Monday, 04/20/2026
The 3rd Ceremony of Taking Triratna Refuge in 2016
Update: 21/11/2016
In this life there is much implicit trouble. It starts on people’s thinking, speeches, action which make their living being in darkness, standstill. From then, we are rotated in the circle of birth and death, or in six realms. So, how to do release this ignorance. Taking Triratna Refuge is the answer. This is an initially important step, marking for vigorous change in order to return and rely on the Trinity: Buddha - Dharma - Sangha. Returning and relying on the three Treasures is the shortest way to avoid a vicious circle of deluded life, strive to go forward the light of supreme truth, help us with perfectible personality, from which we become a useful person for ourselves, family and society.
The ceremony took place during a day at Hoang Phap pagoda. In the morning, all good men and women gathered in preaching hall to listen to Junior Venerable Thich Tam Dao –Vice Abbot and Vice Board of Cultivation Organizers who shared the basic doctrines about Taking Triratna Refuge, the meaning and benefits of three Refuges and five Precepts, including the concepts such as Repentance, Buddhist name, upasaka, upasika, etc. Besides, the Venerable lecturer also instructed necessary dignities for Buddhists when they came to the temple like holding hands, bowing someone in holding hands, prostrating.
In the afternoon of the same day, Senior Venerable Thich Chan Tinh, abbot of Hoang Phap pagoda and the local monks officially ascended the platform to transmit Three Refuges, Five Precepts in the solemn and purity atmosphere of Bodhi-mandala with the true and reliable reception of disciples.After the incense rituals of Buddha recitation, the Senior Venerable proceeded repentant manners, transmitted the Three Refuges and Five Precepts.
Also in the ceremony, the Senior Venerable had some words to praise the desirous spirit of cultivating and studying disciples and stimulated the beginners; particularly being the young people because these ones aim their life to noble and good goals as well as perfect personality, becoming a good person and citizen. Moreover, the Senior Ven. preached the 57th doctrine, part of binding, chapter of five dharmas,Anguttara Nikaya.On this sutra, the Junior preached five things to remember to control all things in spite of any circumtances.
I couldn’t avoid old age, so I will be old.
I couldn’t avoid my illness, so I will be ill.
I couldn’t avoid my death, so I will have to die.
All things as our satisfactions and pleasure will be changed.
We act good or bad deeds, and then we will receive our consequences. They are fetus, relatives, and fulcrum, etc. As a result, which ones we will do? Good or bad? We will receive its consequences.
By this sutra, he analyzed specifically to the word of “action†of the Buddhism which helps the mass realize the importance of each our artifact action in daily life, which is decided happiness or sufferings for our life.
Besides receiving the three Refuges, retaining the five prohibited Precepts was also very important. It is essential that we would take the complete personality of a true buddhist. It is the five Precepts - five basic morals that would help us to be perfectible ourselves, making our life come to sublimation.
After receiving the Refuges of Triratna, Buddhists should rely on original Master for their religious learning. On the other hand, they should diligently come to pagoda, save their time for listen dharma, study the Buddha’s teachings.
The ceremony ended in the joy of everybody.
On this occasion, the organizing board sent them Dharma gifts including: a summary history book about Sakyamuni Buddha, DVDs of Taking Triratna Refuge, Dignified Conduct of a Buddhist and The Gentle Advice.
These are some specific images:
BBT Website