Qingming Dharma Assembly （City Campus）
2025-04-04 | NY
Qingming Dharma Assembly

Date: April 4, 2025 – April 5, 2025 (Friday and Saturday)
Location: Mahayana Temple City Campus
133 Canal Street, New York, NY 10002

Qingming Festival: A Harmonious Blend of Tradition, Culture, and Spirituality
The Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a deeply rooted Chinese tradition with a history spanning over 2,500 years, originating during the Zhou Dynasty. This festival, held annually on April 4th or 5th, coincides with the blossoming of spring, symbolizing renewal and life. The clear skies and revived landscapes make it an ideal time for tomb-sweeping, ancestor worship, and spring outings. These customs are imbued with both solemnity and joy, reflecting the balance of reverence for ancestors and the celebration of life. In 2006, the Qingming Festival was officially recognized as part of China’s first batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The Origins and Evolution of Qingming Customs
The customs associated with Qingming trace their roots to an ancient festival called Hanshi Jie (Cold Food Festival), which commemorates the selfless devotion of Jie Zitui, a loyal minister to Duke Wen of Jin during the Spring and Autumn Period. Legend has it that Jie, unwilling to seek rewards for his service, chose to retreat into the mountains with his mother. Unable to persuade Jie to return, Duke Wen set the forest ablaze to force him out. Tragically, Jie perished in the fire. Deeply grieved, Duke Wen designated the day of Jie’s death as the Cold Food Festival, during which lighting fires was forbidden, and cold food was consumed to honor Jie’s memory.
To counterbalance the physical hardship of eating cold food in winter, outdoor activities such as hiking and sunbathing were introduced to promote health and resilience. Over time, the Cold Food Festival merged with Qingming, as their dates were only a day or two apart. By the Song Dynasty, the two festivals had become one, combining the solemn practices of tomb-sweeping with the lighthearted activities of spring outings.
A Rich Cultural Tapestry
Beyond tomb-sweeping, Qingming is known for its vibrant traditions such as spring outings, willow-branch picking, kite-flying, tug-of-war, and playing cuju (an ancient form of soccer). These activities celebrate life and nature, reflecting the festival’s dual essence of remembrance and rejuvenation. As the Tang poet Yang Shiyi described:
“In faraway green hills, travelers break off willow branches;
Falling blossoms and light rain grace the Qingming day.”
These activities embody Qingming’s evolution from a simple agricultural observance to a major cultural festival, blending remembrance with the joy of spring.
Qingming and the Confucian-Buddhist Connection
Qingming intertwines deeply with the Confucian emphasis on filial piety and the Buddhist teachings on gratitude and merit dedication. Confucius emphasized filial piety as the cornerstone of harmony in society, and the Qingming tradition reflects this value by honoring ancestors through tomb-sweeping, offering sacrifices, and making vows to uphold their virtues.
Similarly, Buddhism highlights the importance of transferring merit to deceased loved ones as an act of compassion and filial devotion. The Sigalovada Sutta (Sutra of Good Conduct) teaches that it is the duty of children to create and dedicate merit for their deceased parents. Therefore, during Qingming, Buddhist temples often host memorial services to liberate the departed from suffering and guide them toward peace.
Buddhist Practices During Qingming
For Buddhists, Qingming is not just a time for remembrance but also an opportunity to cultivate virtues and perform merit-making activities. Common practices include:

Tomb-Sweeping and Ancestral Worship: Cleaning and offering respect at ancestors’ tombs or memorial sites.
Participating in Transcendence Ceremonies: Attending memorial services at temples to dedicate merits to the deceased.
Taking Vows on Behalf of the Departed: Dedicating the merit of taking precepts for the deceased.
Offering Alms and Lighting Lamps: Supporting the monastic community and dedicating the merit to ancestors.
Performing Acts of Compassion: Engaging in good deeds such as releasing animals or making donations and transferring the merit to the departed.

The Deep Meaning of Qingming
Qingming embodies both reverence and renewal. It allows individuals to connect with their ancestors and reaffirm their cultural identity while celebrating the beauty of life and nature. It also fosters intergenerational harmony, linking the past, present, and future.
From a Buddhist perspective, Qingming is a profound reminder to express gratitude to those who came before us, honor their teachings, and dedicate our virtues to their well-being. By doing so, we cultivate compassion, bring light to their journey, and nurture harmony within our families and communities. Through these practices, Qingming continues to be a living tradition, inspiring generations to bridge the spiritual and the practical, the past and the present, in a spirit of gratitude and renewal.
We sincerely invite you to join the Qingming Dharma Assembly at Mahayana Temple. This sacred event is an opportunity to honor and remember ancestors, as well as to pray for the liberation of departed loved ones and all sentient beings. Through chanting, offerings, and prayer, we dedicate merit to the deceased, wishing them peace, happiness, and rebirth in pure realms.
Qingming is also a time to express gratitude and practice filial piety. With heartfelt devotion, let us gather to honor the past, cultivate virtue, and pray for harmony, prosperity, and the well-being of all beings.
For more information, please contact us at info@mahayana.us or visit our website.

Buddha Bathing Festival Ceremony（Temple Retreat）
2025-05-05 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | NY
Buddha Bathing Festival Ceremony

Date: May 5, 2025 (Monday, Lunar April 8th)
Location: Mahayana Temple Retreat
710 Ira Vail Rd, Leeds, NY 12451

Introduction to the Bathing Buddha Festival
The Bathing Buddha Festival, also known as “Buddha’s Birthday,” “Bathing the Buddha,” or “Anointing the Buddha,” is a traditional Buddhist holiday. According to Buddhist legend, when Shakyamuni Buddha was born, nine dragons sprayed fragrant water to bathe his body. Based on this story, Buddhists hold a bathing ceremony on Buddha’s Birthday.
Timing and Customs of the Bathing Buddha Festival

Timing
The Bathing Buddha Festival falls on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month.

Chinese Buddhism: In the early Northern and Southern Dynasties, it was observed on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month. During the Liang Dynasty through to the Tang and early Liao Dynasties, it was changed to the 8th day of the 2nd lunar month. In the Northern Song Dynasty, the northern regions celebrated on the 8th day of the 12th lunar month, while the southern regions maintained the 4th lunar month tradition. From the Yuan Dynasty onward, the festival was unified nationwide on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month.
Theravāda Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism: In Theravāda Buddhism and regions like Mongolia and Tibet, Buddha’s Birthday is usually celebrated on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month, coinciding with Buddha’s Enlightenment Day and Parinirvana Day.
Dai Water-Splashing Festival: The Dai people celebrate their Water-Splashing Festival in the 6th month of the Dai calendar (4th lunar month).

Chinese Customs
Residents create a red paper cross inscribed with the words: “On the 8th day of the 4th lunar month, Buddha was born, and today caterpillars are married off into the deep mountains, never to return home.” This is pasted on doors and walls, symbolizing warding off evil. Other customs include processions, preparing fragrant soup, and cooking black rice. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Bathing Buddha Festival was confined to monasteries, but it gradually spread to the public during the Northern and Southern Dynasties.
Theravāda Buddhism Customs
Among the Dai people, who practice Theravāda Buddhism, everyone, regardless of age or gender, visits temples in the early morning to worship Buddha, make offerings, conduct cleansing rituals for Buddha statues, and perform ceremonies to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. Afterward, they engage in water-splashing, laughter, and games, including launching sky lanterns, dragon boat races, fairs, and throwing love tokens.
Tibetan Buddhism Customs
Tibetan Buddhism refers to the festival as the “Fourth Month Dharma Assembly,” with events lasting several days. Activities include chanting sutras, performing Cham dances (also called ritual dances or Dharma King dances), and worshipping in temples. The water-splashing custom is only popular among young novice monks.

Origin of the Bathing Buddha Festival

Legend of Shakyamuni’s Birth
According to The Sutra of Past and Present Cause and Effect, Queen Maya, nearing her due date, passed through Lumbini Garden and gave birth to Prince Siddhartha under the Ashoka tree (also called Sala or Paricchattaka tree). At that moment, Nanda and Upananda, two dragon kings (or nine dragons in some versions), sprayed pure water to bathe the prince. The newborn prince immediately walked seven steps, with lotus flowers blooming beneath his feet, and declared, “Above the heavens and below the heavens, I alone am honored.”
This legend was widely known in ancient India and is depicted in Buddhist sculptures unearthed in Sarnath and Amaravati.
Historical Background in Ancient India
Over two thousand years ago, there was a prosperous kingdom called Kapilavastu, ruled by King Suddhodana, who was virtuous but childless for many years. Queen Maya dreamt of a six-tusked white elephant entering her body and became pregnant. Following the custom of returning to her family for childbirth, she stopped in Lumbini Garden, where she gave birth joyfully beneath an Ashoka tree.

Significance of the Bathing Buddha Festival
On Buddha’s Birthday, Buddhists gather in temples to participate in the Bathing Buddha ceremony. A statue of the infant Buddha is enshrined in the main hall, and devotees take turns pouring fragrant water over the statue using small copper ladles. Surrounding the ceremony are other related Dharma assemblies, collectively referred to as the Bathing Buddha Festival.
The festival symbolizes reverence and gratitude toward Buddha, encouraging purification, blessings, and the propagation of Buddha’s compassionate spirit.
We warmly invite you to participate in the Buddha Bathing Festival Ceremony to commemorate the sacred birthday of Shakyamuni Buddha. The bathing ritual symbolizes cleansing our inner afflictions, purifying the body and mind, cultivating bodhicitta, and sowing seeds of merit.
Join us at Mahayana Temple Retreat to immerse yourself in the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha. Together, let us pray for world peace, the happiness of all sentient beings, and the growth of wisdom and blessings in our lives.
For more information, please contact us at info@mahayana.us or visit our website.

Guan Yin Dharma Assembly · Lunar June 19 （Temple Retreat）
2025-07-13 | Mahayana Temple Retreat, 700 Ira Vail Road, Leeds, NY, 12451, United States
Guan Yin Dharma Assembly

Dates:

Lunar February 19 (March 18, 2025, Tuesday)
Lunar June 19 (July 13, 2025, Sunday)
Lunar September 19 (November 8, 2025, Saturday)

Location: Mahayana Temple Retreat
710 Ira Vail Rd, Leeds, NY 12451

Guan Yin Bodhisattva is one of the most revered figures in Chinese Buddhism. The three Guan Yin Dharma Assemblies each year commemorate the Bodhisattva’s birth, ordination, and enlightenment. These events symbolize the emergence of wisdom and compassion in the world, guiding sentient beings from ignorance to liberation.
The Origins of Guan Yin’s Three Holy Days
Lunar February 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Birthday
This marks the day when Guan Yin descended into the human world, symbolizing the Bodhisattva’s great compassion to aid all sentient beings. According to the Great Compassion Dharani Sutra, Guan Yin was already enlightened as a Buddha named “Righteous Dharma Bright Tathagata” in immeasurable eons past. Out of compassion, Guan Yin took the form of a Bodhisattva to guide beings to liberation. Many devotees observe this day by practicing vegetarianism and attending Dharma assemblies, a tradition known as “Guan Yin Fast.”
Lunar June 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment Day
This day celebrates the Bodhisattva’s attainment of Buddhahood, becoming the “Greatly Compassionate Avalokiteshvara.” According to The Sutra of the Buddha’s Garland of Jewels (Bhadrakalpika Sutra), Guan Yin was once a prince named Bu Xun who renounced his royal life to cultivate the path of liberation. In Chinese folklore, the story of Princess Miao Shan, who sacrificed her hands and eyes to save her father, is also connected to this day. These tales remind devotees of Guan Yin’s boundless compassion and resolve to save all beings.
Lunar September 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Ordination Day
This day signifies Guan Yin’s renunciation and entry into monastic life, taking the first step on the Bodhisattva path to relieve sentient beings from suffering. The Bhadrakalpika Sutra records that Prince Bu Xun vowed before the Buddha of Jeweled Treasures to practice the Bodhisattva path and offer refuge to all beings.
The Significance of Participating in the Guan Yin Dharma Assembly
The Guan Yin Dharma Assembly is a time to honor the Bodhisattva’s virtues and align with her compassionate vows. Through chanting, offering lamps, and making prayers, devotees can connect with Guan Yin’s boundless wisdom and compassion. The assembly is an opportunity to pray for peace, prosperity, and the liberation of all beings.
For more information, please contact us at info@mahayana.us or visit our website.

Guan Yin Dharma Assembly · Lunar June 19 （City Campus）
2025-07-13 | Mahayana Temple, 133 Canal Street, New York, NY, 10002, United States
Guan Yin Dharma Assembly

Dates:

Lunar February 19 (March 18, 2025, Tuesday)
Lunar June 19 (July 13, 2025, Sunday)
Lunar September 19 (November 8, 2025, Saturday)

Location: Mahayana Temple City Campus
133 Canal Street, New York, NY 10002

Guan Yin Bodhisattva is one of the most revered figures in Chinese Buddhism. The three Guan Yin Dharma Assemblies each year commemorate the Bodhisattva’s birth, ordination, and enlightenment. These events symbolize the emergence of wisdom and compassion in the world, guiding sentient beings from ignorance to liberation.
The Origins of Guan Yin’s Three Holy Days
Lunar February 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Birthday
This marks the day when Guan Yin descended into the human world, symbolizing the Bodhisattva’s great compassion to aid all sentient beings. According to the Great Compassion Dharani Sutra, Guan Yin was already enlightened as a Buddha named “Righteous Dharma Bright Tathagata” in immeasurable eons past. Out of compassion, Guan Yin took the form of a Bodhisattva to guide beings to liberation. Many devotees observe this day by practicing vegetarianism and attending Dharma assemblies, a tradition known as “Guan Yin Fast.”
Lunar June 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment Day
This day celebrates the Bodhisattva’s attainment of Buddhahood, becoming the “Greatly Compassionate Avalokiteshvara.” According to The Sutra of the Buddha’s Garland of Jewels (Bhadrakalpika Sutra), Guan Yin was once a prince named Bu Xun who renounced his royal life to cultivate the path of liberation. In Chinese folklore, the story of Princess Miao Shan, who sacrificed her hands and eyes to save her father, is also connected to this day. These tales remind devotees of Guan Yin’s boundless compassion and resolve to save all beings.
Lunar September 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Ordination Day
This day signifies Guan Yin’s renunciation and entry into monastic life, taking the first step on the Bodhisattva path to relieve sentient beings from suffering. The Bhadrakalpika Sutra records that Prince Bu Xun vowed before the Buddha of Jeweled Treasures to practice the Bodhisattva path and offer refuge to all beings.
The Significance of Participating in the Guan Yin Dharma Assembly
The Guan Yin Dharma Assembly is a time to honor the Bodhisattva’s virtues and align with her compassionate vows. Through chanting, offering lamps, and making prayers, devotees can connect with Guan Yin’s boundless wisdom and compassion. The assembly is an opportunity to pray for peace, prosperity, and the liberation of all beings.
For more information, please contact us at info@mahayana.us or visit our website.

Liang Emperor’s Repentance Dharma Assembly（Temple Retreat）
2025-08-30 - 2025-09-06 | Mahayana Temple Retreat, 700 Ira Vail Road, Leeds, NY, 12451, United States
Liang Emperor’s Repentance Dharma Assembly

Date: August 30, 2025 – September 6, 2025
Location: Mahayana Temple Retreat
710 Ira Vail Rd, Leeds, NY 12451

We warmly invite you to participate in the Liang Emperor’s Repentance Dharma Assembly, a profound practice to dedicate merit for departed loved ones, purify karma, and accumulate blessings and wisdom. The Liang Emperor’s Repentance Sutra was composed by Emperor Wu of Liang to liberate his late empress and is considered one of the most sublime repentance rituals in Buddhism. Through chanting and bowing during this sacred ceremony, we aspire to eliminate karmic obstacles, resolve grievances, and generate blessings for the world’s peace and harmony.
The Significance of the Liang Emperor’s Repentance
This Dharma assembly embodies the essence of repentance. By venerating the Buddhas, chanting sutras, offering lamps, and making offerings, participants seek the Three Jewels’ blessings. The merit generated not only supports the liberation of ancestors but also brings blessings for the living, including family harmony, career success, and physical and mental well-being.
The Liang Emperor’s Repentance Text (Liang Huang Bao Chan) was composed by Emperor Wu of Liang to perform spiritual liberation for his empress, Lady Chi. Known for her jealousy, Lady Chi often harbored ill will towards the women of the harem and spoke with a venomous tongue. She resented Emperor Wu’s devotion to Buddhism and once tore apart a Buddhist scripture, The Lotus Sutra. Additionally, she mocked the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) and defiled monastic rules by offering monks false vegetarian meals wrapped in dough but containing onions, garlic, leeks, and even meat. Fortunately, the monks, endowed with wisdom, prepared their own food and replaced her impure offerings.
Living in the palace, Lady Chi failed to cherish her blessings and ignored the law of karma. Engaging in acts that led to negative cycles of rebirth, she passed away at the age of 30. Due to her wrathful and venomous nature, she was reborn as a python after death.
Several months later, Emperor Wu was startled by rustling sounds outside his bedchamber. He discovered a massive python coiled on the palace steps. Terrified, the emperor was further shocked when the python spoke, saying, “Do not be alarmed, my lord. I am Lady Chi, fallen from grace. Due to my disbelief in Buddhism and misconduct in life, I have descended into the animal realm. I now suffer hunger, pain from venomous insects on my scales, and endless torment. Out of our past bond as husband and wife, I implore you to show mercy and deliver me from this suffering. If freed, I vow to repay your kindness.”
Emperor Wu, overwhelmed by fear and sorrow, sought guidance from Chan Master Zhigong. The emperor asked, “Why has Lady Chi fallen to the state of a python?” Master Zhigong replied, “She lacked faith in Buddhism, was jealous of others, disrespected the Three Jewels, and failed to cultivate virtue. She viewed the palace as a paradise, enjoying blessings without creating merits, disregarding karma, and fearing no retribution.”
The emperor inquired, “How can I liberate her?” Master Zhigong responded, “To liberate her, you must sincerely repent, host grand offerings, invite esteemed monks, establish a sacred venue, and proclaim the Dharma. You, Your Majesty, must personally bow, recite scriptures, and confess sins.”
Following these instructions, Emperor Wu commissioned Master Zhigong and others to draft a repentance text in 30 volumes based on Buddhist scriptures and principles. After the rituals of repentance and prostration were completed, a radiant celestial being appeared before Emperor Wu, expressing gratitude: “Through the power of the Buddha, I have been freed from the python’s form and will ascend to the heavens. I have come to offer my thanks.”
This repentance text, initiated by Emperor Wu and effective in liberating Lady Chi, has been revered for generations. It is credited with transforming countless beings and is known as the Precious Repentance (Bao Chan). It is believed to eliminate disasters, remove sins, and bring blessings. Named The Compassionate Dharma Field Repentance by Maitreya Bodhisattva in a dream, the text was later condensed into ten volumes. Due to its origins with Emperor Wu, it is also called The Liang Emperor’s Repentance Text.
Known as the most extensive repentance text in Chinese Buddhist history, it is honored as the “King of Repentance Texts.” Buddhist practitioners commonly use it for disaster prevention and the liberation of deceased souls, making it one of the longest-practiced repentance rituals in Chinese Buddhism. Its comprehensive content integrates the teachings of Mahayana sutras and the names of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Having evolved over more than a millennium, The Liang Emperor’s Repentance Text is suitable for both monastics and laypeople. Repentance teaches us to cleanse our hearts in the waters of the Dharma. The practice purifies the mind stained by sins and encourages proactive acceptance of karma with responsibility. This form of repentance cultivates compassion, inspiring the practitioner to benefit all beings and walk the Bodhisattva Path. The practice combines scripture recitation and prostration, engaging body, speech, and mind in the purest way.
You are sincerely invited to join the Liang Emperor’s Repentance Ritual to pray for the liberation of ancestors, repentance of karmic debts, and the accumulation of merit and wisdom. As one of the most revered repentance texts in Buddhism, The Liang Emperor’s Repentance Text aids beings in eradicating karmic obstacles, resolving enmities, and enhancing blessings. It is also a prayer for world peace and the happiness of all sentient beings.
Join us at the serene and dignified Mahayana Temple Retreat, where we will gather to receive the Buddha’s compassion, cultivate merit, and strengthen our connections with one another.
For more information, please contact us at info@mahayana.us or visit our website.

Ullambana Festival Ceremony (City Campus)
2025-09-05 - 2025-09-06 | NY
Ullambana Festival Ceremony
Date: September 5 (Friday) – September 6 (Saturday), 2025Location: Mahayana Temple (City Campus)133 Canal Street, New York, NY 10002
We sincerely invite you to join the Ullambana Festival Ceremony at Mahayana Temple, a sacred event dedicated to honoring and liberating ancestors and all sentient beings. Rooted in the profound compassion of Maudgalyayana’s filial piety, the Ullambana Festival emphasizes gratitude, remembrance, and the power of collective merit through Buddhist practice.
Through chanting, offering, and sincere repentance, we seek to generate blessings for the living and liberation for the departed. Let us come together in compassion to cultivate merit and wisdom, and to dedicate this goodness to our ancestors, parents, and all beings in need.
The Origins of the Ullambana Festival
The Ullambana Festival, known as the Ghost Festival in Chinese Buddhism, originates from the story of Maudgalyayana (also known as Mahāmaudgalyāyana), one of the Buddha’s foremost disciples renowned for his supernatural powers. After attaining enlightenment, Maudgalyayana sought to repay the kindness of his deceased mother. Using his clairvoyant abilities, he discovered that she had been reborn in the realm of hungry ghosts (preta) and was suffering immensely. He attempted to offer her food, but it transformed into flames upon reaching her mouth.​
Distressed, Maudgalyayana approached the Buddha for guidance. The Buddha explained that individual efforts were insufficient to alleviate his mother’s suffering. He advised Maudgalyayana to make offerings to the monastic community on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, coinciding with the end of the monks’ summer retreat. By doing so, the collective merit generated would liberate his mother from her torment. Maudgalyayana followed this instruction, and his mother was released from the realm of hungry ghosts.
This event established the Ullambana Festival as a time for Buddhists to honor their ancestors and perform acts of generosity, particularly towards the monastic community, to transfer merit to deceased relatives and all sentient beings. The festival embodies themes of filial piety, compassion, and the transformative power of collective merit.
Overview of Ullambana Festival Customs

The Ullambana Festival is typically celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, though in regions like Guangdong and Hong Kong, it may occur on the 14th.

Key customs include offering sacrifices, burning joss paper, releasing river lanterns, and conducting rituals.

The festival emphasizes filial piety, honoring ancestors, and appeasing spirits, with variations across regions.

Timing and Significance

The Ullambana Festival, also known as the Ghost Festival, is a significant traditional event usually observed on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. In parts of southern China, such as Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau, celebrations may take place on the 14th (Ullambana Festival). Rooted in Buddhist and Taoist traditions, it focuses on commemorating ancestors and ensuring the well-being of wandering spirits, reflecting deep cultural values of respect for family.
Main Customs
During the festival, various activities are performed to honor the deceased and pacify spirits:

Offering Sacrifices: Families prepare food, incense, candles, and paper money, either placed on altars or burned to provide for ancestors.

Burning Joss Paper: Especially in Hong Kong and Macau, burning joss paper or “street clothes” is common from the 1st to the 14th of the seventh month to benefit wandering spirits (Ullambana Festival).

Releasing River Lanterns: Small lanterns are set afloat on rivers to guide spirits or bring good fortune, a practice particularly popular in southern China (Ghost Festival).

Rituals and Ceremonies: Buddhist chanting or Taoist rites are conducted to appease spirits and ensure peace for the living.

Regional and Cultural Variations
Customs vary by region, showcasing China’s cultural diversity:

In northern China, the festival is strictly observed on the 15th, while southern areas like Guangdong may celebrate a day earlier.

Urban areas focus on burning paper offerings and releasing lanterns, whereas rural regions may include roadside sacrifices or communal rituals.

Recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in China, the festival highlights its enduring importance (Ghost Festival).

These practices underscore the festival’s role in fostering familial bonds and spiritual harmony, with adaptations reflecting local traditions.
For more information, please email: info@mahayana.usVisit our website: http://en.mahayana.us

Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Birthday Dharma Assembly（Temple Retreat）
2025-09-21 10:00 - 17:00 | Mahayana Temple Retreat, 700 Ira Vail Road, Leeds, NY, 12451, United States
Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Birthday Dharma Assembly

Date: September 21, 2025 (Sunday, Lunar July 29th)
Location: Mahayana Temple Retreat
710 Ira Vail Rd, Leeds, NY 12451

We warmly invite you to join the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Birthday Dharma Assembly to honor his great vow and boundless compassion. Known for his profound vow, “If hell is not empty, I shall not attain Buddhahood,” Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva is revered for his dedication to liberating sentient beings from suffering and guiding them toward enlightenment. During this sacred assembly, we will chant sutras, make offerings, and dedicate merit, expressing gratitude and devotion to the Bodhisattva while praying for peace and liberation for all beings.
The Significance of the Dharma Assembly
Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva’s Birthday is a profound opportunity to accumulate merit and cultivate virtue. Through the recitation of the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra, participants can purify their minds, dedicate merit to their ancestors and departed loved ones, and pray for their liberation and rebirth in the Pure Land. It is also a chance to generate blessings for the living, wishing all beings peace, happiness, and freedom from suffering.
Join us at Mahayana Temple Retreat to immerse yourself in this solemn ceremony, cultivate wisdom and compassion, and experience the radiant vow and kindness of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva.
For more information, please contact us at info@mahayana.us or visit our website.

Chongyang Dharma Assembly（Temple Retreat）
2025-10-29 10:00 - 17:00 | Mahayana Temple, 133 Canal Street, New York, NY, 10002, United States
Chongyang Dharma Assembly

Date: October 29, 2025 (Wednesday, Lunar September 9th)
Location: Mahayana Temple Retreat
710 Ira Vail Rd, Leeds, NY 12451

We warmly invite you to join the solemn Chongyang Dharma Assembly to pray for the liberation of all sentient beings from suffering and to cultivate wisdom and blessings. The Chongyang Festival is a meaningful occasion to honor parental love, express gratitude, and pray for health and well-being. It is also a special opportunity to practice compassion and filial piety. On this day, through Buddhist practice, we express our gratitude to parents and elders while extending our aspirations to benefit all beings, bringing harmony and peace to the world.
The Spirit of the Chongyang Festival in Buddhism
Buddhism emphasizes “compassion as the foundation and filial piety as the root.” Filial piety is not only about repaying the kindness of one’s parents but also extends to caring for and liberating all sentient beings. The Chongyang Festival, as a time to reflect on life, reminds us to cherish our present opportunities, cultivate virtue, and sow seeds of goodness for ourselves and others. Through chanting and bowing to the Buddha, we pray for the liberation of departed loved ones, the health and well-being of elders, and dedicate merit to all beings for their peace and liberation.
You are warmly welcome to join us at Mahayana Temple Retreat, where we will gather in a serene and sacred setting to practice together, share the joy of Dharma, and pray for world peace and the happiness of all beings!
For more information, please contact us at info@mahayana.us or visit our website.

Guan Yin Dharma Assembly · Lunar September 19 （City Campus）
2025-11-08 | Mahayana Temple, 133 Canal Street, New York, NY, 10002, United States
Dates:

Lunar February 19 (March 18, 2025, Tuesday)
Lunar June 19 (July 13, 2025, Sunday)
Lunar September 19 (November 8, 2025, Saturday)

Location: Mahayana Temple City Campus
133 Canal Street, New York, NY 10002

Guan Yin Bodhisattva is one of the most revered figures in Chinese Buddhism. The three Guan Yin Dharma Assemblies each year commemorate the Bodhisattva’s birth, ordination, and enlightenment. These events symbolize the emergence of wisdom and compassion in the world, guiding sentient beings from ignorance to liberation.
The Origins of Guan Yin’s Three Holy Days
Lunar February 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Birthday
This marks the day when Guan Yin descended into the human world, symbolizing the Bodhisattva’s great compassion to aid all sentient beings. According to the Great Compassion Dharani Sutra, Guan Yin was already enlightened as a Buddha named “Righteous Dharma Bright Tathagata” in immeasurable eons past. Out of compassion, Guan Yin took the form of a Bodhisattva to guide beings to liberation. Many devotees observe this day by practicing vegetarianism and attending Dharma assemblies, a tradition known as “Guan Yin Fast.”
Lunar June 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment Day
This day celebrates the Bodhisattva’s attainment of Buddhahood, becoming the “Greatly Compassionate Avalokiteshvara.” According to The Sutra of the Buddha’s Garland of Jewels (Bhadrakalpika Sutra), Guan Yin was once a prince named Bu Xun who renounced his royal life to cultivate the path of liberation. In Chinese folklore, the story of Princess Miao Shan, who sacrificed her hands and eyes to save her father, is also connected to this day. These tales remind devotees of Guan Yin’s boundless compassion and resolve to save all beings.
Lunar September 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Ordination Day
This day signifies Guan Yin’s renunciation and entry into monastic life, taking the first step on the Bodhisattva path to relieve sentient beings from suffering. The Bhadrakalpika Sutra records that Prince Bu Xun vowed before the Buddha of Jeweled Treasures to practice the Bodhisattva path and offer refuge to all beings.
The Significance of Participating in the Guan Yin Dharma Assembly
The Guan Yin Dharma Assembly is a time to honor the Bodhisattva’s virtues and align with her compassionate vows. Through chanting, offering lamps, and making prayers, devotees can connect with Guan Yin’s boundless wisdom and compassion. The assembly is an opportunity to pray for peace, prosperity, and the liberation of all beings.
For more information, please contact us at info@mahayana.us or visit our website.

Guan Yin Dharma Assembly · Lunar September 19 （Temple Retreat）
2025-11-08 | Mahayana Temple, 133 Canal Street, New York, NY, 10002, United States
Dates:

Lunar February 19 (March 18, 2025, Tuesday)
Lunar June 19 (July 13, 2025, Sunday)
Lunar September 19 (November 8, 2025, Saturday)

Location: Mahayana Temple Retreat
710 Ira Vail Rd, Leeds, NY 12451

Guan Yin Bodhisattva is one of the most revered figures in Chinese Buddhism. The three Guan Yin Dharma Assemblies each year commemorate the Bodhisattva’s birth, ordination, and enlightenment. These events symbolize the emergence of wisdom and compassion in the world, guiding sentient beings from ignorance to liberation.
The Origins of Guan Yin’s Three Holy Days
Lunar February 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Birthday
This marks the day when Guan Yin descended into the human world, symbolizing the Bodhisattva’s great compassion to aid all sentient beings. According to the Great Compassion Dharani Sutra, Guan Yin was already enlightened as a Buddha named “Righteous Dharma Bright Tathagata” in immeasurable eons past. Out of compassion, Guan Yin took the form of a Bodhisattva to guide beings to liberation. Many devotees observe this day by practicing vegetarianism and attending Dharma assemblies, a tradition known as “Guan Yin Fast.”
Lunar June 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment Day
This day celebrates the Bodhisattva’s attainment of Buddhahood, becoming the “Greatly Compassionate Avalokiteshvara.” According to The Sutra of the Buddha’s Garland of Jewels (Bhadrakalpika Sutra), Guan Yin was once a prince named Bu Xun who renounced his royal life to cultivate the path of liberation. In Chinese folklore, the story of Princess Miao Shan, who sacrificed her hands and eyes to save her father, is also connected to this day. These tales remind devotees of Guan Yin’s boundless compassion and resolve to save all beings.
Lunar September 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Ordination Day
This day signifies Guan Yin’s renunciation and entry into monastic life, taking the first step on the Bodhisattva path to relieve sentient beings from suffering. The Bhadrakalpika Sutra records that Prince Bu Xun vowed before the Buddha of Jeweled Treasures to practice the Bodhisattva path and offer refuge to all beings.
The Significance of Participating in the Guan Yin Dharma Assembly
The Guan Yin Dharma Assembly is a time to honor the Bodhisattva’s virtues and align with her compassionate vows. Through chanting, offering lamps, and making prayers, devotees can connect with Guan Yin’s boundless wisdom and compassion. The assembly is an opportunity to pray for peace, prosperity, and the liberation of all beings.
For more information, please contact us at info@mahayana.us or visit our website.

Dongzhi Winter Solstice
2025-12-21 10:00 - 2025-12-22 15:00 | NY
Dongzhi Ritual

Date: December 21 (Sunday) – December 22 (Monday), 2025
Location: Mahayana Temple City Campus
Address: 133 Canal Street, New York, NY 10002

Dongzhi is a traditional Chinese holiday occurring during the Winter Solstice to pay respects to deceased ancestors. The Mahayana Temple invites you to join us in our two-day Dongzhi ritual. Worshippers will gather with monastics to chant the Ksitigarbha Sutra and pray for their ancestors. As stated in Chapter 7 of the Ksitigarbha Sutra, reciting the sutra with a sincere heart of gratitude will generate seven parts of merit; one of these merit parts goes to the ancestor, and six go to the praying descendant. In addition to paying respects to the deceased, worshippers can also dedicate gratitude toward living loved ones through this ceremony.
