Public Ordination at the Auckland Buddhist Centre
On Saturday 16 December
We are delighted to let you know that on Saturday 16th December 2017 around 80 members of the Triratna Buddhist community witnessed Geoff Walker being ordained as:
Dhīramuni (the first ‘i’ is long).
Sanskrit name meaning: ‘resolute sage’
Westernised spelling: Dhiramuni
Private Preceptor: Ratnavyuha
Public Preceptor: Purna
When considering a name for ex-Geoff, Ratnavyuha shared with us the following:
I wanted one which sounded like the good natured, considerate and cultured man that he is. I wanted this to come through in the feeling and the sound of his new name as well as its literal meaning. Like this wonderfully pleasant man before us, the name needed to feel and sound wonderfully pleasant and smooth to the touch, if you allow me to mix my metaphors. Thankfully, this was relatively easy since the name seemed to choose him.
As his name stepped forward, I was pleased to find that it connected him to the Buddha. He has taken up Shakyamuni Buddha as his sadhana and this extra connection with his name is great. Another reminder of the human potential which the Buddha Shakyamuni expemplifies for us all. So half of his name is ‘muni’ or sage. But what sort of muni is he?
To name a few of his qualities, he is intelligent, cultured, accomplished, widely experienced in the world, steady, constant, generous, considerate, determined, brave, courageous, well mannered and gentlemanly. But of all these qualities, the one which stepped forward was his determination with his practise of the Dharma and his fidelity to Triratna and Bhante’s teachings. He is keen, committed, and resolute.
So the name that chose him is Dhiramuni, Resolute Sage.
This name is also a constant reminder to stay with his practise in the most basic of ways. To build from solid foundations, to never neglect the small details, and to be resolute in the pursuit of Awakening for both self and other. He does not need to be magical and amazing, but simply steady, regular, committed and resolute. And when he practises in this way, the ordinary extra-ordinariness of the muni will shine through with even greater brilliance and luster like the full moon on a cloudless night.