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What does it mean to be a human being? What role does morality play in being human? How do the choices people make affect the world? Fifty college students and young professionals participated in workshops to find answers to these questions at the 7 th annual DRBY Spring Conference, hosted for the third consecutive year at Gold Sage Monastery in San Jose, CA. Over the three days, a series of workshops focused on explaining the fundamentals of Buddhist ethics and integrating the principles into daily life. These workshops were led by a diverse group of speakers, including monastics, scholars, and long-time practitioners.
The conference workshops were divided into two tracks designed for novice and advanced participants. In the exploratory track, the topics focused on introducing Buddhist morality and precepts, understanding these concepts in the context of other ethical systems, and the application of ethics in daily life, such as dealing with ambition and stress or the reasons for maintaining a vegetarian diet. “I really like the focus on relying on your own wisdom and experimenting with what I have learned,” observed one conference participant. “I thought the precepts were going to be burdensome rules, but they are actually helping [us gain] freedom.” In the advanced track, participants explored and discussed the purposes and nuances of each of the Five Precepts—refraining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and taking intoxicants. In addition, a panel of DRBY peers discussed how Buddhist ethics has affected and transformed their lives.
In either track, participants received a clear understanding of how precepts and ethics could foster their spiritual development. One conference participant commented, “To paraphrase Rev. Heng Sure’s opening lecture: when you become the best possible person, Buddhahood accomplishes itself. Love it!”
The DRBY Spring Conference, one of the most anticipated events of the year, is held every March. The conference is designed for college students and young professionals of all levels of Buddhist practice, from beginners looking to learn more about Buddhism to more experienced practitioners looking to deepen their practice, while giving participants a taste of monastic life. Those interested in learning more about Buddhism or DRBY are encouraged to participate in next year’s spring conference. D|M
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