Since the time of the Buddha, people have expressed their commitment to follow the Buddha’s teachings and the Buddhist path of practice by taking refuge in the Three Jewels and by receiving transmission of the five Buddhist precepts or trainings.

Our teacher, Fred, was formally authorized by Thich Nhat Hanh to transmit the refuges and trainings. He will be conducting a Transmission Ceremony via Zoom on Sunday morning, March 28, for any FCM members who wish to formally Take Refuge and receive the Five Mindfulness Trainings. Those seeking transmission are required to attend a 90-minute preparatory class offered via Zoom either on on Monday March 15, 5:30-7:00 pm or Tuesday March 16, 6:30-8:00 pm.  

Taking Refuge means to take refuge in the Three Jewels—the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. By taking refuge we express our trust in our own capacity to awaken, in the path of practice and mindful living, and in the sangha community to provide a refuge of safety, guidance, and support.

In the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition, this is expressed as:

I take refuge in the Buddha, the one who shows me the way in this life.

I take refuge in the Dharma, the path of understanding and love.

I take refuge in the Sangha, the community that lives in harmony and

awareness.

Further information on Taking Refuge can be found on the FCM website under Formally Entering the Path.

Thich Nhat Hanh has formulated the traditional five Buddhist precepts as The Five Mindfulness Trainings. They provide the basis for living in ways that create happiness and relieve suffering for ourselves and for others. They are not authoritative rules imposed from the outside to be blindly adhered to, but rather guidelines for reflecting on our own aspirations and on our behavior and its consequences in order to live a more consciously aware life. The Five Mindfulness Trainings can be found on the FCM website under Teachings.

The preparatory class will provide further explanation of the Three Refuges and the Five Mindfulness Trainings, explore ways they can be manifested in our daily lives and offer opportunities for questions and answers. Registering and attending the class does not obligate you to Take Refuge or Transmission. You are welcome to attend if you are just interested in learning more about these two practices and traditions that are integral to the Buddhist path.

Please note for Transmission of the Five Mindfulness Trainings:

• You must register and attend one of the two class in order to participate in the Transmission Ceremony on March 28. A recording of the class will not be available for later viewing.
• The ceremony on March 28 will be the only time the Transmission Ceremony will be offered and you must be present on zoom for the ceremony to receive transmission.

Registration for the preparatory class is open through March 10.

Register for only one of the classes in the calendar:

Monday March 15, 5:30-7:00 or Tuesday March 16, 6:30-8:00 pm. If you have questions regarding the Five Mindfulness Trainings preparatory class please contact Diane Powell at diane.powell2010@gmail.com.

High School Students, who are children of FCM members are eligible to take the Five Mindfulness at the same time as the adults. Parents, please register for one the prep classes, and put your teen’s name and age in the guest box.

Transmission of the Two Promises for Children

The Two Promises are the mindfulness trainings developed by Thich Nhat Hanh for children. Children of FCM members who are in elementary school (grades 1-5) and middle school (grades 6-8) are eligible to receive transmission of Transmission of the Two Promises on March 28.  If you are interested please contact Karuna by February 28, at  karunaee@gmail.com. The preparation sessions for Taking Refuge and Transmission of the Two Promises will take place on two Sunday afternoons in March via Zoom. You will find more information on the Two Promises under the Family and Teen Program on our website.