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Teaching of the month - Jul 2017

HOW TO CELEBRATE KUAN YIN FESTIVAL

01YangLiu GuanYin

OM MANI PADME HUM

Let the festival be celebrated with love and compassion. Let the prayers be for the benefit of many. Make it a very meaningful day to those who are participating in it.

Make it a point to pray for the happiness of the people in this country, wishing all harmony and prosperity. Then as they pray extend this feeling towards the neighbouring countries and regions, then the whole world. Spend time in contemplation seriously recognising the ills of the world and the great sufferings of all people. Seeing this state of woe and knowing that unless they have the causes of happiness, the future will be bleak indeed. But all of them are in a state of ignorance, being such, they will cause more and more causes of sorrows and lamentations for the future. They do not know how to go about seeking and cultivating causes of happiness, so it is the duty of those who know to do so for them.

Who are those who know the method of generating the causes of happiness for others? They are those who are on the Bodhisattva Path, those who have knowledge of the Dharma and are actively doing the task of removing misery from the lives of many. This day is a great opportunity for those who have such a noble aspiration to gather together, to hold a day of prayers to generate a powerful energy that will be a boon to many. It is a day of active participation of the generation of this energy of compassion. It becomes a totally selfless day for them and they will be experiencing the flow of love, from their minds to those of others. In order to set their motivation right and to raise their spirit, concentrate more on the happiness and prosperity of the people of this country. May their energy cause others to be happy and joyous. May their effort be fruitful and may they cause others to practise that what they are trying to practise.

To take part in this day’s celebration is extremely meritorious. They are learning how to care, to feel and to wish others well without being noticed of their efforts. This is the way to win the love of the Lords on high. It is not by mere offerings and piety that touch the hearts of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, it is how selfless and how much energy that one has expanded in his daily actions to benefit others, that will be judged. Being a devotee of a Buddha is to try to act as one, not to be seen as one. Being one who uses the Great Compassionate Dharani, one must naturally be truly compassionate, and cultivating the Mani Prayer is to develop the Universal heart of Kuan Shih Yin. All that one wishes for, from Kuan Yin, one must also wish for others, wishing that one’s mind be fully understood by Kuan Yin, one should similarly seek such blessings for all beings. No one need to judge how good or kind a person is, neither will Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. There is no judge, there needs not be any judging. To be good, kind, noble, righteous, selfless and compassionate is already expected!

Wednesday, 9th July 1986 (6th Moon 3rd Day)
(Kuan Yin Festival – Friday, 25th July 1986)

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