Bodhi Couple Blessing Ceremony at Fo Guang Shan Zu Lai Temple, Brazil: 35 South American Couples Renew Their Initial Vows Before the Buddha

By Zhi Yuan, São Paulo

On August 22, Fo Guang Shan Zu Lai Temple in Brazil hosted the "Fo Guang Shan 2026 South American Bodhi Couple Blessing Ceremony—60 Years of Passing the Lamp, Honoring a 100-Year Legacy" A total of 35 couples from across South America, including Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay, participated in the event. Under the witness of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, they joined hands to practice the Humanistic Buddhism ideals of "Buddhist families" and "Three Acts of Goodness families," showcasing the fruitful results of the localization of faith.

Venerable Miao You, Head Abbess of Fo Guang Shan in South America, stated that the Bodhi Couple Blessing is not a repetition of a secular wedding ceremony, but rather a gentle awakening of the initial mind. It aims to guide each couple to renew their commitment to one another and uphold the original intention of their marriage under the witness of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

Venerable Miao You pointed out that marriage is the best place for spiritual practice on life's journey. For a couple to know and meet each other among a population of 8 billion is a one-in-ten-thousand chance, representing the perfection of 0.5 plus 0.5. Humanistic Buddhism and Buddhist families complement each other; a life of "Five Harmonies," extending from the individual to the assembly, is a force for a stable society.

During the ceremony, BLIA Director Hong Ci-He and his wife represented the couples in reading the "Bodhi Couple Vow." The 35 couples made vows before the Buddha to respect and support one another, to act with compassion, to cherish their families and protect Buddhism, and to attain the Way of the Buddha.

Paulo Fernando Vieira Júnior, First Deputy Commissioner of the São Paulo 516th Buddha’s Light Scout Group, made a vow, expressing that partners and families meet because of love, and that this love should be extended throughout society and the nation, transcending borders to benefit all sentient beings with compassion.

In addition to the solemn ceremony, there were fun interactive games that allowed couples, usually busy with the hustle and bustle of life, to enhance their bond through relaxed and joyful interaction.

Pamela Yanez from Chile expressed that frequently participating in cultivation at the temple helps nurture the mind and character, opens up wisdom, and allows one to face life with calm and composure, thereby making the family more harmonious.

The organizers stated that this Bodhi Couple Blessing Ceremony not only successfully promoted the localization of Humanistic Buddhism but also deeply integrated the wisdom of the Buddha’s teaching into family life, allowing the Bodhi seeds in South America to blossom everywhere and injecting sustainable positive energy into the local virtuous social atmosphere.