Due to the seriousness of the recent outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19), Venerable Master Hsing Yun has called upon the people to offer Prayer to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva for Safety from the COVID-19 Outbreak. In response to Master Hsing Yun’ call to accumulate ten million chanting of Heart Sutra in unison Worldwide, Fo Guang Shan (FGS) South Island has, since 30th January 2020, embarked on a campaign asking its devotees to recite the Heart Sutra and to transfer the merits to resolve this Pandemic.
FGS South Island has, at its weekend Dharma function on 8th February 2020, organised the devotees’ chanting of the Heart Sutra, and the transfer of the merits to Prayer to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva for Safety from the COVID-19 Outbreak. In all, about 30 devotees took part in this Dharma function. Later in her address to the devotees, FGS South Island Minister-in-charge Venerable Jue Xi pointed out that this recent Coronavirus outbreak came about because of man’s harming of the wild lives. As such, other than praying and transferring merits, we should refrain from harming and killing animals in the hope that such good deeds may cultivate good karmas for the Human Race which may result in less natural calamities.
Apart from chanting the Heart Sutra at the Temple’s Dharma functions, Venerable Jue Xi also encouraged the devotees to chant the Heart Sutra at home. After the Dharma function, many devotees enthusiastically requested for cultivation card from the Temple office and some downloaded the Worldwide Heart Sutra Chanting Register for personal use. FGS hopes that the good thought of everyone can contribute in cleansing this mundane World, uplift the Society’s Karma for the better, and in this way, help to overcome the present calamity.