Toronto Members Practice Sutra Calligraphy with Gratitude to Commemorate Venerable Master Hsing Yun

On August 25th, in honor of the birthday of Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founder of Fo Guang Shan, Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto held a special "Sutra Calligraphy" event, led by BLIA Toronto Chapter Advisor Betty Young. Over 120 members and devotees gathered to participate, approaching the practice with pure minds and deep gratitude. With full concentration, they meticulously copied the Heart Sutra, dedicating the merits of their practice to pray for the swift return of Venerable Master Hsing Yun and for the well-being of society and the nation.

In her concluding remarks, Venerable Ru An encouraged the participants, emphasizing that sutra calligraphy not only nurtures patience and focus but also serves as a form of meditation and mindfulness. She reminded the everyone that when one’s body, speech, and mind are pure and harmonious, the practice becomes a boundless offering with immense merit. Venerable also shared updates from recent events at Fo Guang Shan Monastery, including the Fo Guang Shan Tsung Lin University’s graduation ceremony, the Sangha Offering Dharma Assembly, and the Monastic Seminar.

The event began with Betty guiding the participants to clear their minds and focus on the present moment, aligning themselves with the Dharma through the sacred words of the Heart Sutra. In an atmosphere of serenity and harmony, participants completed their sutra copying and dedicated the merits by recitingthe Fo Guang Shan Four-Line Verse.

Dafang Wu, a young adult who participated in sutra calligraphy for the first time, shared his experience despite not knowing Chinese. With the help of translation arranged by the temple and a focused mind, he successfully completed the practice. Wu expressed that the experience purified his heart and brought great benefit. Upon realizing that he had copied the Heart Sutra, he felt immense joy and mentioned that he learned about the event through the temple’s Facebook page.

Meiling Lu and her sister Meiyan also visited the temple for the first time. Upon entering the Main Shrine, they were warmly welcomed by volunteers, and Meiling’s sitting location was right before the statue of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, bringing her a sense of peace even more. Another participant, Meixin, expressed that the practice helped her release worries and gain a deep sense of fulfillment from the experience.