Buddhist Prajna Temple Eight Precepts Ceremony
The Buddhist Prajna Temple will hold the first Eight Precepts ceremony on March 24 & 25, 2007, together with celebration of Shakyamuni Buddha entering monastic life. The purpose of the ceremony is to provide the lay practitioners an opportunity to experience monastic life, during which they can completely devote themselves to observance of precepts and practice of recitation. Serious practitioners are welcome to join us in this practice.
The meaning of Eight Precepts:
The Eight Precepts are a type of lay ordination which include: for one day and one night, abstain from killing, stealing, from any sexual activities, from telling lies, taking any intoxicants, wearing perfume or any ornaments, from listening, watching or taking part in dancing or singing, and from claiming high or prominent seats for sitting or sleeping. In addition, the lay practitioner should abstain from eating at the wrong time (the right time is after sunrise, before noon).
Buddha taught the Eight Precepts to lay disciples who could not receive full ordination as monastics do because of domestic duties. Although practitioners only observe the Eight Precepts for a short time, it already has tremendous benefits: it not only enables them to devote a full day to pure practice, but also gives them opportunity to accumulate merits to prepare for monastic life in the future. Since the precepts are for one day and one night only, if a lay practitioner takes the Eight Precepts at 8am today, then at 8am next morning the precepts will end. Thus it is not difficult for a lay practitioner to observe these precepts.
Detailed Arrangements:
The venerables of Prajna Temple will lead the participants to live twenty-four hours of monastic life. The ceremony will start at 8am on March 24, 2007. During daytime it will mainly be recitation of sutras and Buddha's name. In the evening, in addition to recitation, Dharma talks will be arranged. The ceremony will end at 8am on March 25, 2007. At 10am on March 25, there will be lunch offering to celebrate Shakyamuni Buddha entering monastic life. In the afternoon, participants will repent to each other and share their experience.
Requirements:
This ceremony is only open to serious practitioners who already took refuge in the Three Jewels, or are ready to do so before taking the precepts. Participants should be of good physical and metal health, and willing to observe the rules of the temple. Strict silence will be observed during the ceremony in order for the participants to fully experience the monastic life and practice.
Registration:
Practitioners who wish to take part in the ceremony should register between February 25, 2007 and March 20, 2007. You can either download the registration form from the website and send in the finished form by email, or register by phone. The phone number to use for registration is: 519-579-3046. Because spaces are rather limited, practitioners without registration will have to attend the ceremony of the following month. All participants must arrive at the temple by 7am on March 24, 2007 in order to receive instructions for the ceremony. Please bring your own sleeping bag and necessary items for staying overnight.
Contact information:
Address: 301-265 King St. E., Kitchener, ON N2G 4N4
Phone: 519-579-3046
Website: http://www.prajnatemple.org
