana, whether it is sentient beings, Arhats, or Bodhisattvas. The Namo Dajieqiang Buddha has pointed out the most direct and fastest direction for us. Moreover, even if it is any one of the volumes, if we study it diligently and practice it sincerely, once we delve into it, it will definitely lead us to liberation."
In the afternoon of the ceremony, the congregation, based on the pre-order book list provided by Dharma Voice Publishing and American Art Publishing, orderly received the reserved scriptures and the "King Lotus Collection" art album. The organizers stated that after the ceremony, those who wish to purchase the "Sutra Collection" can contact the publishing house through email ([email protected]) and purchase the series of scriptures in the United States, Taiwan, and other locations.
After the completion of the ceremony, the high monks of the World Buddhist Headquarters sprinkled blessed water on the congregation, and every believer present felt purified and filled with joy, praying together for the perpetuation of the "Namo Dajieqiang Buddha Sutra Collection," the liberation of sentient beings, the eternal presence of the true Dharma, and the continuous turning of the Dharma wheel!