English
The Emperor Liang Repentance Service is so named because it originated from the Emperor himself. A devoted Buddhist, Emperor Wu (of the Liang Dynasty) who took the Bodhisattva precepts during the second year of his reign and abided by them strictly for the rest of his life. In addition to building many temples and hosting numerous Dharma services, he also studied extensively the Buddha's teaching.
His wife, Queen Chi, died at the age of thirty after leading a life marked by jealousy and anger. After her death, she turned into a giant snake. She came to recognize that she needed prayers from the Sangha to liberate her from the lower realms. With great compassion, the Emperor requested Ch'an Master Pao-chih and other honourable monks to write ten chapters of repentance. As a result of performing this repentance service, his wife was indeed released from her suffering.
The merit one accumulates from repentance is inconceivable and beyond ordinary comprehension. Thenceforth, Emperor Liang Repentance Service is one of the most popular and widespread repentance services because it benefits both the living and the dead.
Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto holds The Emperor Liang Repentance Service annually in the seventh month of the lunar calendar. Merits gained from this repentance service will be dedicated to ancestors and the deceased. The service also has the benefits of repenting for our transgressions, purifying our minds and growing our wisdom.