Offering to the Sangha Merit Dedication Service

Dear Dharma Friends,

The annual Sangha Day is approaching. According to the Buddhist tradition, one may cultivate tremendous merits by making offerings to the Sangha, and practice filial piety by dedicating the merits to their parents and ancestors, and to all the sentient beings. The best way to make offerings to the Triple Gem and support the monastery is to make offerings to the monastic community rather than to just one person or a small number of people; to make offerings for the entire year rather than for only one meal; to make offering consistently rather than just for the present. In this way, one is supporting the Sangha and helping them practice and spread Buddha’s teaching, and therefore make this practice with deepened meaning.

In order to thank all the devotees and Dharma friends for their kind support, IBPS Dallas will conduct Ksitigarbha Dharma Services on September 7 for them. You and your family are most welcome to attend the services and share in the Dharma joy.

Please also bring your “Good Fortune Little Monk” to the temple before September 5, 2025 for the transference of merits if you have one.

In addition, during the entire seventh lunar month (from August 24 to September 21), the monastics will chant the Ksitigarbha Sutra every morning and evening in the Main Shrine and dedicate all merits to the devotees and benefactors’ loved ones.

May the Triple Gem bless you and your family!

Yours in the Dharma,
Fo Guang Shan IBPS Dallas

Ksitigarbha Dharma Service

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is known in Mahāyāna Buddhism for his great vows. In multiple past lives, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was a girl who was inspired to save all sentient beings upon seeing her own mother wrought by suffering.

In Chinese Buddhism, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s birthday is on the last day of the seventh lunar month, and so the entire month leading up to his birthday is known as the “Month of Filial Piety” to commemorate his vows on behalf of his mother.

During this time, IBPS Dallas recites the Ksitigarbha Sūtra each morning and evening. Through participating in this Dharma service, we can familiarize ourselves with how Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva became the great Bodhisattva he is now and aspire to emulate him in our daily life.

Date: Sunday, September 7
Time: 10:00am
Location: IBPS Dallas Main Shrine
Offering to the Sangha: (1) Sponsor (2) Robe (3) Food (4) Medicine (5) Open donation
Ksitigarbha Dharma Service: (1) Sponsor (2) Blessings Plaques (3) Meal (4) Flower & Fruit