DDM Abbot President Shares the Dharma in San Francisco, Inspiring Devotees to Take Refuge

On the morning of August 15, 2026, Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) Abbot President Venerable Guo Huei (果暉法師) visited DDM San Francisco Bay Area Center for the annual pastoral visit. He delivered a bilingual Chinese-English lecture entitled “Blessings and Joy in Abundance,” and personally presided over the Refuge Taking Ceremony. More than 160 devotees attended the lecture, experiencing the clarity, peace, and wisdom of the Dharma through the Abbot President’s compassionate guidance.


At the beginning of the lecture, Venerable Guo Huei introduced the theme of “Rediscovering Inner Abundance.” He invited participants to reflect on whether, when watching sporting competitions intended to promote health and fellowship, they might mistake their subjective “wants”—such as the desire for a good result—for what they truly “need” in life. He further encouraged practitioners to examine whether, along the path of awakening, they might unconsciously become caught in delusive thoughts and attachments, thereby losing sight of the original purpose of practice. With compassion, Venerable Guo Huei reminded everyone that spiritual practice calls for “five parts earnestness and five parts a childlike heart.” By finding a balance between diligent practice and relaxation of body and mind, we can cultivate a sense of ease and equanimity and experience the purity and joy that practice brings.
  

Venerable Guo Huei then shared two of Master Sheng Yen’s spiritual prescriptions: “Know your blessings, cherish your blessings, and create even more blessings,” and “The more grateful you are, the richer you become.” He encouraged everyone to face both favorable and unfavorable conditions of life with the eye of wisdom and to cherish all that they have in the present moment. By continually cultivating gratitude and compassion, we can gradually realize the abundance that is inherently present within our own minds. With a spirit of benefiting others, we can dedicate ourselves to serving others, inspire positive transformation, and contribute together toward a harmonious society.

In the final section, “Spiritual Life in the Era of Net Zero,” Venerable Guo Huei quoted a teaching from the Vimalakirti Sutra: “When the mind is pure, the land is pure.” He encouraged participants to elevate their commitment to environmental sustainability from external actions to the level of the mind, putting spiritual environmentalism into practice and working together toward the vision of “pure mind-net zero.”

At the conclusion of the lecture, Venerable Guo Huei personally presented small Dharma gifts to the participants as an expression of encouragement. The atmosphere was filled with joy and gratitude. Deeply moved by the Dharma talk, nearly ten attendees immediately expressed their aspiration to take refuge in the Three Jewels. Among them were people who had entered the Dharma center for the first time and, deeply inspired by the experience, decided to take refuge.

A total of 44 devotees took refuge in the Three Jewels during the Refuge Ceremony on August 16. After listening to the teachings offered by Venerable Guo Huei and the resident monastics, receiving guidance from volunteers, and being blessed by the community gathered to witness the ceremony, they vowed to follow the authentic Buddhist teachings and become disciples of the Three Jewels dedicated to benefiting both themselves and others. The ceremony concluded in a solemn yet peaceful atmosphere.





◎ Original text in Chinese: Ricky Lai
◎ Photos: Chung Fan
◎ Translation: Patricia Yang 
◎ Editing: Keith Brown