Taking Refuge in the Triple Gem Ceremony

1 January 2009

After the pilgrimage Venerable Abbess Manshin conducted the ‘Taking Refuge in the Triple Gem’ Ceremony in the Main Shrine.

The Triple Gem (the collective term for the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) is a ceremony undertaken where participants make a public declaration of their wish to be known as Buddhists; their belief in Sakyamuni Buddha, his teachings (Dharma) and the Temple and Monastic community (Sangha); and their wish to actively participate in learning and knowing more about Buddhism.

50 participants from a range of nationalities (English, Kiwi, Maori and Asian) made their vows. This was a great example of how Fo Guang Shan continues to localize Buddhism in New Zealand.

The Abbess encouraged the participants to utilise their six senses to cultivate inner fortune:
• Using our eyes to reflect ourselves within, not to others;
• Using our ears to listen to accept advice and feedback;
• Using our nose to smell the fragrance of the sages;
• Using our tongue to experience the ultimate truth;
• Using our physical body to feel the purity;
• And finally, using our mind to contemplate peacefulness and calmness.

The monastery gave participants a poster of calligraphy by Venerable Master Hsing Yun - ‘Earnest cultivation yields fruitful harvest’ as a memento of the occasion.