On the morning of September 10th, 2014, Lingyin Temple hosted the opening ceremony of Chinese Buddhism Sutra Lecture Exchange of Zhejiang as well as the demonstration sutra lecture, in which the Vice-chairman of the Buddhist Association of Zhejiang and Abbot of Lingyin Temple, Master Guangquan, gave a demonstration sutra lecture on Platform Sutra. Abbot Guangquan’s sutra lecture was attended respectfully by venerable monks, department heads, Buddhist disciples and believers, and visitors to the temple ---- the Vice-chairman of the Buddhist Association of Zhejiang and Abbot of Guoqing Temple on Mount Tiantai, Master Yunguan, the Secretary General of the Buddhist Association of Zhejiang, Zheng Guoyuan, the Chairman of the Buddhist Association of Jiaxing and Abbot of Xianghai Temple, Master Xianchong, the Secretary General of the Buddhist Association of Hangzhou, Qian Jianzhong, the Deputy Director of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee of Zhejiang Province, Ni Zhongyang, the Director of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Division of United Front Department of Zhejiang Provincial Committee, Ni Weidong, and the Deputy Director of Hangzhou Municipal Bureau of Ethnic and Religious Affairs, Feng Yi, to name just a few. Abbot Yunguan of Guoqing Temple presided at the Sutra Lecture Exchange, and both Abbot Guangquan of Lingyin Temple and Ni Zhongyang, the Deputy Director of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee of Zhejiang Province, addressed the audience.

After the opening ceremony, the Sangha and lay disciples at the site reverently put their palms together and chanted Buddha’s name when Abbot Guangquan ascended the Dharma seat and lectured on Platform Sutra, which teaches us to resort to our true self, not to the external forces, for an answer to the inherent question about life. It should be convicted, according to the sutra lecture, that everyone is a Buddha and everyone has Buddha nature. The practical significance of Platform Sutra also lies in the spirit of Venerable Huineng that a mind does not abide in anything. In other words, we should insist on the unity of knowing and doing, learn to let go of the past and cherish the present, and apply the Buddhist wisdom to daily life.

All the Sangha and lay disciples were filled with Dharma joy and inspired by the graceful and insightful remarks of Abbot Guangquan.

In the two-day session, twenty-two monks from Zhejiang Province lectured on sutras to broadcast the sounds of Dharma.

The opening ceremony of Chinese Buddhism Sutra Lecture Exchange of Zhejiang, 2014

 Abbot of Guoqing Temple, Master Yunguan, presiding at the opening ceremony

                                          Master Guangquan, addressing the audience

          Mr.Ni Zhongyang, delivering a speech

The Sangha and lay disciples from Zhejiang at the opening ceremony

The Sangha and lay disciples greeting and welcoming Master Guangquan

Master Guangquan having seated

Master Guangquan giving a demonstration sutra lecture on Platform Sutra

The Sangha and lay disciples listening to the sutra lecture attentively

Visitors to the temple attracted by the sounds of Dharma

A visitor on a wheelchair absorbed in the sutra lecture