Buddha Dharma dispels pain and sorrow

Abbess Manshin –

Buddha’s Birthday is a joyous occasion at which people come together to bathe the Little Deity. In front of the compassionate Buddha, we sincerely pray for the disasters and wars around us to cease and disappear.

In the past year, countries around the world had to not only face the challenges of global warming but also experience extremities in weather conditions.

The four seasons of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter seem to have lost their bearings, causing havoc with the weather.

After many years of silence under the destruction by humankind, the Earth, which we have placed the most reliance for our survival, is now protesting.

Nature’s outburst

These protests are leading to continuous earthquakes and floods in many places.

As the top of the animal kingdom, humankind should have appreciated each other and worked together to overcome these natural disasters. However, the civil wars in the Middle East and Africa have forced many refugees to seek asylum in Europe.

Looking at these life changing international calamities, it is really difficult to reconcile these events with the wisdom of humankind. We sincerely wish that we are able to utilise the compassion of the Buddha Dharma to dispel these pains and sorrows.

We also hope that the intrinsic quality of love and peace in everyone will be released.

With a heart filled with gratitude and appreciation, let us love each and every one on Earth and treasure our natural resources. With a heart filled with selflessness and equality, let us accept and care for those who are suffering.

Shining Light

On this Buddha’s Birthday, we pray for the Buddha’s light to shine across the Earth and the Dharma water to soothe and nourish all sentient beings. Blessings to everyone who is present today and especially to the warriors who are fighting for their survival.

Manshin is the Abbess at Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple located at 16 Stancombe Road, Flatbush, East Auckland. The above is an edited version of her speech at Buddha’s Birthday Multicultural Festival for World Peace held at the Temple on Sunday, May 8, 2016. More than 1000 people attended the Ceremony among who were Auckland Mayor Len Brown, Member of Parliament Jami-Lee Ross, Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy, Taipei Economic & Cultural Office Auckland Director General Dr Chung-hsing Chou, Festival Organisation Committee Chairman Steven Lintao Yu, Police Inspector Rakesh Naidoo, Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand General Secretary Ibrar Sheikh, Multicultural Business Council Chairman Wenceslaus Antony and other community leaders.

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