Generate the Bodhi-Mind for the Benefit Of Oneself and Others - Guanyin Dharma Assembly and Refuge-Taking Ceremony

Updated June 20, 2022

On May 21st, the Dharma Drum Vancouver Center organized a Guanyin Dharma Assembly and Refuge-Taking Ceremony. The Dharma Assembly commenced at 10 a.m., with Venerable Chang Wu's Dharma Talk, marking the start of the first on-site Guanyin Dharma Assembly since the pandemic. Over the past two years, everyone has suffered a great deal of inner torment and sorrow. Subsequently, this Dharma assembly was organized in the hope of dispelling the fear in people's minds, as well as to proceed to generate the Bodhi-mind, in order to benefit oneself and others. Venerable Chang Wu went on to illustrate the four levels of the Guanyin method, beginning with keeping Guanyin in our hearts at all times; reciting Guanyin’s name as often as possible, so that in times of hardship or calamity, we may instinctively ask Guanyin for help; emulating Guanyin in providing appropriate assistance to people according to their individual needs; and, finally, embodying the spirit of Guanyin to generate the great Bodhi-Mind, thereby persevering in advancing on the path and practicing the Bodhisattva way.

The Dharma Assembly formally commenced with the participants' unified chant of the Praise for Purifying the Water, followed by recitations of the Universal Gate chapter, the Mantra of Great Compassion and Guanyin's name, prostrations of aspiration, and transfer of merits. Approximately 130 on-site and online participants were wholeheartedly invested in grasping this current opportunity for a focused practice. The end of the Dharma Assembly was followed by the Refuge-Taking Ceremony, in which Venerable Chang Wu explained to the 18 participants that taking refuge in the Three Jewels is the first step towards learning and practicing Buddhism. Keeping the five precepts is the core to maintaining good relationships with others. Furthermore, through learning and practicing discipline, meditation and wisdom, our lives may become steadfast and purposeful, thereby attaining inner stability.

After the completion of the Refuge-Taking Ceremony, the participants said that after years of searching and waiting, finally they became followers of the Buddha and fulfilled their aspirations to learn and practice Buddhism.


Text: Yun-po Hsu (徐雲波)
Photos: Dharma Drum Vancouver Meditation Centre
Translation: Vicky Wei (韋徵儀) 
Editing: Cheng-yu Chang (張振郁), Keith Brown