Abbot President Ven. Guo Huei Personally Transmitted the Three Refuges and Five Precepts at the DDM San Francisco Bay Area Center

After a long absence, on October 1, DDM San Francisco Bay Area Center once again organized the Refuge Taking Ceremony. DDM Abbot President Ven. Guo Huei returned to the Center to show loving care to the Bay Area devotees, as well as personally transmit the Three Refuges and Five Precepts in the Refuge Taking Ceremony. On that auspicious day, 43 people took refuge with vows to become disciples of the Three Jewels. Approximately 80 Buddhist followers gathered in the Guanyin Hall to witness together this joyous and solemn event.

Prior to the Refuge Taking Ceremony, resident monastic of the Bay Area Center, Ven. Chang Xin, first explained the ceremonial protocol, after which he led everyone in the practice of joining their palms, lowering their heads to bow, prostrating before the Buddha, kneeling down, and correctly holding the recitation handbook. Center Director Ven. Chang Xiang then presided over the Praying for Blessings Dharma Assembly, leading everyone in reciting the Mantra of Great Compassion, the Heart Sutra, and the holy name of Guanyin Bodhisattva.

During the Refuge Taking Ceremony Dharma talk, Abbot President Ven. Guo Huei pointed out that taking refuge is similar to enrolling in school, signifying our aspiration to receive and rely on the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. The purpose of taking refuge is to provide our lives with an unwavering objective to strive for. Shakyamuni Buddha taught us that all sentient beings possess the Buddha nature. Therefore, as long as we diligently practice in accordance with the Buddhadharma, we will each eventually become a Buddha. Subsequently, the Abbot President led everyone, word by word and sentence by sentence, in repentance, refuge taking, making vows and receiving the precepts. Amidst the chanting of Guanyin Bodhisattva's holy name, members of the DDM Sangha presented a Buddha pendant to each of the refuge takers. In addition to congratulating the new refuge takers, the Abbot President also encouraged everyone to participate frequently in the Center's activities, in order to positively influence the people around us, and benefit oneself by benefiting others.

Among the group of refuge takers, some are students from the Buddhism classes, while others were inspired to take refuge in the Three Jewels after participating in meditation courses, and still others made the decision to take refuge in the Triple Gem after perceiving changes in their family members and relatives who are diligently learning Buddhadharma. Furthermore, two Dharma sisters who had just recently taken refuge at the ceremony have already signed up to take the Bodhisattva precepts in two weeks' time at the Dharma Drum Retreat Center in New York. After the Refuge Taking Ceremony, all the refuge takers received their refuge certificate. Amidst the blessings and congratulations from everyone present, they fulfilled their aspiration to become disciples of the Three Jewels.



Text: Dharma Drum Mountain San Francisco Bay Area Center
Photos: Dharma Drum Mountain San Francisco Bay Area Center
Translation: Cheng-yu Chang (張振郁)
Editing: Keith Brown, YKL