Purpose of the event: In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Lingyen Mountain Temple (Canada), we are hosting a photography contest to explore and exhibit the natural beauty of Buddhist philosophy and Eastern culture in the arts and humanities. We hope that participants will be able to cultivate refinement of the spirit and clarity of the soul through observation of the scenery on and around the temple site. Topic of photography: The Lingyen Mountain Temple (Canada) site (including the architecture and surrounding landscape, inside the great halls, seasonal sights, and special events) Hours of Availability: You are welcome to photograph in the temple anytime from Monday-Saturday from 8:00am to 9:30pm, and Sunday from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Prior to taking any photos, please register at the reception desk and pick up a photography permit. Acceptable devices: Any and all cameras (including digital cameras, traditional cameras, and cellular devices). Deadline: September 1st, 2019 Awards Ceremony: September 15th, 2019 Submission: Online at www.lymtcanada.com(here) Prizes: First place (1 recipient) $1,000 and certificate Second place (1 recipient) $800 and certificate Third place (2 recipients) $500 and certificate Fourth place (6 recipients) $300 and certificate All winning submissions will be displayed in the LYMT 20th Anniversary Exhibition and on the website. Judging: Contest organizers will enlist the help of professional photographers to form the judging panel. All submissions will be considered fairly and equitably. Winners will be contacted by phone or by email. Contest Rules

1. Submissions must be the participant’s original work. Participants must not plagiarize the works of others, violate any copyrights, rights to privacy or media consent.
2. Submissions must not be drastically altered by photo editing software, such as Photoshop. Minor modifications to contrast, lighting, and colour saturation are acceptable.
3. Participants must submit entries with the registration form online.
4. Online submissions must be in JPG format, high resolution (at least 300dpi), and the document should be titled as “name of participant + name of piece”.
5. Submissions can be in color or in black and white. You may submit 3 entries, each entry can be a single photograph, or a series of thematically related photographs .
6. By participating in the contest, you allow the Lingyen Mountain Temple to use and display your photos in exhibitions, publications, media releases, online, and on any non-commercial material.

1st Round 9:30 ~ 2nd Round 10:30 ~ 3rd Round 13:00 ~

Recite The Sutra of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s Fundamental Vows I shall attain Buddhahood only when every last sentient being has been saved; Furthermore, unless Hell itself is completely emptied of suffering being, I vow never to enter Buddhahood

The temple’s Buddhist youth and children will lead the audience in singing “Praise to the Sangha”. Buddha instructed that the disciples only eat one meal a day, rest under the tree, and thus the monks need to travel daily from the mountains and forests to other places to gather various donations. During the summer times of India there are a lot of insects. When the monks go to gather donations, they may accidentally kill those insects by stepping on them. Therefore Buddha instructed that for the three months, spanning from April 15th to July 15th, the monks should stay in one location; that they live within the monastery and do not go out to collect donations. If there is a time where there is no need to go gather donations, the time is to be spent practicing diligently. Therefore within the three months, there will be various disciples who will have attained the rewards of their learning. Seeing this, the Buddha is very happy and thus this day, July 15th, the day which marked the end of summer, is known as “Buddha’s joyful day”. On Buddha’s joyful day, where all sentient beings witnessed the end of summer retreat, those who are sons and daughters should prepare delicious food for not only their parents in this lifetime, but also previous parents from seven of their past lifetimes; fresh fruits, clothing or bedding…etc. They are to put those items in a container and offer them to the assembly of monks who came from all ten directions. The merits of the assembled monks’ conduct allowed the parents of all seven incarnations to go to heaven; it will allow the parents of this lifetime, if they have already passed on, to be released from the three realms of suffering: the realms of hell, hungry ghosts and animal incarnation; and for those who are still alive, to live prosperously.

To celebrate the anniversary of the enlightenment of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, we will hold a 7-day service intensively chanting The Great Compassion Mantra. If you join chanting the Great Compassion Mantra over 12 hours within seven days, we will put your name on the water altar. Please register at Information. During the Dharma Service, you may establish a wide range of affinity by lighting the “Thousand Buddha Lamps” as an offering to the Buddha.

Enjoy a free vegetarian meal. Simply register at Lingyen Mountain Temple and pledge to maintain a vegetarian diet for 3 days. Pick up a lunch box from 11:00 am ~ 1:00 pm on June 28. A vegetarian diet can reduce not only our carbon footprint, but also the suffering of animals raised for human consumption. Join us on Lingyen Vegetarian Day to experience for yourself how delicious a plant-based meal can be!