Politics, Human Rights, and What the Buddha Said About - Life

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In life, Master Hsing Yun articulates the Buddha view of the meaning , grandeur, and mystery of life, while applying those view in different arenas of contemporary society . Embracing a style that is both well-informed and down –to-earth, life flows effortlessely between Buddhist theory and practice, and between history and personal expose , while entering a deep exploration of topics that few Buddhist leaders dare to investigate ; human rights, education politics , and freedom . Delivering into these weighty topics, life is both beautifully reverent and hopeful for human rights, education, politics and freedom. Delving into weighty topics, life is both beautifully reverent and hopeful for humanity and all life in the world.

Venerable Master Hsing Yun was born in Jiangdu , Jiangsu Province , China, in 1927. Tonsured under Venerable Mate Zhikai at age twelve, he became a novice mink at Qixia Temple , a mountain monastery in Nanjing, China.

After arriving in Taiwan in the Spring of 1949, the Ven. Master became the chief editor of life journal, Awakening the world , Buddhism Today , and a host of other publications. In 1952, While at Leiyin Temple in Ilan , he established chanting groups, student and youth organization , a children’s Sunday school, and various Dharma teams that eventually laid the foundation for his future efforts in Buddhist propagation.

In 1957, the Ven . Master established a Buddhist cultural center that become today’s foguang Cultural Enterprises C., Ltd. That publishers a variety of Buddhist books and audio-visual training tools,. The founding of fo Gaung shan Buddhist Order in 1967 actualized the ven . Master’s vision of Humanistic Buddhism through education , cultural activities , charity and religious practices that” that foster talent , propagate the Dharma , Provide aid , and cultivate morality in people . “ Since then , over one hundred and fifty branch temples have been established worldwide. Among them are his Lai temple, Nan Tien Temple , and hua Temple the largest Buddhist temples ever built In north America, Australia, and Africa, respectively . In addition to short museums, libraries, published a free medical clinic, a Buddhist research institute, two high schools (zhi Gaung and pu Men High Schools ), His University , now University of the West , in the United states, as well as Fo Gaung University and nan Hua University in Taiwan . In 1970, 1975 , and 1987 respectively , great Compassion foundation were formed to provide for orphans, abandoned children , and senior citizens, as well as the poor and needy in Taiwan. Today , about two thousands monastic discipline have been tonsured under Ven. Master Hsing Yun who has over a million followers worldwide. Throughout is life, the ven. Master has dedicated himself to propagating the ideals of being a global citizen and developing Humanistic Buddhism in which the teaching of Joy and harmony , integration and coexistence, respect and tolerance , equality and peace are widely disseminated. Upon the inception of Buddha’s Light international Association on February 3 , 1991 , , Ven . master Hsing Yun was elected to assume its presidency . As of 1997, over one hundred international chapters of the BLIA have been established to carry out the ven . Master ‘s ideal of “letting the Buddha’s light shine over the three thousands realms and the Dharma water flow throughout the five Continents.”

Over the years, the Ven . Master has been recognized with numerous awards .In addition to the highly acclaimed honours received in his home country , the Republic of china, the Ven . Master has also gained international attention for his selfless dedication and contributors . He is the first person from the Roc. To be granted an honorary Ph. D. by the University of Oriental studies in 1978, and was awarded the Buddhist Gem Awarded by the Indian National Buddhist Assembly in 1995. In may of 1997, Taiwan ‘s Ministry of contribution to society , his country , and Buddhism at large . In Ordination Ceremonies along with the five precept and Bodhisattva precept ceremonies in Bodhgaya, India to restore the there vada bhiksuni precepts, which had been lost for over a millennium. On April 8, 2998, he accepted the Buddha’s tooth relic which he personally escorted from India to Taiwan where it would remain . The Ven. Master ‘s contribution toward Buddhism in truly Phenomenal and has helped society gain a better understanding of Buddhism a amidst current trends of institutionalization, modernization , humanism, and globalization.

For more information about the life of venerable master Hsing Yun, please see Handling Down the light and bright star , Luminous clouds by Fu Zhiying.

Do not go Upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notation that has been pondered over; nor upon another’s seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, “the monk is our teacher.” Kalamas , when yourselves know; “these things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,” enter on and abide in them.

Buddhist are called to challenges all they hear, even the teachings of the Buddha. It is this spirit of free inquiry that leads to the most meaningful discoveries. The Buddha taught us to the most meaningful discoveries. The Buddha taught us to learn from everyone around us , through we must ultimately be our own teachers and learn from what we experience to be true. It is . in part, this process of free inquiry that has allowed the many permutations of Buddhism to arise and flourish.

Master Hsing Yun’s name may not be familiar to most Buddhist in the West , through his influence reaches far beyond his home monastery in Taiwan, Fo Gaung Shan. As part of a generation of Buddhist reforms in Taiwan, Master Hsing Yun has revolutionized Chinese Buddhism.

He is the Founder of Fo Gaung Shan, a Taiwanese Buddhist monastery with over two hundred branch temples around the world throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, and Americas, as well as many associated charitable and educational Institutions He has adapted popular media to pro[agate Buddhism , including developing newspaper, magazines, songs, and even a television station with its own studios. He established universities to better train his monastics and provide an affordable education for the public , as well as developing some of the best research resources fro Chinese Buddhism. He has supported the rights and equality of women. He stepped down as abbot of Fo Gaung shan to institute a democratic system of governance in his temples in which all future abbots would be elected by popular vote to their positions with term limits. Internationally , he has been critical in opening up china to religion and has played a diplomatic role in improving relations between China and Taiwan. His direct impact on east Asia and his influence o other teachers has been enormous.

The presents work is an edited compilation of several talks given by master Hsing Yun with the intention of providing a single volume that outlines the Unique and significant elements of his teachings, for he is not without his own views born from the process of free inquiry.

Master Hsing Yun calls his approach to Buddhist teachings and practice “Humanistic Buddhism,” a name which denotes a commitment to making Buddhism relevant to and integrated with the daily lives of its adherents His Dharma talks are characterized by his effort to make Buddhism accessible for as brad an audience as possible , but another critical part of his integration of Buddhism and life includes developing opinions on matters of social Justice and public policy. Unlike some Buddhist teachers, Master Hsing Yun does not shy away from expressing these views . In fact , an essentials part not shy away from expressing these views . In fact, an essentials part of master Hsing Yun’s throughout is the innate importance of engagement - to be concerned with society and to participate in public life is a virtue in itself. While it is possible to debate the relative merits of any given political stance or social viewpoint, to be completely apathetic is seen as an unequivocal mistake.

For master Hsing Yun religion must engage society . Fo Gaung Shan expends great effort and resources to foster education by building universities and schools and providing charity and assistance to the sick and needy . Yet throughout his teachings, Master Hsing Yun charges religion primarily with the task of improving social mores and values.

Master Hsing Yun’s view on the interaction between religion and government is necessarily complex, as his belief in the responsibilities of religion is paired with a commitment to the democratic decision making process, including the separation of church and state . His political views defy attempts at easy categorization . For example, he is completely committed to democratic institution, freedom , and human rights , while also strongly believing in the importance of social order and that freedom necessarily has its limits. He pushes for innovation in Buddhist institutions by making use of popular media and new technology , but these innovations are supported by a commitment to realizing the Buddha ‘s ideals as preserved in the Buddhist sutras.

Life is about the intersection of Buddhism with the other noteworthy issues; society , human rights, race, politics, democracy , environment , war, and our future . It is not meant to communicate the formal elements of Buddhist study , but instead reflects one Buddhist master ‘s view on living life , and what is important for those readers who are interested , an explanations of Buddhist terminology and the relevant elements of Chinese history are provided in a glossary . For the committed student of Buddhist studies, there is an index of quoted texts to ease the problems of navigating the English , Sanskrit , and Chinese name variants of important Buddhist sutras.

Ultimately, one should read life for its focus ; not what we get out of life , nor even the search for the meaning of life, but he meaning we put into this life . Our actions, our speech, our thoughts – the joys, the sorrows, the love -it’s what we do , who we are, and what we intend that creates our lives and the meaning in them We are the meaning of our lives and us up to us to decide the direction they take.

Master Hsing Yun encourage us to take the path of harmony , tolerance, respect, and courage - a path on which all people can grow and cultivate themselves together . For it is in this harmonious cooperation that we can all awaken to the true potential of life on this earth.