Unforgettable Christmas Celebration – Goddess of Mercy Temple 2013

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In honor of Christmas, New Years and the Birthday of Amitabha Buddha Guang Huan Mi Zong and the World Culture and Art Association held a fantastic Christmas celebration in the newly renovated Goddess of Mercy temple located in Amsterdam NY.

 

For weeks preceding the big day the team at GHMZ worked tirelessly to prepare the venue and performances. The decorations of the temple projected simultaneously spiritual splendor and holiday festivity. Of note were 3 spectacular new chandeliers, suspended gracefully from the tall ceiling by slender chains and shaped like Vajras, their thousands of crystals reflected brilliant light across the grand hall.

 

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Holy Master Ziguang Shang Shi opened the ceremony with a short speech welcoming the guests and the performances then began with a traditional Chinese lion dance. Two regal looking lions, animated vividly by the Lion Dance Team, strutted down the center of the temple’s main hall, paying their respects to Guan Yin Bodhisattva and receiving the spiritual blessing and offering of food from the Holy Master.

 

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Welcomed next to the stage was a Mohawk Indian drumming group led by Edward Wren. Gathered together around their drum, the Voice of the Grove, they graced the audience with a beautiful and moving performance of traditional Native American drumming and chanting.

 

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Another Native American musical performance was given by Erick, who dedicated a soulful flute solo as a prayer for the purity of the Earth and its life giving waters.

 

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Chris, a local Muslim youth, gave thanks for the wonderful performances and told how his travel to the Holy Mountain and the spiritual practice he learned from Holy Master Ziguang Shang Shi inspired him. Then, he played an original composition on electric guitar along with the drummer Matt. The piece entitled ‘Wave Dharma’ was peaceful and meditative.

 

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Larry quoted Holy Master’s Dharma speech on “True Liberation” and gave a speech comparing the harmony between Buddhist and Native American spiritual philosophy to the resonance between drums. Larry praised Holy Master for the insight and wisdom he had gained after practicing GHMZ Dharma and making pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain. Larry talked about his Native heritage and the striking similarity between Buddhist and Native American prophecy predicting “a man in a red cloak, coming from the East, will restore the law of the Native American”.

 

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The last performance was a colorful dance, featuring many different traditional costumes from the many different ethnic groups of China. The audience was invited to come to the stage for sharing the joyful moment. One by the one everyone came up the stage, clapping and dancing, drumming and singing together in a beautiful moment of holiday celebration and cultural exchange dedicated to world peace, human health and religious harmony.

 

By C.J.

 

Arrival of the Five Gods of Wealth Convention

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On the sacred day of the arrival of the Five Gods of Wealth, pious sentient beings from around the country came to attend this rare convention. With the blessing of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, miracles appeared in the region where the convention took place, heavy snowing stopped, although the temperature outside was freezing, everyone who attended the convention felt warm after receiving the spiritual blessings.

 

The magnificent Hall of Five Gods of Wealth nestled in the Goddess of Mercy Temple, was energized by heavenly blessing. Hundreds of priceless Mani Jewels were piled before the sublime altar of the Five Gods of Wealth, and beautiful flowers adorned this great hall.

 

With the arrival of Holy Master Ziguang Shang Shi, the sacred ritual of welcoming the Five Gods of Wealth began. While the Honored One was chanting the secret mudra, the Five Gods of Wealth, in yellow, white, red, black and green respectively, were descending to the divine altar in the Holy Mountain Buddha Land. The Five Gods of Wealth began to radiate golden blessing of wealth and fortune to the attendees. Numerous invaluable treasures were falling from the space realm to this secret grand hall, reflecting splendid colors in gold and silver.

 

Starting with the explanation of the supreme affinity between the Five Gods of Wealth and Buddhism which was revealed by Shakyamuni Buddha, the exalted Holy Master Ziguang Shang Shi began to impart the Dharma of Borrowing Wealth, Attaining Wealth and Using Wealth, as well as the great root capacity and reasons of giving the marvelous mudra of Five Gods of Wealth to the participants. Further, Holy Master illuminated the fundaments of retaining wealth, and the profound philosophy linking merit and wealth. By listening to His Holiness’ teaching, the attendees understood how to attain wealth and use it correctly.

 

“The mudra of the Five Gods of Wealth is a great remedy for healing poverty and greed. Those who have no fortune and live in poverty do not know how to use the wealth when they get it; and those who obtain some windfall do not know how to keep it. Therefore they usually become bankrupt soon or even die for the money. Such lessons can be seen everywhere. The Mahayana Buddhism of Guang Huan Mi Zong can help many people who have fortune to borrow money from the divine, to obtain wealth, transfer wealth, and more.” Holy Master expounded.

 

All the attendees were so grateful for gaining luck in this invaluable event, and having the chance to know the Dharma of Praying for Wealth, which was revealed to the public for the first time. Therefore they prostrated and paid homage to the Buddha wholeheartedly. Wishing for dharma and praying for wealth, they made vows before Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, so that they could use the wealth they obtain to eradicate the obstacles, to benefit the beings, to fulfill their vows and to make contributions to the development and prosperity of the Holy Mountain Buddha Land.