Refuge Vow Ceremony

Please note: This event has been rescheduled to March 6th at 11am Pacific Time. The Zoom link is the same for this new day and time.

• Refuge vows and bodhisattva vows are ideally taken in person, but due to travel and assembly restrictions, it is good for students who wish to take the vows at this time to do so via an online ceremony. However, when conditions allow for safe travel and safe group assemblies, the recipients of the online vows should renew their vows utilizing an in-person ceremony when an opportunity presents itself to do so in the future.
• When taking the vows via an online gathering, students who are receiving the vows should set up a shrine consisting of a framed picture of the buddha and clean water and/or incense offerings.
• In Nalandabodhi, the recommended minimum time of waiting to receive the bodhisattva vow formally after taking the refuge vow formally for the first time is six months. Thus, no students in the context of the online ceremonies we will offer in early 2021 should take the refuge, and bodhisattva vows for the first time back to back. Those receiving the refuge vow for the first time formally should wait at least six months before receiving the bodhisattva vow formally. This is to allow for some contemplative space and working with appreciating and being mindful of the vows one has taken.
• After one formally receives the refuge vow for the first time, it is permissible, but not mandatory, to attend subsequent refuge vow ceremonies and consider that a “renewing” of one’s refuge vow. (However, in those contexts, one does not receive a new refuge name.) The same is said to be true of bodhisattva vows, but in the case of bodhisattva vows, one is encouraged to participate in a formal ceremony of bodhisattva vow to renew one’s vows once in a while. In terms of ongoing personal practice, one is encouraged to go for refuge and give rise to bodhicitta, of course, at the start of every practice session, without the need for a formal refuge or bodhicitta ceremony.
• During the part of the ceremony that is the actual recitation of the words of the vows, participants are requested to sit on a cushion on the floor (or directly on the floor if a cushion is not available) and not on a chair; if harm to health would result from one’s doing so, then one is, of course, exempt from this request.
• Please visit the Refuge Vow Resource Page for more information: https://nalandabodhi.org/refuge-vow-resources/  Password: Refuge2021

For questions about this event email info@nalandabodhi.org.