Triśaraṇa Ceremony 01-2017

On Mar 12, 2017 (Feb 15, lunar calendar), Hoang Phap Pagoda solemnly held the first Trisarana ceremony (taking refuge in Triratna) in 2017. Nearly 1300 male and female believers from Ho Chi Minh City and other regions attended the course.

After breakfast, Buddhists gathered at the lecturing halls to listen to the Dharma talk from Reverend Thich Tam Trong, deputy abbot of Hoang Phap pagoda, regarding the fundamentals and meaning of Trisarana, five precepts for Buddhists and relevant concepts as repentance, religious name, upāsaka and upāsika (male/female lay member)… Besides, monks from Hoang Phap Sangha guided the mass the etiquette for Buddhist in pagoda and in public as pressing palm together, bowing, paying homage to Buddha…

In the afternoon, Senior Venerable Thich Chan Tinh, abbot of Hoang Phap pagoda, and monks of Hoang Phap sangha officially carried out the Triśaraṇa rite for the aspirants in the pure and dignified environment of the ashram. After offering incense and paying homage to Buddha, the Senior Venerable conducted the ceremony including repentance, statement of Triśaraṇa and five precepts. He praised the diligent practicing spirit of Buddhists and encouraged the aspirants having further steps on their Path to the Enlightenment.

We come to this world with lots of good lucks as being born in human realm, having the opportunity listening to Dharma, taking refuge in Triratna and so on. Particularly, we can have the right understanding and right option choosing Triratna as the place for us to refuge. Generally, it told: "whatever religion/path is good". However, it is really a myth from the point of Dharma view. This wrong mindset may lead us to severe risks, superstition, and fanaticism, triggering evil actions and making harmful things to the society. Therefore, we should acknowledge the good fortune to be Buddhists who are on the blissful and easeful path in present and future.

Besides, the Senior Venerable emphasized that the traditional faith can help form the unique spiritual/ cultural values of the race or nation. Buddhism has come to Vietnam from India for more than 2,000 years and become the traditional faith of Vietnamese. Hence, we as the successors are in charge of maintaining and developing such precious valuable spirit/heritage that our ancestors handed over down to us.

Besides Trisarana, preserving the five precepts is equally important for lay Buddhists because these precepts help each of us become the true Buddhist who can improve him/herself to have a dignified and pure life.

After Trisarana ceremony, Buddhists should be close with the clergy teacher, who carried out the rite for them, to learn more and frequently go to pagoda to listen to and study about Dharma/ Buddhism.

The ceremony ended in the joys of all.

On this occasion, the organizer sent each Buddhist a Dharma gift including the message from the abbot, book of Buddha’s story, DVD “Trisarana” and DVD “Etiquette for Buddhist”

Following are the recorded photographs:

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