On August 18, 2024, a grand event filled with compassion and blessings took place at the Bodhi Meditation Center in Vancouver, Canada. The “2024 Ullambana Blessing Ceremony” drew many attendees to the venue and also reached a global audience through live streaming on platforms like YouTube and Facebook, allowing people from all over the world to participate in this solemn ceremony.
The ceremony was personally led by Grandmaster JinBodhi, the founder of Bodhi Meditation, who delivered a profound and insightful teaching to both in-person and online participants. Grandmaster JinBodhi explained in simple and understandable terms the importance of liberating karmic creditors and how it deeply influences one’s fate.
Grandmaster mentioned that each person’s fate is closely connected to their past actions, which is what Buddhism refers to as “karma.” He pointed out that it is hard to determine if we have caused harm to others in previous lifetimes, and these potential negative karmas may manifest in this life in various forms, such as troubled marriages, health issues, or career setbacks.
Grandmaster JinBodhi emphasized that once we grasp the concept of karma, we should not only strive to avoid harming others but also seek to dispel misfortune and better our fate through genuine repentance and virtuous actions. Grandmaster compassionately provided some practical methods, such as offering lights, making offerings to Buddha and self-cultivators, protecting dharma centers, and participating in volunteer services—all of which are excellent ways to accumulate merit and good fortune.
At the ceremony, Grandmaster JinBodhi performed a purification and blessing ritual for thousands of lotus tablets for the deceased and bestowed a water blessing upon the guests. Through sincere chanting and offerings from the attendees, may the compassionate blessings of Earth Store Bodhisattva grant each participant physical and mental well-being, as well as auspiciousness and good fortune.
At the end of the ceremony, Grandmaster JinBodhi united the wishes and energies of all present, leading everyone to chant The Earth Store Bodhisattva’s (Ksitigarbha) Heart Mantra. Each chant carried a heartfelt blessing for the deceased, and the merit was dedicated to all beings in the Dharma Realm, deceased relatives, parents of their seven previous lives, and karmic creditors. May Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and the Earth Store Bodhisattva guide the deceased away from evil paths and place them in realms of illumination. Likewise, may all those who heard and recited the Buddha’s name be freed from suffering, and gain blessings, longevity, and auspicious fortune
Notably, this celebratory event was not limited to Canada. Bodhi Meditation Centers worldwide also held similar blessing activities. Among them, “The Ullambana Festival Blessing Ceremony” hosted by Bodhi Meditation Malaysia in Penang attracted more than 4,000 participants, creating an atmosphere of auspiciousness filled with Dharma joy.
The global Ullambana Ceremony at Bodhi Meditation Centers was diverse and engaging, featuring activities such as chanting, offering lights, chanting around the Buddha for blessings, vehicle purification, energy blessings, oracle reading life guidance inquiries, hand-copying the Earth Store Bodhisattva’s (Ksitigarbha) Heart Mantra, and more. These activities not only provided spiritual solace to participants but also offered a precious opportunity to accumulate merit and eliminate karmic obstacles.
If you missed this Ullambana Blessing Ceremony, don’t worry! Bodhi Meditation regularly holds various blessing and chanting activities, allowing you to participate in these precious ceremonies anytime. We warmly invite you to:
✔ Subscribe to Grandmaster JinBodhi’s YouTube channel to watch past ceremony live streams and experience the solemn atmosphere of the events.
✔ Follow Grandmaster JinBodhi’s Facebook page for the latest updates on ceremonies and upcoming events.
✔ Keep an eye on the activities organized by your local Bodhi Meditation Center and join the next blessing and chanting event in person.
No matter where you are, you can join us in cultivation through these methods and bathe in the compassionate light of Buddha. Together, let us diligently progress on the path to enlightenment, offering blessings for ourselves and others, and creating a brighter future for all!