On February 15, 2022, during the Lantern Festival, Xing Wu Zen Temple Society and Shi Xing Wu Shaolin Zen Wu Cultural Centre, Master Shi Xing Wu and his disciples volunteers went to the streets of downtown Vancouver to distribute food to homeless/street sleepers. Free food, bread, fruit, charity, and the joyful karma with the public, so that more people can feel the compassion and joy of the Buddha dharma.
Every homeless and street sleeper who got the food thanked the Master very politely. One of the women in a wheelchair said: “Getting this bread and apples is the happiest thing for me today, thank you! Another lady said : “This apple and food light up my day, thank you! “
Giving is one of the six virtues, and it is also the first of the six virtues. It is a matter of giving blessings and benefits to others with compassion.
Giving is something that cannot be seen or unreachable, it is something that everyone can do and do right now. It is true that preaching the wonderful Dharma for sentient beings, giving money to them, and even removing their physical and mental fears is almsgiving, but giving them a smile, a word of love, admiration, or even a bit of joy is not almsgiving?
Buddhism does not make people passive and avoid the world, but to do things with the wisdom of the world, which is a kind of commitment. Wish you all a Happy Lantern Festival!
