On Saturday night, 11 November 2006, a special ceremony was performed at the Hall of Great Compassion. This was the Taking Refuge and Five Precepts Ceremony and a number of Than Hsiang staff participated in the ceremony, which was opened to the public as well.

Venerable Wei Wu told everyone present that taking refuge in the Triple Gems meant they resolved to take refuge in the Buddha, to follow the Buddha's teachings and to be guided by the Sangha

Dr. Peter Della Santina, a scholar, teacher and practitioner of Buddhism passed away suddenly on Saturday, 14 th October 2006. At the time of his death, he was giving a course in “Mahayana Buddhism” for the International Buddhist College (IBC) off-campus students doing their M.A. in Buddhist Studies at Than Hsiang Temple, Penang.

Mrs. Santina (Dr. Krishna), son, Siddhartha, daughter-in-law, Mimmi, friends, students, Dharma brothers and sisters attended Dr. Peter D. Santina's funeral on Thursday, 19th October 2006.