PASADENA, Calif. — Hundreds gathered at Holy Miracles Temple in Pasadena for a blessing ceremony honoring the birthday of Dipankara Buddha — and not all of them came as practicing Buddhists. Alongside longtime devotees, the crowd included neighbors, first-time visitors, and community members simply looking for a moment of calm, reflecting the temple’s growing role as a gathering place for the wider community, regardless of faith, organizers said.
The September 20 gathering, which began at 10 a.m., was jointly hosted by four Buddhist organizations: the World Buddhism Association Headquarters, Holy Miracles Temple, Hua Zang Si, and Sanger Mission. Dharma Master Ruzun Ruohui, abbess of Hua Zang Si, presided over the ceremony, leading monastics and lay practitioners in collective prayer.
Throughout the morning, chanting of the Diamond Sutra echoed across the temple grounds as attendees paid respects to the Buddhas and presented offerings. Organizers said the ritual was meant to do more than mark a religious ritual; it was intended to offer a sense of collective grounding at a time when people from many walks of life are grappling with uncertainty.
“Buddhists gather here to express gratitude for the Buddha’s teachings which light the lamp of wisdom and guide lost souls toward liberation,” Dharma Master Ruzun Ruohui told reporters after the ceremony. “The merit from our chanting and lamp offerings are dedicated to averting disasters and fostering world peace. We must remember the Buddha’s teachings, always do good deeds, and care for others. In doing so, we will naturally receive protection, peace, and fulfillment.”
As the ceremony drew to a close, the monastics sprinkled Dharma water on all congregants as blessing and purification.
Temple organizers point to a broader pattern behind the day’s turnout: with extreme weather events and global conflicts increasingly in the headlines, more people are seeking spaces that offer stability rather than spectacle.
For many who attended, the day carried personal significance. Mr. Cao, attending his first dharma assembly at the temple, described an overwhelming sense of calm and renewed energy during the chanting, and said he hopes others will visit to experience it for themselves. Ms. Wang said that after a difficult stretch in her career, she found steadiness through leaning on prayer and shifting her mindset; she credits these practices with enabling her to land a new job.
Temple leaders emphasize that their mission extends beyond ceremonial life and their own congregation. Holy Miracles Temple has been active in local relief efforts, support for low-income families, and community outreach — work that puts Buddhist teachings on compassion into practice for the benefit of a wider community, not just its members.
