Buddhist Version of Christening

FairyFeller

Here's a question psed by a friend if mine, is there a Buddhist version of a Christening but not becoming a monk. A couple of my friends either became or returned to Christianity in their adult lives and had ceromonies to mark it, Christenings or something similar. One of them asked me today if there was a Buddhst equivilant.

I know when I visited a local group recently there was a member who appeared western and I don't think he could have been a monk as he was in a work uniform but gave his name as something Buddhist sounding, he then introduced me to he other members in he room who all looked western but had eastern sounding names.

Is there a commitment type ceremony without becoming a monk, I doubt if it's a compulsory thing but my friend made me wonder.

Jeffrey

Yes there is the refuge ceremony. I'm not sure if all traditions have a ceremony.

shanyin

Jeffrey is correct, it's called taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma/Dharma, and Sangha.

I know for sure Chinese Mahayana does ceremonies, or maybe it depends on the monastery.

You should have a good understanding of what it means to take refuge, and in General a good understand of the Buddha Dhamma and Sangha.

Read a little bit about it on the internet maybe until you're satisfied, and then I recommend talking to a monk about it. As with 99% of topics on this board people will give you their views and advice all day but I recommend taking it to a monk.

karasti

I did a ceremony for refuge. There is a lot of interesting reading online, but it varies even within traditions, by teacher, so don't get too caught up in any one thing you read. I enjoyed the ceremony, but plenty of others do it on their own. If you are looking it up, it is also referred to as "taking refuge" and "the triple/three jewels."

BonsaiDoug

Also, in some traditions, after the Refuge ceremony the presiding monk will give the refuge takers "Dhamma names." That might explain why westerners had eastern sounding names.

karasti

Yes, we got certificates and names and a necklace after our ceremony. We also did refuge precepts, but did not do the 5 precepts at the same time.

FairyFeller

Thank you for your replies, it makes a lot more sense now.

Invincible_summer

@FairyFeller - would this happen to be a Triratna group?

vinlyn

I just asked my Thai friend, he said in Thailand there is no formal ceremony...which is also what a monk told me.

Takuan

Theraveda 5 Precepts and Refuges



Mahayana Refuges (Tibetan)



Meaning of Taking Refuge H.E. Khandro Rinpoche

Jason

FairyFeller said:

Here's a question psed by a friend if mine, is there a Buddhist version of a Christening but not becoming a monk. A couple of my friends either became or returned to Christianity in their adult lives and had ceromonies to mark it, Christenings or something similar. One of them asked me today if there was a Buddhst equivilant.

I know when I visited a local group recently there was a member who appeared western and I don't think he could have been a monk as he was in a work uniform but gave his name as something Buddhist sounding, he then introduced me to he other members in he room who all looked western but had eastern sounding names.

Is there a commitment type ceremony without becoming a monk, I doubt if it's a compulsory thing but my friend made me wonder.

In most of the Theravadin communities I've been a part of, the act of taking refuge and the five precepts is done quite informally (at least in in comparison to a christening ceremony) and happens fairly regularly for anyone interested (at least once or twice a week), and I've never taken part in anything resembling a Christian christening ceremony myself. I know other Theravadin communities and traditions have similar kinds of ceremonies, though; and many will include the giving of a Dharma name. It really all depends on the tradition and/or teacher.

vinlyn

vinlyn said:

I just asked my Thai friend, he said in Thailand there is no formal ceremony...which is also what a monk told me.

My Thai friend got back to me and said there was a formal ceremony in some temples in northern Thailand.

FairyFeller

Invincible_summer said:

@FairyFeller - would this happen to be a Triratna group?

It was a New Kampa Tradition.