Sutra Quote

  Chapter twenty-five of the Lotus Sutra, the Universal Gate of Bodhisattva Avalokitêśvara, says: “If innumerable myriad sentient beings who experience various sufferings hear of Bodhisattva Avalokitêśvara and single-mindedly chant the Bodhisattva’s name, Bodhisattva Avalokitêśvara will instantly perceive their voices, and all will be liberated.” It also says: “If there are sentient beings, who are imbued in lust, chant, remember, and respect Bodhisattva Avalokitêśvara frequently, they can then be relieved from lust. If they, who are permeated with anger, chant, remember, and respect Bodhisattva Avalokitêśvara frequently, they can then be relieved from anger. If they, who are filled with ignorance, chant, remember, and respect Bodhisattva Avalokitêśvara, they can then be relieved from ignorance.”     

True Enlightenment Practitioners Association Great Compassion Repentance Dharma Ceremony

  True Enlightenment Practitioners Association conduct the Great Compassion Repentance Dharma Ceremony regularly to enable members to repent and eliminate their bad karmas from the past and to cleanse their body and mind. The Dharma ceremony is wondrously solemn. Buddha’s disciples with karmic connections with the Dharma are welcome to join the ceremony.

  We respectfully request the Dharma teacher on duty to preside over the ceremony, enabling members to repent and eliminate past bad karma as well as cleanse their bodies and minds. Besides reciting the verse for repentance and prostrating to all the Buddhas, practitioners also chant the Great Compassion Dharani and make vows and transference of merits. 

Why should one prostrate and repent?

Sentient beings had committed unimaginable amounts of bad karmas over the past innumerable eons. In the current life, when the causes and conditions of these bad karmas mature, numerous adversities and unpleasant things will manifest. The Buddha established two very important wholesome Dharmas, namely “confession” and “repentance.” “Confess” means to disclose and “repent” means to never repeat the same act. If one can confess and repent according to the Dharma, the functions and virtues are boundless. The Buddha once said in the sutra: “After committing a major felony, if one becomes deeply remorseful, repents and never repeats, one can uproot the fundamental karma.” Hence, with the opportunity of participating in the Great Compassion Repentance Dharma Ceremony, one respectfully requests various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to witness how we rectify the past and ameliorate the future with utmost sincere repentance. Various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will definitely sense this, bless us, and extinguish our sins.  

The mindset everyone should possess when one prostrates during repentance

The functions and virtues of repentance are indeed special and wondrous. Repentance is also a very important aspect of the intensified practice method that enables us to stay far away from bad karma. When participating in the Dharma ceremony, one must honestly disclose one’s bad karma in the past, vow with firm certitude never to repeat the same acts, and truthfully repent. One should also respectfully request various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to be the witness. One should correct past mistakes, bravely generate the great vow of bodhicitta and practice the bodhisattva path to benefit sentient beings. If we can do so very sincerely, various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will definitely help us.