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🐾 Pets Taking Refuge Ceremony

📅 May 30, 2026 | 2–3 PM PDT (in-person or online)

Address: Lingyen Mountain Temple, Canada,
10060 No 5 Rd, Richmond, BC V7A 4E5

We warmly welcome your beloved pets to take refuge in the Three Treasures—Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. This special ceremony helps nurture their blessings and wisdom, and plant the causes for future awakening. Registration is free.

Please register via the QR Code, LYMTCanada.com, or through the temple: 604-271-0009

Kind reminder: Please keep your pets in a carrier or pet bag while inside the temple.

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◎ Venerable Master: Practicing according to the Buddha’s teachings helps you to attain Buddhahood

To take refuge in the Three Treasures is the first step of practicing Buddhism. You should practice according to the Buddha’s teachings! Doing so will liberate you from endless sufferings. What’s more, infinite Dharma joy and wealth of meritorious virtues are waiting for you. You will also be able to transcend the human and heavenly realms, be free from the suffering of Transmigration in the Six Paths, and attain Buddhahood. This is how the Buddhadharma is great and ultimate.

◎ 妙蓮老和尚說: 依教奉行成佛道

皈依是學佛道的初步，你要依佛陀之教而奉行喔！這樣不但無邊的苦能解脫，無量的法樂、功德法財在那邊等著你，還能超人天，了六道輪迴生死之苦，成佛道，這才是佛法偉大、究竟之處。

Taking Refuge with the Three Treasures

When: 5/24 at 2 PM PDT (On the day of Shakyamuni Buddha's Birthday)

Where: You can participate in the ceremony either in person or online, if travel is not possible

>Address: Lingyen Mountain Temple, Canada,
10060 No 5 Rd, Richmond, BC V7A 4E5

Registration: Please scan the QR code and complete the registration online. Registration and the entire ceremony is free of charge.

_______________________________________________________________________

◎ Excerpt of Venerable Master Miao Lien Dharma Lecture: Taking refuge in the Buddha to repent offenses and gain blessings

Why should we take refuge in the Three Treasures? What are the benefits of doing so? What does “Taking Refuge” entail? What do the Three Treasures represent? You need to know these Buddhist concepts. As a Buddhist, your relatives and friends may ask, “Being a kindhearted person is sufficient. Why would you be so superstitious as to take refuge and follow the teachings of a monk?” Their words sound persuasive and reasonable. However, failing to make the reasons clear to them will increase their ignorance and arrogance. By giving them appropriate explanations, you will help them overcome their misconceptions, and they will stop being careless with their comments.

But, what are the Three Treasures? They are the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha*. The Three Treasures are what we are taking refuge in. Why are they considered “Treasures”? Because the word “Treasure” embodies the meanings of nobility, illumination, and purity.

Taking refuge in the Buddha means taking refuge in Shakyamuni Buddha and in the Buddhas of all Ten Directions. A Buddha is the teacher of all beings in the human and heavenly realms and is the World Honored One in the Three Realms. How noble is that? Taking refuge helps eliminate our karmic hindrances and enhances our blessings and wisdom; isn’t that an unsurpassed treasure? Buddhas refrain from unwholesome deeds and obtain the pure virtue of having severed all secular afflictions; isn’t that purity? We take refuge in the Buddha to learn from him; should we not learn from such a truly wise advisor? Should we not follow him as a teacher?

◎ 妙蓮長老法語開示節錄

一、皈依佛懺罪增福

我們一個人為什麼要皈依三寶？皈依三寶有什麼好處？「皈依」兩個字怎麼講？三寶分別又是什麼意義？這些要知道；如果不知道，你做一個佛教徒，你親戚朋友要是問你：「人只要心好就好了嘛！你們怎麼這樣迷信，還要拜和尚做師父？」 他說得好像很有理由，你若不對他解釋、解釋，反而增加他的無明貢高。你對他解釋一下，使他知慚愧，不要那樣隨便亂說話。

何者謂之三寶？三寶就是佛、法、僧，我們現在就是皈依佛法僧三寶。佛法僧為何稱之為「寶」呢？寶者尊貴義、光明義，又是清潔義。皈依佛，就是皈依釋迦佛、十方佛，佛為人天師、三界尊，你看這是多麼尊貴！皈依佛，令我們消罪障、增福慧，這是不是一個最無上的寶？佛諸惡已經不做，斷德清淨了，這不是清淨義嗎？我們皈依佛要向佛學，像這樣一位真善知識，是不是應該要學習呢？有沒有拜錯呢？

Taking Refuge with the Three Treasures

When: 5/24 at 2 PM PDT (On the day of Shakyamuni Buddha's Birthday)

Where: You can participate in the ceremony either in person or online, if travel is not possible

>Address: Lingyen Mountain Temple, Canada,
10060 No 5 Rd, Richmond, BC V7A 4E5

Registration: Please scan the QR code and complete the registration online

_______________________________________________________________________

◎ Excerpt of Venerable Master Miao Lien Dharma Lecture: Taking refuge in the Buddha to repent offenses and gain blessings

Why should we take refuge in the Three Treasures? What are the benefits of doing so? What does “Taking Refuge” entail? What do the Three Treasures represent? You need to know these Buddhist concepts. As a Buddhist, your relatives and friends may ask, “Being a kindhearted person is sufficient. Why would you be so superstitious as to take refuge and follow the teachings of a monk?” Their words sound persuasive and reasonable. However, failing to make the reasons clear to them will increase their ignorance and arrogance. By giving them appropriate explanations, you will help them overcome their misconceptions, and they will stop being careless with their comments.

But, what are the Three Treasures? They are the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha*. The Three Treasures are what we are taking refuge in. Why are they considered “Treasures”? Because the word “Treasure” embodies the meanings of nobility, illumination, and purity.

Taking refuge in the Buddha means taking refuge in Shakyamuni Buddha and in the Buddhas of all Ten Directions. A Buddha is the teacher of all beings in the human and heavenly realms and is the World Honored One in the Three Realms. How noble is that? Taking refuge helps eliminate our karmic hindrances and enhances our blessings and wisdom; isn’t that an unsurpassed treasure? Buddhas refrain from unwholesome deeds and obtain the pure virtue of having severed all secular afflictions; isn’t that purity? We take refuge in the Buddha to learn from him; should we not learn from such a truly wise advisor? Should we not follow him as a teacher?

◎ 妙蓮長老法語開示節錄

一、皈依佛懺罪增福

我們一個人為什麼要皈依三寶？皈依三寶有什麼好處？「皈依」兩個字怎麼講？三寶分別又是什麼意義？這些要知道；如果不知道，你做一個佛教徒，你親戚朋友要是問你：「人只要心好就好了嘛！你們怎麼這樣迷信，還要拜和尚做師父？」 他說得好像很有理由，你若不對他解釋、解釋，反而增加他的無明貢高。你對他解釋一下，使他知慚愧，不要那樣隨便亂說話。

何者謂之三寶？三寶就是佛、法、僧，我們現在就是皈依佛法僧三寶。佛法僧為何稱之為「寶」呢？寶者尊貴義、光明義，又是清潔義。皈依佛，就是皈依釋迦佛、十方佛，佛為人天師、三界尊，你看這是多麼尊貴！皈依佛，令我們消罪障、增福慧，這是不是一個最無上的寶？佛諸惡已經不做，斷德清淨了，這不是清淨義嗎？我們皈依佛要向佛學，像這樣一位真善知識，是不是應該要學習呢？有沒有拜錯呢？

>

>By Venerable Master Hsuan Hua. Photo credit: Dr. Bruce Tsai

WHENEVER OPPRESSIONS AND DIFFICULTIES PILE UP. That means when people are really piling it on thick, such as being very discourteous to you, TO THE POINT THAT OTHERS SLANDER US – you should KNOW THAT THOSE ARE GOOD KNOWING ADVISORS COME TO AID US IN INCREASING OUR VIRTUE AND CULTIVATING THE WAY. They are helping you foster your blessings and wisdom and accomplish your Way-virtue. They are actually helping you out.

I always say to you there are many people who scold me, and slander me. Most people who scold me are left-home people. I’m telling you the truth. Some people say, “I haven’t seen left-home persons scold you!” Well, how many left-home people have you seen? Actually, there are many lay-people who slander me, as well. So there’s a saying that goes,

“If you do not attract jealousy,
Then you are somebody with very ordinary talents.”

But we should investigate, “Why are people scolding me?” It’s because they’re afraid their Dharma Protectors will believe me and that they won’t have anything to eat.  They think if they scold me, then their Dharma Protectors will protect their Dharma, and  then they will have food to eat, is that not saving a person’s life? Isn’t that good? So, because they scold me, they obtain benefits, that’s very good! In Buddhism, we talk about compassion. So this is okay; I’m helping them.

What follows is a verse and I call it a gatha or a verse. It’s not a poem. The words don’t have to rhyme, and it doesn’t have to adhere to a fixed meter. I’m just very casually speaking eight lines as a gatha which has a much looser structure.

FACE TO FACE WITH ADVERSE CONDITIONS, ACCEPT THEM GRACIOUSLY – THIS IS PARAMITA.

This is a method of crossing to the other shore.

DEVADATTA IS JUST THE GOOD KNOWING ADVISOR WHO COMES TO AID US.

Shakyamuni Buddha himself said. “Devadatta is the very one who helped me realize Buddhahood.” Devadatta was willing to fall into the hells himself, so as to help the Buddha realize Buddhahood.

KINDNESS AND ANIMOISTY FROM PAST LIVES, WE OUGHT TO REPAY.

Whether people are kind to you or unkind to you, that’s all because of conditions from past lives. Now you have to pay them back; clear your accounts. So if somebody says, “ I don’t believe in past lives,” well, do you believe there was a yesterday?  “Yes, I do.” Well, do you believe there was a last year? “Yes, I do.” Well, if you believe that, that’s just past lives. Say, last year you killed a person and this year, somebody else kills you. You kill someone’s father; somebody will kill your father. If you kill someone’s brother, somebody will kill your brother. If you scold people, then people will scold you back. If you kick somebody with your foot, then another person will slap your face. That’s called repaying in kind. You say you don’t believe in past lives, but if I hit you now, does it hurt? Well if it hurts, that’s also retribution. Then it says,

GRIEVANCES AND FEUDS FROM DISTANT KALPAS ARE NOW BEING CLEARED UP.

Past feuds and grudges are being cleared up.

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR ACCOUNTS AND DEBTS; DO NOT DELAY REPAYMENT.

People are too concerned about progress. But can it end birth and death? If you can progress to the point that you don’t’ have to die, that’s real progress. “Well,” somebody says, “I don’t believe in the principle you are talking about.” I didn’t ask you to believe in something that a stupid person like me says.

ESTABLISH MERIT AND ATONE FOR YOUR OFFENSES – DO NOT PASS YOUR LIFE IN VAIN.

So, own up to your debts – pay them back. Don’t drag them on. Don’t seek foreign aid, so that you accumulate more debts. Instead you should establish merit to redeem the offenses you created in the past. Don’t pass your life in vain.

CLEARLY UNDERSTAND GOOD AND EVIL; BE CAREFUL ABOUT CAUSE AND EFFECT.

You should understand that if you do good, you’ll get a good reward, and if you do evil, you’ll get an evil retribution. Such is the cause and such is the effect.

THE DEEP ABYSS AND THIN ICE—
HOW CAN ONE EASILY ESCAPE THEM?

It’s as if you were approaching a deep abyss or treading on thin ice. It’s very difficult to get out of cause and effect.  You have to be very careful. Now someone is saying, “Dharma Master, what you said today, I just can’t believe – not a single sentence!”  Then, I haven’t uttered a single sentence.

View the Entire Essay | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

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