Conducting the Inaugural Sutra Sermon 開經演法

After 12 years of hard work and commitment, the Inaugural Dharma Assembly was held at the Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden on December 14, 2023 (Buddhist calendar year 2566).

At 11 a.m., the President of The Buddhist Association of Canada, Abbot of Cham Shan Temple, Abbot of the Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden Venerable Dayi Shi hosted the ceremony.

The chanting of the Avatamsaka Sutra (Huayan Sutra) was held in the Sudhana Hall (Shancai Bodian) on the first floor of the Main Buddha Hall building, resonating for 21 days.

The ceremony and the 21-day chanting marks a significant milestone for the Garden as it progresses towards opening to the general public.

This proclaims to sentient beings that the Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden has been built in alignment with the teachings of the Tathagata, serving as a sacred place

for the sentient beings to listen to and practice according to the Buddha's Teachings.

2023年是湛山禧年，歷經12年披荊斬棘、開山拓荒而建設的北美佛教大叢林－加國五台山，終於在圓滿完成大雄寶殿各項工程建設任務後，於西元2023年12月14日（佛歷 2566年）開經演法，昭告蒼生：荷擔如來家業建山始成，弘揚佛陀聖教度化蒼生。

2023年是加國五台山元年。 12月14日上午，由加拿大佛教會會長、加國五台山住持達義大和尚領眾，於五台山善財寶殿內，隆重啟建華嚴法會，即日起連續21天，寺內兩序大眾將恭誦 《大方廣佛華嚴經》八十卷，唱念華嚴四十二字母，積聚福慧資糧，共修、共學、解悟大乘經典，同登華藏玄門，共入毗盧性海。

這是加國五台山開山建寺有史以來第一場誦經法會，標誌著這座北美佛教聖地正式對眾生開經演法、弘傳聖教；標誌著無量眾生開始在五台山清淨道場聆聽佛陀教誨 ，共預勝緣，同圓種智；標誌著加國五台山的開園開放邁出了實質的步伐。