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(February 17th, 2007 @ Seattle Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple)
Master Lian Xiang (Shi Mu), masters, senior reverends, reverends, dharma assistants, and all participants, Happy New Year everyone!
 Shi Zun performs the incense offering during the New Year's ceremony on February 17, 2007
Let me repeat Shi Mu’s joke, which is really not a joke. Shi Mu said that there are two kinds of flowers in this world that everyone likes, but it is impossible to guess what they are. Originally, there were no flowers in this world that wouldn’t wilt. The two types of flowers that do not wilt which Shi Mu is talking about are the wishes of everyone, especially on New Year’s. The first type of flower is “having money to spend” and the second type is “spending as much as possible” (the two type of flowers are puns in Mandarin, as “spend” and “spending as much as possible” have the same sound as “flower”). (audience applause and laughter)
The blessings for this New Year:
May everyone have money to spend whenever they want to spend money. May you always have more money so you can spend as much as possible. Everyone wants to have money to spend in this New Year and I wish that everyone can spend as much as possible, never using up all the money. (audience applause) This is this world’s greatest happiness.
If you want to spend this money, you also have to have some luck. This luck is your health because the only way you can spend money with happiness is when you’re healthy. So, the second blessing is that everyone will be healthy. I hope that the Buddha will grant everyone a healthy body (audience applause). Shi Zun also has some wishes for my grandson and granddaughter. I am wishing that they will not have any more skin allergies in this New Year. This is a simple blessing and I hope that the Buddha and bodhisattvas can help, getting rid of even the smallest problems like this.
Many miracles have happened in our temple for those who have received empowerments and blessings as many of the people’s long-term illnesses have miraculously disappeared. On this New Year’s Eve, I wish that everyone will receive the Buddha’s and bodhisattvas’ blessings, allowing everyone who has an illness to get rid of it (audience applause). Shi Zun is wearing a brand-new red lama vest[v1] which was made by dharma sister Luo, from Master Lian Zhi’s group. By coincidence, they gave it to me today, so I am wearing it right now. I hope that everyone else can have new clothes to wear too. Wearing new clothes means getting rid of all the old past, becoming a new person, cleaning and purifying one’s self.
Here, the buddhas and bodhisattvas would like to give everyone the third blessing. Wishing that everyone is purified and that everyone has the wisdom like the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Everyone will be lucky, healthy, and have wisdom in this brand New Year.
 Shi Zun during the New Year offering on february 17, 2007 The next blessing is that whenever everyone is going out to do things or staying home to rest that it will be auspicious (audience applause). Auspiciousness is very important. I hope that it will be auspicious when we drive, meet people, and do things; even when we return. May everything be very favorable and auspicious! Kalachakra often spoke this phrase: “auspicious in the morning, auspicious in the evening, during the day it is auspicious, and every moment is auspicious.” As the New Year begins, the fifth blessing is that everyone always finds themselves in auspicious situations for the rest of their lives (audience applause).
In the midst of their lives, a lot of people have encountered many unfortunate things: bad luck, lawsuits, bad relationships, career challenges, or just being unfortunate in everything they do. May all of these disappear in the Year of the Golden Pig. May the buddhas and bodhisattvas help everyone here to eradicate all the bad and unfortunate things in their lives as this is the sixth blessing.
There is a guest in our temple today and it is Ji Gong Huo Fo. Shi Zun asks: Is there a Ji Gong Huo Fo in our temple? (Answer: no) This Ji Gong Huo Fo is from somewhere else but this Jin Gong Huo Fo has an impressive identity, he says that he is from Washington. (audience applause) This Ji Gong Huo Fo is from a shrine, does anyone in Washington have one in their shrine? It is part of Tian Dao. Nevertheless, we have a guest so let us all welcome him (audience applause).
Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple even placed a statue of Jesus in the shrine, as Shi Zun used to be a Christian. So, I respect Jesus because his spirit and determination is worth respecting. Additionally, I also knew a lot of deceased elders from Yee Guan Dao and Tian Dao. Elders like Wang Shu Ging and Chen Da Gu. They are all elders of earlier generations so they are the people of the past. Tian Dao is originally from the North, spreading to the South. It does not matter which sect of Buddhism people belong to as we need to respect any sect that has correct teachings. This reflects Shi Zun’s primary essence, as Shi Zun respects all sentient beings equally and whole-heartedly.
It does not matter if you have entered the True Buddha School or have left. I treat and respect all of you equally. Shi Zun has said he will not forsake any sentient being. Within your hearts it must be the same: to treat others as you treat yourself. This way, you can treat and respect everyone. Because Buddha says that everyone has an inner Buddha within them, we are respecting the Buddha within the people.
Good blessings to all of you. Zha Xi Dei Lei (Tibetan for good luck and fortune). (Audience applauds) |
