The meaning of Thien Hoa ceremony of ordination

Buddha taught that: “Disciplines are the core of Buddhism. There are disciplines, there is Buddhism”.

On April 17th 2022 (Mar 17th, Year of the Tiger) in Thuong Chieu meditation monastery (Phuoc Thai ward, Long Thanh town) by the Abbot Most Venerable Thich Nhat Quang – the manager of Thien Hoa ceremony of ordination, formally opened the ceremony in Buddhism year 2565 (Year of the Tiger, 2022). This year, the program was held by the directors of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha. The number of participants to be ordained were over 3323 and the number of Buddhists around the country came to this ceremony. This was the second time Dong Nai provincial directors of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha held the ceremony of ordination named Thien Ha at Thuong Chieu meditation monastery. On this occasion, a number of leaders in the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha, Buddhism directors from many provinces and representatives of departments also came to celebrate the ceremony.

Thien Hoa ceremony of ordination held a number of meaningful activities. It was evaluated as the most extraordinary Viet Nam Buddhism event in 2022 and being well – known as “Buddha Chosen School” because it was held formally in meditation – from the content to the procedure. Each participant could obtain the solemn precepts in order to follow up the Buddha’s way as well as national prosperity at the present and in the future.)

With the outbreak of Coronavirus again, Buddhists followed the instructions to ensure the community’s healthcare.

The meaning of Thien Hoa ordination ceremony: delivering Dharma to the monks and nuns (the monks and nuns obtaining the precepts, Buddhists learners, novice observers) and laymen obtaining the Bodhisattva moral rules.

Thuong Chieu Monastery at this time: the main hall is dignified in the light of Precepts, Concentration and Wisdom. The five-color religious flag flutters, five parts of merit wafting fragrance, welcoming the holy assembly in ten directions, Patriarchs, and gentlemen from everywhere.

Monks and nuns in one-color ritual robes, mindfully hoped to receive the Buddha's commandments, vowed to cultivate, practiced the Buddha's mission, and did Buddha's affairs

Thien Hoa precept altar 's Buddha Chosen School was opened, transmitted Dharma precepts to monks and nuns. Four kinds of disciples would be received and upheld, followed in the footsteps of their predecessors (Founders) in order to transmit Dharma, and to benefit sentient beings.

What a paradise in the real world! Thousands of nuns and monks were willing to follow Buddha’s step and vow to reach the enlightenment, which Patriarchs were looking for.

Sen. Ven. Thich Nhat Quang opened the ceremony with a lecture to welcome monks and nuns and officials.

Thien Hoa ordination ceremony gathered the most talented monks in the Sangha in order for learners to follow the graces of predecessors and practice. Organizing the ordination ceremony was to transmit the precepts to keep and develop Buddhism and improve the precepts. As precepts were teachers of Triyana, Buddhas follow precepts to reach the achievement, Bodhisattva uses precepts to relieve living beings, the monk follows precepts to attain enlightenment. 

The Most Venerable stressed on the meaning of naming Thien Hoa to the ordination ceremony: guiding the juniors and thanking Buddha’s favor. He gave Dharma to the Sangha asking to follow the precepts. Only precepts can defeat evil. In the ups and downs of life, whoever hopes to follow the Gods, requite Four Favors and relieve living beings to have to follow the precepts. Therefore, organizing the ordination ceremony for monks and nuns is Buddha’s last instructions and the spiritual mission of Buddha’s learners. Zen master Xuyun said: “Before striving to practice, we have to keep the precepts, or we cannot practice.

Lai Qua Zen teacher said: “One word ‘precept’ has to be kept every day, without forgetting at least one second. Keeping precepts helps the mind bright. The monks and nuns try to keep precepts to ensure Buddha’s prosperity and disciplines of meditation Patriarchs built. If the monks and nuns do not learn and follow Dharma, they will not be worthy to be Buddha’s learners. Thien Hoa’s ordination ceremony is to express the gratitude and commemorate the Patriarchs for their Buddhism contribution and development.

The Most Ven said: “The propagating life of Most Ven. Thien Hoa is related with Vietnam Buddhism, especially trained talented Monk. He had founded a number of Buddhism Schools and contributed to education, culture and propagation in the South of Vietnam”

 The Most Ven. reminded the learners of: “If you want to obtain the precepts, you should have Bodhi’s mind and a big wish first. Holding that big wish can help you reach the result, losing it you cannot do anything. Precepts are the roots of morals, the important feature to reach Buddha’s result. Keeping the precepts, keeping the body, mind and mouth, nurturing wisdom and compassion is the only way to reach enlightenment. If the monks and nuns cannot reach that result, it is useless”.

 In the opening ceremony, the Most Venerable, chairman of affair boards, Thich Thien Nhon, said: “Following Most Ven. Thich Thien Hoa, learners thirst for obtaining precepts and keeping it solemnly.”

The Most Venerable extracted from sutra of the Great Decease: “Buddha taught that all living beings had Buddha’s quality, but when they obtained precepts and kept them nicely, Buddha’s quality could be shown. Therefore, keeping the precepts was the basic background of Buddhism, the foundation of Buddhism. Learners who would like to become a monk must obtain the precepts and keep them”.

The Most Venerable commented: Thien Hoa ordination ceremony carried out in procedural spirit and based on three basic elements: welcoming the Council of Ten Patriarchs Two Sage with great talents and morals; learners who have spent over 2 years to obtain Pravrajya came back with powerful mind and thirst for Dharma; while delivering precepts, the assembly carried out the Yet Karmadana procedures.

Therefore, The Most Venerable confirmed that over 3.323 learners would reach the result, keep the precepts until the end of life.Sen. Venerable taught that precepts also help learners away from five desires to reach the tranquility inside.

Through his practice, Most Ven. Thich Thien Hoa actually was a great person with outstanding will and action. He had the courage to overcome the storms and struggle from difficulties in order to bring Buddhism to victory. He remarked on some bright spots in Buddhist history in modern times. His merits were numerous in Buddhism and to develop the religion and also a proof for Thien Hoa ordination ceremony nowadays..)

Besides devoting his whole life for Buddhism, he saved some great remarks which contained his wholehearted projects and contribution for Vietnam Buddhism.

He also had some valuable messages, one of which was worthy to be our leading guideline: “Taking responsibility for Buddhism affairs is good, but when you are responsible for important affairs, you should consider yourself childlike. Despite praises or complaints, we do not feel embarrassed. You should not think that you belong to a big temple and have a lot of disciples, and not think of returning to your temple when something is unfavorable. If you can do it, you are able to devote yourself to Buddhist affairs”.

Especially, the Most Venerable was full of compassion and modesty in all activities, but strict in leading methods to reach his target successfully, no matter how difficult it was. And He was successful as a representative of Tathagata to respect him numerously and bear in mind his big merits. His life, mind and quality was like a meditation procedure, a great sample we tried to become, and obviously the bright mirror for monks and nuns to follow.

(We were extremely thankful to the dharma, to Patriarchs who founded and developed the Sangha so that the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha was successful like this. The monks and nuns should notice our obligations: keep propagating Buddhism, keeping precepts and reaching Ultimate Concentration and Wisdom. So that Buddhism could be prosperous and we can requite Buddha favors.)

Hence,the Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation highly appreciates the dedication of Dong Nai provincial Chairman of Buddhist Sangha in this important sangha affairs.

Similarly, he highly evaluated the striving of the Chairman to open ordination ceremony completely when Coronavirus has just been controlled.

We wish those merits forward to the success of Thien Hoa ordination ceremony, the peaceful world, the peace for living beings.)

Hoa Đạo

 Translated into English by Nguyen Hoang Thoai