DDM Sangha Joyously Welcome New Members to Shoulder Together the Tathagata Family’s Work

At 9 a.m. on September 14--- the anniversary of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's birthday and last day of the month of filial piety according to lunar calendar--- DDM Sangha held its annual tonsure ceremony, with DDM Abbot President Ven. Guo Huei serving as the Precept Master, and former Abbot President Ven. Guo Dong as the Teaching Acharya (preceptor). Attending the ceremony were nearly 400 family members, relatives, friends and volunteers. Together, they witnessed the ceremony and offered their congratulations and sincere blessings to the 11 newly ordained monastics and 13 novice monks and nuns.




"The precepts are the foundation of supreme enlightenment, and, hence, should be kept wholeheartedly at all times". "To enter a monastic order is to renounce the home of afflictions in the three realms". Abbot President Ven. Guo Huei reminded the newly ordained monastics that liberation from afflictions is just like a battle between two armies; one should use the precepts to regulate the body and mind, as well as subdue all vexations. While one enters the monastic order, one should set an example for sentient beings in the three realms and serve as a teacher of heavenly beings and humans. Therefore, one should learn the bhikshus' three thousand demeanors and eighty thousand subtle actions. Ven. Guo Huei also emphasized on retaining the initial aspirations in making the vows: "I dedicate this body and mind to the worlds as numerous as dust-motes; such is called repaying Buddha's kindness". The supreme offering is to entirely dedicate our body and mind to the Three Jewels. The objective of learning Buddhadharma is to promote Buddhism, be thankful to all devotees for their support and offerings, and be grateful to our parents for giving us this fleshly body, so that we can join Tathagata's family. In an encouraging conclusion to all, Ven. Guo Huei repeated the vow "may we sever all bad actions, may we cultivate all good actions, and may we deliver all sentient beings".

An ordained monk of exactly thirty years, former Abbot President Ven. Guo Dong maintained that through the phenomena of birth, aging, sickness and death, the Buddha personally verified the path of liberation from birth and death and attained enlightenment in order to resolve the sufferings of sentient beings caught in the cycle of birth and death, as well as unlock the mysteries of life and afterlife. Ven. Guo Dong encouraged the newly ordained to follow the three studies of discipline, meditation and wisdom. Subsequently, one is to learn and practice true Dharma and vow to liberate oneself from the cycle of birth and death, to the point of entering final nirvana, thereby proceeding to help sentient beings cut off these endless vexations of birth and death and stride towards the path of nirvana. With the phrases "not to get lost in the mundane world and renounce greed, not to leave the mundane world to deliver all sentient beings; not to leave nor get lost in the mundane world, generate the Bodhi Mind while being in the mandane world", the former Abbot President urged the newly ordained to cherish all favorable causes and conditions and good karmic affinities. In doing so, they would together carry on the deep compassionate vow of DDM founder Master Sheng Yen in building up the Sangha to perpetuate the true Dharma in the world.

Ven. Kuan Ci's family and friends made a long trip from Malaysia specifically to witness this ceremony to extend their blessings. Her mother, Yang Bao-Ling, was moved to tears and stated that, at an early age, her intelligent and introverted daughter once asked her: "Where does one go after death?". However, she was unable to provide her with an answer. Now she is filled with pride when seeing her daughter gradually grow and mature at the Sangha University.  

Finally fulfilling his wish to become a monk, Ven. Kuan Cheng shared that, after joining society, he discovered that the pursuit of secular fame and fortune as well as the goals of marriage and career are not objectives of his life. After some exposure to Buddhadharma and participation in Chan practice courses, he decided to become a monk in order to discover his true self, in the hopes that in the future he can utilize the knowledge acquired at the Sangha University to help people apply Buddhadharma in their daily lives.

Ven. Kuan Xi's parents, Xie Hong-Xin and Lin Yan-Ru, gasped in admiration at their daughter's dignified demeanor after receiving monastic training at the Sangha University. With the phrases "be studious in practice to become an exemplary model for all others" and "strive diligently on this path to perfect enlightenment", they offered their blessings to her and hope that their daughter can eventually leave behind afflictions and attain liberation in this site of true Dharma. Ven. Kuan Xi expressed that, after experiencing the sufferings in life, she chose to embark on the path of Buddhist practice, and realized that now she possesses the precious human body that is difficult to obtain. Furthermore, she expressed how grateful she is to have been raised in a Buddhist family, she will grasp the causes and conditions to practice diligently, following in the example of Master Sheng Yen's spirit of dedicating his entire life to the propagation of Buddhism.

Ven. Kuan Qi's mother, Lu Qiu-Hua, mentioned that "we may be one child less, but we gained a member of the Tathagata family". Seeing that her introverted son has become a monk, and has learned to extend loving care to his family members using Buddhadharma, she observed that her son has become more filial and considerate. Lu Qiu-Hua stated that they are a family of devout Buddhists: their daughter has also been accepted by the Sangha University this year, and will be joining her brother together on the Bodhisattva path. Their father, Li Kun-Xiong, quoted the Abbot President's words: "The mundane dharmas can only treat the symptoms of suffering, and only Buddhadharma can eradicate the root cause of suffering", thus wishing his children a smooth journey towards Buddhahood.

For the 2023 Dharma Drum Mountain tonsure ceremony, the Abbot President Ven. Guo Huei gave the 11 newly ordained monastics their Dharma names in the Dharma Drum Lineage of Chan Buddhism. They are : Kuan Xu Hui Yuan (寬許慧願), Kuan Jing Hui Shun (寬敬慧順), Kuan Cheng Hui Ji (寬承慧繼), Kuan Qi Hui Wu (寬契慧悟), Kuan Zhi Hui Dao (寬志慧道), Kuan He Hui Zhen (寬和慧正), Kuan Dian Hui Ya (寬典慧雅), Kuan Chun Hui Jing (寬淳慧淨), Kuan Xin Hui Xin (寬信慧心), Kuan Xi Hui Yu (寬熙慧育), Kuan Chi Hui Ren (寬慈慧仁). All together, under the lead and guidance of the harmonious and pure Sangha, they will put into practice Master Sheng Yen's vision of "uplift the character of humanity, and build a pure land on earth".



Text: 林雅櫻
Photos: 李東陽、李佳純、張曜鐘 
Translation: Cheng-yu Chang (張振郁)
Editing: Keith Brown, YKL