DDM hosts the 14th Buddhist-style joint wedding ceremony
On the morning of 11 January 2009, Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) hosted the 14th Buddhist style joint wedding ceremony at Zhongshan Hall of Yangmingshan in Taipei City. The joint wedding event aims to promote Buddhist etiquettes within society.
Since 1994, 622 couples have participated in DDM's Buddhist style joint weddings, enabling people to touch the wisdom of the Dharma for a happy and harmonious family life.
Sixty-five couples tied the knot this time, with blessings coming from the Abbot President of DDM, Venerable Guo Dong, Venerables of the DDM Sangha community, the Chairman of ruling Kuomantang (KMT), Mr. Wu Po-Hsiung and the President of DDM General Association of Dharma Upholders, Mr. Chen Jianan.
The wedding began by holding the refuge taking ceremony which was presided over by the Abbot President. In this ceremony, participants received the Three Jewels of Buddhism─the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha─and promised to abide by the Five Precepts─no killing, no stealing, no adultery, no lying and no intoxication─for peace.
The Abbot President encouraged participants that marriage needs to be managed with an active and positive mind from both sides. He said it is just like fluctuations of the weather that we are not able to control, but that one could control their own emotions and make adjustments in order to keep negative emotions out of one's life.
He went on to say that the meaning of life relies on selfless devotion; encouraging couples to look at the positive rather than any negative characteristics of each other to create a happy and peaceful marriage.
The Chairman of ruling KMT, Mr. Wu Po-Hsiung, said that the promotion of quality relationships within families uplifts the quality of society and that family harmony requires couples to pursue positive endeavors. Although national economies have been declining recently, we should remember that wealth is not necessarily based on money but rather family harmony and love between a husband and wife. Indeed, receiving the Three Jewels is the greatest wealth in life.
Mr. Chen Jianan advised participants for the need to care for each other with great compassion, understanding and tolerance when walking on the path of life. This true heart should be extended to parents and the families of the other who also need to be cared for.
(by Jin Yang/edited by DDM Australia Editing team)
