This morning’s online DEW Dharma Enrichment Workshop (Part 1) had a refreshing and relaxing start with the Mindfulness of Breath. This brought 180 participants back from busyness to self awareness, and helped everyone focused our mind on learning Buddha’s wisdom.

Next, Venerable Bensi led us to learn Teacher’s discourses on what we could do when faced with difficulties, like the current pandemic. The answer is summarized as 3 recognitions and 2 convictions below:

1. Recognize that besides the difficulties, we already possess a Human Life that is guided by Excellent Teachers and accompanied by Virtuous Friends. With these, we can prevail over all difficulties to achieve happiness, including better rebirths and ultimate Perfect Enlightenment !

2. Recognize that these conditions are so precious, yet hard to come back and are impermanent. Therefore, Treasure these ! Fully utilize them now to achieve the happiness we seek !

3. Recognize that we suffer because we still have seeds of suffering in our mind streams; seeds of our own past karma. Only the Three Jewels can help us eliminate these seeds and all sufferings. Have conviction in this fact and Take Refuge sincerely.

Finally, the DEW closed with all participants and volunteers taking refuge, seeking blessings from Guan Yin and dedicating merits to loved ones, friends and the world.

We are looking forward to DEW (Part 2) next week!