Establishing Memorial Tablets for the Thrice Yearning Ceremony

A disciple once asked Namo Amituofo for compassionate guidance regarding the proper way to set up memorial tablets for the fourfold assembly (monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen) during the Thrice Yearning Ceremony at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Namo Amituofo provided the following profound teachings.

Thrice Yearning Ceremony
July 1, 2017
Chief Writer: Venerable HaiZe

The Magnificent Power of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony

The Thrice Yearning Ceremony is a magnificent Dharma gate. It is one of the 84,000 Dharma gates, and the Dharma is immeasurable and boundless. It brings benefits to the body and mind of all beings. Where do spirits reside? They reside within one's own heart, accumulated over countless lifetimes like layers of dust. Only by washing away the dust can one see the light. Master Zhongfeng is a being who returned to this world. When the conditions in this Saha world are ripe, he returns to manifest the appearance of a monastic. Through the pen of an awakened being, the Thrice Yearning Ceremony was written down so that future generations would have a reliable path to follow.

How can we help spirits reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss? By performing the Thrice Yearning Ceremony. It is not only to help the deceased find peace, but also to bring tranquility to the living relatives. The benefits of this practice for both the living and the deceased are beyond calculation. At Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, the Thrice Yearning Ceremony is performed regularly. It is a constant practice that brings continuous benefit.

The Three Stages of True Repentance

The ceremony is divided into three sessions, each with a specific focus:

• The First Session: We recite the Amitabha Sutra and invite all karmic creditors to join us in the practice of repentance.
• The Second Session: We focus on the three types of hearts—the physical heart, the heart of anxious thoughts, and the heart of pure, luminous awareness. We must learn to return to our original, pure nature.
• The Third Session: We focus on the act of repentance itself. True repentance is not just saying sorry; it is the commitment to change one's behaviour after the act of repenting.

If the karmic creditors hear the sutras and the teachings, they will be able to see Namo Amituofo during the ceremony. The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss will manifest before them, shining with a brilliance they have never seen before. The light of the Buddha will shine everywhere, transforming the karmic obstacles of the past. The Buddha-name will penetrate the Six Roots, and the water of the Buddha will irrigate the mind, bringing a sense of coolness and peace that never ceases.

Transcending Attachment Through Skillful Means

Wherever there is a need for the Buddha, the Buddha-name will arise. The Buddha is present everywhere, and as the Thrice Yearning Ceremony is chanted, the suffering of the spirits is transformed into joy. This joy is enough to satisfy one's life. For the fourfold assembly (monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen) living at the temple, every action—whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down—should be performed within this state of mindfulness. Your karmic creditors are constantly bathed in the Buddha-light, and you, as disciples, should become accustomed to this state.

You must maintain a sincere and respectful heart without any slackening. Practise repentance 24/7, and let humility be present in every gesture. Your speech should be soft and pure, and your mind-capacity should be vast enough to embrace all things. When you have such a vast heart, what is there to be troubled by? Small matters and large matters alike will dissolve into emptiness. Where do right and wrong, self and others exist? When there is no longer a sense of self or others, there is no longer any conflict. Everything becomes level and still, like water without waves.

The Unified Tablet of the Fourfold Assembly

The memorial tablets for the fourfold assembly (monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen) are all rooted in your every thought and intention. If you have no attachment in your heart, how could there be a need for a tablet? It is only because of our attachments that we require such skillful means. However, who among us is truly free from attachment? Only those who have truly learned to "see through" and "let go" are free. Therefore, we still need the tablet as an aid.

For the fourfold assembly (monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen), a single tablet is sufficient. When this great tablet is established, it contains the infinite. The space is limitless, and all beings can enter. National boundaries are merely limitations of the human world. To set up the tablet in accordance with the Dharma, you should include the following: Every member of the fourfold assembly (monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen) at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, along with all karmic creditors from accumulated lifetimes—including those with whom we have affinity and those without, sentient and non-sentient beings, and all those harmed or killed due to greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, doubt, and the five desires (wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep)—all are included in this immeasurable number. There is no need for individual representatives. The order should be led by Practitioner Su, followed by the monastics, and then the lay practitioners, both men and women.