Ambassadors of Peace and Goodwill
Every August, prayers are held in the temples, where Buddhist practitioners come together as ambassadors of peace and goodwill to send out prayers and well-wishes to all around the world: family members, friends, strangers, the impoverished, the sick, the poor, and those who have already passed.
During these ceremonies, the Prajnaparamita Sutra is read aloud in unison. In Buddhism, it is believed that any person who reads the sutras with a pure motivation will reap good fortune and many benefits, which can be passed on to all those who are the subjects of the dedications.
“Prayer lists” are also displayed during the ceremony. On these slips of paper, each participant of the ceremony may write down the names of all the people that they would like to send well-wishes to. Red slips are for those who are still living, while yellow slips are for those who have already passed. A Buddhist practitioner once said, “I look forward to filling out these prayer slips every year. When I write down the name of each person, I like to reflect on all that they have done for me in the past. For the last ten years, I’ve written down the names of all my elementary school teachers. I don’t have the opportunity to thank some of them in person anymore, but my care and gratitude for them continues to grow by the year.”
By sending out kind thoughts and expressing one’s gratitude, we hope that these prayers will bring a wave of peace and harmony throughout the world and sweep away the pain and torment of suffering. May rays of light forever shine upon the darkness and may all who suffer be given comfort. We pray that all that we do will bring about happiness and good fortune to all residing on our island, in this country, and the world.
Date: August 15-17, 2016
If you want to add names to our prayer list, please call Matthew Wu at 902-215-8242.
