The World Of Tzu Chi(Vol.114).

26 2019 • 09 pecial Feature obtained complimentary tickets by donating to the TCISKL construction fund. The KL Tzu-Chi Jing Si Hall was bustling with activity throughout the day as the Dharma Hall, where the performance was held, was packed to capacity. Chuang Shih-hung, who composed the script for The Great Dharma Master Zhizhe , delivered a pre-performance briefing on the highlights of The Story of Bright-eyes Rescuing Her Mother , enabling the audience to better appreciate the message of filial piety conveyed through the play. “The Story of Bright-eyes Rescuing Her Mother is derived from the Ksitigarbha Sutra , which contains teachings distilled from Gautama Buddha’s insights on the laws of karma and reincarnation. It calls upon devotees to abstain from claiming lives by observing a vegetarian diet, commit to kind deeds and respect our elders to avoid descending to hell in the afterlife. If we take our commitment a step further by seeking refuge in the Three Jewels [of Buddhism, namely Buddha, Dharma and Sangha], it is possible to attain liberation from the cycle of reincarnation,” explained Shih-hung. Bright-eyes, the titular character of the play, was one of the incarnations of the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva before he attained Buddhahood. She devoted herself to the Three Jewels and transferred the merits from her kind deeds to her mother to ensure her health and longevity. On the other hand, Bright-eyes’ mother was ignorant of T he 7th month in the Chinese lunar calendar, widely associated with the opening of the gates of Hell, is a month of auspicious significance in the Buddhist faith. It is also a time when sentiments of spiritual joy and gratitude come forth. For many years, Tzu Chi KL & Selangor has been organizing a series of fellowship-cum-prayer sessions based on the teachings expounded in the Ksitigarbha Sutra in conjunction with the Auspicious Month. As part of this year’s festivities, the Tang Mei Yun Taiwanese Opera Company presented The Story of Bright-eyes Rescuing Her Mother to local audiences to impart the importance of filial piety and the true meaning of salvation. On July 3, 2019, the Tang Mei Yun Taiwanese Opera Company, led by established Taiwanese opera performer Tang Mei- yun, travelled from Taiwan to the shores of Singapore and Malaysia for a performance tour spanning both sides of the Causeway. The tour concluded in Kuala Lumpur at the KL Tzu-Chi Jing Si Hall in Kepong, with three sessions of Memoirs of Eminent Monks: The Great Dharma Master Zhizhe over July 19 and 21, 2019, as well as two performances of The Story of Bright-eyes Rescuing Her Mother on July 20, 2019. The latter, adapted for the stage from the eponymous parable extracted from the Ksitigarbha Sutra , extolled the virtues of righteous beliefs, protecting lives and filial piety. The lively, engaging performances attracted audiences of over 2,000, who