Mahavira News:

On January 11, 2023, the Wihara Mahavira Graha Temple Surabaya held the annual Chinese New Year blessing prayer and celebration banquet.

Major General Mr. Farid Makruf, Commander of East Java, was invited as the Guest of Honour.

The community leader – businessman, and chairman of the committee Mr. Dr. Lim Boon Kong in his new year speech, expressed his appreciation for Venerable Abbot Most Venerable Hui Xiong’s participation in spite of his busy schedule.

The new year has begun again. With the blessings of the Lord Buddha, everyone will improve and progress. At the same time, we also hope that our people will pay more attention to and support our local products.

The Commander talked about how he maintained ethnic harmony in West Java and solved misunderstandings among other ethnic groups through communication; guarding the Chinese businessmen who held Avalokitesvara (Guanyin) Bodhisattva and other goddesses’ rituals ceremonies.

When Nusa Tenggara Barat had disasters, he also coordinated and participated in the construction of more than 8,000 houses, helping the current president to do the coordination work, caring for the society so that the people can live and work in peace and contentment.

Recently, Major General Mr. Farid Makruf, Commander was promoted to general, so he can protect people of all ethnic groups and major religions to build a harmonious society together in East Java.

The Venerable Abbot in his speech thanked the guest of honor Commander-in-Chief Mr. Farid Makruf for participating in the Chinese New Year blessing prayer.

Tonight, we all pray for the country, people, and society to eliminate disasters and calamity and wish everyone longevity. A new year, new hope, and all wishes will come true, everything is auspicious.

Our Buddhism has entered the 2567th year of the Buddhist calendar. Whenever during the Spring Festival, the head of the government will lead different religious beliefs to pray.

When we show love and pray for the people of society, this is the supreme kind of compassion in faith. Only by contributing to society, we can build a peaceful society.

I wish everyone a new year full of good wishes, auspicious, healthy, the Covid pandemic under control, and good luck in everything.

In the evening, more than 100 devotees participated in the “lo hei” or ‘prosperity toss’ Yusheng ritual.

The New Year banquet invited Mr. Cao Feng, an artist from Beijing, China, to perform.

The Venerable abbot also specially invited the president of the Australia-China Buddhist Association, Most Venerable Bo Rue, to deliver a Dharma talk.

Venerable Bo Rue said the world is impermanent and infinitely changing. We should cherish everything in life.

In addition, to do good deeds, we should also cultivate the right thought and wisdom to bring new hope to all sentient beings and make our wishes come true.

Once we make a great vow to contribute to the public, the blessings and wisdom are inexhaustible.

If you are blessed with wisdom, you will definitely be able to cultivate your compassion, and with the blessing of compassion, the blessings of Buddhism, in the new year, all disasters will cease, poverty will turn riched, and society will be more peaceful, and everyone will be safe this new year will be filled with the joy of Dharma.