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The Los Angeles chapter of the International Buddha's Light Association (BLIA) organizes a series of activities every year during the Dharma Day celebration. These include Buddhist exams, Laba porridge offerings, and presentations of insights from reading and studying experiences to celebrate Buddha's Enlightenment. After a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an experience-sharing event was held on January 20, 2024, at Hsi Lai Temple, where nearly 200 BLIA members gathered to joyfully celebrate Dharma Day. Ven. Hui Dong, the Abbot of Hsi Lai Temple, Ven. Yi Chao, the director of the FGSITC, and BLIA Lay Dharma lecturers Jim C. Chen, Lunjie Chen, Min Li, and Huiyun Xu served as judges. Ven. Yi Shan, the superintendent of Hsi Lai Temple, and Elder advisor director Linfeng Zhao also attended.
Ven. Hui Dong encouraged everyone to deepen their understanding of Buddhism during Dharma Day. He emphasized that preparing for the Buddhist exam leads to a deeper study of Buddhist teachings, and the process of preparing for experience-sharing brings Buddhism into one's heart, transforming a self-centered mindset into one that considers the welfare of others.
BLIA Los Angeles Chapter President Alex Wu expressed that this event, the first physical gathering after three years of the pandemic, has renewed confidence despite the challenging weather. The event not only celebrated Buddha's Enlightenment but also provided an opportunity for various chapters to share their reading and studying experiences from the past year. Gratitude was expressed to Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founding master of Fo Guang Shan, for leading BLIA members in spreading Humanistic Buddhism.
A total of 21 individuals participated in personal experience presentations, held simultaneously in the auditorium and meeting room, along with 5 group presentations. Noteworthy performances included presentations on "Buddhism and Daily Life" and reflections on the "Buddha's Light Verse" by Lay Dharma lecturers Quanchun Qiu and Shufeng Chen.
Members shared insights gained from reading works by Venerable Master Hsin Yun, such as "Four Insights for Finding Fulfillment," "Ten Vows of Samantabhadra in the Avatamsaka Sutra," "A Commentary on the Sutra on the Eight Realizations of the Great Beings said by Buddha," and "A Commentary on Vimalakirti Sutra," using diverse forms such as oral presentations, singing, and theatrical performances.
For instance, the Irvine Subchapter presented insights on "Ten Vows of Samantabhadra in the Avatamsaka Sutra” through traditional Huangmei Opera; the Cerritos Subchapter incorporated Tai Chi into their presentation on "Living Without Attachment"; and the White Tower Subchapter 3 involved participants ranging from children from TAG school to a 93-year-old member in a group performance. Participants felt a deep sense of collective creation across different age groups, embodying Master Hsing Yun's teaching, "I am in the midst of the crowd, and the crowd is in me." The atmosphere shifted from quiet attentiveness during individual presentations to joyful laughter during group presentations.
Awards for individual and group presentations were presented at the closing ceremony. Individual awards included the "Buddha's Light Award" for first place to Lijuan Zhang from the Walnut subchapter, Weida Lin from the Westminster subchapter, and Peizhen Lin from the Hacienda Heights subchapter. The "Prajna Award" for second place went to Siwei Wang from the Irvine subchapter, Guobin Chen from the Walnut subchapter, and Feiyang Wang from the White Tower subchapter 2. The "Lamp of the Heart Award" for third place was awarded to Daping Tang from the Cerritos subchapter, Yan Wang from the Irvine subchapter, and Jiajun Huang from the Riverside subchapter. Group awards were given to the Irvine subchapter, the Monterey Park subchapter 3, and the Cerritos subchapter.
Additionally, the association awarded the "Wholeness Award" to participants who achieved a perfect score in the North America BLIA Buddhism Exam. Twenty-seven members from the BLIA Los Angeles Chapter adult group received this honor.
Ven. Hui Dong praised the excellent presentations and informed participants that the judging criteria focused on Right Understanding, Humanistic Buddhism, and Buddhist doctrinal knowledge.
Despite the stormy weather outside, inside the venue, Buddha's Light practitioners came together with joy, sharing their experiences. The atmosphere was filled with happiness and serenity, concluding the event with blessings exchanged among participants.
(Photos by Chihcheng Chang)
