THE SPREADERS OF GOODNESS

I hit share.

On a story about kindness. Didn't think much of it. Just... "Oh, this is nice."

But here's what I didn't see.

Someone I'll never meet read that story. And something loosened in them. Not a big shift. Just a small one.

But it mattered.

We know this feeling, don't we? That quiet urge to pass something good along.

A neighbor heavy with frustration. You pause. You say something calm. Not profound. Just steady.

And the air clears.

I've seen this with a friend. She shares stories of people helping. Small acts. Nothing dramatic.

But over months, her feed became this quiet stream of good. And people started noticing. Started sharing back. Started acting differently.

Not because she preached. Because she just... kept passing it along.

Or online—you see a small story of someone helping. Your thumb hovers. You share it.

That counts.

Being a spreader of goodness doesn't require grand actions.

A soft word. A patient breath. A story passed along.

These things ripple. Through days you'll never see. Through lives you'll never know.

You don't see it happen. It's not flashy. No one congratulates you.

But somewhere, someone reads what you shared. And they treat the next person a little softer. And that person does the same.

That's how it spreads. Quietly. Through ordinary moments. Through people you'll never meet.

Each small act plants something. And over time, quietly, those seeds grow into something we all share.

THE SMALLER THE ACT, THE WIDER IT SPREADS.

Not someday. Right now. In that next comment you write. In that moment you choose calm over sharp.

That's not small. That's how the world changes.

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RITUAL OF OFFERING FOOD TO THE SPIRITS

I. INVITING THE DEPARTED SPIRITS

From a heart of love that spans all lands,
We lay these gifts with humble hands.
We call to spirits, near and far,
Come partake of what we offer here.

Turn your hearts to Buddha’s way,
Take refuge, learn, and gently stay.
May peace and calm your days be filled,
With Dharma bright, your hearts be stilled.

Today, on the … day of the … month, … year, at the Janna Order Monasteryin USA, we sincerely makes this offering to the departed souls.

We earnestly pray that the Buddhas of the ten directions, in theirboundless compassion, bestow blessings and guidance, to deliver all spiritsresiding in this hall, all nearby wandering souls and unseen beings, that theymay come here to hear the Dharma and receive this food. May all spirits let goof sorrow and distress, take refuge in the Triple Gem, turn away from evildeeds, perform acts of goodness, and soon be liberated into realms of peace andjoy.

Homage to the Bodhisattva Who Guides Beings to Bliss and Liberation (3 times).

II. INVITING THE DHARMA PROTECTORS TOGUIDE THE SPIRITS

III. OFFERING FOOD TO THE DEPARTED

IV. PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Namo Shakyamuni Buddha.
Namo the Great Compassionate Maitreya Buddha.
Namo the Great Merciful Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva.

Through endless cycles of birth and decay,
Ignorance and craving lead beings astray.
Ties of sorrow and debts remain unsealed,
Still wandering shores where truth is concealed.

May the Buddha’s sacred teachings shine,
Awakening spirits with light divine.
Dispel the darkness of ignorance long,
And nurture virtue, wisdom, and strong.

Guide them onward on the radiant way,
Toward peace, liberation, and endless day.

Alternative verse

Human life is but a fleeting shade,
Born in the morning, by night will fade.
If one does not turn to the Noble Way,
And seek the Triple Gem with heart each day,
He will drift through realms of endless birth and strife,
Entangled in karma, the debts of life.

We earnestly pray to the Buddhas of the ten directions, to the GreatBodhisattvas, and the Noble Sangha, that they may extend their boundlesscompassion and protection. May all departed spirits be blessed with peace andwell-being, free from suffering, and diligent in cultivating the path. May theydevelop unwavering faith and reverence toward the Buddha, following the BlessedOne life after life.

Through the power of the Buddha’s great compassion, may all spirits opentheir hearts in loving-kindness to all beings, deeply believe in the law ofcause and effect, and strive to perform good deeds. Through the blessings ofthe Buddhas, may they soon be reborn in peaceful realms, never turning awayfrom the True Dharma, and together with all beings throughout the Dharma realm,attain perfect enlightenment.

Namo Shakyamuni Buddha.

V. THREE REFUGETAKINGS

All of my adoration, itake refuge in Buddha.

All of my adoration, itake refuge in Dharma.

All of my adoration, itake refuge in Sangha.

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Silent Goodness
In this life, let us quietly observe those around us and gently offer help without waiting to be asked. Whenever you see a chance to help someone, help them right away—don't wait for them to ask. Remember, this is the little secret we've shared today.
Today, we're talking about one simple question: Where does good luck come from? After reflecting on all of this, we came to one conclusion: we should strive to live with integrity and always quietly observe those around us, ready to help whenever we can. Perhaps that's where true good luck begins.
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PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Namo Shakyamuni Buddha.
Namo the Great Compassionate Maitreya Buddha.
Namo the Great Merciful Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva.

Through endless cycles of birth and decay,
Ignorance and craving lead beings astray.
Ties of sorrow and debts remain unsealed,
Still wandering shores where truth is concealed.

May the Buddha’s sacred teachings shine,
Awakening spirits with light divine.
Dispel the darkness of ignorance long,
And nurture virtue, wisdom, and strong.

Guide them onward on the radiant way,
Toward peace, liberation, and endless day.

Alternative verse

Human life is but a fleeting shade,
Born in the morning, by night will fade.
If one does not turn to the Noble Way,
And seek the Triple Gem with heart each day,
He will drift through realms of endless birth and strife,
Entangled in karma, the debts of life.

We earnestly pray to the Buddhas of the ten directions, to the GreatBodhisattvas, and the Noble Sangha, that they may extend their boundlesscompassion and protection. May all departed spirits be blessed with peace andwell-being, free from suffering, and diligent in cultivating the path. May theydevelop unwavering faith and reverence toward the Buddha, following the BlessedOne life after life.

Through the power of the Buddha’s great compassion, may all spirits opentheir hearts in loving-kindness to all beings, deeply believe in the law ofcause and effect, and strive to perform good deeds. Through the blessings ofthe Buddhas, may they soon be reborn in peaceful realms, never turning awayfrom the True Dharma, and together with all beings throughout the Dharma realm,attain perfect enlightenment.

Namo Shakyamuni Buddha.

V. THREE REFUGETAKINGS

All of my adoration, itake refuge in Buddha.

All of my adoration, itake refuge in Dharma.

All of my adoration, itake refuge in Sangha.

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OFFERING FOOD TO SOULSNamo all Buddhas in the universeNamo all Dharmas in the universeNamo all Saints in the universe ONamo Sakya Muni Buddha.Namo the future Buddha, Maitreya.Namo the great compassion,Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. OMay Buddha’s divine powerbless spirits around hereto come for eating, listen to Sutrasthen take refuge in the Triple Gemto attain rebirth as humans.May the food multiplyin the spiritual realmto help countless soulsbe full and sufficient.May these offered foodsbe tasty and deliciousmake the souls all aroundpleasant and blissful. OMay all souls be hereenjoying the food,be imbued with the Buddha’s graceand turn their minds towards Dharma.May all souls profoundlypay reverence to the Buddhacompassionate Bodhisattvas,and Enlightened Saints. OMay all souls havea love for all beingsand often help humanshave peace and happiness.May all souls be kindnot to harm others,or frighten humansor make any troublesMay all souls give uptheir grasping nature,envy and hatred,feuds and evil,pettiness and selfishness. OMay all souls havea noble way of lifenot indulge in secular pleasures,drinking or sexual desire.May all souls not be greedyor take things from othersbut care for othersand share what they havewith those beings in need.May all souls not be angrybut keep even-temperedthough being in troublecan still feel peaceful.May all souls not be proudbut see themselves as pettyto respect all beings,and put effort into cultivation. OPraying to Lord Buddha,please have mercy on these souls,let them be free from bad karmato be born in the Buddha’s world.Souls, please give the pledgeto practice Buddha’s teachingsand help other beingshead towards selfless liberation. ONamo the Great Compassion, AvalokitesvaraBodhisattva. (10 times)#religions , #Buddhism, #Meditation, #Question #Answers, #DialogueBuddhismReligions, #Religious, #Buddhist, #Truedharma, #Enlightement, #Buddhatemple, #TheLawofKarma, #BuddhismforBeginners, #Janna #Monastery, #JannaOrderMonastery,#PRACTICE, #GUIDE, #LAYPRACTITIONERS.

PRAYER TO THE DHARMA PROTECTORS FOR GUIDING SOULSWith reverence we bow to the Buddhas of the Ten Directions.With reverence we bow to the Dharma of the Ten Directions.With reverence we bow to the Sangha of the Ten Directions.We earnestly call upon the Holy Dharma Protectors,Together with the Benevolent Deities,Who ever guard and protect this sacred monastery.Please look upon all beings with compassion,And receive, guide, and transform the wandering spirits.Today we sincerely invokeMay the departed souls from all placesGather here in this temple,To listen to the Dharma and receive blessed offerings.May Holy Dharma Protectors,We implore you to instruct these spirits:To uphold the precepts,To live in order and harmony.Teach them to practice goodness,To believe in cause and effect, in karma and its fruits,To see clearly the law of just retribution,So that they abandon all harmful deeds.Teach them that selfishnessIs the root of sorrow and suffering.Only by living with compassion and generosityCan they transcend all pain.Teach them to remain unseen,Not to reveal their forms,Lest they disturb the hearts of the living,And fall into heavier karmic debts.Teach them never to intrudeInto the bodies of others,Disrupting their lives,For such deeds lead to madness in future births.Encourage them to cultivate meritBy protecting the monastery,So that no evil forces disturb it,And peace may reign for true practice.May Holy Dharma Protectors,Please guide and transform these departed spirits,That they may advance in practiceAnd, in due time, attain liberation.Namo Bodhisattvas, Holy Assembly of the Monastery,Who Guide and Transform Departed Spirits (10 times) #Religions, #Buddhism, #Meditation, #Question #Answers, #DialogueBuddhismReligions, #Religious, #Buddhist, #Truedharma, #Enlightement, #Buddhatemple, #TheLawofKarma, #BuddhismforBeginners, #Janna #Monastery, #JannaOrderMonastery,#PRACTICE, #GUIDE, #LAYPRACTITIONERS.

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INVITING THE DEPARTED SPIRITS

From a heart of love that spans all lands,
We lay these gifts with humble hands.
We call to spirits, near and far,
Come partake of what we offer here.

Turn your hearts to Buddha’s way,
Take refuge, learn, and gently stay.
May peace and calm your days be filled,
With Dharma bright, your hearts be stilled.

Today, on the … day of the … month, … year, at the Janna Order Monasteryin USA, we sincerely makes this offering to the departed souls.

We earnestly pray that the Buddhas of the ten directions, in theirboundless compassion, bestow blessings and guidance, to deliver all spiritsresiding in this hall, all nearby wandering souls and unseen beings, that theymay come here to hear the Dharma and receive this food. May all spirits let goof sorrow and distress, take refuge in the Triple Gem, turn away from evildeeds, perform acts of goodness, and soon be liberated into realms of peace andjoy.

Homage to the Bodhisattva Who Guides Beings to Bliss and Liberation (3 times).

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TALKING TO SOULSDear souls all around, I am going to talk to you withmy love and compassion as follows.Death is not the end; reincarnation and rebirth arereal. Now you know that already. We all are bound bythe endless cycle of death and rebirth. We will continueto be reborn into new lives after we die, and this hasbeen repeated countless times without end.Another thing I’m not sure you have heard is thelaw of Cause and Effect or the Karma Law. Everythingruns based on the Karma Law, which is inevitable andnot dependent on anyone’s desire. The Karma Law isexplained that whatever we do to others will come backto us. The Karma Law is not just a Buddhist belief but alaw of nature that governs the entire universe.To be more specific, if we bring peace andhappiness to others, we will receive the same in return.Conversely, if we make others suffer, bad karma willinevitably cause us to suffer sooner or later. Morescarily, if we kill other beings, we will be rebornto be killed that way. In other words, our presentexperiences are determined by our past actions.Therefore, if we are experiencing suffering in thepresent, we should understand that they result fromour past actions towards others.So what happens when we do good deedsfor others? It becomes our blessing. Blessingsare intangible, but they lead us to have variousgood choices in our lives. When we are rich,beautiful, intelligent, talented, powerful andhave many advantages, it’s because we haveaccumulated blessings from our good deeds inthe past. In contrast, if we are poor, ugly, miserable,disadvantaged, etc., it’s because we lack blessings.However, our blessings are not limitless. If we livejust to enjoy worldly pleasures without doing moregood deeds, our blessings will gradually decrease.The more enjoyment we experience in human life,the faster our blessings lessen. Eventually, when ourblessings get drained, we have no chance of rebirthafter death and must live in the spiritual realm formany years, even hundreds of years.As a Buddhist, I follow Buddha’s teachings anddo not indulge in worldly pleasures. I pray to dedicatemy life to benefitting others and bringing happinessto those around me with love and compassion.I understand that you, my dear souls, are sufferingfrom hunger and coldness in the invisible realms.I pray to love and help you to the best of my ability,but ultimately, it is up to you to improve your futurelives and attain rebirth as humans.Please believe in the Karma Law, love all beings,and help humans be happy and safe. Please be niceto humans, don’t harm anyone, frighten anyone,or cause any trouble. Please let go of arrogance,jealousy, greed, and hatred. Please open your mindsto love and help other beings in your power. Pleasehelp people love one another and facilitate them todo good deeds. Please try to live a dignified life andavoid secular pleasures such as drinking and sexualdesire. Please acknowledge your past mistakes,genuinely repent and pledge not to repeat them.Please consider yourselves insignificant and treatothers with respect, especially Noble Saints. Pleasepay profound veneration to Lord Shakyamuni Buddhaand practice Buddha’s teachings, heading towardsnon - ego liberation.Next, I would like to talk about ShakyamuniBuddha - the most Supreme Enlightened One inthe universe, who is awakened from ignorance andpermanently get free from the cycle of impure lives.The Buddha is the only One who can find out the truthsof the universe...Namo Shakya Muni Buddha!

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OFFERING FOOD TO SOULS

Namo all Buddhas in the universe

Namo all Dharmas in the universe

Namo all Saints in the universe O

Namo Sakya Muni Buddha.

Namo the future Buddha, Maitreya.

Namo the great compassion,

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. O

May Buddha’s divine power

bless spirits around here

to come for eating, listen to Sutras

then take refuge in the Triple Gem

to attain rebirth as humans.

May the food multiply

in the spiritual realm

to help countless souls

be full and sufficient.

May these offered foods

be tasty and delicious

make the souls all around

pleasant and blissful. O

May all souls be here

enjoying the food,

be imbued with the Buddha’s grace

and turn their minds towards Dharma.

May all souls profoundly

pay reverence to the Buddha

compassionate Bodhisattvas,

and Enlightened Saints. O

May all souls have

a love for all beings

and often help humans

have peace and happiness.

May all souls be kind

not to harm others,

or frighten humans

or make any troubles

May all souls give up

their grasping nature,

envy and hatred,

feuds and evil,

pettiness and selfishness. O

May all souls have

a noble way of life

not indulge in secular pleasures,

drinking or sexual desire.

May all souls not be greedy

or take things from others

but care for others

and share what they have

with those beings in need.

May all souls not be angry

but keep even-tempered

though being in trouble

can still feel peaceful.

May all souls not be proud

but see themselves as petty

to respect all beings,

and put effort into cultivation. O

Praying to Lord Buddha,

please have mercy on these souls,

let them be free from bad karma

to be born in the Buddha’s world.

Souls, please give the pledge

to practice Buddha’s teachings

and help other beings

head towards selfless liberation. O

Namo the Great Compassion, Avalokitesvara

Bodhisattva. (10 times)

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HOW TO MAKE FAMILY LOVE LAST
If we only love each other, that love will never last. We must open our hearts to many people, only then will the love between us become truly sustainable. It's just like a husband and wife. The other day, I saw something on TikTok. A couple was walking together. The husband was holding his partner's hand, but then he let go to take his phone out and make a call.
He kept talking while walking, and when he finished, he just held the phone instead of putting it back. The woman then asked: "Why are you holding the phone and not holding my hand?" She was demanding love in every little detail. Watching that, I realized: When people promise to love each other, they start watching each other. They look for signs of "not loving" just to criticize, to be jealous, and to blame one another. Isn't that right, Đạt Tiến Ngộ?
"That's right." Is that true for everyone? Từ Ân? "It is very true." So that's how it is. At first, when they promise to love, or when they get married, they swear: "In this life, I only love you." And then, they start policing each other. "Did you promise?" "Is that true?" They watch, they stalk, and pick on every little thing until they can't stand it anymore. That is how love turns into resentment because they are too busy watching each other.
But here, if two people truly love each other, and they also love the whole village, and care for all their relatives, surprisingly, that shared love for everyone will strengthen the bond between them. It makes their love much deeper. This is a secret that very few people know.
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