Having learnt and practiced Buddhism for the past three years, Sunday 9^th November 2008 has been a very special and joyous day for the 200 Congolese Buddhist followers who took part at the ceremony of Taking Refuge in the Triple Gem and became true Buddhist disciples. Ven. Hui-Fang, Abbot of Nan Hua Buddhist Temple , and Ven. Hui-Xing, Principal of African Buddhist Seminary, travelled from South Africa to witness and conduct the first-ever Buddhist Refuge Taking Ceremony in the Republic of Congo.

Ven. Hui-Re, Manager of the Fo Guang Shan Congo-Brazzaville Buddhist Centre, along with Mr Bitsindou Fefey and a few other local volunteers welcomed the arrival of Ven. Hui-Fang and Ven. Hui-Xing at the airport and assisted them to check-in at the local Catholic Seminary. The staying at the Catholic Missionary has provided them with a better understanding of the local education and religious activities.

Since October the town of Pointe Noire along the east coast of Altantic Ocean has seen the arrival of its annual rainfall, while many worried whether the ceremony would need to be postponed as much of it takes place outdoors, fortunately the weather cleared up nicely on the day.  Dressed in their black Dharma robes echoed by the chanting of the Buddha’s name, Ven. Hui-Fang led all participants to confess and repent the karma from past wrongdoings such as disrespect to others, indulging in the pleasures of easy living, ignorance, delusion, killing, stealing, sexual misconduct and false speech. Everyone has also vowed that from now on, they will beautify life with compassion, purify society with joyous giving and tolerate everything with respect.

In the function, Ven. Hui-Fang encouraged everyone, “Be neither discouraged nor resentful when defeated or distressed; be able to reflect, be ashamed and repent when subject to criticism; strive and advance steadfastly when encountering an obstacle; be free from worries and suffering when you are anxious and in fear.”

The Abbot has also expressed his thankfulness to Ven. Hui-Re for his dedication and commitment to bring Humanistic Buddhism to the local community and help realize the Grand Master Hsing Yun’s (Founder of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order) motto “Localization of Buddhism”.

On the next day, Ven. Hui-Feng and Ven. Hui-Xing each gave a Dharma Talk on the “Four Noble Truths” and “The Importance of Positive Karma” respectively, with the help of simultaneous interpretation by Ven. Hui-Re into French, for the many who attended the Talks.

We pray to the compassionate Buddha to guide his disciples in Congo in understanding cause and effect, and karmic retribution; in exalting loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity; in respectively upholding the ten wholesome conducts⁽¹⁾ and carrying out the six paramitas⁽²⁾.

May we all seek and realize supreme Enlightenment.

(1)   Ten wholesome conducts: Indicates no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no false speech, no duplicity, no harsh words, no flattery, no greed, no hatred (or anger) and no ignorance.

(2)   Six paramitas: Also known as “six perfections”. The six perfections include the perfection of giving charity, upholding precepts, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom.