For Ghost Month 2018, we conducted a special prayer ceremony in Manila Chinese Cemetery for the first time.
Held last Sunday August 12, the prayer was on the 100 Peaceful and Wrathful Buddhas, or “Shi Thro” in Tibetan. The Shi Thro prayer is actually a practice for living people, so that they become familiar with the 100 Peaceful and Wrathful Buddhas. However, it has become customary to hold this prayer for the deceased as a reminder for them to behold the 100 Buddhas, as they undergo the intermediate state of dying.
Khenpo Tashi gave a brief teaching before the start of the prayer ceremony. He reminded the attendees that in one day on earth, billions and trillions of living beings pass away, such as insects, animals and humans. The consciousnesses of these beings transmigrate into the intermediate states of dying and rebirth, and many of them are not able to find a favorable rebirth.
This prayer ceremony, including the “sur” burning offering held afterwards, is dedicated for these beings so that they feel temporarily satisfied from their extreme hunger or thirst. Then, through the truth of the Buddha’s words, they are introduced to doing virtues and avoiding non-virtues, so that they can find happiness and lessen their suffering.
