Seattle Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple Celebrates the 21st Anniversary of Grand Master Lu’s (Shi Zun’s) Renunciation by Hosting the True Buddha Repentance

Seattle Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple specifically hosted the True Buddha Repentance at 7:30 PM to celebrate Grand Master Lu's (Shi Zun’s) 21st ordination commemoration on March 28th, the Lunar year Feb 10th, which is Guru's ordination date.  That night, Master Lian Xiang (Shi Mu), Master Lian Hua De Hui, Master Lian Ning, Master Lian Yin, Master Lian Jie, Senior Reverend Bì Zh?n, reverends and disciples came from many countries, gathered together.  Dharma brother Fo-chi and his family also came to congratulate Happy Monk, Shi Zun’s 21st Ordination Commemoration.

After the specially prepared Japanese dinner, Seattle Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple offered a birthday cake to Guru Master His Holiness Living Buddha Lian-sheng.  It was then followed by offerings and flowers presented by the Abbot, Master Lian Hua De Hui and Deputy Abbot, Master Lian Jie.  Shi Zun said courteously with joy, "Wow, There are presents!"  Warmth and happiness filled the dining hall.

After the True Buddha Repentance, in his dharma talk Shi Zun mentioned that the True Buddha Repentance is generated from the True Buddha Sutra.  The most important paragraph in the True Budda Sutra is:  "In cultivation, the key to realizing the Buddha Jewel Sambodhi is a quiescent mind; that of realizing the Dharma Jewel is purity of body, speech, and mind; that of realizing the Sangha Jewel is refuge in a True Buddha Guru."  Human beings' afflictions come from thought.  Affliction will not exist in a quiescent mind.  Buddha said, "A quiescent mind is the key to realizing the Buddha Jewel Sambodhi."  The truly enlightened one is the one who practices Buddhism.  Be aware that the thought is an affliction of beginning and cessation (utpadanirodha).  Treat the affliction as it never started.  Understand thoroughly the theory of the beginning and end of everything, regardless of happiness or sadness.  This way, you can transform thought to a quiescent mind.  There is thought, but you do not worry about it; this is called "a quiescent mind."

At the moment when you do not have thought, there is no affliction.  If you can stop all afflictions, that is the Buddha Jewel Sambodhi.  The method of acquiring a quiescent mind is from cultivation, purity of body, speech, and mind.  To obtain the benefit during cultivation, one can completely remove affliction and thoughts.

When one does not have any thought, one has no affliction; unite with life; unite with death; unite with sickness; unite with age.  Unite oneself with the environment without a single affliction.  This is "the key to realizing the Buddha Jewel Sambodhi is a quiescent mind."  This does not mean that everyone should literally not have any thoughts.  It simply means one sees through all the thoughts, aware of the affliction, beginning and cessation.  Thoughts have their beginnings and ends.  Human beings have afflictions with places to live, work, marriage, sickness, litigation, money, and human relationships.  In the human world, problems and afflictions exist with everybody.  The Buddha Jewel Sambodhi Ultimate Paradise is the only place with no affliction.  We will not live together for a long period of time.  There is existence and cessation.  This is a world of afflictions.  Based on purification of our body, speech and mind through cultivation, we can go beyond it, forget about it, and remove afflictions until a quiescent mind is obtained.  To have a quiescent mind is to look at afflictions as unreal (hallucinations), so that one will not be influenced by afflictions.  This is thus called a quiescent mind.

After the ceremony, Shi Zun was invited to cut the cake and take photos with everybody.  Our compassion Shi Zun also blessed many disciples by patting their heads individually.  He also took this opportunity to provide a wisdom dharma talk to relieve disciples who suffered from afflictions.  He also showed his concern for elderly disciples and students with challenges in moving about and reminded them to take care.