Chapter IX: Buddha Recitation Week

Now that I have given an overall account of my father's renunciation of lay life, I will move on to the subject of Buddha recitation weeks at Ling-yen Mountain. For the past ten-odd years most temples and monasteries here in Taiwan have conducted recitation weeks every year about the time of Amitābha's birthday for purposes of celebration. Actually one can only say that these influence beginning believers so that they can recite Amitābha Buddha's name a bit and plant the root of goodness, but they cannot really be called Buddha recitation weeks. The gatherings are not even worth mentioning if they are citation weeks so that those who conduct them can get their hands on some small change. Well then, how were the recitation weeks at Ling-yen Monastery conducted? Don't be impatient; I'm coming to that.