Repentance Ceremony on Lunar June 14th , Goat Year

In the late afternoon of July 29th , 2015 ( Lunar June 14th Goat Year), thousands of Buddhists came and visited Hoang Phap monastery for the monthly Repentance ceremony.

Before starting Great Fame citation ceremony, Junior Venerable Thich Tam Dai, the monk of Hoang Phap monastery, gave attendees a sermon called “Expressing Compassion.”

 

In daily life, we have established so many relationships with parents, children, siblings, spouses, etc. Most of them were conditionally controlled under karmic power.

 

Without causes and the control of karmic power, it would have been bound the affection that has been hardly formed. However, they brought to conscious beings anxiety, unpleasantness, and desire to own things but people might be worried about losing their belongs in their hands. Thus, the affection could not be separated from our ego, and it worked for the benefit of ourselves.

 

Contrasting with love from the earthen world is was the world beyond this, which is called Great Compassion. It was read in the Huynh Phu So’s poem:

 

“I had an affectionate love

Loving life, and the whole country,

Spreading out to the universe

Not just for someone beautiful

 

If the lady wants to be loved

Please change the mind

Open the heart to all beings

My love is there, in the loving world...”

 

In order to raise compassion, according to Compassionate heart sutra, a Buddhist should follows 5 steps:

 

1.      Open our heart to the unfamiliar people and show our compassion to them.

2.      Open our heart to the acquaintances surrounding us we have neglected.

3.      Open our heart to the ones we have showed hatred.

4.      Open our heart to big animals, tiny creatures, all the invisible devil, all living beings in brutal hell.

5.      Pray that wherever conscious beings exist, our compassion which will happen there are pure, benevolence, and unconditional.

 

Someone practices these steps will gain the following great benefits:

 

1.      Get sound sleep without nightmare.

2.      Lead a peaceful life.

3.      Be lovable and commendable.

4.      Convert all the beings.

5.      Be protected by all the devas.

6.      Fire, venom, swords can not harm you.

7.      In case not becoming enlightened, after the end of life, you will resurrect to the realm of Brahma.

8.      Highly support for meditation and release.

 

For those reasons, Buddhists should get familiar with thought of compassion and raise a kind heart. Compassion ought to be considered as a treasure. We should lead a life full of this thought, put it into real life and make it as a retreat lesson. Furthermore, in order to strengthen mercy, Buddhists are advised to widen knowledge and listen more to enrich wisdom. With wisdom, we can retreat as correct doctrine of the Buddha, create benefit and happiness to ourselves and all living things.

 

After the end of the sermon, all present came to the Great Fame citation ceremony.

 

Below are some related photos: