Repentence Dharma Ritual/Services

LavenderWu SG

Hi All Brothers & Sisters in Dharma. Does anyone know of any Buddhist Repentence Services/Rituals/Ceremonies that are conducted regularly in temples in the Mahayana tradition and conducted in Mandarin? If you do know, please let me know the (1)Name of the temple (2)Address/Road Name (3)And any Phone numbers so that I can call up for schedule. Thanks and With Metta.

yhjow SG

There is one Great Compassion Repentence Dharma Service at my temple Fo Guang Shan Singapore 新加坡佛光山 this coming Sunday 18th September. It's held regularly once a month. My temple is predominantly Mandarin-based and follows Chinese Mahayana traditions (predominantly Zen but also do chanting for Amitabha Pureland), since it's Fo Guang Shan from Taiwan. Buddha Light International Assocation (BLIA) 國際佛光會 is one of the largest buddhist organizations in the world with about 6 million members and more than 250 temples around the world. I'm a member of BLIA.

I welcome you to visit and join the dharma service at my temple. There is also a place for Sutra writing 抄經 in my temple and a 滴水房 (teahouse) on top floor of my temple. The dharma service is held every Sunday 10am-12noon at my temple. There are various other activities held at my temple.

Master Hsin Yun 星雲大師 is the founder of Fo Guang Shan 佛光山 and is the 48th lineage holder of Linji Chan 臨濟宗 (one of the 5 sects of Zen 禪宗 in China)

新加坡佛光山

Fo Guang Shan (Singapore)

1 punggol place Singapore 828844

Time: 10am-12noon

Nearest MRT station: Punggol MRT Station

Website: http://www.fgs.sg

Other dates for repentence services include: 16 Oct, 20 Nov, 18 Dec (for 2011)

You don't need to register for the repentence service. Just turn up on Sunday preferably at 9:50 am as dharma service starts punctually at 10am with chanting done together with other venerables.

However, in some dharma services, if you want to provide offerings or lamp service 點燈 , you need to register and pay a small amount of money for it.

After the dharma services, you can enjoy some vegetarian food 打齋 at the 五觀堂 of my temple .

南無阿彌陀佛

yhjow 合十

Dawnfirstlight SG

Many Buddhist temples have repentance chanting. Do you prefer the temple to be near your place or you don't mind traveling?

LavenderWu SG

Thanks for information. I’ll try turn up this Sunday. After taking Precepts 2 months ago, I couldn’t live up to one of the Precepts. Hence I m going for Repentence. But after Repentence if I can’t control and break a Precept again, then I’ll go for the next Repentence. Haha. I shouldn’t have took that particular Precept vow that time, out of the 5 Precepts. Regret now.

LavenderWu SG

Thanks Yhjow for info. Hi Dawn, as long as the service is in mandarin and using Mahayana style, I don’t mind travelling to any part of Spore. I’ll try go to Fo Guang Shan this Sunday.

yhjow SG

Breaking precepts is common at a beginner stage. I used to break precepts initially, but as long as you continuously repent and vow never to break it, slowly the bad habits will diminish and you will find that you will be able to hold on to the precepts.

Participating in repentence service is good because it trains you to be mindful of your daily action, and helps you to repent for your wrong-doings and vows never to commit those bad karma anymore.

Leogirldreamer SG

The Buddha Tooth Relic temple at Chinatown has a full schedule on their website. You can read it for their regular chanting sessions. They hold chanting sessions daily, weekly and monthly for specific sutra.

I went to Fo guang Shan before and like the modern building very much. The vegetarian buffet meal is a good spread and there is a modern cafe in there too. I like the sutra writing place with their old style wood table like back in ancient China. It's a pity its very far for me to journey there. Quite miss the Green and modern temple.

LavenderWu SG

thanks Leo.

LavenderWu SG

Yhjow, thanks. Though its easy to say we can continously repent and vow not to break the Precept again….but this particular Precept I broke is what all human beings naturally have an ‘urge or craving’ in unless one is an Eunarch (Tai Jian). Sorry for wrong spelling. So now u guys knew which Precept I broke liao huh. Haha. I can’t put out in words here cos its censored la. Never the less, I’ll try this Sunday. Thanks.

yhjow SG

I've broken that precept 不邪淫 countless of times. It's one of the hardest precept to hold on to for guys. But I've managed to successfully overcome it. Here are the steps I can offer you to break that viscious bad habits 戒邪淫.

1. Do not even watch online porn, nudity at all. Don't even watch it. Your mind will capture those image and store in your consciousness as memory. Once that image is in your mind, you will find it hard to rid yourself of it and you might feel an urge to commit sexual misconduct.

2. Do not masturbate. If you realize that any sexual thoughts or cravings arrive in your mind, start chanting Buddha's name (such as 南無阿彌陀佛 ) or 南無觀世音菩薩. Chanting those continuously in your mind until the sexual thoughts disappear. It's extremely effective whenever you find that thought has arrived.

3. If you try to masturbate, visualize as if there are buddha and deities looking at you. You will not dare to masturbate.

4. In the Buddhist temple, try to participate in the Medicine Buddha's lamp lighting 點藥師燈 for yourself.It will rid yourself of some very evil habits. Of course, do participate in all dharma services esp. repentence service in temples.

5. Chanting the following sutra everyday (once in the morning, and once at night):

八十八佛大懺悔文 (88 Buddha Great Repentence Verse)

觀世音菩薩普門品 (Guanyin's Sutra)

大悲咒 (Compassion Mantra)

楞嚴咒 (Shurangama Mantra)

They have an effect of subduing your mind. I used to have sex addiction problems, but I've been practising those for 1 year and have managed to hold up to the precepts.

楞嚴咒 (Shurangama Mantra) is a mantra specifically used for dealing with "sex demons" in your mind. It is highly recommended to chant.

If you find that you cannot control your urge and have serious sex addiction problems, there is also medical help from psychiatrist available to help one deal with it.

Dawnfirstlight SG

Thanks Yhjow for info. Hi Dawn, as long as the service is in mandarin and using Mahayana style, I don’t mind travelling to any part of Spore. I’ll try go to Fo Guang Shan this Sunday.

I used to go for repentence every now and then. I'll inform you the next time and you can join me if you are free.

LavenderWu SG

Thanks Yhjow for your advice. Ok sure Dawn.

yhjow SG

Thanks Yhjow for your advice. Ok sure Dawn.

As a general rule, chanting of sutra should not be done inside the bedroom or even in the toilet as this is disrespectful to the Buddha and Bodhisattva. Unless you have no choice such as you're renting a room in a flat (and the living room is occupied), you're allowed to chant in the bedroom. If you have no choice but to chant inside the bedroom, make sure you chant it only in your mind and not chant it out loud.

It is always recommended that chanting the sutra (out loud) should be done outside the bedroom, preferably in the living room if you're at home and in front of the Buddha statue (if you have one at home). It would even be more respectful if you can burn incense and do offerings to Buddha when chanting.

LavenderWu SG

I see. Ok thanks.