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NEWS
UPDATES
| 2005
Letter from Master Hsing Yun
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January 1, 2005 |
Dear Dharma Protectors and Friends,
As the cold winds turn warm
and spring shows its colors, it is a new beginning again. I pray
for peace in the world and joy for all sentient beings. May we all
live in harmony!
“Time waits for no one.”
This is truly so! As my age increases, my physical body grows old.
Unlike before, I can no longer see clearly as my eyesight has
become poorer. Last August in America, I was diagnosed with
cataracts, and Dr. Garlan G. Lo operated on me accordingly. In
reality, no one is exempt from graying hair or loosening teeth.
However, maintaining a youthful spirit for developing the breadth
and depth of our life is something within our control. While I am
approaching eighty years old, I can still travel everywhere to
propagate the Dharma in order to help people. I hope that by
serving others, people can open up the window of their hearts
letting light into the inner darkness so that they can enjoy the
ease and coolness of life.
In view of the still
inadequate actualization of Humanistic Buddhism by Buddhists, I
chose the theme of “Self-Awareness and Practicing the Buddha’s
Way” in the keynote speech for the 2004 BLIA 10th General
Conference. The four points I raised are as follows: use
self-awareness to raise ourselves to a higher level, use
localization to spread Buddhism, use new enterprises to increase
income, and use great vows to practice what the Buddha taught. We
can all rise to a higher standard in our faith providing
guidelines for the development of Buddhism, personal cultivation
to help others, and ways to conduct ourselves in dealing with
situations.
Since the re-election in
Taiwan on March 20, many members of the community called on me for
my views. In order to preserve peace and harmony within Taiwan and
eliminate racial conflicts, I put forth my suggestion for “Great
compromise; save Taiwan.” I hope that all the different
political parties, as well as members of the various trades, can
bury their hatchets, let bygones be bygones, open up their hearts,
and take a step back in order to work together for the future and
welfare of the entire population.
Furthermore, I put forth my views on the “Changing of the
Guards” as a guideline for organizations and political parties
in their operation and personnel management. Fo Guang Shan has
demonstrated a new model for the “changing of the guards.” In
the 2004 BLIA Chunghwa Annual Meeting, the Most Venerable Hsin
Ting was elected the president, taking over from Mr. Wu Po-hsiung,
and in September, Fo Guang Shan Religious Affairs Committee called
a general meeting during which members voted for nine new
committee members and elected Venerable Hui Han, who just turned
forty years old, as the Seventh Chief Abbot. It can be said that
the true spirit of freedom and democracy has been actualized in
the process. I deeply believe that it is only by allowing younger
people to hold high positions that our future can be filled with
endless energy and hope. It is only through the “changing of the
guards” that we can progress and revitalize ourselves endlessly.
As modern people, we should contemplate this deeply!
Last year in June, President Chen Shui-bian called for a
“National Cultural Association” and appointed me as the chair
of the religious committee. I later held discussions with
representatives from various religions on legislation for
religion. I also emphasized the principles for such legislation
and the feasibility of its content. In the Seminar for Temple
Management, I delivered a keynote address on religious legislation
by advocating relevant education in religion as the prerequisite
for religious workers in charge. Emphasis should also be placed on
the inheritance of property of Buddhism by legitimate Buddhist
personnel in order to ensure the stable development of a religion
so that it can truly realize its function of purifying human
hearts.
Buddhist devotees also need to get organized. Hence, I drew
up plans for the “Dana Family System” with the aim of
organizing our devotees. This will serve to strengthen the
cohesive force of the temple so unity can be achieved.
The path for exchanges between Northern and Southern
Buddhist traditions was further fortified in 2004. Last year, we
had even closer exchanges and better understandings with
Thailand’s Deputy Supreme Patriarch Somdej Phra Yanvarodom and
Theravadan Elder K. Sri Dhammananda. Thailand’s Deputy Supreme
Patriarch invited Fo Guang Shan’s Venerable Miao Sen to teach
Mahayana Buddhism at Mahamakut Buddhist University. In January,
the Supreme Patriarch presented Fo Guang Shan with a two-ton gold
Buddha statue paving a new way for harmony between Northern and
Southern Buddhist traditions. In addition, I have held discussions
with visiting Korean Sanghas, such as the Jogye Order of Korean
Buddhism, Dongguk University, Tongdosa, Haeinsa, Songgwangsa, and
Joong-Ang Sangha University Bhikuni Dr. Bo-Gak. Moreover, at Fo
Guang Shan we also received delegations from China’s Shaolin
Temple, Baima Temple, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
During our meetings, we reached consensus on academic, monastic,
and language exchanges to improve mutual learning. It is only
through reaching out that we can humanize, internationalize, and
modernize Buddhism without differentiation between self and
others. We need to join together with one heart and mind so that
we can better exhibit the strength of Buddhism in purifying human
hearts in the future world.
I would like to report to all of you that music, like
Buddhism, has no boundaries. “Sounds of the Human World,”
organized by Fo Guang Shan Foundation for Buddhist Culture and
Education, is a realization of this concept. Last year in Taipei,
Buddhist songs were translated and presented in Portuguese, Zulu,
German, French, English, Korean, Thai, Filipino, Hindu, and
Chinese languages. Music bridges various ethnicities around the
world so that communication and harmony are actualized. Faced with
confrontations between ethnic groups, today’s Taiwan can
certainly learn a positive lesson through the people’s enjoyment
and participation in music.
In coordination with the Buddhist Association of China, Fo
Guang Shan Buddhist Monastic Choir brought Buddhist music to new
heights in Asia and abroad. They jointly staged performances with
China’s five major monasteries in three language systems in
Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Macau, America, and Canada. During
the period between October and November, the Fo Guang Shan
Buddhist Monastic Choir toured eight major cities for a series of
performances in the American states of Nevada, Texas, and Missouri
and Canada’s Ontario and Quebec. These performances enhanced the
impact of Buddhism and wrote a new page in the exchange of
Buddhist orders from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
In propagating the Dharma and cultural affairs, new records
were also made. BLTV organized an “International Chinese
Classics Recital Competition” in Hong Kong with more than a
thousand children participating. Dong Zen Temple in Malaysia
conducted a bi-lingual international “Refuge Taking, Five
Precepts and Bodhisattva Precepts Retreat.” The Fo Guang Shan
branch in Berlin held the first “Short-term Monastic Retreat”
in European Buddhist history. South Bay in Los Angeles had its
first “Sing and Speak Dharma Lecture Series” in America. The
Most Venerable Hsin Ting demonstrated the liturgy of Yogacara
Flaming Mouth Dharma Function at Harvard University and Smith
College in Massachusetts. About a thousand people attended these
two Dharma functions including many professors, students, and
other academics. Nan Tien Temple in Australia conducted the first
Chinese Buddhist Triple Platform Full Ordination for monastics
from sixteen countries. Enhancing Buddhism’s position
internationally, my disciples from branch temples in Paris,
Sweden, Berlin, Argentina, Canada, and the U.S.A. took part in
international book exhibitions held in each region representing
our Fo Guang Shan Cultural Enterprise.
In the area of publications, the second publishing of
Illustrated World Buddhist Arts and First Lessons of Fo Guang
Chan, the Dictionary of Contemporary Buddhist Personnel, the
classical collection of Between Ignorance and Enlightenment, and
the third and fourth volumes of Humble Table, Wise Fare were
completed. The one hundred and twenty volumes of Chinese Buddhist
Academic Series edited by the Fo Guang Shan Tripitaka Board were
also published. Fo Guang Shan International Translation Center
translated and published Hsing Yun Chan Talk and Being Good in
Swedish, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Korean. It is hoped that
these translations can assist the locals in understanding the
Dharma. Because the affect of culture on human hearts is broad and
deep, we have persisted from the beginning to “propagate the
Dharma with cultural activities.” Our goal is to create a garden
profuse with the fragrance of books in order to enrich people’s
spiritual lives.
There was also good news about the development of Fo Guang
Shan’s education system. The fruits have been abundant.
“Distance Education” at the University of the West was
established to provide courses for students on campus as well as
for those in Fremont and San Diego, California and as far away as
Vancouver and Montreal in Canada. This initiative has broken
geographical barriers making it more convenient to reach and teach
a much broader region. Fo Guang Shan Tsung Lin Buddhist College
has also started “mobile teaching” for students to cultivate
an international outlook thereby increasing their knowledge. The
Internet teaching of Buddhism through the Fo Guang Shan Universal
Buddhist Open University only began operation last September and
has already received over a thousand applicants. At the same time,
Nan Hua University and Universidad Santo Tomas in Chile joined
alliance as sister universities.
The Fo Guang Shan Pu Men Senior High School’s Women
Basketball Team was established last July with Korean national
champion Miss Lee Hung Suk, a former Olympian player, as its
coach. Built in Taichung’s Puli, the Jiuntou Elementary and
Junior High School was inaugurated in September. Community
colleges operated by Changhua Fu Shan Temple, Taichung Guang Ming
Xue Yuan, Lan Yang Temple, Chiayi Yuan Fu Temple, and Sanshia Jin
Guang Ming Temple popularized the social education programs
undertaken by Fo Guang Shan. Dr. Johnny Ning Chao was selected as
the new president of Fo Guang University last year. On the
invitation of Suzhou’s Xi Yuan Temple in China, Venerable Tzu
Jung presented them with the Fo Guang Buddhist Canon. She also
went to Yangzhou Vocational School for the Deaf to present a
donation to their school foundation.
Nine Buddhist College graduates originally from Ladakh,
India, such as Ru Hong, Ru Chuan, and Ru Tao, went back to India
at the end of the year. After eight years of study, they finally
completed their education and returned to their homeland to
actualize the localization of Buddhism there. In addition, my
disciple Man Chi received her doctorate degree in philosophy from
Sichuan University. Others such as Man Ken, Miao Chung, Man Sheng,
Chueh Min are finishing their doctorate programs at Beijing,
National People’s, Nanjing, and Lanzhou Universities, while Man
Ting, Jue Guan, Chueh Duo, Miao Huang, and Jue Fang are enrolled
at Xiamen, Fudan, Tsinghua, Wuhan, and Beijing Universities for
doctorate studies. Venerable Chueh Cheng has accomplished much in
propagating the Dharma in Brazil, especially with the
establishment of “Zu Lai Children” providing an opportunity
for youth education and relief for the needy. She was honored by
the Brazilian government as an “Honorary Citizen” of the city
of Cotia – the first bhiksuni in Brazilian history to receive
such distinction. Venerable Miao Sen will become the first
bhiksuni officially recognized by Thailand. Because of her
compassion, joy, and generosity in devoting herself to the
villagers, Venerable Yung Sheng was honored as Hualien’s Chie An
Village “Honorary Villager” in Taiwan. These have brought me
much joy because the large tree of Fo Guang Shan has become lush
with branches and leaves and laden with fruits and flowers.
Looking back at my own life, though, I had never received
any formal education, I have had the good fortune of gaining
recognition from Catholic universities as well as those of both
Northern and Southern Buddhist traditions accepting honorary
doctorate degrees from them. Last year, Korea’s Dongguk
University and Thailand’s Mahamakut Buddhist University offered
me honorary doctorate degrees in education and philosophy
respectively. Oscar Goodman, Mayor of Las Vegas in Nevada, and
Leonard L. Scarcella, Mayor of Stafford, Texas, went to Taiwan to
confer their cities’ honorary citizenship upon me at the BLIA
General Conference. Such honors are the result of the joint
accomplishments of everyone involved in Fo Guang Shan and signify
the recognition of the efforts of our Dharma propagation by those
from different walks in life. These only further strengthen my
mission for world peace and welfare for humanity. It is only
through vowing to “offer this body and mind to the universe”
that I will not let down people coming from all directions who
support our joint efforts and endeavors.
Now I would like to relate to you an interesting incident
from the past. When propagating the Dharma forty years ago, I was
rejected by the National Taiwan University because they believed
Buddhism had no place on a university campus. Last year, however,
the university invited me to give a lecture on “Self-awareness
Education in Chan Buddhism.” I feel deeply that the change in
causes and conditions is truly wondrous. BLIA conducted an
“International Youth Forum” at the National Taiwan University
inviting more than sixty young scholars from America’s Yale,
Harvard, and Columbia Universities to participate in a seminar
entitled “Connection with the World.” I presided over the
forum and Dr. Charles Kao and Dr. Johnny Ning Chao were also
invited to speak encouraging young scholars to reach out
internationally in their thinking and actions in order to connect
with the world. Furthermore, through the invitation of the Korean
Bhiksuni Association, Venerable Tzu Hui gave a keynote speech
entitled, “Stride Forward, Bhiksunis” at the opening ceremony
of the 8th Sakyadhita International Conference on Buddhist Women.
Truly, Buddhism must “stride forward” so that there will be
more opportunities for development in the future. We must
actualize self-awakening and practicing the Buddha’s Way in
order for our spirit to soar high.
At the end of the year, I conducted a series of lectures at
the Hong Kong Coliseum and Taipei’s Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall on
“Life, Dying, and Living” putting forth new views on
Humanistic Buddhism. In honoring the achievements of outstanding
individuals in protecting the environment, the Austrian government
has presented them annually with the Energy Globe Award. The
organizer especially sent representatives to Taiwan to invite me
to Austria to present the award and speak on the issue. This
allowed me the opportunity at year-end to travel around the world
again from Taiwan to America, Canada, Germany, Netherlands,
Portugal, and Vienna in Austria to propagate the Dharma. I was
especially honored to receive an invitation by the leaders of
Hainan Province in China who flew me there in a chartered plane to
view the construction plans of their “Buddhist Forum.” Amidst
the windy and rainy weather at the time, I was thankful to come
and go in safety.
Seeing the great earth is about to welcome spring again, I
cannot help but feel deeply touched by the attachment for life of
all phenomena. As the leaves yellowed after a year, they will turn
green again eventually. Within the depth between withering and
flourishing, they allow us to learn the spirit to strive on, as
well as the respect and tolerance for life. My blessings to you
all in creating a new life and a new future in the coming new
year!
Wishing you auspicious coexistence!
Sincerely,
Hsing
Yun
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