Come Take Refuge at DDM, the First Step of Learning Buddhism

In order to encourage people to learn the correct Buddhist teachings and become the disciples of the Three Jewels by taking refuge, the Abbot President of Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM), Ven. Guo Huei (果暉法師), will be invited to the U.S. to transmit the Three Refuges and the Five Precepts at DDM San Francisco Bay Area Center on July 21^st, 2024 and DDM Los Angeles Center on July 27^th, 2024 respectively. The "Praying for Blessings and Refuge Taking Ceremony" will also be held on September 8^th, 2024 at 2:00 pm at the DDM World Center for Buddhist Education in Taiwan. The online registration for each refuge ceremony is now open.

Anyone over the age of six who has not taken refuge at DDM and its affiliates can register for the ceremony. Refuge takers can bring their friends and family along to attend the ceremony, so that they can receive the blessings of the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha through the blessing invoking ritual.

"Taking refuge" is the first step in learning Buddhism. According to DDM, the ceremony of taking the Three Refuges is not merely a formality, since its significance lies in reminding ourselves to practice Buddhist teachings diligently. It implies learning how to apply the Buddha's compassion and wisdom in our daily life, as well as adjust our physical, verbal, and mental actions through the morality, meditation, and wisdom in Buddhadharma. In doing so, we can further improve ourselves and thereby truly obtain the benefits of learning Buddhadharma.


Online registration for refuge ceremony at DDM San Francisco Bay Area Center:
https://www.ddmbasf.org/registration/refuge_ceremony_2024

Online registration for refuge ceremony at DDM Los Angeles Center:
https://www.ddmbala.org/en/?option=com_content&view=article&id=756

Online registration for the "Praying for Blessings and Refuge Taking Ceremony" at DDM World Center for Buddhist Education (registration form only available in Mandarin):
https://www.ddm.org.tw/refuge/fagushan.html 



Original Chinese text / Fu Li-xian (傅莉嫻)
Photos / Public Relations & Communications Office
Translation / Li Siang-ling
Editing / Keith Brown, YKL