Dharma Services

In Buddhism, we understand that we have committed countless mistakes and have hurt countless sentient beings in the past. In addition to changing our ways, we also have to acknowledge the damage which we have done. Repentance is a process of detailing all the actions we regret and vow to change.

As we repent, we are repenting for ourselves and also on behalf of all other beings who are unable to attend. As a result, we bring all sentient beings closer to awakening through this service.

According to legend, this repentance service was originally composed at the request of Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty (502–557 CE). Emperor Wu was a devout Buddhist, however his wife Madame Chi, was cruel-hearted and enjoyed harassing monastics until she died.

After her death, the emperor encountered a giant snake in the palace. The snake was tortured by parasites in its scales and was in great suffering. At first, the emperor was terrified, but then the snake spoke to him. The snake said that she was his former wife and begged him to find a way to save her from her miserable state.

Shortly after, the emperor went to ask his monastic teacher, Master Baozhi, for advice. As a result, Master Baozhi led a group of monastics to compose a detailed repentance text that spanned ten scrolls long. The emperor himself participated in reciting the repentance, and upon finishing, he saw a celestial maiden descend upon the palace. She was his former wife who had been freed from her serpent body and now came to thank the emperor for his help.

Since then, this text has been highly regarded in Chinese Buddhism as a way to help sentient beings repent for their karmic transgressions.

The Water and Land Dharma Service is the most comprehensive and sophisticated service in the Chinese Buddhist tradition. It involves the simultaneous recitation of many scriptures and an elaborate arrangement of altars to facilitate the service.

The crux of the service is in the Inner Altar, where the presiding venerables invite and make offerings to sentient beings in all realms. While numerous outer altars are diligently practicing, they dedicate those merits so that the inner altar can smoothly conduct its proceedings. The entire service takes at least one full week and usually spans two weeks at Hsi Lai Temple.

The sutras recited include the Avatamsaka Sutra, Lotus Sutra, Surangama Sutra, Medicine Master Sutra, Amitabha Sutra, Golden Light Sutra, Diamond Sutra, Brahma Net Sutra, Perfect Awakening Sutra, and the Emperor Liang Repentance, among many others. The schedule also includes additional services such as the Celestial Offering Dharma Service, Steadfast Mindfulness in Three Periods Dharma Service and Flaming Mouth Dharma Service.

Unique to the Water and Land Dharma Service is a portion on Conferring Precepts upon the Departed. As part of the Inner Altar’s proceedings, the names of the deceased registered for the service are summoned and are allowed to receive the bodhisattva precepts. By upholding these precepts, they will be able to transform themselves and others regardless of which realm they are currently in. They ultimately generate the karmic conditions necessary to attain a fortunate rebirth and continue progressing towards awakening.

This elaborate service has gone through many changes since its inception. Like the Emperor Liang Repentance Service, it traces its origins to Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty. One night, the emperor dreamt of an encounter with a monastic who instructed him to identify a way to help all sentient beings in the Dharma realm. The emperor sought Master Baozhi’s guidance and thus began the service. It is said that before they first conducted this liturgy, the emperor held the candles were all extinguished. As they started the service, the candles lit up on their own, thus signifying that this service was indeed productive. 

Throughout Chinese Buddhist history, there have been multiple versions of the service, but one common trait is the use of scrolls in the Inner Altar. Dozens of scrolls line the periphery of the hall and depict the various kinds of beings invited to the service. These range from the buddhas and bodhisattvas to various walks of human life, to those in the darkest of spiritual realms, showing that in this service, there is no distinction between who receives offerings and who does not. Because all beings are equally benefited, it is also called a Dharma service for “universal liberation.”

While the Inner Altar requires advance registration, participants may join whichever Outer Altars have space. At Hsi Lai Temple, we provide English editions of the Avatamsaka Sutra for reading and translated liturgies for the Inner Altar, Surangama Sutra, and Lotus Sutra.

This service takes place twice a month at the temple where we recite the Great Compassion Dharani, repenting for all past deeds, and vowing to improve our conduct for the future.

Originally composed by monks in the Tiantai school of Chinese Buddhism, it was used as a way to improve one’s state of meditation. The monks practiced this repentance to get rid of obstacles which may arise during prolonged meditation and develop inner compassion. In this world, compassion is needed more than ever, and we hope you can join us in this practice.

The service highlights the merits and virtues of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, who represents great compassion. The service takes roughly three hours and involves prostrating to various Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and accomplished monastics related to Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva.

Please join us in celebration of the birth of our teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha, which is one of the most important events in the Buddhist Calendar!

During this celebration, we partake in the traditional bathing of the baby Buddha, and pray for not only auspiciousness in our lives, but to also emulate him and his teachings.

Please join us for a special chanting service in the morning honoring the birth of our teacher, followed by festivities, activities for children, and an opportunity to try various culinary treats throughout the rest of the day. Together we can welcome in Spring and a time of renewed dedication in our practice through the celebration of our faith’s founder.

The Spring Memorial is held in observation of Qingming, a time associated with tomb sweeping in China. While this tradition is originally Chinese, Buddhist influence helped it become a time for families to come to the temple and cultivate in memory of their ancestors.

Throughout our lives, we have knowingly and unknowingly hurt those around us. This repentance service allows us to admit our faults and begin to repair our karmic relationships with all sentient beings.

During the service, we dedicate the merits and virtues generated from repenting our actions to the memory of our loved ones for all they have done for us. Through these merits, we hope that they may encounter Buddhism in future lives and ultimately attain awakening.

This service occurs every year during the Lunar New Year festivities. The service honors twenty-four celestial beings who are considered protectors of Buddhism. The service begins with a purification ceremony and lengthy invitation procedure on Saturday night. Then, early the next morning, we make offerings to each of our invited celestial guests as well as to the Triple Gem. Then, once the offering is complete, we send off the deities.

This service is unique to Chinese Buddhism and includes a mix of Indian and Chinese traditions. For instance, the service is traditionally held on the ninth day of the first month in the lunar calendar, which is the Jade Emperor’s birthday. While the Jade Emperor is not a Buddhist figure, he is seen as equivalent to the Indian deity Brahma, who is considered a protector of Buddhist teachings. While there are many variations of this service, the temple uses the edition by Baohua Vinaya Hall, which is considered the most elaborate.

The liturgy consists of the following sessions:

Purification and Adornment of the Platform

Prior to inviting the Triple Gem and celestial beings to descend upon the hall, the altar is decorated and meticulously adorned. With elaborate tablecloth, fine flowers, and jeweled ornaments, the shrine transforms into a palace that is literally "fit for the gods." Once these preparations are complete, the assembly gathers to purify the platform, which refers to the place where the ritual is conducted. As with many other Chinese Buddhist purification ceremonies, this is done by reciting the Great Compassion Dhāraṇī to invoke Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva while the officiants sprinkle the water of great compassion around the space. This purifies the space and establishes spiritual boundaries to ensure that the rest of the offering will go smoothly without interruption. The merits from this preliminary service are dedicated to world peace, the Dharma protectors, and to all sentient beings.

Solemn Homage in Respectful Invitation

After a brief intermission, the assembly returns to the hall to respectfully invite the Triple Gem and celestial beings who will receive the offerings. This is done in a fixed pattern of proclaiming the deities' virtues, inviting them, then singing praises to them and then presenting simple offerings of tea, sweets, and towels. This is repeated until the Triple Gem and the twelve tables of celestial beings have been invited and received the first set of offerings. The beings are then considered spiritually present and the assembly venerates them after the service before retiring for the night.

Reverent Presentation of Offerings

The following morning, the assembly resumes in the hall to present a grand procession of offerings. These offerings, primarily food, are passed through the assembly so that each participant has a chance to personally present the tray of offerings while kneeling.

Making Offerings at the Proper Time

Having presented the offerings and placed them on each table, the main service for offering begins. This is based on making the Noon Offering Before the Buddhas, a common service at all Chinese Buddhist temples. However, the service is extended by adding to the repetitions of mantras and the officiant proclaims the dedicative report, a prayer which lists the reasons for conducting this service and the names of those who made it possible.

Sending Off the Sacred

At the end of the service, the invited deities are respectfully sent to their original realms. The paper plaques which represent them throughout the service are burned, and the service is complete. The officiant gives a Dharma talk and the assembly exits the hall. After the service, just as how great efforts were needed to prepare the decorations for the service, immense work is done to restore the hall to its original format. Just as all things arise and cease due to causes and conditions, the service too arises for a moment and then ceases.

While many Western Buddhists, through exposure to other traditions of Buddhism, see Pure Land and Chan as separate or even complete opposites, this service is a prime example of how the two teachings can be integrated and practiced together. Although the teachings delivered in the service urge the audience to seek rebirth in the Pure Land, its ideas and concepts are rooted in Chan, emphasizing the non-duality of sentient beings and the Buddha.

The origin of the liturgy’s name was due to the original practice that was conducted during the morning, noon, and afternoon. However, it is now typical to conduct all three in one afternoon and is often held as a culmination to a multi-day service such as the Emperor Liang Repentance Service or Amitābha Dharma Service.

The teachings presented during the service by the presiding officiant urge the assembly—both the living and the deceased—to generate faith in Amitābha Buddha’s Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, practice the necessary virtues, and vow to be reborn in his Pure Land. It also presents a Chan perspective on the Pure Land, teaching that “nothing is outside of the Pure Land of one's own mind, nor the Amitābha of one's inherent nature.”

The deceased are considered spiritually present during this service through yellow paper plaques which have their names inscribed. Throughout the service, the sermons delivered by the officiant address the deceased spirits who are being memorialized with the understanding that they are gathered here, respectfully listening to the teachings. However, living participants of the service should strive to learn from the teachings as well.

By practicing mindfulness of the Buddha, developing a better understanding of the Dharma, and purifying one’s own karma through repentance and reform, the living participants are able to generate wholesome causes and conditions which benefit all beings—both the living and the deceased.

Hsi Lai Temple English Dharma Service is a spiritual practice designed to cater to English-speaking individuals who are interested in Buddhism. The service is adapted to meet the needs of those who speak English as their primary language, making it easier for everyone to understand and participate in Buddhist practices.

The service incorporates various practices, including chanting, prostrations, walking and sitting meditation, and a short Dharma talk. Chanting is a common practice in Buddhism, and it involves the recitation of sacred texts, mantras, or sutras. Prostrations are gestures of respect and homage towards the Buddha, which involves bowing and kneeling on the soft cushions provided. Walking meditation involves mindful walking with a focus on the present moment, while sitting meditation involves maintaining a stable and comfortable posture while observing the breath or other sensations.

A Dharma talk is a teaching given by a Venerable on a particular subject of Buddhist practice. It is usually brief and focuses on practical application of Buddhist principles in our daily life.

The Flaming Mouth Dharma Service is held twice a year at Hsi Lai Temple, once on the afternoon of the Sangha Day celebration, and once more to conclude the weeklong Emperor Liang Repentance Service.

The service originated when a monk named Ananda was meditating in the forest and encountered a ghost king named Jvalamukha (Flaming Mouth). The ghost king told him that he would soon pass away and fall into the realm of hungry ghosts. Frightened, Ananda sought the Buddha’s guidance. In response, the Buddha taught him to bestow food to hungry ghosts and explained that this practice of generosity would ensure that he lived a long and healthy life.

Although Humanistic Buddhism emphasizes practicing Buddhism in the human realm, it does not deny the existence of other realms. Services like this are ways for us to cultivate our compassion and wisdom by including all sentient beings in our practice. 

While the majority of this service is conducted by the presiding Venerables, as participants we are able to support the atmosphere of the service through our chanting, mindfulness, and prostrations. This service is held in Mandarin Chinese, however an English edition of the liturgy is available to guide attendees.

The Thousand Buddhas Dharma Service is a popular event which occurs on Lunar New Year’s Day. Devotees come to the temple on this day to pay homage to the thousand Buddhas of the past, thousand Buddhas of the present, and thousand Buddhas of the future. By doing so, we are able to repent prior transgressions while also resolving to improve our thoughts and actions in the coming year. Freeing ourselves from transgressions, we will naturally be blessed with positive affinities.

While this service is traditionally practiced over the course of numerous weeks and includes hundreds of prostrations per day, we use an abridged liturgy which can be completed within the span of a morning.

Pilgrimages are spiritual journeys from an ordinary place to a sacred place. It is a practice that emphasizes the path rather than the destination and guides participants in developing humility and respect.

At the temple, it is a solemn service where participants gather at the temple gate and make their way up to the Main Shrine, making a prostration once every three steps. These are held in commemoration of certain Buddhist holidays and are always a popular practice.

This practice encourages us to be mindful in every step and entrust ourselves to the rest of the group. In pilgrimages, we make sure that we are all moving at the same pace and strive to be fully mindful and sincere with each prostration.

Before Fo Guang Shan was a major monastery in Taiwan and across the world, the temple started holding pilgrimages to host visitors from afar. As Venerable Master Hsing Yun said, “Prostrations are a way for us to connect with the Buddha. Through prostrations, we give rise to wisdom and compassion.”

Pilgrimage events throughout the year:

Lunar New Year’s Eve

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s Birthday

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment Day

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s Renunciation Day

Mid-Autumn Moon Festival

Each week we gather for communal cultivation and practice in a group setting. When we chant with others, we can put our mindfulness to the test and join with the spiritual strength of others.

With a monthly rotation of sutras, we refresh our understanding of the Buddha’s many teachings. The service includes devotional practices such as prostrations and vows, chanting the Buddha’s name, and seeking refuge.

An afternoon service is reserved for memorializing our loved ones who have passed away. This practice speaks to the power of the community to heal the wounds of the living and uplift the spirits of the deceased.

The end of the services features a prayer and dedication to focus our merits and virtues created through this service to all beings so they may live in peace, harmony, and accomplish great deeds.

The Light Offering Dharma Service is held on the new and full moon days of each month. During this time we pray and dedicate merits to the well-being of those who have offered annual wisdom lamps at the temple, as well as for peace and well-being for all beings in the world.

Held just after the lunar New Year begins, an inauguration service takes place to officially initiate the offering. At the end of the year there is another service to bring the offering to completion.

The biweekly service includes a recitation of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s Universal Gate Chapter of the Lotus Sutra. The scripture describes the ways in which Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva manifests and bestows compassion upon the world. From a Humanistic Buddhist perspective, we all share a responsibility in learning from Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s example and practicing compassion towards everybody around us. 

The Amitābha Sūtra teaches that if one is able to be mindful of Amitābha Buddha, and keeps that mindfulness in thought without interruption from one to seven days, one will be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss at the end of one’s life. Thus, the Amitābha Dharma Service is a weeklong session of Buddha-name recitation to actualize the teachings in the sūtra.

In Chinese Buddhist monasteries, reciting Amitābha Buddha’s name is seen as a form of meditative concentration. Through verbal recitation, we can focus our minds on Amitābha Buddha and his virtues, thus generating a state of concentration similar to silent meditation. With each recitation of the buddha’s name, we also invoke our inherently awakened nature. 

While we recite and resolve to be reborn in the Buddha’s Pure Land, we also remind ourselves that this world we live in can also be a Pure Land. In addition to practicing during the service, we must also live as a Bodhisattva and build a Pure Land here on earth.

The Medicine Master Dharma Service is an opportunity for us to focus on curing the illnesses which afflict both our minds and bodies.

Before attaining full awakening as a bodhisattva, Medicine Master Buddha made twelve vows to help sentient beings in their present-life situations. His vows describe how all sentient beings born in his realm will be equal in appearance, in gender, and not lack any material possessions.

Without fulfilling the daily need for basic necessities, it would be hard for anyone to have time to study the Buddha’s teachings and Medicine Master Buddha’s first concern is to fulfill this need through his practice. As we recite his sutra during this service, we also take the time to reflect on how we can transform our current world into his Pure Land.

A unique altar with hundreds of lights is a distinctive feature of this service. This colorful arrangement also comes from the sutra, which provides instructions on lighting lamps as offerings to Medicine Master Buddha. The light from these lamps represents wisdom, which dispels the darkness of ignorance. In addition to dedicating merits towards curing our inner afflictions, we also dedicate them to all sentient beings so that we may have healthy bodies and minds.

Each evening, the temple also holds the Eighty-Eight Buddha Repentance Service. During this service, we invoke various buddhas to guide us as we repent for our transgressions and vow to practice the conduct of a bodhisattva by following Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s example.

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is known in Mahāyāna Buddhism for his great vows. In multiple past lives, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was a girl who was inspired to save all sentient beings upon seeing her own mother wrought by suffering.

In Chinese Buddhism, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s birthday is on the last day of the seventh lunar month, and so the entire month leading up to his birthday is known as the “Month of Filial Piety” to commemorate his vows on behalf of his mother.

During this time, Hsi Lai Temple recites the Ksitigarbha Sūtra each morning and evening. Through participating in this Dharma service, we can familiarize ourselves with how Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva became the great Bodhisattva he is now and aspire to emulate him in our daily life.

The Sangha is the community of practitioners who have left the householders' life to become monastics and devote themselves to the teachings of the Buddha.

We honor their life-long dedication to upholding and transmitting the teachings of our tradition to future generations, ensuring our practice never ends and our larger community always has the support and guidance we need in our daily lives.

The Sangha Day celebration begins with a special ceremony honoring the monastic community with cultural performances, blessings, and a communal meal. The service is followed by a festive parade of monastics through the temple compound giving the community an opportunity at large to make offerings and is reminiscent of the traditional begging for alms. You might even catch sight of some children monastics as well, walking in the footsteps of the Buddha!

This event is rooted in the rainy season retreat when monastics sheltered indoors for three months with intensive daily practice. At the end of the retreat, lay practitioners would make a special offering to the Sangha to honor their improved discipline. The act of making offerings to the Sangha is a common means to procure merits for dedication to deceased family members, aiding them in finding a better rebirth. As such, this day is often followed in the afternoon with a special multi-hour chanting service by the Sangha and is in dedication to all donors’ families, both living and beyond.