Reciting Amitabha, Radiating Infinite Light

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Than Hsiang Temple held a Chinese New Year One-Day Retreat in the fifth-floor Multi-purpose Hall. The program included Amitabha Buddha-name recitation, circumambulation, meditation, the noon offering ceremony, evening chanting, and a Dharma talk—all aimed at purifying the mind and welcoming the blessings of the new year.

At approximately 9:00 a.m., a briefing session was conducted. Venerable Zhen Nian explained the etiquette of bowing and joining palms, as well as the rules of the retreat. This was followed by the Amitabha Buddha-name recitation session. Participants, all dressed in Haiqing robes, recited and circumambulated with devotion, praying that through this day of retreat and practice, body and mind might be purified, and peace and joy attained.

At 11:00 a.m., the noon offering ceremony was held and led by Sangha members. By offering incense, flowers, lamps, fruits, and other precious offerings, together with sincere chanting, participants expressed gratitude and reverence to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. After the ceremony, they followed the Sangha to the Longevity Altar in the Great Compassion Hall to dedicate blessings to those who lit lamps; then proceeded to the Patriarch Hall and the San Sheng Dian to dedicate merits. Meanwhile, other participants gathered in the Five Contemplations Hall for the noon meal, where the chanting of the Food Offering Verse and Closing Meal Verse was led by the venerable.

Around 1:00 p.m., the Amitabha Buddha-name recitation continued, led by the Brahma voice group. At 4:00 p.m. the evening chanting and Dharma talk session took place.

During the Dharma talk, Most Venerable Wei Wu told a story of “Maitreya Bodhisattva”. Venerable Wei Wu praised the participants, noting that it was truly precious for everyone to make the aspiration to join the retreat on the very first day of the new year. After the Dharma talk came the Sangha Blessing Session, where everyone lined up in order, offering red packets to the Sangha members. In return, they will also be receiving blessings from the Sangha members. Thus, the One-Day Retreat concluded successfully.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, besides the retreat held on the fifth floor, the Great Compassion Hall on the ground floor also hosted a Sangha Blessing area, where devotees offered New Year greetings to the temple’s Sangha members and received blessings. The Great Compassion Hall also featured Strike the gong and make a vow section，fundraising booths for Wan Ching Yuen, registration for the Chinese New Year Lamp-lighting, and etc.

In the Than Hsiang canteen, traditional foods such as roti jala, curry noodles, and economy rice were available.

In addition, From the first to the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, the Great Compassion Hall hosted the Strike the gong and make a vow section. Strike the gong and make a vow during the New Year is a Chinese custom, symbolizing prayers for peace, health, success, and the fulfilment of blessings and wisdom in the year ahead. Donations made during the bell-ringing vow were dedicated to the Phor Tay Schools Development Fund.

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More photos:https://thanhsiang.org/CH/node/6862
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