Compassion

National Volunteer Week

| Western Lotus

National Volunteer Week

Do you know that each year, there is a moment set aside to honor quiet kindness?


National Volunteer Week in 2026 falls on April 19–25.

A small offering of time…
A simple act of care…
Like a drop in still water, it ripples farther than we can see.

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III teaches that compassion is not only something we contemplate.  It is something we live. In fact our practice continues in our actions, in how we show up for others.

When we extend a hand, offer our time or talents, or simply listen, we bring the teachings into the world.

There is even a flower that reflects this spirit—Clematis ‘Samaritan Jo’, named for those who help others in times of distress.  It’s easy to grow, and with a little care and good deadheading, it can bloom for up to six months—a gentle reminder that compassion, too, can be continuous.

Your time.
Your presence.
Your kindness.

These are seeds.

When planted, they not only bring joy to others, they quietly deepen your own sense of purpose in life.

National Volunteer Week

Link: https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2026/04/14/national-volunteer-week/

#DorjeChangBuddhaIII #H.H.DorjeChangBuddhaIII #CorrectDharma #BuddhaDharma #Volunteering #Compassion

The Significance of Qingming Festival in Buddhist Practice

| Western Lotus

The Significance of Qingming Festival in Buddhist Practice

The Qingming Festival, observed this year on April 4, 2025, is a traditional Asian holiday during which individuals visit cemeteries or columbariums to honor and pay respects to their ancestors. This is a special time for families to express their deep gratitude and reverence for their forebears.

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has pointed out that gratitude is a fundamental principle in Buddhism. One of the most meaningful ways to cultivate gratitude and compassion as shown by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is by beginning with those closest to us—our parents and other family members. By guiding them toward the practice of Buddhism, we help them attain liberation, the highest state of happiness one can wish for their loved ones.

A profound example of filial devotion and sincere wishes for one’s parents in their future lives can be found in the many stories of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who devoted Himself to rescuing His mother from the suffering of the hell realm. These accounts serve as reminders of compassion and devotion, inspiring practitioners to cultivate virtue and pursue the path of liberation for the benefit of their loved ones.

Find a temple and pray for your ancestors and families and all. To honor this tradition, there will be a Qingming Beseeching Blessings Dharma Assembly at Hua Zang Si this Sunday, April 6, 2025, at 10:00 AM. Though our loved ones may have departed, our hearts remain connected to them. Let us come together in remembrance, gratitude, and devotion.

The Significance of Qingming Festival in Buddhist Practice

Link: https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2025/04/01/the-significance-of-qingming-festival-in-buddhist-practice/

#DorjeChangBuddhaIII #H.H.DorjeChangBuddhaIII #CorrectDharma #BuddhaDharma #HuaZangSi #QingmingFestival #DorjeChangBuddha #Compassion #Gratitude #KsitigarbhaBodhisattva #DharmaAssembly