Last year marked the Spring Festival of the Year of the Snake (Yi Si), and this year is the Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse (Bing Wu). To welcome the Chinese New Year, Than Hsiang Temple, as in previous years, organized a series of celebration activities. These include the Chinese New Year Lamp-Lighting, Chinese New Year Eve Buddha Name Recitation, Chinese New Year Eve One Year One Day Retreat, Chinese New Year House Blessing, etc.

A series of celebration activities officially commenced in the Great Compassion Hall on New Year’s Eve. The Lamp-Lighting Purification Ceremony was led by the Sangha members. The atmosphere was solemn and dignified. Each lantern symbolized the radiance of the Buddha's light, inspiring wisdom and dispelling the afflictions and obstacles of the past year.

After the purification ceremony, the Sangha members led everyone to the sixth-floor Main Shrine Hall for the Buddha Name Recitation. The chanting program included the Verse of Praising the Buddha, vows, repentance verses, and the Four Great Vows. Everyone chanted with joyful and sincere hearts; in the sound of the Buddha's name and repentance, they bid farewell to the old year, reflected on shortcomings, and welcomed the new spring with calm minds, praying for blessings, wisdom, and smoothness in all endeavours.

Following this was the Dharma talk by Most Venerable Wei Wu. He mentioned that, according to the Chinese way of reckoning time, we welcome the new year in the sound of the Buddha's name. Venerable then shared a story entitled "A Bowl of Wonton Noodles":

One day, a young girl quarrelled with her mother and, in anger, left the home. When she was near a noodle shop, she felt hungry. But she did not have any money. At that
moment, the kind old woman offered her a bowl of" wonton" noodles.After eating a few bites, the girl could not hold back her tears. When the old woman asked why, the girl tearfully expressed her gratitude, saying that although they were strangers, the old woman was willing to cook for her. She then explained that she had been driven out after arguing with her mother.

The old woman gently consoled her, “Child, how could you think in this way? I only cooked for you a bowl of noodles, and you are so grateful. While your mother has been cooking for you for more than ten-years! How can you not be thankful, and instead quarrelled with her?"

Hearing this, she quickly finished her noodle, and hurried home. On her way back, she saw her exhausted mother was looking for her everywhere. The moment her mother spotted her, her face lit up with joy. She told her daughter that lunch was already prepared, and she will reheat it for her. At that moment, tears started to drop from the girl again.

Venerable Wei Wu shared this story and told everyone that, we often feel “deeply grateful" for a stranger's small kindness yet take for granted the lifelong devotion of our loved ones, neglecting gratitude. Like the girl in the story, we sometimes live in blessings without realizing it.

After the Dharma talk, everyone joined in the morning chanting and saluted to the Patriarchs. Finally, came the Sangha Blessing session, where everyone lined up to offer red packets to the Sangha members. In return, they will also be receiving blessing from the Sangha members. Thus, the Chinese New Year Eve Buddha Name Recitation program concluded successfully.

Lastly, Than Hsiang Temple sincerely wishes that, on this New Year Eve’s Buddha Recitation program, may all enjoy auspiciousness with blessing and wisdom in the new year.

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More photos:https://thanhsiang.org/ch/node/6857
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