In a heartfelt endeavor to bring solace and hope to those suffering worldwide, the Holy Miracles Temple in Pasadena, Southern California, conducted a series of noteworthy Buddhist prayer ceremonies.
Organized by the World Buddhism Association Headquarters, Holy Miracles Temple, and Jen Chen Buddhism Sanger Mission, these gatherings saw a substantial turnout of local community members. Together, they chanted “The Lotus Sutra’s Universal Gate Chapter on Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva” and “The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra” with a shared intention for peace and relief for all life forms enduring hardships globally. Participants expressed reverence and sought the blessings of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, hoping to ease suffering, support peaceful conditions, reduce conflicts, and encourage global harmony.
In recent years, the world has faced numerous challenges: ongoing conflicts, earthquakes in Japan’s Noto Peninsula and Myanmar, frequent wildfires in California and Australia, floods in southern China and Indonesia due to heavy rains, and outbreaks of dengue fever and new viral diseases in Africa and Central and South America. These events have heightened a sense of shared adversity globally. Holy Miracles Temple endeavors, through these Buddhist rituals, to offer spiritual support for the departed souls’ ascension to the Pure Land, encourage the swift reconstruction of disaster-affected areas, and provide a space for those in distress to find emotional relief, courage, and renewed hope.
The Holy Miracles Temple upholds the teachings of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, highlighting the core Buddhist values of striving for the liberation and well-being of sentient beings.
The ceremonies were both solemn and heartwarming, with the collective expressions of goodwill and chanting symbolically extending beyond geographical boundaries. This gathering served as a meaningful demonstration of community unity, generating a sense of positive intention and a shared commitment to facing difficulties through compassion. Participants noted that attending the prayer ceremony at Holy Miracles Temple allowed them to engage in prayerful reflection for victims, emphasizing Buddhism’s contributions to fostering inner peace and societal harmony.
This initiative reinforces Holy Miracles Temple’s commitment to the teachings of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, highlighting the core Buddhist values of striving for the liberation and well-being of sentient beings. It underscores the essential qualities of cultivators: the Four Immeasurable States of Mind—kindness, compassion, joy, and almsgiving. In addition to regularly donating essential goods to local welfare organizations, the World Buddhism Association Headquarters has called for continued compassion and material support for Myanmar’s earthquake victims, combining humanitarian concern with religious practice and encouraging public participation in relief and blessing efforts.
To address the dire situation in Myanmar following the earthquake, where numerous families have been displaced amid ongoing civil strife and infrastructure damage, a donation appeal has been issued. The residents in the devastated areas urgently need humanitarian aid. The World Buddhism Association Headquarters encourages everyone to contribute to organizations like the United Nations World Food Programme, International Committee of the Red Cross, International Rescue Committee, Médecins Sans Frontières, and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. These organizations are actively involved in relief efforts. It is recommended that everyone conduct due diligence before donation to ensure appropriate contributions.
A substantial turnout of local community members participated in the gatherings organized by the World Buddhism Association Headquarters, Holy Miracles Temple, and Jen Chen Buddhism Sanger Mission.
The Holy Miracles Temple emphasizes that everyone can contribute to a better world by cultivating goodwill. In the face of impermanence and disaster, even a single act of kindness—be it a blessing, a chant, or a good deed—can help uplift others and serve as a beacon of hope. The temple plans to continue organizing similar sutra chanting and prayer events, encouraging broader public participation to help inspire a more peaceful and stable world through collective compassion and mindful action. The series of prayer ceremonies also serves as a reminder to the world that fortune and misfortune are ever-changing, and life is fragile. Only through the purification of the mind guided by the principles of the Buddha’s teachings, along with actual practice, can one’s misfortune truly be transformed. In this ever-changing and impermanent world, it is a way to find genuine peace and light, and to move toward a future of harmony and sustainability.
Published by Jeremy S.
