Dharma Drum Mountain Welcomes More Than 500 People Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels, Embarking Joyfully on Their Buddhist Journey

Dharma Drum Mountain World Center for Buddhist Education held its “2026 Prayer for Blessings and Refuge Taking Ceremony” at 2:00 p.m. on September 20. More than 500 participants formally took refuge in the Three Jewels—Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha—and received the Five Precepts from the Abbot President of Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM), Venerable Master Guo Huei (果暉法師). Guided by the members of the DDM Sangha, the participants sincerely made vows to take refuge in the Three Jewels, thereby officially becoming disciples of the Three Jewels. Amid the solemn chanting of the Buddha’s name, members of the DDM Sangha presented new refuge takers with a Buddhist pendant necklace featuring Shakyamuni Buddha on one side and Guanyin Bodhisattva on the other. Their family members and friends, along with volunteers and monastics present at the ceremony, witnessed the occasion and offered their blessings.

The Abbot President first gave the participants a detailed explanation of the meaning of taking refuge in the Three Jewels and observing the Five Precepts: refraining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, and the use of alcohol, intoxicants, and illegal drugs. Venerable Guo Huei explained that when taking refuge, one first repents before the Buddha, allowing one’s body, speech, and mind to become pure—just as a vessel must be washed before food is placed in it. After taking refuge, practitioners are traditionally said to be protected by 36 benevolent Dharma-protecting deities as they study and practice Buddhism.

The Abbot President encouraged the devotees to regard taking refuge as similar to registering for school: it marks the beginning of one’s formal journey as a Buddhist practitioner. The responsibilities of a Buddhist disciple are to study and practice the Dharma, uphold the Three Jewels, and take the Four Great Vows as their guiding aspirations, while maintaining unwavering faith. The Five Precepts, he explained, serve as standards for the conduct of Buddhist disciples. They also embody the principles of “protecting the social, living and natural environment”, promoted by Master Sheng Yen. The Abbot President also shared the teaching that “afflictions are subjective, while problems are objective.” When facing changes in our circumstances, we can learn to apply the “Four Steps for Handling a Problem” and cultivate compassion and wisdom through the Dharma, continually practicing Spiritual Environmental Protection.


The Abbot President encouraged those who had newly taken refuge in the Three Jewels to regularly visit authentic Buddhist centers, frequently recite the sacred name of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and participate in group practices and courses offered by Dharma Drum Mountain affiliates in Taiwan and overseas. He also encouraged them to serve others as volunteers. We can use the Dharma to cultivate peace, health, happiness, and joy within ourselves, and bring these qualities into our workplaces, families, and society. In doing so, we are putting into practice Dharma Drum Mountain’s guiding vision: “Uplifting the character of humanity and building a pure land on earth.

You Wan-Zhen (游婉臻), who visited the DDM World Center for Buddhist Education for the first time with her child, said that she had been studying Buddhism for many years through Venerable Master Sheng Yen’s teachings and books. She has long admired the Master, whom she never had the opportunity to meet in person. With gratitude toward Venerable Master Sheng Yen, she registered for the refuge ceremony organized by Dharma Drum Mountain. In addition to regularly participating in chanting services for the deceased, You makes sutra recitation part of her daily practice. She has also tried setting Buddhist scriptures to music, including the Ten-Phrase Guanyin Sutra for Extending Life, and sharing them with others. She hopes that the merit of taking refuge will be dedicated to purifying people’s minds and ensuring that the Buddha Dharma continues to flourish.

Yang Kai-Jie (楊凱傑), from Taichung, strongly identifies with Dharma Drum Mountain’s simple and sincere Buddhist tradition, as well as with its founder Venerable Master Sheng Yen’s vision of building a pure land on earth. He registered for the ceremony together with his wife and child. Yang recalled that he once happened to hear a chanting of the Heart Sutra and was moved to tears. During more than a year of studying Buddhism, he has gradually come to understand the Buddha’s compassion through reading and reciting scriptures such as the Diamond Sutra, Shurangama Sutra, and Lotus Sutra. After taking refuge, he hopes to apply the Dharma in his daily life and find a spiritual support for his mind. The aspiration expressed by Dharma Drum Mountain’s founder, Venerable Master Sheng Yen—“the universe may one day perish, yet my vows are eternal”—also represents Yang’s hopes and aspirations for his future and future lives.



◎ Original text in Chinese: 張曜鐘、傅莉嫻
◎ Photos: 李東陽、張曜鐘、傅莉嫻
◎ Translation: Patricia Yang 
◎ Editing: Keith Brown