Friday, 04/17/2026
Taking Refuge With The Triratna, 1st Ceremony Of 2018
Update: 09/04/2018
It’s significant to take refuge with the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, marks the point one becomes a Buddhist. From this moment you officially enter the house of the Buddha’s teaching and have a right current for life. Thus, the ceremony was solemnly held and take a day to be.
After the registration in the morning, people gather in the lecture halls for basic learning how to behave in the temple as bow down, put one’s hands, how to worship… The monks also explain the meaning of Triratna, five precepts, inside repentance, what’s laymen and women…
In the afternoon, the official ceremony was taken place with the witness of the inner monks. On behalf of the monks, Venerable Thich Chan Tinh transferred the Tripple Germs (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) and the five precepts to the participants. Then he addressed some words to remind and encourage the newbies in the way of practice.
Take refuge with the Tripple Germs gives a big meaning for one. We are uneasy to see the Buddha’s teaching and taking refuge with the Buddha himself, his teaching and his disciples without collecting enough merit of good deeds from the past. By that, we should respect this valuable chance to renew our body, speech, and mind, apply what we learned to the daily life, to deserve being the Buddha’s sons and daughters.
One should be clear what is Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. Buddha means awakened one with full wisdom and compassion. Dharma is the right teachings conduce to happiness. Sangha gives the meaning of purity in body, speech, and mind. In current, they may not be pure yet but in the future, they will if keep well the virtuous practice.
Why we have faith in the Buddha's words? Because he is real historical figure lived over twenty-six centuries ago. Abandoned all desires from the worldly he became a Sramana, fighting to win his big ego by meditation and finally get full enlightenment. Through his teaching, we can see the nature of all existence is illusion and impermanence. Seeing this we can reduce desires, attachment, hatred…for everlasting happiness by taking practice. Understanding these things we realize that how lucky we are! Nothing but these three properties are our most important belonging to life. However, the Buddha is nothing more than a teacher, has no power of punishing and granting. With the full wisdom, he pointed out only keeping the Rules, pursuing the moral life, believing in the law of cause and effect in mind, we nourish a happy life in present and future. Following what’s he taught to be his heir in Dharma.
The ceremony finished in the joyful of all participants. Each person received a Dharma gift with DVDs and books: How to keep the well-look of the lay people, The full ceremony of Taking Refuge in the Triratna, the Brief story on the life of Sakyamuni Buddha.
Photos from the ceremony:
