The Dharma Lineage Is Passed on to This Generation

In the precept transmission ceremony, China’s Taiwan Buddhist Association President Ven. Jingliang said, “Ven. Yongxin has attached great importance to the inheritance of Vinaya dharma. After three years when the precept transmission ceremony was launched, this year marks the second Three Ordination Platforms Precept Transmission Ceremony. It is by no means an ordinary and simple vow. Because the ceremony consists of a set of rigid rules and requires a lot of energy and labors. He doesn’t serve as the Precept Master and would rather make any sacrifices so that the dharma lineage could be transmitted. During the precept transmission period, as the head of the monastery, he adheres to a rigorous code of conduct and plays an exemplary role for the newly-precepted monastics, which is attributed to one’s usual cultivation practices. Therefore, I admire and esteem him highly. In the Buddhist circle, as the saying goes, ‘dharma prevails as long as there is Vinaya.’ Without the transmission and observation of Vinaya, Buddhism will be secularized. Even for the Chan sect, which lays great emphasis on mindfulness and enlightenment, it cannot exist without the basis of Vinaya, to complement each other. To that end, monasteries of Chan sect all have the custom of transmitting precept occasionally. Otherwise, it might lead to the discontinuation of dharma and there would be no successor to the lineage of Chan sect.

Ven. Jingliang’s comments gave me a lot encouragement and support. It is owing to this prosperous era that Shaolin Temple could restore the past glory of the Ordination Platform. As a member of the monastics, I’m doing my duties by renovating the platform and applying for precept transmission so as to uphold orthodox dharma and propagate Buddhism. The precept transmission ceremony sets a strict examination rule and rigorous ritual for the monastics to receive precepts at Shaolin Temple.

Every time when I walk upon the Shaolin Temple’s Ordination Platform, which reminds me of many deceased eminent monks, I wish I could console them: the dharma lineage has been passed on to this generation. (From Shaolin Temple in My Heart)