Daffodil Family — Ordination Ceremony 2023

On November 5th in the Still Water Meditation of Dharma Cloud Temple (Plum Village France), a group of ten young men and women shed their hair to become novice monks and nuns. They knelt down in front of the monastic sangha to receive the 10 Novice Precepts, witnessed by the wider community and their family and friends.

This “Daffodil Family” of three novice nuns and seven novice monks have been living and practicing as “aspirants” in Plum Village France. During this time, they learned and trained in the daily practices of mindfulness such as sitting meditation, walking meditation, and working in mindfulness. It was also a time for them to ask deeply the question – What is my path in life?

At the ordination, the novices formally committed to a life of simplicity and humility, of cultivating inner peace through mindfulness practices, and sharing the fruit of practice with others.

The new novices received their alms bowl – acknowledging the symbiotic relationship of monastics with lay supporters, one sanghati robe – a connection to the saffron robes of the Buddha’s time, and their Dharma name – reflecting their aspiration and the encouragement of the community for their path of practice.

Their Dharma names, in the order of ordination are:

Sister Chân Đôn Hạnh – Sister True Kind ActionBrother Chân Nhất Vân – Brother True Cloud of OnessBrother Chân Nhất Vũ – Brother True Rain of OnenessBrother Chân Nhất Thanh – Brother True Clarity of OnenessBrother Chân Nhất Lương – Brother True Refreshing OnenessSister Chân Diệu Hạnh – Sister True Wondrous ActionSister Chân Đăng Hạnh – Sister True Radiant ActionBrother Chân Nhất Nguyên – Brother True Source of Oneness Brother Chân Nhất Mộc – Brother True Tree of OnenessBrother Chân Nhất Xuân – Brother True Spring of Oneness

Please enjoy these moments from the ordination day.

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Breathing together to the sound of the bellIn gratitude we offer this incenseOrdineesChanting the Heart SutraSr. Chan KhongGratitude to parents, teachers, friends, all beingsPurification of waterNuno (left), IreneAlexis (left), ElkeElkeRobinAudreyAivoChristianVictorYannShedding my hair todayI make the great vowTo transform all my afflictionsAnd bring happiness to the worldHow wondrous this robe, a field of all good seedsI bow my head today, and vow to receive it lifetime after lifetimeSister “True Kind Action”Brother “True Rain of Oness”Sister “True Wondrous Action”Sister “True Radiant Action”Brother “True Cloud of Oneness”Sr. Chan Duc and Sr. Hoi NghiemSr. Lang Nghiem and Sr. GoodnessSister “True Radiant Action” with her brotherSr. Dieu Nghiem and Sr. Hoi NghiemSr. True Radiant Action with her familyBr. True Refreshing Oneness with his familyPaying respect to Thay and the ancestral teachersAffirming deep aspiration in front of the Three JewelsBaby nuns with Sr. Dieu NghiemSr. Chan Khong with Joke Sensei (center)“Be-in” to welcome the new novices“Stand up and let the sangha see you”Sr. Radiant Action’s fatherSr. Radiant Action’s motherSr. Wondrous ActionSr. Kind ActionSr. Kind Action’s fatherBr. True Cloud of OnenessBr. True Clarity of OnenessMother of Br. True Source of Oneness

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