The Unseen Grandeur of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony

Venerable Chang Gao, a dedicated practitioner who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, currently resides at the temple. This account was recorded on April 7, 2019, during the weekly Thrice Yearning Ceremony, where the Venerable witnessed the profound and invisible manifestations of the Dharma assembly.

Venerable Chang Gao speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Today is the weekly Thrice Yearning Ceremony at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. For the past two days, vast throngs of sentient beings have been arriving, waiting in anticipation for the Chao Du provided by this Dharma assembly. By today, the perimeter of the temple is packed with countless spirits. These past two days, the sky has been perfectly clear—a vast expanse of blue with drifting white clouds. It is the compassionate golden light of the Buddha, radiating across the entire Dharma field and piercing straight into the heavens. Even the spirits in the sky have come with great joy to participate in this assembly. This is a scene that most people cannot see, so I, Chang Gao, shall act as your eyes to tell you what is happening. Even the very air is filled with laughter and anticipation for the ceremony to begin. This is something that happens every single week."

The Sacred Atmosphere of the Assembly

"During the noon offering and at the start of each session, everyone waits with a sincere and reverent heart for the sound of the drum played by Practitioner Su. Once Practitioner Su begins to speak, and as every memorial tablet is read aloud, the beings listen with the utmost intensity. Some listen while kneeling, others while standing. Many of the beings in the front rows are seated upon lotus seats—they call these the 'VIP seats'—while others kneel, stand, or sit upon these lotus platforms."

"You might be able to see the lotus petals swaying gently in the breeze, and they emit a fragrance of lotus flowers just like the scent emanating from Practitioner Su. It is a rich, pure fragrance. Any spirit that catches a whiff of it takes a deep, lingering breath. It is a scent they have never encountered before; it is the natural fragrance of virtue that arises from a lifetime of diligent practice and the accumulation of myriad merits. This scent extends from Practitioner Su to the lotus seats. Some beings say that these lotus seats are manifestations of the cells of Practitioner Su, which is why they carry the exact same fragrance."

The Power of the Lotus Seats

"Other beings believe that these seats are manifested from the compassionate heart of Practitioner Su—a welcoming gift for the sentient beings. Regardless of their origin, everyone loves to sit on these lotus seats. Even the karmic creditors or attached spirits of the fourfold assembly, who were initially reluctant and had to be persuaded by Practitioner Su to take their place, find that their resentment dissipates by more than half the moment they sit down. The lotus seats possess a magical power that helps beings eliminate their deep-seated grievances and resolve their karmic conflicts. Everyone says that this is the result of the boundless Dharma power of Practitioner Su in action."

"During the ceremony, every time we circumambulate the Buddha, the countless spirits participating in the assembly chant the Buddha-name along with us. This is especially true for the karmic creditors or attached spirits residing within the bodies of the fourfold assembly; many are 'ejected' from the bodies of the practitioners as they chant the Buddha-name loudly, leaving them with no choice but to stay beside the practitioners and chant along."

The Great Deliverance

"The most magnificent scene occurs during the 'Praise of the Buddha'. As everyone chants the Buddha-name with sincere and focused hearts, the spirits surge forward in an endless stream, being sent into a vast, boundless expanse of golden light. Within this golden light are the Buddha, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, and Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta. The various patriarchs and venerable masters invited at the start of the ceremony, along with the pure ocean-wide assembly of Bodhisattvas filling the sky, are all busy receiving wave after wave of spirits—like an endless tide of the ocean. When I, Chang Gao, say this, I am not exaggerating in the slightest; the actual scene is even more grand than what I can describe."

"Therefore, every single recitation of the Buddha-name, sung with sincerity and selflessness by the fourfold assembly, results in immeasurable numbers of beings being sent to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. It possesses an inconceivable, supreme power of merit. After a single Dharma assembly, seeing so many beings enter the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, even we feel a sense of Dharma joy that is beyond words. Surely, the fourfold assembly must feel the same! Especially for the benefactors who attend in person—as long as you participate with a sincere heart, you will inevitably receive the Buddha's blessings and the help of Practitioner Su in delivering your karmic creditors to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, leaving you feeling significantly lighter in body and spirit."

"The above is the scene of the Dharma assembly as witnessed by Chang Gao, shared here for our mutual encouragement!"

This interview message was recorded by the Buddhist disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

Namo Amituofo.