The Buddha Amitabha, after countless eons of practicing the bodhisattva path, became the Buddha of the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. He attained perfect enlightenment and has spent the last five eons using his powers to help sentient beings. In the Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra, the sixth chapter, the Buddha says, "I implore the World-Honored One to listen with compassion. If I attain the Unsurpassed Bodhi and become a Buddha of the Highest Order, then in the Buddha's realm there will be limitless virtue and dignity beyond imagination, with no hells or ghostly realms of any kind. If any beings, from the three evil paths or even the hells, are born in my land, and hear my teachings, then all of them will achieve supreme and perfect enlightenment, without any suffering or distress. Only then will I have become a Buddha. Otherwise, I will not attain enlightenment". 

Hundreds of floating lanterns were released into the river by Buddhist followers and members of the Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen. The sacred and colorful lights served as a prayer for blessings, as well as a wish for the continued existence of Buddhism, world peace, and the well-being of all beings on the path of practice and cultivation, following the compassionate teachings of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, for the personal and familial peace and liberation of all beings from samsara.

On the occasion of Buddha's Parinirvana Day, may all of us vow to practice the path of Enlightenment and cultivate our minds towards ultimate bliss. Let us learn how to think and live like the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and Holy Assembly of Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen, so that our minds may be enlightened under their guidance. Then, let us bring that enlightenment back to our homes as a stable refuge, and manifest the blessings of being born as humans, studying the Dharma, hearing the teachings, and transmitting the Right Dharma. May our lives be peaceful and prosperous, with less suffering, and may we be liberated by the support of the Three Jewels, both now and in the future.