TheBuddhist initiation (Pali:Ārādhanā;Chinese:受戒; pinyin:shòujiè; Japanese pronunciation:Jukai; Korean:수계; romaja:sugye) refers to the publicinitiation ceremony wherein alay follower ofBuddhism takesrefuge in the Triple Gem and receives certainBuddhist precepts.[web 1][1] The particulars of the ceremony differ widely by country and byschools of Buddhism.
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In traditionalTheravada communities, anon-Buddhist becomes a Buddhistlay follower (upasaka-upasika) by reciting theancient formulas of theThree Refuges and theFive Precepts, either in response to amonk’s formal administration,[web 2] or by performing the recitation privately in front of acetiya or animage of the Buddha.[web 3] Newborns born to Buddhist parents are traditionally initiated by being taken on their first visit to a temple, typically on afull-moon or festival day, where they are presented to theTriple Gem.
Sometimes, within themonastic context, the term "initiation ceremony" may refer to the "ordination ceremony."[web 4]
In China, the ritual is calledshòujiè (受戒). The character 受 means "receive," while 戒 means "precepts." Taken together, the characters translate as "initiated" or "ordained."
Many people believe in Buddhism but do not go through any initiation ceremonies. Such Buddhists make up the overwhelming majority. Only a small part of Buddhists have gone through the ceremony which makes the recipient anupasaka or upasika and accepted the five commandments. They are formal Buddhists.[2]
Lewis Hodous, in his 1920 bookBuddhism and Buddhists in China remarks on the Chinese ceremony as well, after recording an initiation ceremony for both those entering monastic life and the laity: "Less private was the initiation of the lay brethren and sisters, more lightly branded on the right wrist, while all about intoned 'Na-mah Pen-shih Shih-chia-mou-ni Fo.' (Chinese:南無本師釋迦牟尼佛;pinyin:Námó Běnshī Shìjiāmóunífó;lit. 'I put my trust in my Original Teacher', 'Säkyamuni-Buddha.'[3]
In Japan, the ritual is calledjukai.
In theSōtō school in the United States, lay initiates take refuge in the Three Jewels (or Three Refuges—Buddha, Dharma and Sangha), the Three Pure Precepts (to do no harm, to do only good, and to do good for others) and the Five Grave Precepts—Affirm life: do not kill; Be giving: do not take what is not freely given; Honor the body: do not engage in sexual misconduct; Manifest truth: do not speak falsely; and Proceed clearly: do not cloud the mind with intoxicants.[web 5][web 6]
In theRinzai school students take refuge in the Three Jewels (or Three Refuges) and, similarly to the Chinese and Korean practices derived from India, they receive thefive precepts for laypersons.[web 7]
In South Korea, the ritual, calledsugye (수계), involves formally taking refuge inThe Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, and accepting thefive precepts. During the ritual, the initiate is touched with a burning incense stick. This is to leave a permanent mark which serves to remind the initiate of their promise to uphold the five precepts. During (or right after) the ceremony, the initiate is given aBuddhist name.[4]
In theUnited States, the predominant rite of receiving precepts is based on the Japanese Zen traditions. According to Seager, "jukai is a formal rite of passage that marks entrance into the Buddhist community. At that time, a student is given aDharma name. He or she also makes a commitment to the precepts, which are interpreted a bit differently in various communities."[5]
In theDiamond Sangha, jukai is "commonly practiced" though some members never undergo the ceremony because they are members of another religion which prohibits such initiations. Therefore, some would say, they are not Buddhist by definition.[6]
At theRochester Zen Center and its affiliated centers, the jukai ceremony involves taking the same precepts as in the Soto and White Plum traditions; however, from school to school or lineage to lineage, interpretation and translation of precepts can vary.[7]
TheWhite Plum Asanga follows the same ritual as the Japanese Soto-school.
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