As
the number of initiates has increased,
more and more little Buddhas below the age of 12 are joining the group
meditation
at Laiyi Center in southern Formosa.
There, parents can enjoy the ecstasy of meditation while their children,
numbering approximately 100, build happy memories
of their childhood days in their own new heavenly playground , under
Master's and adult initiates' loving care.
By Kaoping
News Group, Formosa
The
children's house was previously under the charge of five or six dharma
guards who worked in shifts during group meditation. Since early this
year, it has been reorganized to meet the needs of children of different
age groups. Initiates, including those with young children, volunteer
their services at the house, and artistically talented practitioners
serve as teachers. With additional help from the dharma guards, the
children's house has been transformed from a tumultuous place into a
paradise for youngsters.
The house is divided
into a library, a homework area, and separate areas for TV viewing,
recreation, and baby-sitting. These divisions meet the diverse needs
of initiates and non-initiates. Children can choose to do their homework,
read, paint, listen to stories, or play games. While all these activities
are primarily designed to cultivate a habit of independent learning,
discipline, good manners and proper interaction with others, various
chores are also allotted to the children, thus teaching them to preserve
their environment. Parents have noticed satisfactory improvement in
their children, who now clean, sweep and tidy up their homes, in drastic
contrast with the past when they barely knew how to use a broom or a
mop. After group meditation, half-initiates receive a ten-minute instruction
in Master's teachings, listening to adult disciples recounting stories
by Master and explaining Her teachings. Occasionally, the adults also
share their stories about spiritual practice. Non-initiates also join
in these activities, learning more about the benefits of spiritual practice.
This may lead them to the spiritual path later in their lives.
Many
diverse interests are met and the rich potential of the children is
stimulated by a series of instructional, lively and widely varying programs,
scheduled for different seasons of the year. Participation has been
high in these group activities which include Tang poetry recital, English
lessons, painting, pottery, dancing, calligraphy, and Chinese macrame
making. Every group meditation session provides a wonderful, happy evening
for the children.
Master's
loving grace has blessed the initiates who run the house, offering them
inspiration and enabling them to work together in providing young initiates
and non-initiates alike with a varied learning program that will enrich
their childhood while leading them down the path of knowledge accumulation
and of spiritual practice. The Laiyi Center plans to sponsor more parent-child
activities in the future in order to strengthen parent-child relationships
among initiates. All fellow initiates who are interested in finding
their original, untainted selves are welcome to join in this work. Together,
we can weave Master's love into the carefree childhood days of the little
Buddhas.