At the Auspicious Seventh Lunar Month Blessing Ceremony, members of the congregation approached the Buddha statue one by one, holding lotus lamps and praying with devotion. (Photo by Pua Poo Toong)
On 3 August 2024, Tzu Chi Merit (Singapore) held the Auspicious Seventh Lunar Month Blessing Ceremony at Jing Si Hall, attended by 686 members of the public.
The event featured two sessions of the blessing ceremony in a day, each promoting the right faith of abstaining from killing to save lives and adopting vegetarianism to protect living beings. Additionally, there were interactive activity zones, including a filial piety tea ceremony zone, a vegetarian meal zone, a Jing Si Aphorism “destiny draw” zone, a humanistic culture promotion area, a bamboo bank return area, nutritional seminars, and other fringe activities. These engaging activities provided the congregation with a deeper understanding of the significance of the Auspicious Seventh Lunar Month. A volunteer enrolment area was also available to encourage aspiring individuals to join Tzu Chi and work together for the greater good.
The two-day blessing ceremony, along with its various activities, has deepened the congregation's understanding of the significance of the Auspicious Seventh Lunar Month. (Photo by Pua Poo Toong)
Lew Loon Keong, one of the event coordinators, shared that this year’s ceremony was held at Jing Si Hall with the aim of promoting the Dharma for the benefit of all beings and encouraging the adoption of a vegetarian diet. By integrating the right faith into sutra adaptations, the ceremony sought to awaken participants' awareness, inspire repentance for past misdeeds, and foster sincere vows before the Buddha to transform their lives through repentance and cultivation, and eventually extend help to others.
Lew Loon Keong highlighted that the focus of this Auspicious Seventh Lunar Month was promoting the Dharma through food, allowing everyone to experience the good taste, healthy, and nutritious plant-based diet while understanding the importance of doing good and going meatless. As the congregation gathered in Jing Si Hall, volunteers warmly welcomed participants, making them feel as comfortable as if they were at home. Tzu Chi provided vegetarian food for everyone to enjoy, fostering kind thoughts in the process.
For the first time, Tzu Chi offers vegetarian meals during the Auspicious Seventh Lunar Month Blessing Ceremony, offering attendees the opportunity to savour plant-based meals that are both delicious and nutritious. (Photo by Goa Yee Boon)
The recitation of sutra through Buddhist Sanskrit chanting awakens a deep sense of repentance and mindfulness
This year's sutra rendition stood out from previous years, as Buddhist Sanskrit chanting was used to praise the merits of the Buddha. Dharma Master Cheng Yen aspires for the Sutra of Infinite Meanings to be recited in the form of Buddhist Sanskrit chanting across all five continents, referring to it as her most precious legacy.
The 36 key sutra adaptation volunteers interpreted the situation of the summer retreat during the Buddha's time, guiding everyone to diligently listen to and rejoice in the Dharma, making it a truly auspicious and joyful day.
The sutra adaptation volunteers were in high spirits, praising the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas with devotion. Their sacred and solemn chanting felt like heavenly garments scattering flowers, touching the hearts of all present. As the congregation chanted in unison, the sound of the Dharma lingered in the air, drawing everyone deeper into the spirit of the Sanskrit chanting. The more the volunteers chanted, the more devout they became, and the congregation could truly feel the joy of the Dharma.
This year's rendition of the Sutra Adaptation was different from previous years, as Buddhist Sanskrit chanting was used to praise the Buddha's merits. (Photo by Pua Poo Toong)
As a participant in the Dharma as Water Sutra Adaptation in 2013, volunteer Lee Kay Ming recalled that the experience led him to a profound inner repentance. He confessed to having been ignorant and foolish, often unable to control his behaviour when faced with adverse external conditions, and acknowledged that his irritable habits frequently harmed others. After a long period of time spent in attending Dharma Incense Permeation session at dawn and listening to the teachings of Dharma Master Cheng Yen, he gradually realised the Buddha's way, understood better the mission of spreading the Dharma to people, and is now more peaceful at heart.
In this year's sutra adaptation, Lee Kay Ming felt the incredible rhythm and energy of the Sanskrit chanting. When he chanted along, it was as if he was walking on a sacred and solemn path. He hopes that in the future, everyone will participate in sutra adaptation, uphold precepts, adopt a vegetarian diet, and abstain from killing, as these are the most meaningful ways to carry out the great deliverance to honour and liberate departed souls.
Volunteer Lee Kay Ming (second from right) recalled that the Sutra Adaptation in 2013 had allowed him to do a deep repentance, and he felt the incredible rhythm and energy of the Sanskrit chanting. (Photo by Holly Foong)
Tea ceremony: A warm moment of filial piety
The most precious thing in the world is life, and the hardest debt to repay is the kindness of one's parents. Don't wait until it's too late—when your parents are no longer around—to express your gratitude, leaving you with regrets that cannot be undone. During the tea ceremony, volunteers invited parents or elders to take a seat while their children and grandchildren knelt and respectfully served them hot tea, offering thanks for their nurturing and care.
Volunteer Hsu Tun Ying brought her parents who came from Taiwan to the event today. Hsu’s 74-year-old mother, Chang Li Hwa, had slipped and fallen at home a month ago, and her left forearm was still in a cast. Despite this, she expressed her gratitude, saying, “I’m thankful to all of you, and I’m grateful for the care shown by Tzu Chi brothers and sisters to Tun Ying in everyday life.”
Chang Li Hwa shared that her daughter was very independent and filial from a young age. After graduating from university, she went to the United States for further studies and work, and later moved to Singapore to pursue her career. Due to many years of living abroad, they had limited time together and could only visit each other in Taiwan during festive seasons.
Tun Ying’s 75-year-old father moved slowly with the aid of crutches but insisted on climbing the stairs. He said, “To stay alive, you have to keep moving and let your body function.” Accompanied by his daughter, he explored every corner of Jing Si Hall and expressed his gratitude to the volunteers in a soft voice.
It was Tun Ying’s father's first visit to Singapore, and his only wish was to see his daughter. Since she is often too busy to return to Taiwan, the elderly couple flew to Singapore to spend time with her, allowing her the chance to fulfil her filial duties. In their eyes, she is still the child who never truly grew up. Tun Ying also seized the opportunity to serve tea to her parents, thanking them for raising her.
Accompanying her parents who flew-in from Taiwan to attend the event, Hsu Tung Ying (right) seized the opportunity to serve tea to her parents. (Photo by Pua Poo Toong)
Embrace a vegetarian diet for a healthier and happier life while protecting the lives of living beings
To further promote a healthy plant-based diet, the Healthier Me 21-Day Challenge team organised a nutrition talk featuring Dietitian Tan Chew Sia. She shared valuable insights on nutrition with the audience with an interactive quiz. Tan Chew Sia stressed the importance of consuming a diverse array of colourful vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to achieve a balanced diet, noting that making wise food choices can lead to a sense of well-being and happiness.
Member of the public, Ke Mei Xiu, who attended her first Tzu-Chi event at Jing Si Hall, said, “The surroundings here brought me inner peace.”
Through the nutrition talk and the volunteers' sharing during mealtime, Ke Mei Xiu learned about the numerous benefits of adopting a vegetarian diet, including its positive impact on health, the avoidance of accumulating bad karma, and the reduction of environmental pollution. Ke Mei Xiu strongly believes that choosing to eat one more vegetarian meal can help us curb excessive appetites. She hopes that Tzu Chi will continue to promote vegetarianism and environmental protection, encouraging more people to recognise the importance of preserving nature rather than exploiting it to satisfy desires.
Dietitian Tan Chew Sia sharing nutritional knowledge with the audience, reinforcing the benefits of a plant-based diet. (Photo by Pua Poo Toong)
Mary Tan, the South Zone group leader, accompanied about 40 community residents on the Tzu Chi shuttle bus to participate in the activity, including a few from different ethnic backgrounds. Mary was so impressed with the "Healthy Auspicious Noodle" that she had two bowls in a row, all while busily snapping photos of the cooking instructions. She mentioned that it was her first time experiencing the deliciousness of an entirely plant-based diet.
What truly amazed Mary was Tzu Chi's selfless sharing of secret recipes and cooking methods, encouraging people to prepare these dishes at home and thereby promoting a vegetarian diet.
Growing up in a Taoist family, Chai Ming Zhu was raised to offer slaughtered chickens and ducks to ancestors and burn joss papers during worshipping ceremony. However, after her parents passed away, Chai realised during a recitation of the Earth Store Sutra that killing living beings to honour those who have passed away not only fails to bring them blessings but also increases their bad karma.
Chai Ming Zhu now believes that the true way to express filial piety and kindness is to donate the money typically spent on ancestor worship to good causes, uphold precepts, and adopt a meatless diet. She asserts that this is the only way to truly accumulate merits for one’s ancestors.
Accompanying her elderly mother, Lim Kim Hue, this was the second time Tan Ah Cheow attended the prayer blessing event. As a Taoist, Tan Ah Cheow mentioned that they usually have meat for their daily meals, but after witnessing images of animals being slaughtered today, she was deeply shocked. This experience has led her to consider gradually transitioning from a meat-based diet to a plant-based one.
Mary Tan, the group leader of the South Zone, was so impressed with the "Healthy and Auspicious Noodle" that she happily ate two bowls in a row, all while busily taking pictures of the cooking information. (Photo by Goh Lam Kia)
Participants draw Jing Si Aphorism wisdom sticks for guidance
In one corner of Jing Si Hall, a Jing Si Aphorism wisdom stick drawing area attracted men and women of all ages, all hoping to draw lots for good fortune. Members of the Tzu Chi Teachers’ Association and Tzu Chi Collegiate Youth Association were on hand to assist with interpreting the aphorisms. Each Jing Si Aphorism, a piece of wisdom from Master Cheng Yen, serves to inspire individuals to dispel ignorance and worries from their hearts and awaken their inherent goodness.
The Jing Si Aphorism wisdom stick drawing area was creatively constructed from recycled materials, showcasing Tzu Chi’s commitment to environmental protection. Facilitators from the education team who are parents, worked together with Tzu Chi Teenagers (a.k.a. Tzu Shao), to design and set up this unique space, adding both fun and deeper significance to the activity.
In one corner of the cultural hall, there is a Jing Si Aphorism wisdom stick drawing area, which is popular among men, women and children. (Photo by Fong Kwai Kin)
Chen Xiu Qin, a 74-year-old member of the congregation, drew a Jing Si Aphorism wisdom stick that read, "Speak good words, think good thoughts, do good deeds, and walk a good path." After hearing the volunteer's interpretation, she thoughtfully reflected on her own actions, noting that she had spoken kind words, kept her heart free from negative thoughts, and tried to do good deeds, even if only a little. She also shared that when encountering an uneven road, she would avoid it and choose a better path to walk on. Each Jing Si Aphorism offers timely guidance, and while the depth of understanding may vary from person to person, the teachings all lead in the same positive direction, bringing a sense of joy and peace to those who embrace them.
The Jing Si Aphorism wisdom stick drawing area was very popular with men and women of all ages. Congregant Chen Xiu Qin (centre, in purple) was one of the elders who participated in the drawing of wisdom stick. (Photo by Goa Yee Boon)
Originally a month of auspiciousness, filial piety, and joy, the seventh lunar month has evolved into a "ghost month" feared by many. People often worship their ancestors by sacrificing animals and burning joss papers in hopes of self-protection, unaware that these actions cause significant harm to the environment. Over the years, Tzu Chi has been unwavering in its efforts to promote correct beliefs, encouraging the observance of precepts and the adoption of a vegetarian diet to avoid killing. The organisation also advocates redirecting funds typically used for burning joss papers toward charitable relief, aligning with modern principles of environmental protection and sustainability while embodying the true essence of great deliverance.
May the bright light of the lotus lamps illuminate ourselves and others. (Photo by Wong Siew Kuen)
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