Practicing Pure Land and Chan BuddhismThe Portland Miao Fa Chan Temple |
The Portland Miao Fa Chan Temple, (formerly known as the Portland Buddhist Temple), was renovated in 2003 in the style of a traditional Chinese Buddhist temple, which includes large, heavy red entry doors, hand-carved granite pillars, tiled roofs, rich frescoes (in the entry hall) made and imported from the east, and a Chinese garden.
On Sundays, Thai Buddhists meet regularly for ceremony in Thai and vegetarian lunch afterwards.
Special Event: Emperor Liang's Precious Repentance CeremonyThe Maio Fa Chan Temple will be holding their annual week-long Emperer Liang's Repentance Ceremony this year, from September 16-23. The Emperor Liang's Precious Repentance Ceremony has its origins in the Emperor Liang Wu Ti (502-549 AD) of the Liang Dynasty (China). After his wife, the Empress Dowager Chih, passed away, Emperor Liang dreamt that she was reborn as a python, and she came to him asking a favor to save her from her state of sufferings. The emperor was deeply affected and he gathered many master monks to come up with a way to redeem his wife from her sufferings. The Venerable Bao Tze told the emperor that it could be done through paying homage to the Buddha and making repentance. Ten chapters of verses were then composed and these came known to be the Emperor Liang's Precious Repentance. The emperor assembled many monks to the read the text. On the day the rituals were completed, a fragrance permeated through the hall. A beautiful deva appeared and bowed appreciatively to the emperor. It is said that through chanting of the Precious Repentance text by the emperor and monks that the python was freed from its rebirth as a snake and then reborn in the realm of the deva, and had come to thank the emperor. Thus, in the Buddhist tradition, the Emperor Liang's Precious Repentance is a ritual to pray for happiness and averting disasters, as well as to elevate our ancestors to better rebirths. The Portland Temple is conducting seven days of the Emperor Liang's Precious Repentance Dharma service from September 16 through September 23. The abbot, Grand Master Shin Tien, will lead the service, praying for world peace, happiness, health, averting disasters, and elevating the deceased. On the final day, a special "Yoga Ulka-mukha" altar will be set up. May our ancestors and all whom we are indebted to, as well as those who died through natural disasters or accidents, be released from suffering, and be elevated to the Pureland.
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For more information about the temple, including services, special events, hours of operation, etc., please see the temple's Website at http://www.miaofachan.org.
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Abbot: |
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Venerable Master Shin Tien, Abbot |
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Telephone: |
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(503) 239-5678 |
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Email: |
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"PanumasPremsri" @ "gmail.com"
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Address: |
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Miao Fa Chan Temple |
