Recently our Plum Village Practice Center had the great happiness of conducting our annual Great Ordination Ceremony. The Daffodil Great Precept Transmission Ceremony, actually a series of ceremonies lasting one week, was a beautiful and joyful practice of transmitting trainings, precepts and Dharma lamps to new Dharma teachers. It was a true “Dharma Festival” in the spirit of the Plum Village tradition of mindfulness, joyful celebration, and togetherness. Venerable monks and nuns from Vietnam and Europe, brothers and sisters from many of our practice centers, lamp recipients, and family and friends from around the world came to support and to participate in the program.

The program began on Tuesday morning the 12th with a powerful opening ceremony in Upper Hamlet’s new meditation hall. Following that, Thay and the Sangha transmitted the Five Mindfulness Training. In the afternoon, the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings were transmitted to monastic and lay practitioners. The program continued in New Hamlet with transmissions of the Shikshamana precepts, and the lamp transmission opening ceremony. On the 14th, the new moon day, Thay and venerable monks and nuns, with the support of the Sangha, transmitted the great precepts, the full Bhikshu and Bhikshuni precepts, to 11 brothers and 15 sisters.

In the remaining days Thay transmitted the Dharma Lamp to over 30 new Dharma teachers. The Sangha had the opportunity to listen to the many wonderful insight gathas (poems) from the new Dharma teachers, and transmission gathas expressed by Thay. The transmission gathas express the wisdom and welcome of the whole line of teachers in our tradition, going back to the time of the Buddha. The new Dharma Teachers also had a chance to offer their very first Dharma talks; it was beautiful to listen to wisdom and experience of these long-term practitioners expressed in so many wonderful ways. Each Dharma talk was like a precious jewel for the Sangha to learn from and put into practice.

All together is was a powerful and nourishing week that brought tremendous joy and happiness to the whole community. We are extremely grateful to the many people who made this possible: our respected teacher, elder brothers and sisters, the hard work of many community members, those who travelled from afar – especially the venerable monks and nuns, some who came from Vietnam expressly to transmit the precepts. Thank you!