English
On February 27, the Humanistic Buddhism Reading Association of Toronto hosted the first 2022 online gathering,"Melody of Heart -Sharing the Joy of Reading," a combination of music and the Dharma. Venerable Chueh Fan, the Abbess of Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto, Venerable Miao Mu, the Advising Venerable of the Reading Association, Ms. Mabel Lam, the President of BLIA Toronto Chapter, Ms. Chuen Shan Yip, the President of BLIA Montreal Chapter, and Ms. Su-Jen Lai, the Vice-president of BLIA Boston Chapter, together with members from 27 Toronto reading groups,nearly 100 book lovers participated in the event.
Venerable Chueh Fan praised the Humanistic Buddhism Reading Association of Toronto for leading the way to start this year’s online learning. She said, “Learning is an indispensable tool that nourishes our minds. Encourages the habit of reading, building a network that encourages learning around us is important. Sharing the lyrics written by Venerable Master Hsing Yun helps us understand the deeper meaning of our lives."
Venerable Miao Mu, said, "The association will launch three major events to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto. The event’s theme is sharing the lyrics from the Sounds of the Human World and also promoting the"2022 BLIA Global Sounds of the Human World Songwriting Contest."
During the event, the presentations from the five study groups were unique and ingenious. The Echo Study Group incorporated the song "Turning" with the sound of ocean waves and invited everyone to talk about their thoughts about water. Willa, the youngest member of the Cloud Study Group shared her inspiration from the song "Buddha in My Heart." John Lu, the convener of Enlighten Sentient Beings Study Group shared his inspiration from the song "Life Is But a Dream," and some tips about how to appreciate the musicality of a song.
Polly Tang and Ka Lai Lam from the Seeding Study Group shared the core value of the song "Century of Spring" through a lively conversation. Hu Chen, the convener of the Swan Goose Study Group, discussed the challenges in our daily lives through the lyrics of the song "Morning Prayer." He realized that only holding strong faith in Buddhism can lead us to overcome all the difficulties.
By Irene Chai