Awakening at Dawn to Immerse in the Dharma Fragrance
Planning for a year begins in spring, and planning for a day begins in the morning. Therefore, the silence and tranquillity of the morning is the ideal time to listen to the Dharma and cultivate spiritually.
Every morning at 5:20 a.m., Tzu Chi centres around the world connect virtually with the Jing Si Abode in Hualien for the "Wisdom at Dawn" Dharma talk, to listen to Master Cheng Yen's teachings of the Wondrous Lotus Sutra in real time. Master’s sermon allows listeners to relate closely to the Dharma, as spoken by the Buddha after His enlightenment. This daily connection is also a form of spiritual interaction between master and disciple.
In 2013, Jing Si Hall and Tzu Chi establishments in Singapore turned into venues hosting the daily "Wisdom at Dawn" Dharma sessions. Office workers made use of their weekends to attend the talks and there were more than 200 attendees at its peak.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, all events and gatherings were prohibited. Tzu Chi members instead connected online at home. At the end of the virtual talks, they continued to stay on to share learnings and interact with one another. While the sessions allowed members to cultivate spiritually and strengthen cohesion as a group, it also unexpectedly allowed some people who were originally unable to attend in person to participate and learn online.
Wondrous Lotus Sutra
"The Lotus Sutra" is the Dharma spoken by the Buddha in his later years. It teaches the Way to practise spiritually in the mortal world. As it unites all Dharmas into one Great Sutra, it is known as the "King of all Sutras". In the era of kalpa of decline (a [KH1] period, in Buddhist cosmology, where the land is destroyed by natural disasters, and living beings gradually diminish and then disappear completely), the Lotus Sutra is the solution[KH2] to soothe the unrest in the world. As the Buddha started to expound the Lotus Sutra, He proclaimed that everyone could become a Buddha. However, before becoming a Buddha, one must first enter the path of Bodhisattva.
Listening to the Dharma every day cleanses the mind and prevents it from being defiled by worries and ignorance. This is akin to the lotus flower growing out of a muddy pond without being contaminated. Therefore, "The Lotus Sutra" is the source of Tzu Chi's Dharma lineage. Master Cheng Yen comprehended deeply the teachings of the Buddha and explained the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra in layman’s terms, by relating to current worldly events and her half-century journey of fulfilling her vows. This Dharma practice serves as an important spiritual guide for Tzu Chi volunteers when reaching out to the masses.
Read the feature on Wisdom at Dawn
Community “Wisdom at Dawn” session
You are welcome to register for the online “Wisdom at Dawn” session. Our community volunteers will be in contact with you:
Register for the community “Wisdom at Dawn” session
Global English online “Wisdom at Dawn” session
Every Saturday morning after listening to the Master's teachings at 5:20 a.m., volunteers around the world will connect online to listen to fellow volunteers share their insights and experiences in English until 8:30 a.m.
