The Path of Humility: A Record of the Manjushri Bodhisattva Homa Ceremony

On April 12, 2026, a continuous drizzle fell over Melbourne, Australia, like the compassionate dew of the Bodhisattva sprinkling upon the world. Despite the persistent rain, rainbows occasionally appeared in the sky, stretching across the heavens like a high-hanging Dharma banner, a truly auspicious sight. Over a hundred participants gathered at Yen Ming Temple for the Manjushri Bodhisattva Homa Ceremony, sharing in this grand event in a solemn yet warm atmosphere.

In the Homa furnace, the flames roared, accompanied by melodious mantras. The flames leaped like blooming lotuses, and incense smoke rose gently, reaching the heavens. The participants closed their eyes and visualised themselves merging with the deity and the blazing fire, achieving samadhi. Their bodies and minds gradually purified, afflictions dissipated like smoke, and wisdom manifested like light. At that moment, they were filled with Dharma joy, their inner and outer clarity shining through.

At the conclusion of the Dharma assembly, the presiding master, Vajra Master Lian Yi, ascended the throne and gave a Dharma talk, recounting a deeply moving story:

The Venerable Monk Xuyun, to repay the profound kindness of his parents, vowed to make a pilgrimage to Mount Wutai, prostrating three times with each step. The long journey of a thousand miles, through wind, frost, snow, and rain, saw the Venerable monk never waver. One day, he fell seriously ill and collapsed in the snow, his life hanging by a thread. Suddenly, he encountered an old man who offered him porridge and cared for him with the kindness of a parent. When the Venerable monk awoke, he asked the old man’s name, and the old man replied, “Wenji, everyone around here knows me.” The old man asked where he had been, and knowing the Venerable monk’s unwavering resolve, he silently supported him.

Later, the Venerable monk suffered from diarrhea and exhaustion, nearly dying. Again, the same old man appeared and saved him, saying with great emotion, “Your vow is too great; I am moved by you. From now on, I will stay by your side and take care of you until you reach Mount Wutai.” After the Venerable monk completed his pilgrimage, he wanted to find the old man Wenji to repay his kindness, but he could not find him anywhere. He then sought help from a high-ranking monk, asking if there was anyone named Wenji in the vicinity. The high monk replied, “Wenji is an incarnation of Manjushri Bodhisattva—Manjushri Bodhisattva is also known as Wonderful Auspiciousness, and ‘Wenji’ is simply an abbreviation of his name.”

The master told this story to remind everyone: Bodhisattvas manifest everywhere, and only sincere faith can connect with them.

The master then explained that when we come to the temple to pay homage to the mandala, our first act is to pay homage to our Grand Master, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas; the second is to subdue our pride. Pride is a great obstacle to spiritual practice, and eliminating pride is paramount in Buddhist learning. Humility is of utmost importance for practitioners. Only by respecting others and acknowledging our own shortcomings can we continuously learn and grow.

The master further cited the example of Franklin: The Father of America, Franklin, one day, walked confidently to visit an elder statesman, only to bump his head heavily against the doorframe upon entering, bending over in pain and rubbing his head. An elder chuckled, “Did it hurt? This has taught you the most important lesson in life—when you should bow your head, you should.” Franklin remembered this, learning respect and humility, ultimately becoming a great man.

The Master instructed: Only by learning to lower oneself and be humble can one see one’s own shortcomings and learn from others’ strengths. Only an empty cup can be filled with sweet spring water. To learn Buddhism, one must first empty oneself and receive with humility. Humility is a virtue of a practitioner.

Someone once asked the Laughing Buddha, “What is Buddhism?” The Laughing Buddha put down his bag, then picked it up again. Letting go of ego and raising mindfulness—this is the wisdom of Buddhism.

The Master further listed several virtues possessed by humble people:

**First, self-knowledge.** Understanding one’s strengths and weaknesses, knowing one’s position and abilities. The worst thing is to be unwise yet think oneself wise. An old monk, on his deathbed, gave Su Dongpo three pieces of advice: First, be content. If you have money, know how to give alms. Second, in your actions, be aware of your shortcomings. Learn to turn weaknesses into strengths. The master gave the example of a short person who was bullied everywhere, but eventually became a famous actor; a weakness, viewed from a different perspective, becomes a strength. Third, in your studies, never be complacent. Zeng Guofan memorised texts many times without success, while a thief on the roof had already memorised them. This story illustrates that the thief was clever but didn’t take the right path, while Zeng Guofan, though not particularly intelligent, was diligent and studious, and was ultimately hailed as “the most perfect person in history.”

**Second, respect others.** Do not belittle others, nor excessively highlight yourself. Don’t be so poor that all you have is money. Having wealth requires cultivation to earn respect.

**Third, be grateful.** Understand that all your achievements are closely related to all beings and the environment.

**Fourth, continuously learn.** A reporter asked a world-class football star, “What is your most satisfying goal in your career?” The star replied, “The next one.” Always striving to be better is humility.

**Fifth, accept others.** **Do not criticise others indiscriminately by exposing their faults. Grand Master saves all beings with compassion; disciples who have left only need to return.**

**Sixth, do not covet empty fame.** Zuo Zongtang was skilled at chess. One day, he played against someone who claimed to be the “Number One Chess Player in the World.” He won all three games and then demanded that the man remove the plaque proclaiming him the “Number One Chess Player,” before going to pacify Xinjiang. Upon returning, he found the plaque still there and was displeased. The chess player invited him to play again, and Zuo Zongtang lost three games in a row, utterly perplexed. The chess player frankly explained, “I let you win last time so as not to dampen your morale during the pacification of Xinjiang.” This story illustrates that a true master can be both high and low, advance and retreat as needed, prioritising the overall situation.

The Master’s final admonition: Many successful people have achieved their success through trials and tribulations. While taking refuge in Buddhism is a great blessing, everyone encounters obstacles in life; these obstacles should be seen as aids to spiritual practice. Just as the Venerable monk Xuyun made a vow, never retreating no matter the difficulties encountered, his resolve unwavering, he was able to achieve his goal. In spiritual practice, one must persevere in one’s vows to avoid losing one’s resolve.

A fellow disciple asked the Master Lian Yi why she hadn’t become wealthy. The Master inquired about her health. The disciple replied that she was in excellent health, and her checkup at over sixty years old was completely normal. The Master further inquired about her children. The disciple replied that her children regularly gave her pocket money and were very filial. The Master then said, “Actually, you have already received blessings. Health and filial children cannot be bought with money.” Blessings are not only financial; a healthy body, a harmonious family, the opportunity to take refuge in Grand Master and learn Buddhism, the help of benefactors, and good things in daily life are all blessings.

The Master used a teapot and teacup as a metaphor to illustrate the relationship between the root guru’s lineage and ourselves—remembering the source of our blessings is extremely important. Our wisdom-life for learning Buddhism comes from our root guru, and our life comes from our parents. The most important part of a tree is its roots, which represent the root guru and parents. Respecting root guru and being filial to parents is like nourishing the roots of a tree, allowing the branches (ourselves) to blossom and bear fruit.

The Dharma assembly concluded in the gentle drizzle, seemingly a silent blessing from Manjushri Bodhisattva. The assembly bowed in gratitude, entering the world with hearts full of Dharma joy and humility, wishing to apply the insights gained today to their daily lives.