I went to the Bright hill temple at around midnight on friday to join the 3-step-1-bow (or rather kowtow) procession. When i arrived, the temple was packed with people, many of whom were there to pay homage to the Buddha on this important day of Buddha's birth, enlightenment and nirvana.
I was directed to the hall (a huge air-coned hall the size of a football field) to queue up, while queuing up the temple showed the animated story of Ksitigarbha (大愿地藏王菩萨）. He has made the pledge to only become a buddha when Hell is cleared of sentient beings (我不入地狱，谁入地狱？地狱不空，誓不成佛！）。
It was a long wait, i only started to move by 4:30am, the process is not easy, I have to say. I noticed many around me who come every year and I look at them with admiration, to have such a valour to do this over and over again over the years. I am also surprised to find many children around the adults some as small as 5 years old.
The entire progression took 2.5 hours and by the time I finished it is already 7:30 in the morning. By the time i finished i have blisters on my knees and elbows caused be the repeated kowtowing in the entire ceremony.
On the way back home all the traffic lights along the way were green, I only had to stop at one traffic light. I thought to myself that perhaps its dad giving his approval. During the progression my thoughts were all on my dad to have a good rebirth, my mom, wife, and sis for forgiveness. That's all i hoped for.
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