Download Brief Sketch of the Life of the Venerable Master Wei Chueh

Brief Sketch of the Life of the Venerable Master Wei Chueh
1963
Ordained as a novice under the Venerable Master Lin Yuan at the Shi Fan Da Jue (“Great
Enlightenment”) Chan Monastery in Keelung, Taiwan.
1964
Received full ordination at the Shi Fan Da Jue Chan Monastery in Keelung, Taiwan.
Early 1971
Entered solitary practice in the secluded mountains near Wanli Village in Tapei County for over
10 years. Built Lin Quan Chan Monastery on the mountains to spread the Buddhist teachings at
the request of his followers from all over Taiwan.
Late 1991
Held seven consecutive seven-days Chan (Chinese Zen) meditation retreats, or traditionally
known as the “Chan-7” retreats, at Lin Quan Chan Monastery. Such a large-scale meditation
retreat was the first in the Taiwanese Buddhist circles. Its success revitalized and popularized
the practice of Chan Buddhism in Taiwan. Following the success of this event, the Venerable
Master has continued to host Chan-7 retreats in Taiwan and overseas. As of today, hundreds of
retreats have been held.
1993
Established Chung Tai Buddhist Institute, which provides an intensive educational program to
guide the monastics in the practice of the Buddhist teachings and to teach the many skills involved
in the teaching of Buddhism to lay disciples. Established meditation centers, which offer different
levels of meditation classes to lay disciples all over the communities in Taiwan. Traveled to
Penticton, Canada to host a Chan-7 retreat.
1994
Ground breaking ceremony for Chung Tai Chan Monastery. Delivered a Dharma lecture, “Chan
and Modern Life,” at the University of California, Irvine. Conducted a one-day meditation retreat
at Cal Poly. Conducted a Chan-7 retreat in Chuang Yen Monastery in New York.
1995
Became the Abbot of Shi Fan Da Jue Chan Monastery in Keelung, Taiwan.
1996
Went on an alms-begging round to raise disaster relief funds for the victims of Typhoon Herb.
1998
Began the planning and preparation for the establishment of Pu Tai Elementary School.
Transmitted the Triple Platform Ordination for the monastics and the Bodhisattva Precepts for the
laity at Shi Fan Da Jue Chan Monastery Keelung, Taiwan. Went alms-begging to raise funds for
the Keelung municipal government.
1999
Established an Immediate Disaster Relief Headquarter and a Fund Raising Branch for the 921
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Earthquake in Taiwan. Mobilized the entire sangha and lay disciples to take part in the rescue and
relief efforts. Raised a total of over 70 million NTD for the Disaster Relief Foundation. The relief
efforts won an honorary recognition from the government of Taiwan, and won the “Examplary for
Good Person Doing Good Deeds” award in the year 88 in the Republic of China.
2000
Established Chinese Century Buddhism Association. Went into a solitary meditation retreat for six
months inRuisui, Hualien County in Eastern Taiwan. Started the planning stage of Pu Tai Senior
High School.
2001
Ground breaking ceremony for Pu Tai Elementary School. Inauguration of Chung Tai Chan
Monastery with Consecration and Grand Opening Purification Ceremony.
Hosted “World Religions Cultural Exchange Conference.” Transmitted the Triple Platform
Ordination for the monastics and the Bodhisattva Precepts for the laity. Established "Fellowship
for World Religions and Peace." Held numerous cross-strait and international symposiums and
Conferences. Accepted invitation to host Chan-7 retreat in the U.S. Organized the "Chung Tai
Chan Monastery Religious Arts and Cultural Overseas Delegation" to China for changes.
Received "Award of Excellence in the Organization of Charity Work and Contribution to Social
Education and Reforms in the year 89." Joined the government's participation in the Typhoon Nari
Disaster Relief operation, and received public recognition by the Taipei City government.
2002
The Buddha’s relics, from Famen Monastery in Fufeng, Shaanxi arrived at Taiwan and were
enshrined in Chung Tai Chan Monastery for 10 days. Organized the “Welcoming and Venerating
the Buddha’s Relics for Blessings Ceremony” in association with the various circles in the Nantou
County. Held a “Blessing Service for the Deceased Ceremony” for the Air China CI611 crash
victims. Chung Tai Cultural Educational Foundation received the “Year 90 Taipei City Model of
Excellence for Service-Learning Award.”
2003
Held “Blessing and Peace Ceremony for the Early Prevention and Eradication of the SARS
Epidemic.” Donated Public Mobile Libraries to the Puli Township. Held a Three-Days Chan
Meditation Retreat for Business Executives.
2004
Held the first “49 Days Medicine Buddha Ceremony” to pray for economic prosperity and world
peace. Headed to the United States to spread the Dharma. Conducted the Consecration and Grand
Opening Purification Ceremony at the Chung Tai Zen Center of Houston and Chung Tai Zen
Center of Sunnyvale. Joined the Typhoon Mindulle and 72 Flooding Diaster Relief Operation.
Initiated the Fund Raising Operation for the South Asian Tsunami Disaster.
2005
Inauguration of Pu Tai Elementary School. Passed the Abbotship of Chung Tai Chan Monastery on
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to his disciple Master Jian Deng. Donated to the Disaster Relief Fund for the Hurricane Katrina
victims.
2006
Delivered a lecture at the Sichuan University, China, and accepted the appointment as honorary
professor at the university. Held the first The True Face of the Lotus Treasury -- Chung Tai Shan
Buddhist Art Exhibition in November.
2007
Ground-breaking ceremony for Chung Tai Museum. Ground breaking ceremony for Pu Tai Senior
High School. Established Pu Ren Associated Clinic to service the community. Held the first The
True Face of the Lotus Treasury -- Chung Tai Shan Buddhist Art Exhibition in November.
2008
Donated 26,600,000 NTD to the Sichuan 512 Earthquake disaster area. Completed the
establishment of 108 meditation centers nationally and overseas, including the United States,
Australia, Italy, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand and the Philippines.
2009
In August - Donated 36,830,000 NTD to the Morakot Typhoon Relief. Inauguration of Pu Tai
Senior High School, which fully realized the goal of establishing a comprehensive educational
system with coordinated elementary, junior and senior high schools.
The first of April was the signing of the partnership agreement between Chung Tai Arts and
Culture Foundation and Zhejiang Provincial Museum for the Chung Tai Museum grand opening
special exhibition, Heavenly Treasures Sprung from the Earth: Soothing Art for the Mind from the
Wuyue Kingdom. The third of October was the inauguration of Chung Tai Museum.
Venerable Wei Chueh currently holds the following titles:
Founder of Chung Tai Chan Monastery
Spiritual Director of Chung Tai Chan Monastery
Spiritual Director of The Chung Tai Buddhist Institute for Monks and The Chung Tai Buddhist Institute
for Nuns
Founder of Pu Tai Elementary and Junior High School
Founder of Pu Tai Senior High School
Spiritual Director of Taiwan College Youth Chan Study Society
Chairman of the Chinese Century Buddhism Association
President of the Chung Tai Art and Culture Foundation
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