Receiving the bodhisattva's precepts.

Full moon in December is the day the Sri Lankans remember and celebrate Sanghamitta's day in honor of the Ven. Sanghamitta who brought the bhikkhuni sasana from India in the 3rd century B.E. Symbolically we chose Sanghamitta's day to receive lay Bod hisattva's precepts.

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In 2001 we had the first batch of three women receiving the lay bodhisattva's precepts.

In 2003 we had four more women committed to bodhisattva's path.

And latest December 2004 young and energetic Amalanath (Keng) joined the gang.

On Dec. 26, 2004 we celebrated the new vihara for the King Taksin, we also witness a very meaningful ceremony. Ven. Dhammananda handed a gold medal in a shape of dhamma wheel with a diamond embedded at the hub of the wheel to Miss Raenu Meechana. It is a symbol to hand the lineage of the lay bodhisattva at our temple. The medal was made by Ven. Ta Tao Fa Tzu (Bhikkhuni Voramai Kabilsingh) In 1980s and now it is put in to good use.

Miss Raenu, having received the gold dhamma wheel will lead the lay Bodhisattvas group in doing various activities for society.

In 2005 there are now three candidates who have made known their wish to receive the precepts later in the year. But of course through the year they will have to go through various tests to see if they are sincere in their commitment.

Meanwhile Ven. Dhammananda has completed her Thai translation on the teaching of H.H. the Dalai Lama on Illuminating the Faith to Enlightenment. She is now using the text to teach this group on the path to bodhisattva. Previously she also translated Bodhisattvacar yavatara for the Thai audience.

The commitment to bodhisattva's path was stated early on by Ven. Voramai Kabilsingh the founder of the temple, and now the young seeds are taking root.