The 2015 Dharma Drum Mountain Ordination Ceremony - Following the Path of the Buddha
The first shave to clean all unwholesome karma. The second shave to purify all wholesome karmic roots. The third shave to be ordained to deliver sentient beings. To perfect merit and wisdom - to be clothed in compassion.
These sayings reflect the pursuit of the ultimate meaning of life by the Buddha more than two thousand and five hundred years ago through the renunciation of fame and power.
In the morning of 12th September 2015, thirteen newly ordained novices paid respect to the Triple Gem and their family at the Grand Buddha Hall as their compassionate vows to be ordained were fulfilled on the birthday of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. With the warm wishes of some six hundred attendees, the 2015 Dharma Drum Mountain Sangha Ordination ceremony was successfully completed.
Abbot President Ven. Guo Dong and Vice Abbot President Ven Guo Huey presided over the ordination ceremony. After giving the precepts, Ven Guo Dong first thanked the family of the novices for their great compassion and wisdom in supporting their family members for the good cause of renunciation. At the same time, he hoped that the novices cherish this life given by their parents by giving rise to the great bodhi mind, repent for unwholesome thoughts, speech and actions and to practice the dharma and meditation to protect the spiritual environment as they seek the path of the Buddha and deliver sentient beings.
Parental love is universal. It is the wish of every parent who witnessed the ceremony that the novices take good care of themselves after joining the monastic order. Vice Abbot President Venerable Guo Huey expressed his understanding and encouraged parents to visit DDM or nearby branches regularly to share the learning and growth of their children. Ven Yan Huan’s mother, Madam Lin Jing Jiang, said that she is grateful for the blessings of the Three Jewels as well as the guidance of the founder of DDM, Master Sheng Yen and the sangha in providing her daughter with the opportunity to share the dharma and benefit sentient beings. She hopes that Ven Yan Huan will take good care of herself, be confident and progress towards the fulfillment of her ambition.
Among the audience were also staff and students from Long Island University, USA who are studying different religious cultures of the world. Student Nicholas Panaro said that although there are differences in language, he could see that the transition from lay to monastic was powerful to the aspirants themselves, their families and the audience. The chanting during the ceremony was a new experience that brought about a sense of euphoria.
Novices also expressed their gratitude and shared their aspirations after the ceremony. Ven. Yan Yi mentioned that the training of thought, speech and action of a monastic was not easy. The support of his family, the contributing spirit of volunteers he met and the suffering of sentient beings has become his source of motivation and he is grateful. Master Sheng Yen once said that to contribute lies in letting go, the act of contribution is the best method of practice. By contributing, one lets go of the egoistic self and vexations. Ven Yan Yi aspires to always learn and practice contributing for the benefit of sentient beings in the capacity of a monastic.
As for Ven Yan Zhi, she is grateful for all the causes and conditions that had occurred in her life, be it the guidance of venerables, witnessing the selfless contribution of DDM volunteers or Master Sheng Yen’s teachings, as these had motivated her to further develop. She vows to follow the Abbot President’s encouragement to purify thoughts, speech and actions and to engage in mindfulness in order to benefit herself and others.
Translated by Venerable Chang Ji / edited by DDM Australia Editing Team.