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From July 14 to 20, 2024, Fo Guang Shan Hsi Lai Temple hosted the 2024 Short-Term Monastic Retreat, drawing 146 preceptees from the United States, Canada, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Argentina. preceptees ranged in age from 8 to 78 and included 39 individuals with master's or doctoral degrees and 80 university students. For seven days, they set aside worldly affairs to learn monastic rituals and precepts, experience a pure and serene lifestyle, delve into self-awareness, and elevate their lives.
During the orientation, Venerable Hui Ren, the Master of Ceremony, encouraged preceptees to observe the pure precepts, remain constantly aware, tame their habitual tendencies, and unlock their unlimited potential. He also emphasized maintaining unwavering faith in the Dharma and the practice, experiencing the joy of having no desires, staying joyful, and understanding the significance and method of monastic dining.
As stated in the Nirvana Sutra: "Living at home is confining, like a prison; all worries arise from it. Becoming a monk is vast, like the sky; all virtues grow from it. However, without pure precepts, no good deeds can arise; thus, one must uphold the pure precepts." Following the ordination ceremony, conducted according to traditional rituals, Venerable Hui Lun, Deputy Abbot of Fo Guang Shan, Venerable Hui Dong, Abbot of Hsi Lai Temple, and Venerable Hui Shiuan, Director of the Fo Guang Yuan Hsi Lai Art Gallery, conferred the novice precepts to the preceptees in the Main Shrine.
During lunch, Venerable Hui Lun, who presided over the retreat, taught that upholding the precepts reveals one’s Buddha-nature. Observing the precepts originates from a self-motivated intention to prevent wrongdoing and support spiritual practice. The Ten Novice Precepts aim to protect the senses and maintain mindfulness. He cited the Sutra of Forty-two Chapters, which describes a monk as one who "leaves family life, understands the mind, realizes the essence, and comprehends the Dharma of non-action." Only by calming the mind and reducing attachments can one realize the Way; understanding the Dharma of non-action reveals the Buddha-nature inherent in everyone, with observing precepts being the first step in manifesting this nature.
Separate precept lectures were given for male and female preceptees, with live English translation provided. Venerable Hui Dong explained the significance of the novice precepts and the meaning of monastic life to the male preceptees, encouraging them to receive the precepts with a pure mind. Venerable Yi Chao, Director of the Fo Guang Shan International Translation Center, explained the Śikṣamāṇā Precepts to the female preceptees, discussing the reasons for becoming a monastic and elaborating on the teachings of Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founder of Fo Guang Shan, encouraging everyone to learn from the six great bodhisattvas and become practitioners of Humanistic Buddhism.
In addition to these courses, the retreat featured teachings from Venerable Yung Ku from Fo Guang Shan Temple of Ottawa, Venerable Man Kuang from Fo Guang Shan IBPS Dallas, and Venerable Chueh Fan from Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto. They covered topics such as Understanding the Permanent Abode of the Precepts, How to Be a Monk, and Quotes from Venerable Master Hsing Yun, along with specialized lectures. The retreat also included meditation sessions, etiquette training, morning and evening chanting, and communal chores, aiming to help preceptees understand the true meaning of Buddhist practice and Dharma joy, reflect deeply, and embark on a renewed "Heartfelt" way of life.
(Photos by Chihcheng Chang)
