FIVE NEW LIVES BEGIN ON BUDDHA'S BIRTHDAY

      On Shakyamuni Buddha's birthday, 1978, five people received the novice precepts. Shramanera Kuo Yu, since drawing near to the Master in 1967, has been a devoted disciple and constant student of the Dharma. Sr. Kuo T'ung, who was

four years old when he first met the Master and returned to take up cultivation at age eleven, is the youngest novice at thirteen years old. Sr. Kuo Tz’u, born in Malaysia, interrupted his university studies in Australia to come to America and draw near the Venerable Master in 1977. Sr. Kuo Chi, whose biography appears on page 26 of this issue, heard about the Venerable Abbot in 1974 and drew near in 1977. Sr. Kuo Jing discovered the Proper Dharma through Gold Wheel Temple in Los Angeles, joined the first Ch'an session at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, and then and there resolved to leave the home-life.

The novices were transmitted the Ten Sramanera and Sramanerika Precepts in ceremonies conducted by Master Hua and held in the Kuan Yin Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas.

Shown above, right to left are Master Hua, Sr. Kuo Jing, Sr. Kuo Yu, Sr. Kuo T'ung, Sr. Kuo Tz'u, and Sr. Kuo Chi during their ordination as novices on the Buddha's Birthday, 1978.