According to Master Taixu, “Being a good human is the key to becoming a Buddha.” To eventually become a Buddha, we must first perfect our character and fulfil our duties as humans in this lifetime. The simplest way to achieve this is by loving and protecting our parents, families, and ancestors.

We must repay our parents for bringing us into this world and thus, giving us the chance to hear the Dharma. We should love and protect them, showing them gratitude and moving forward with their support as our motivation. We should also pay respects to our ancestors, without whom we would not be here today.

However, how should we remember and repay our loved ones if they have already passed away? It is far from impossible. Buddhists believe in the concepts of cause and effect, and Dharma assemblies provide an opportunity for us to continue conveying love and compassion to our departed ones. Through these Dharma assemblies, we can create and share good merits with our dearly departed, helping them be free from suffering and attain a better rebirth.

This Seventh Lunar Month, let us turn our grief into blessings through the Emperor Liang Repentance Dharma Assembly. Let us share these wondrous merits with our parents and ancestors of present and past lives, planting good causes for present and future lives. At the same time, let us grow in wisdom and blessings, perfecting our character.

By the compassionate power of the Triple Gem, may we share the merits from this Dharma Assembly with all sentient beings! May all beings be at peace and attain ultimate liberation! Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu! 🙏🙏🙏