English
On May 8th, 2022(Asia time,) more than 3,000 people from worldwide Fo Guang Shan (FGS) temples, including North and South Americas, Oceana, and Asia took part in the 2022 Fo Guang Shan Five Precepts and Triple Gem Refuge Ceremony. The ceremony was held at the Main Shrine of FGS Monastery in Taiwan. It was especially significant as May 8th was mother’s day as well as Buddha’s Birthday since it was also the 8th day of the 4th lunar month according to the lunar calendar.
The Five Precepts and Triple Gem Refuge ceremony was presided by Most Venerable Hsin Bao, the Abbot of Fo Guang Shan Monastery. He told the participants that Venerable Master Hsing Yun pointed out that undertaking the Triple Gem Refuge means never falling into the realms of hell, hungry ghosts and animals, and are guaranteed to be reborn as a human or heavenly being. Most important is that one’s body and mind can rely on the Triple Gems as support, gains wisdom and blessings, no more defilements and shall be fully liberated.
The precepts set out by the Buddha aim to provide very clear support for Buddhist practice, hence they should not be seen as restrictions. The five precepts are abstinence from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and consuming intoxicants, such as alcohol and drugs. To consume intoxicants is in violation of the precept and a danger to one’s health and life.
In Toronto, a total of 144 people from Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto participated in the "2022 Fo GuangShan Five Precepts and Triple Gem Refuge Ceremony." For the sake of safety, the temple follows the COVID-19 public health measures and advice, and could only accommodate 74 new Five Precepts preceptees at the ceremony at the temple. The rest of them, including 44 renewing Five Precepts preceptees and 26 taking Refuge in the Triple Gem, attended the ceremony online.
Among the 74 new Five Precepts preceptees, 44 have bachelor’s degrees, 11 have master’s degrees, and there were seven couples took the precepts together to become Buddhist families. The most eye-catching at the Main Shrine were Anna Li and her 5-year old daughter, Scarlet Pomponi, who took the five precepts together, while the Li family, HongLi and Xiaolin Hu took the Five Precepts, and their two daughters, 5-year old Joy Li, 12-year old Juno Li, took Refuge in the Triple Gem.
by Sock Gee Gan and Christine Hsu
