New Year’s Day Feast Offering Ceremony: “Prayer for the Longevity of Grand  Master Lu and World Peace”

Report from Melbourne Yanming Leizang Temple

January 1, 2026, marked a profoundly auspicious beginning to the new year at Yen Ming Temple. We successfully hosted the “Prayer for the Longevity of Grand Master Lu and World Peace” Feast Offering Ceremony led online by the world wide True Buddha School. The gathering was filled with reverence, gratitude, and the incredible blessings of the Grand Master, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

The ceremony’s primary purpose was to offer sincere prayers for our Grand Master’s long life and enduring presence in this world, and to dedicate merits for global peace and harmony. The atmosphere throughout was one of deep spirituality and shared devotion.

We are moved to witness the continuous expansion of our spiritual family. Despite her demanding Dharma responsibilities, our presiding Reverend Shi Lian Jie has diligently nurtured many new sponsors. With the assistance of our Dharma Assistant, sponsors from both within the country and abroad have flourished like spring bamboo shoots after rain. This burgeoning support is a testament to the inconceivable compassionate power and blessings of our Grand Master and the Buddhas.

The flawless execution of this ceremony was made possible only through the selfless dedication of countless volunteers, who offered their time, skills, and hearts.

Our deepest gratitude goes to the Reverend Lian Jie and her family. They undertook immense responsibilities, from crafting lotus decorations and procuring offering materials to artistically arranging the offerings, and preparing the extensive variety of food and desserts. Their whole-hearted effort formed the foundation of the ceremony.

Our heartfelt appreciation to Dharma Sister Maggie and Nhuan for leading the kitchen team with such dedication. The team prepared a vast array of delicious and beautiful dishes as offerings, a true labor of love and devotion.

Dharma Sister Jessica’s exceptional coordination before, during, and after the ceremony was invaluable. She expertly managed the offering budget, allocated personnel, and maintained real-time financial reporting, which greatly boosted morale. She also assisted in preparing the ceremonial tablets.

Dharma Sister Monica was our versatile pillar of support, involved in procurement, daily temple affairs, gift design, and more. She truly lived the spirit of stepping forward wherever there was a need—absolutely fantastic!

The head of Yen Ming – Dharma Assistant Yue Hua invested considerable time and effort, traveling to multiple locations to source the perfect flowers for the ceremony. They also procured pastries, nuts, and other offerings. A tremendous amount of careful work went into managing the sponsors’ registration forms and statistics, ensuring every detail was accurately recorded and matched with corresponding gifts and transactions.

We are also grateful to Dharma Sister Zhang Huiping and Dharma Brother Albert for their patient assistance, meticulously checking the ceremonial gold paper and tablets with us repeatedly.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Dharma Brother Kar Wei and Nick for taking charge of the network setup. They came to the temple several days before the Dharma assembly to test and adjust all the equipment, ensuring everything was in perfect working order. On the day of the event, they arrived early to help with binding gold papers, arranging offerings, handling registration, and more, which greatly eased the shortage of manpower. Thank you, both handsome and dedicated dharma brothers!

Special thanks to Dharma Sister Ann, who spent a couple of days meticulously creating the magnificent centerpiece of the mandala—the longevity peaches—striving for perfection in height and beauty, complemented by her exquisite floral arrangements.

Also thanks to Dharma Brother Tiff and Dharma Sister Carmen, who assisted in decorating the mandala on the day of the Dharma assembly. Tiff went to three different stores to purchase offerings for the temple. 

Additionally, Dharma Sister Betty meticulously prepared six beautifully crafted chocolate pineapples and offered eleven pineapples as offerings. 

We thank Dharma Sisters Krystal and Yang Ting for their heartfelt devotion in designing the mandala. They pre-sketched layouts, personally arranged every item with care, and assisted in the orderly clearing afterward. 

Dharma Sister Teresa came to the temple earlier two days in a row to help with the preparation.

Last but not least, Dharma Brother Dudu, Nick, Albert, Paul and Tiff, and dharma sister Violet,Teresa and many others stayed to help with the cleaning of the venue after the Dharma assembly.

There are so many people to thank, and if we have inadvertently missed anyone, we sincerely apologise. Your kindness and efforts are deeply appreciated.

Despite being short-handed, the collective determination and hard work of everyone involved ensured the ceremony’s resounding success.

Through the immense blessings of Grand Master Lu, Golden Mother, and all the Buddhas, this ceremony manifested the most dignified and beautiful mandala in our history. The spiritual energy during the gathering was palpable, and many participants reported profound experiences.

All merits generated from this ceremony are dedicated to the long life and eternal presence of our Grand Master Lu, and to peace and tranquility throughout the world.

Yen Ming Temple once again cooperated with Melbourne Lotus Light Charity Society to donate Dharma offerings, such as rice, canned food and other foods, to the Food Bank Victoria to benefit local vulnerable groups. Thank you to all the fellow believers who participated in supporting this offering and even sponsored the rice and Dharma Assembly offerings!