Confession to the 35 Buddhas Practice (bilingual)
The Confession to 35 Buddhas Practice is held fortnightly on every 1st and 15th day of the lunar calendar at BW Monastery, Citiraya Centre (3rd level), Lorong 27, Geylang.
On 30th April 2018 evening (the 15th day of the lunar calendar), Venerable Zu Dao led the first bilingual 35 Buddhas’ Repentance Ritual, to the delight of all present. There were altogether three rounds of the repentance ritual: recitation, singing and prostration.
Light offering
The session began with the offering of light to the Triple Gem. The Venerables exhorted us on the benefits of light offering. Offering of light helps us to gain wisdom. Through wisdom, we can remove our afflictions and attain unsurpassed enlightenment, the path to ultimate happiness and elimination of suffering. Therefore, we should set the right motivation and together with visualization, we would accumulate immeasurable merits from this offering.
Recitation, singing and prostration
After the light offering, Venerable Zu Dao began the three rounds of recitation, singing and prostration to the 35 Buddhas.
Whether we are reciting, singing or prostrating to the 35 Buddhas, Venerable urged us to feel a deep sense of sincerity and gratitude, take refuge with the Triple Gem and visualize the Buddha whom we feel specially connected to. Our thoughts should not linger on the unwholesome past deeds, but instead, we should feel joyful while reciting each Buddha’s name. Buddha is omnipresent. We should focus on the recitation of each Buddha’s name as it is a powerful way of accumulating merits. By doing so, we are able to eliminate eons of obstacles. Whilst reciting the repentance verses, we should feel regretful about our past unwholesome deeds and should simultaneously be determined to cultivate more wholesome deeds.
To illustrate the power of the 35 Buddhas’ repentance ritual that could change a person’s destiny, Venerable told us the success true story of a young, sickly and dying girl, whom through one million prostrations to the Buddha, acquired a new lease of life.
Sharing
This session received many positive feedbacks from those present. They felt joyous and spiritually calm after the ritual. It is better than doing it alone at home. Participating in a group creates a more powerful collective karma, as we are able to rejoice and enhance our merits. As such, they would come regularly in future to participate in the ritual. The bilingual group was grateful as this was the first time, a bilingual ritual is held and it benefited them a great deal.
Conclusion
The session was concluded with Venerable encouraging us to feel gratitude and develop faith, self-reflect, eliminate unwholesome deeds and cultivate wholesome deeds, develop joyous perseverance and mindfulness. We will then see our lives becoming better and brighter.
Contributed by Chong Lee Hiang
