20230514淨智莊嚴慶佛誕Uniting Our Hearts to Pray for the World on Buddha Day
Today is the Buddha Day, Mother's Day, and also Global Tzu Chi Day. For over 57 years, Master Cheng Yen has been guiding Tzu Chi volunteers across the globe to work for Buddhism and for all living beings with the mindset of benefitting all with the Dharma. With a heart of joy, let us begin the 2023 Buddha Day Ceremony.
We'll now invite the Dharma masters of the Jing Si Abode to lead us in the Buddha Day Ceremony. With respect, we bow to the Buddha's feet. Let us receive the Bodhi Leaf. Blessings and well wishes to all.
Oh, I'm so grateful. The heavenly beings have bestowed us with rain. It nourishes the land; it cools down and refreshes our earth. At this time, let us pray together and harbor gratitude at once, for over 2,500 years ago, Shakyamuni Buddha was born. He engaged in spiritual cultivation, attained enlightenment and expounded the Dharma.
Furthermore, I'm grateful to the treasure that is the sangha, who have taken the Buddha's teachings to heart and carry them out in the world to deliver all living beings. I'm also grateful that, in this world, there are people who have accepted the Dharma and use it to benefit the world.
This is why the Buddha came to the world; he came to expound the Dharma to achieve harmony among the people in the world. And so, peace will be on the Earth, and people will reside in joy and contentment. These are the goals of the Buddha's coming to the world.
Everyone, let us be grateful to the kindness of the Buddha and even more so to our parents. Today is not only the Buddha's birthday but also Mother's Day. Let us be grateful to our parents for giving us life, for raising us in peace and safety, as well as raising us to be sensible and rational.
Hence, let us harbor gratitude to our parents as well as our teachers. Let us also have gratitude to all the living beings for their kindness. In order to have harmony in the world, it is necessary for all people to purify their hearts, to eliminate their ignorance, to take in the Dharma, and to create blessings in the world.
Therefore, may we always harbor gratitude for one another, and give encouragements to one another. Let us collaborate in unity and harmony with mutual love and concerted efforts.
With today's advanced technology, I was watching volunteers around the world observing the Buddha Day with us, and I am grateful. They have all set up live feeds of their ceremony for me to see. Of my knowledge, there are volunteers in over a dozen countries and regions who are holding Buddha Day Ceremonies right now.
What we see is truly touching. At the birthplace of the Buddha, the Maya Devi Temple has opened its door to Tzu Chi volunteers. Our volunteers visited the Maya Devi Temple and paid respect o the Buddha. They are also holding a Buddha Day Ceremony outside the temple. I was touched by the solemnness of the ceremony.
I'm also very grateful that, today, volunteers around the world are celebrating the birth of the Buddha. Because of the Buddha, we are able to take in his teachings, purifying our heart, and create blessings for the world. This is very touching.
I'm grateful that the weather today is cool and refreshing. The rain from the sky nourishes all living beings and the land, making all on it flourish and the world harmonious. This is how we celebrate the Buddha's birthday today. We also pray for peace in the world, and moreover, pray for harmony in people's hearts. May Great Love forever be in this world and people cultivate both blessings and wisdom.
There are so many things to be grateful right now. At this moment, we see Tzu Chi volunteers around the world simultaneously harboring a heart of sincerity. I'm truly touched. Especially at the MayaDevi Temple in Lumbini, Tzu Chi volunteers paid their respect inside. Outside the temple, they are holding a Buddha Day ceremony. I'm grateful and no words can express my gratitude.
Volunteers, these sentiments that you have at the Buddha Day Ceremony, don't let it be only at this moment today. We are to harbor it every day. As we have this heart of gratitude and the heart of creating blessings for the world, may the heart of everyone be united and be in harmony.
People also need to harmoniously love one another. We are to spread this love around the world. What is needed more is for people to work together and help one another so that we can make our world more harmonious, more prosperous, safer, and make the weather more favorable. This is our wish, which we sincerely pray for today.
There is no way to express all my gratitude. I'm grateful and I wish the world be peaceful, people in the world be grateful to the Buddha, the Dharma and the sangha, and people in the world can love one another. I'm immensely grateful and I give everyone boundless blessings. May everyone be safe and well, create blessings for the world and cultivate both blessings and wisdom. May everyone be safe and well. Thank you.
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