On August 23, 2026, the middle of the seventh lunar month (the Ullambana Festival), the early spring breeze carried a solemn and refreshing coolness. On this day, Yen Ming Temple hosted its most important annual ritual: the Grand Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Yoga Flaming Mouth Deliverance Dharma Assembly. Although the temperature was mild, the afternoon sunlight was exceptionally bright, as if heaven and earth themselves were opening this compassionate gathering with a golden radiance. At 2:00 PM, the sound of Sanskrit chanting arose, and the assembly commenced punctually amidst the solemn incantation of Padmakumara mantra. Reverend Shi Lian Jie, the abbot of Yen Ming Temple, led the congregation, strictly following the liturgical procedures step by step. The Vajra assistants stepped forward with devout hearts to offer food to the departed and suffering beings, guiding them before the mandala to take refuge and lead them in repentance. Afterward, accompanied by the mantra of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the sound echoed like a morning bell from a distant mountain, lingering long, and like a ray of light amid deep underwater currents, penetrating the bones and soothing a thousand worries and ten thousand turbulent waves. Every syllable felt like a compassionate fingertip gently plucking the softest strings in the listeners' hearts, making souls tremble in the lingering reverberation and awaken within the resonance. Meanwhile, Master Shi Lian Ming from Canada sat upright upon the primary altar, slowly forming deliverance mudras with his hands—blooming like a lotus and pouring forth like moonlight. Subsequently, the assembly chanted the High …
On August 23, 2026, the middle of the seventh lunar month (the Ullambana Festival), the early spring breeze carried a solemn and refreshing coolness. On this day, Yen Ming Temple hosted its most important annual ritual: the Grand Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Yoga Flaming Mouth Deliverance Dharma Assembly. Although the temperature was mild, the afternoon sunlight was exceptionally bright, as if heaven and earth themselves were opening this compassionate gathering with a golden radiance.
At 2:00 PM, the sound of Sanskrit chanting arose, and the assembly commenced punctually amidst the solemn incantation of Padmakumara mantra. Reverend Shi Lian Jie, the abbot of Yen Ming Temple, led the congregation, strictly following the liturgical procedures step by step. The Vajra assistants stepped forward with devout hearts to offer food to the departed and suffering beings, guiding them before the mandala to take refuge and lead them in repentance. Afterward, accompanied by the mantra of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the sound echoed like a morning bell from a distant mountain, lingering long, and like a ray of light amid deep underwater currents, penetrating the bones and soothing a thousand worries and ten thousand turbulent waves. Every syllable felt like a compassionate fingertip gently plucking the softest strings in the listeners’ hearts, making souls tremble in the lingering reverberation and awaken within the resonance. Meanwhile, Master Shi Lian Ming from Canada sat upright upon the primary altar, slowly forming deliverance mudras with his hands—blooming like a lotus and pouring forth like moonlight. Subsequently, the assembly chanted the High King Avalokiteshvara Sutra and the Amitabha Sutra in unison, earnestly praying to the Root Guru and all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to emit light for guidance, wishing that all wandering spirits and ghosts might have their karmic obstacles eliminated, their spiritual nature purified and radiant, and that they would smoothly attain rebirth in the Buddha’s Pure Land.
As the assembly flowed solemnly, time slipped quietly away amid the devout chanting. When the final liturgy was successfully completed, lingering echoes still resonated within everyone’s hearts. At this moment, Master Lian Ming delivered a compassionate discourse centred on the theme of “Deliverance,” translating profound Buddhist teachings into everyday wisdom, with every sentence touching the hearts of the audience.
The Master gently noted that many people mistakenly believe everything turns to nothingness after death. However, Buddhism not only reveals the existence of the Pure Land but also teaches us to practice kindness, compassion, and filial piety while we are alive. Worshiping the Buddha is not a transaction; every single act of giving and the merit generated from deliverance ultimately returns to ourselves.
He further described the process of passing away, speaking in a soft yet crystal-clear tone: When a person is about to embark on their final journey, their eyes lose sight first, and their fingers gradually turn purple due to stagnant blood circulation. If the dying person suddenly becomes talkative or regains a huge appetite, it is a “flash of light before the setting sun” (a temporary surge of energy); at that moment, their consciousness has returned to the past, and we only need to quietly accompany and listen to them without interrupting or correcting them. A day or two later, they will gradually grow silent, their breathing will become heavy, and with phlegm in the throat, they will draw breath solely through the mouth; by then, however, their suffering will have lessened significantly. Family members must never forcefully feed them, as internal organs have ceased functioning. When breathing stops, only the consciousness of hearing remains; at this moment, absolutely do not cry loudly, shake, or touch the deceased. Because although the external consciousness has departed, the internal dissolution is still ongoing, and any disturbance will cause them immense suffering.
The Master urged family members that the most crucial steps at this moment are: First, immediately contact Yen Ming Temple so that the Reverends can send a letter praying for the Guru’s deliverance; second, the deceased’s clothing should either be donated or discarded rather than kept; third, personal belongings should be recycled as much as possible to avoid hoarding the chains of memories; fourth, medications must never be preserved; fifth, grievances should depart along with the deceased, and the living need not prolong old disputes. As for what may be retained: digitised photos and audio recordings, death and birth certificates, and letters written by the deceased. Photos may be kept, but solo portraits should not be displayed on walls.
Sharing a touching true story, the Master recounted how he once performed a deliverance ritual for a volunteer who had served long-term at the temple, and unexpectedly more than twenty fellow practitioners took leave to attend the chanting and see them off. This was the merit accumulated by that volunteer through a lifetime of serving the center and quietly toiling—a silent yet most powerful echo.
Addressing the tears of the family members, the Master sympathetically stated: “Crying is a way to heal the wounds within your own heart; emotions are not the enemy.” However, in front of the deceased, please hold back your tears, because crying will make the departed feel reluctant to part, causing them to refuse the guidance of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and obstructing their rebirth. Family members can transform tears into prayers, using their cries to beg the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to take good care of their loved one in heaven, turning sorrow into the strength of faith.
The Master also reminded practitioners not to let spiritual practice become an excuse for a desire for control. Some people bring temple precepts back home and make excessive demands on their families, creating stress—which is never the original intent of practice.
Furthermore, we should be inclusive of reverends, especially reverends like Reverend Lian Jie, who are capable of working hard and willing to take responsibilities, which makes them truly precious. The Master advised the assembly: “When seeing others’ faults, first examine yourself; when seeing others’ virtues, learn from them with humility. On the path of spiritual practice, there are no enemies, only teachers. Giving convenience to others is giving convenience to oneself. What truly influences our mind is our elevation; once our elevation is sufficient, we will not get angry. Those who can make you angry are those who share a karmic connection with you, and they deserve even greater tolerance.”
Finally, the Master answered questions from fellow practitioners.
Regarding organ donation, he stated: “If you have a firm grasp on your spiritual practice and can ascend directly to the Pure Land at the end of life without going through the dissolution of the four elements, you can aspire to donate, and the merit is immense. If you lack that certainty, it is better not to increase your own suffering, and individuals must evaluate this carefully.”
As for registering deceased ancestors for deliverance rituals and burning joss paper, the Master explained: “Deliverance adds to the radiance of the deceased’s merit, helping them ascend to a higher rank. After a person dies, while the heavenly soul reincarnates or attains rebirth, the earthly soul still remains connected to the ancestral tablet and burial site, and the earthly soul can still receive burned joss paper. If ancestors are in the three evil paths, they are powerless to protect their descendants; only those with deep merit can shield future generations. Therefore, performing deliverance for ancestors ultimately results in all the merit returning to the person who registered them.”
The Dharma Assembly concluded successfully amidst applause and emotional resonance. Master Lian Ming took group photos with the congregation, subsequently conducted a refuge empowerment for new initiates, bestowed the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva blessing empowerment upon all fellow practitioners, and performed the Vajrasattva broom purification blessing for those believers who could not arrive yesterday. The setting sun reflected upon the peaceful and warm expressions washed by the Dharma on everyone’s faces.
This Dharma Assembly did not merely light the lamps of the other shore for suffering beings in the netherworld; it also guided the direction of the heart for practitioners in this current lifetime. Between life and death, love and compassion have never ceased, and spiritual practice is, after all, a gentle journey concerning oneself and awakening.
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