Thursday, December 19, 2019

Vital Compassion takes the precepts

photo by Sophia Togneri

On Saturday, December 14, Kristine Togneri, a long-time member of Boundless Way Temple, took the sixteen Bodhisattva precepts in a ceremony witnessed by the Temple community and her three children, Charles, Elise and Sophia.  Kristine had sewed her rakusu, the ceremonial garment worn as a symbol of her commitment to the path of Zen.   She had been helped by one of the Temple's sewing masters, Corwyn Miyagishima, who also provided delicious almond cookies for our post-ceremony party.  David Rōshi and I gave her the precepts and a lineage document, showing her connection to the line of ancestors traced back to Shakyamuni Buddha 2600 years ago.  And we gave her the Dharma name Vital Compassion.  She wrote and read aloud beautiful and thoughtful responses to each precept.  Congratulations Kristine!

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