On the morning of June 6, 2017, the Graduate Ceremony for the 15th batch of Undergraduate and 9th batch of Pre-Undergraduate of the Buddhist College of Minnan (BCM) was held in the Lecture Hall of Nanputuo Monastery. The Most Ven. Zewu (Rector of the BCM), Ven. Master Dingheng (General Vice-President of the Buddhist Association of Xiamen), Ven. Master Jiexiang (General Vice-Rector of the BCM), Ven. Master Fayuan and Ven. Master Jingxin (both are Vice-Rector of the BCM), Ven. Master Honglai (Assistant Rector), Ven. Master Jing’an (Director of Teaching Affairs of the BCM) and Ven. Master Dehuang (Supervisor and Official Receptionist of the Nanputuo Monastery) attended this event. The ceremony was hosted by Ven. Master Jiexiang. All the teachers, masters, students of the BCM attended the ceremony. Mr. Su Ren-deng (the Vice Head of the Bureau of Ethnic & Religious Affairs of Xiamen) and Mr. Chen Jing (Vice-Director of the United Front Work Department of CPC Xiamen Committee) attended this event as well.

At 9 a.m., the ceremony commenced with the national song’s sound. First of all, all the participants stood up and the rector lit up the Buddhist incense to worship the Buddha image. Then the Most Ven. Zewu led all the participants to pray by chanting sutra for the world peace and national harmony. After that, the Most Ven. Zewu gave a speech for graduates. He emphasized, “No matter in the future you choose to study or practice the promotion of Buddhism, you all should keep your personality as a kind person and Buddhist, as well as keep your patriotism and status in Chinese Buddhism. All your deeds, words, intentions and willingness should be based on the Buddhist disciplines, Dharma of Buddhism, national laws & rules and benefits. You should inherit the spirit of the BCM—‘Compassion and Wisdom’. Compassion leads you to be a Buddha while wisdom renders you to benefit people. All of you should not forget your original intention and base, and continue carrying forward the concept of Humanistic Buddhism to influence the world which was proposed by the Most Ven. Taixu, our former Rector.” When he summarized the study tour which just finished right now, the Most Ven. Zewu said, “We all 138 persons made efforts to accomplish this significant graduate tour and successfully achieve 2 great events in our college’s history. One was that the BCM made a cooperative exchange agreement with both the Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University in Thailand and the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka; the other one was that the BCM set up overseas Alumni Association branches in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Singapore successfully. In this tour, we paid respect to those predecessors’ achievements and remarks on their activities on behalf of Buddhism and their careers of dharma promotion. We should learn from them to enhance our Buddhist career with correct thought and opinions, while strengthen our patriotism and status in Chinese Buddhism.

Mr. Su Ren-deng congratulated all the students on their graduation from college. He proposed 3 expectations for them. First, he told all the graduates to keep their faith and confidence in Buddhism, and to undertake their duties willingly, and to become excellent Buddhist leaders to carry forward the teachings of Buddhism. Second, he told all the graduates to cultivate their right conduct in daily practice based on national laws, rules and principles, because those policies, regulations and Buddhist disciplines are the guarantee of Buddhist affairs. Third, he told all the graduates to insist that the direction of Chinese Buddhism and practice goes on a way which is compatible with our socialist society. Through the practice and promotion of Buddhism, all the graduates can benefit people’s wellbeing and society. By keeping the motto of the college in mind, all the graduates could make friends broadly and let Buddhism be the light of the world and make Dharma spread to all the five continents.

Then the Most Ven. Zewu issued certificates to all the graduates (184 persons in total) and took photos with them. The graduates gave some splendid gifts to these parties: the BCM, Nanputuo Temple, the government, the Buddhist Association of Xiamen, and some affiliated organizations of Nanputuo Temple for their care and education in these recent years. Later, Ven. Changzheng led all the graduates to recite a vow in a strong and confident voice, full of feeling for BCM, with thanks to teachers, and a vision for their future careers. In addition, Ven. Master Foxin on behalf of all the teachers sent the last suggestion and blessing to all the graduates, while Ven. Jianshe (on behalf of all the present students) and Ven. Xinzhi (on behalf of all the graduates) gave speeches of farewell and thanksgiving respectively. At last, all the participants stood up to sing the Song of Triple Gem. The ceremony concluded in a warm and happy atmosphere.

The campus is an unforgettable place for all the graduates. To the BCM, all the graduates have lots of feelings which are not expressed and much unwillingness to leave. After the ceremony, Ven. Master Jiexiang and Ven. Master Jingxin (authorized by the Rector) led all the graduates to worship the stupa of the Most Ven. Miaozhan, thanking him and other predecessors for their vast efforts and huge dedication to the spreading of Buddhism, Dharma promotion and Sangha education.