Tzu Chi Blessing Ceremony.

The night before I came back to Melaka (Sunday), I attend a meaningful event.

A blessing ceremony, organised by Tzu Chi Penang.

This blessing ceremony is done annually, and every year there are more then 10,000 people who attended this event. This year, I am one of them.

The entrance ticket.

The ceremony started off by a speech from Penang Chief Minister Mr. Koh. From his speech, only I know that Tzu Chi plays a big role in recycling goods in Penang. From 3% contribution of recycled items in Malaysia last year, to 18% this year, which makes Penang the biggest contributor in Malaysia.

Mr. Koh giving the opening speech.

I sincerely wanna thank Tzu Chi for all the efforts that they have put in.

After the speech, the program started off.

It’s a sketch by a retarded grandson and his grandfather. In the sketch, they creates awareness of recycling, and love towards our surroundings.

In between the sketch, there will be videos showing the contributions by Tzu Chi to the world. Each year, each month, they helped a lot of people that suffers from the natural disaster caused by us human.

A very uniformed team, performing infront of us.

Using hands, they translate the meaning from the video.

Professional Tzu Chi members perform some dance while the video is playing. Using sign language, they translate the meaning of the video shown. It’s pretty interesting to see a big group with uniformed body language.

The video on the big big screen on all for directions.

Also, there’s sketch in between the songs and videos.

The hell act, where Tzu Chi members act on saving them.

Finally, and the most interesting part, is lighting up candles, which acts as the “light of our heart” (心灯), and everyone were blessed together.

The Tzu Chi members lining up at each line preparing.

The 10,000 lights are lighten up. Superb!

The first candle would be light up by Tzu Chi members, and we are to pass the fire to the person beside us, and this continues until everyone got their candle lighten up.

The view got so “strong” when you see 10,000 candles are lighten up tidily in the hall, and everyone to make a wish and to be blessed.

Everyone’s wishing for their best.

I got touched, for a second. I gave up my own wish, and wish for everyone’s happiness.

After the blessing session, the blessing ceremony ends. By the end of the ceremony, I learned some stuffs, some quotes to be more exact by Master Cheng Yen, that are strongly got sealed in my mind.

Master Cheng Yen said,

Do not wish for our own well-being,
but ask to sharpen your wisdom.

Do not wish that things will go easy on us,
but ask for faith, endurance and courage.

Do not wish for less responsibility,
but ask for increased strength.

And also said,

In this world, there is no one that I would not love,
In this world, there is no one that I would not trust,
In this world, there is no one that I would not forgive.

I got touched by how noble Master Cheng Yen can be. I am sure no matter how hard I try, I can’t be as noble as Master Cheng Yen.

My candle, my blessing.

There’s really too much to be learned from Master Cheng Yen.