Water Repentance Service during the Qingming Festival

Repent upon evil and change for good deeds are the fundamental teaching of Buddhism, particularly in Mahayana (Great Vehicle) Buddhism, which takes that our life is a continuation of rebirths from previous cycles of life and death and it will go on until one achieves enlightenment. The crust of achieving this is to ameliorate and alleviate all evil deeds done in infinite previous kalpas (an inconceivably long period of time) and to aspire towards liberation of oneself and others in unshakable determination. Cultivating and practicing repentance Dharma has therefore become one of the essential rituals of Mahayana Buddhism. Each year, at the time of Qingming Festival, Po Lin Monastery will conduct the Water Repentance Service, led by senior monks, making obeisance to the Compassionate Samadhi Water Repentance Sutra, leading all sentient beings to repent in sincerity with a view to alleviating evil karma in former existences, dispersing and ameliorating calamities and troubles, achieving a peaceful and blissful life for all in the world.