English | On Oct 8, 108 Bowing Campaign for Cleansing Oneself and for Raising Shoes for Tanzanian Children
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Author Jogye On16-10-13 16:13 Views11,613 Comments0Related links
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Dreaminus, the Jogye Order’s philanthropic foundation, launched a public campaign that drew citizens and Buddhists to participate in the relaying 108 bowing from noon (12pm) till 6pm on October 8 at around Bosingak Pavillion in Jongno, the central area of Seoul. The number 108 holds the significance in Buddhism, as it refers to the 108 kinds of defilements that people commonly have as human beings. This is why it is encouraged in Buddhism to bow 108 times at a time to get rid of these one hundred eight defilements within ourselves.
Therefore, Dreaminus chose to conduct this 108 bowing campaign on Oct 8th. The motto is first to cleanse your mind through bowing and with the empty and cleansed mind, to have a compassionate heart and donate whatever shoes either once worn or new for Tanzanian children in Africa.
One participant said, “I realized how angular and harsh I have been! I decided
to live a life with a more lenient and generous attitude. I looked back on
myself while prostrating 108 bows today. I brought some shoes and hope these
can be helpful. I feel sad to think of children in Africa living without shoes and
getting hurt as it leads me to think that they are no different from my son.”
This bowing campaign was accompanied with other events like photo
exhibition, fortune cookies sales and collecting shoes on the side. Although it
was such a hot day under the blazing sun, around 200 people including some university
students who are part of the Korea Buddhist University
Federation and including those who are the members of the Dharma propagation of
the Jogye Order visited and participated in bowing event.
Chaeun Lee, the ex-president of the
KBUF, who came with her friends and said, “It’s such a great idea to share what
is no longer needed by me with others who are in need of them. I hope as many
people as possible can be informed about this campaign and take a part in this
meaningful movement.”
Dreaminus will continuously collect shoes until April 30th, 2017, for primary students in Tanzania, and all the collected shoes will be distributed on the next year’s Buddha’s Birthday (around May, 2017) to the children who live without shoes against all the dangers like broken pieces of glasses and irons, etc.
* For those interested in donating shoes, please contact the office of
Dreaminus: thenanum@hanmail.net
