Event Blog

“The making of Dharma Drum Culture: Gratitude, a great number of good people, great morality have come together to ensure the success of this distinguished gathering…  We are providing spiritual sustenance … we use the method, use the concept to regulate ourselves and allow ourselves to lead lives of greater ease, happiness, peace, health, and well-being,  This is our goal.”  VCR: Fulfill A Wish: Words of Shifu, Chan Master Sheng Yen. 

The ChanMeditationCenter officially launched its expansion project on October 5^th, 2014 with a charity sales to raise funds. The project was headed by Changhwa Fashi, CMC’s Director, and Lily Kung, a board member, and assisted by dozens of CMC volunteers and a group of DDMBA members from Taiwan.  Four hundred guests filled the Mudan Banquet Hall in Flushing New York.  The theme of this event was Fulfilling A Wish.  This effort generated over $900 thousands.

The event began with a solemn procession of six small groups of 20 candle bearers – sangha, seniors, adults, youth, teenagers and children – representing CMC’s past, present and future.  The red LED candles were mounted into an erected board on stage to reflect CMC’s 35th anniversary. The event’s highlight was the charity sales with majority of the items donated by Lily Kung and Chiliu Wu giving away their respective deceased spouses Jeffrey Kung’s and Fanny Shaw’s art collections.  Many individuals also donated their valuables.

The items consisted of Buddhist art, calligraphy, paintings, sculptures and jewelry, including Shifu’s and other sangha members’ personal possessions.

CMC’s chorus performed two songs: Dharma Drum Ode and Walking the Bodhisattva Path. Chorus teacher/soloist Ms. Ya Han Changsang The Journey Home to commemorate the 35^th anniversary.

This event would not be possible without the dedication of many volunteers working to make it a reality.  Heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the DDMBA volunteers from Taiwan for their generosity and support paying their own ways to be here and pitching in to help when needed.

“The Chan Meditation Center has already been established in New York for 35 years. The tree that Shifu planted that year has grown and flourished. In order to benefit a greater number of people, a new Chan Meditation Center is in the midst of being born. Fulfill a wish. Expand the Center.” VCR: Fulfill A Wish shown at the fundraising.