His Holiness Living Buddha Lian-Sheng`s birthday celebrating atmosphere started in Seattle Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple about a week ago. June 6, 2009 Seattle Group Practice was conducted by Master Lian Ming (釋蓮鳴上師) leading Avalokitesvara Dharma. Joined Masters, Reverences, all preaching assistants, and members came from all over the world filled inside and outside of the temple, everyone anticipated for Grand Master`s blessing in person.

After the group practice, Reverence Shuan Ran (宣仁法師) gratefully said that his good fortune are all given by Grand Master, the Big Fortune Vajra Master (大福金剛). Master Lian Ming gave speech on the essential meaning of diligence and actual practice (精進與實修), and encouraged Dharma practitioners to lead a pious life without get loose to the heart, and always think of Root Guru. The best gift to show our appreciation for Grand Master is to cultivate diligently, do actual practices, and carry out the knowledge to daily activities.

Dharma King Grand Master then continued lecture on The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (六祖壇經). His Holiness Hui Neng, who became the great Sixth Patriarch of Ch’an (Japanese Zen), indicated in the Prajna Sutra (般若品): What is Prajna? It is Tibetan and Mandarin combined. In Tang (唐) dynasty, this is arriving at the other shore (到彼岸), which means departing birth and destruction (離生滅).

Grand Master said, the main point of this segment is `arriving at the other shore, and departing birth and death (到彼岸, 離生死). Grand Master explained that birth and death are equal and with no difference; there is nothing to be happy about birth, nor sad about death. If one can uphold one`s Essence of Mind (見性) and pure heart in daily activities, every action is Buddhist Dharma, every speech is mantra, every movement is mudra, and mind and thought is pure, then one may travel through ten directions of Buddha Pure Land; there would be no this shore nor the other shore, nor any birth and death worries.

After the Dharma speech, merciful Grand Master consecrated Buddha statues, blessed Great Compassion Water, and gave initiation blessing to disciples taking refuge. Grand Master then gave disciples his autograph on his new book: `Laughing Loudly Three Times (大笑三聲)`. Before leaving, Grand Master compassionately blessed every kneeled disciples.

Right after Saturday`s group practice, Masters, Reverences, and all volunteers went directly to tomorrow ceremony location to get things ready for True Buddha Repentance Ceremony on June 7. We believe tomorrow will convert all sweats and tiredness to happiness of perfect completion.

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