Abbot Shi Wuyue led all monastics to gather in the meditation hall, where they watched the historical film Nanjing Photographic Studio. On screen, the reenacted past met the serene simplicity of monastic robes, creating a silent dialogue across time and space.
Silent Tribute: A Minute That Engraves Eternity
After the screening, the monastics stood in solemn silence, observing a minute of mourning led by the abbot. Time seemed to stand still—a silence filled not with emptiness, but with the weight of history and reverence for life.
As the monastics mourned before the Buddha statue for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre, they embodied a form of humanistic care that transcends religious ritual—a manifestation of Buddhist compassion within the dimension of history.
Those who walk the spiritual path do not withdraw from the world. To witness historical suffering is to cultivate greater empathy; to remember national trauma is to understand the preciousness of peace. Today’s act at Xizu Temple resonates between the morning bell and evening drum—a reminder not to forget history. In chanting sutras and reciting Buddha’s name, they offered prayers for the transcendence of all innocent souls. While monastics traditionally pray for individual souls, today they mourned the pain of an entire nation. This deepened their understanding of “delivering all sentient beings.”
To remember is not to perpetuate hatred, but to safeguard peace.
Significance: The Practitioners' Historical Responsibility
This viewing at Xizu Temple added a profound and solemn layer to the National Memorial Day through the unique dignity and compassion of religious observance, reflecting the temple’s historical consciousness and social responsibility. Every sacred space is a hall of memory; every practitioner is a witness to history. Through viewing and mourning, the monastics connected personal practice with national memory, embodying the essence of “Humanistic Buddhism.”
To gaze into darkness is to cherish light;
to remember the departed is to protect the living.
Not to forget is the deepest solace to those who were lost;
not to forget is the most heartfelt prayer for peace.