On January 31, twenty-eight seniors from the Ivy Senior Center visited Fo Guang Shan Chicago for a Lunar New Year blessing pilgrimage. They were warmly received by Head Priest Venerable Yung Han, Venerable Miao Wei, and BLIA members in a heartwarming and joyful atmosphere.
To celebrate the Spring Festival, the temple was meticulously decorated with peace lamps and Spring Festival scrolls featuring the calligraphy of FGS founder Venerable Master Hsing Yun. Auspicious symbols such as apples and tangerines were displayed to welcome the seniors as they arrived to offer prayers for health and prosperity in the new year.
During the activity, the assembly offered lamps and recited “A New Year’s Prayer” by Venerable Master Hsing Yun. Venerable Yung Han offered New Year blessings through the “Medicine Buddha of Disaster Reduction and Longevity,” wishing the seniors physical and mental well-being. Each guest received a red envelope containing a gold-colored Medicine Buddha card, “Peace Rice,” and a “Life’s 100 Matters” wisdom card by Master Hsing Yun. Holding these red envelopes, the seniors felt deeply embraced by warmth and blessings.
Subsequently, the seniors took turns ringing the “Bell of Peace,” praying for auspiciousness, and hanging their prayer cards filled with aspirations onto the prayer tree. At the “Life’s 108 Matters” booth, they drew Dharma wisdom cards, experiencing the compassionate blessings of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and the Master. The temple also prepared a bountiful vegetarian feast for the guests.
Many seniors visiting a Fo Guang Shan temple for the first time expressed feeling the blessings and a sense of inner peace. One senior remarked that chanting the Medicine Buddha Dharani with the monastics brought great tranquility and comfort. Another suggested to the group leader that more visits to Fo Guang Shan should be organized, noting that praying and ringing the bell at the temple during the New Year added immense Dharma joy. Furthermore, through the introduction of the “Triple Gem Mountain” of the FGS Headquarters displayed on the back wall of the Main Shrine, many expressed a keen interest in visiting the Buddha Museum in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in the future.