Earth Treasure Ceremony
地藏法會

Ocean Sky had chanted the Earth Treasure Sutra on several occasions in the past 10 years, especially during the celebration of Qing Ming Festival. For the whole year of 2007, the sutra was even adapted as the Saturday night repentance practice.

“As long as there are still sentient beings suffering in hell, I will not seek Buddhahood,” is the great vow of Earth Treasure (Ksitigarbha) Bodhisattva. In one past life, the Earth Treasure Bodhisattva was a young Indian girl, whose mother had slandered the Three Jewels. When the mother
died, the daughter feared that she might descend to hell because of her sins. The girl sold all her belongings, made many offerings to the Buddha of her time and prayed fervently that her mother be spared from hell. With her mindful recitation of the Buddha’s name, her consciousness was transported to the hell realm where a guardian told her that due to her pious prayers and offerings on her mother’s behalf, the latter had ascended to heaven.

The girl was happy and greatly relieved. But the sight of the suffering in hell touched her so much that she vowed to do her best to relieve all the beings of their suffering in all her future lives. She became the Earth Treasure Bodhisattva, and continued the great vow. The Bodhisattva realized that all living beings have been his father and mother in the past, and never gave up rescuing them from hell to lead them to Nirvana. Thus, this sutra became known as the sutra on filial piety. That is why it is one of the most popular sutras in Buddhism.

Grand Meal Offering Ceremony
佛前大供

Ocean Sky holds the Grand Meal Offering Ceremony every 1st and the 15th day of each lunar month throughout the year. In the ceremony, participants sincerely join in the rites of making a meal offering to the Buddha, and food bestowal to the sentient beings. This way, they cultivate respect and compassion. Devotees also offer flowers and lamps, and mindfully chant the Diamond of Perfect Wisdom Sutra. This year, for the benefit of non-Chinese speakers, the English version was occasionally chanted.

Following the Grand Meal Offering, everybody sincerely pays homage and prostrates to the Patriarchs. Filled with Dharma joy at the conclusion of Dedication of Merits, practitioners also get to enjoy a sumptuous vegetarian lunch.