Adorning our pure Buddhaland
Tan Si Xuan shares something she learnt from Venerable Xavior on decorating.
If you’ve been to the monastery in the last two weeks, you might have noticed that we’ve given the table where we distribute blessed items a facelift!
There’s a story behind this.
One day, as I was carrying out my duty in the Grand Shrine Hall, Venerable Xavior approached me and my colleague, Yuling, and pointed to the table filled with the distribution items.
“Do you see a problem,” he asked.
Yuling and I looked left and right and shook our heads. Everything seemed alright to us. The bags of rice were arranged neatly in a basket, and the packets of noodles were stacked properly next to it. We whispered to each other as we examined the table, but we simply couldn’t identify what might be wrong with it.
Venerable Xavior laughed and said, “The table doesn’t look presentable. There are a few problems with this:
The table doesn’t catch the eyes of people. Therefore, they may not notice that there are free distribution items available for them to bring home;
The bare table looks out of place in a very dignified Grand Shrine Hall. People may feel uncomfortable with this;
The purpose of decorating an object or to keep an area clean and organised in the Grand Shrine Hall or even in any temple or monastery is not to satisfy our own greed or vanity but to dignify the place/s where the Three Jewels reside in.”
A true lesson on adorning pure Buddhalands, indeed!
I am delighted to learn that a simple action like this can also be an offering to the Triple Gem!
