Download Nov 2015 - Chung Tian Temple

Edition 108
November 2015
BLIAQ Newsletter
Buddha’s Light International Association of Queensland, Australia
Upcoming Events
Chung Tian Buddhist Temple
1034 Underwood Road
Priestdale QLD 4127, Australia
Website: www.chungtian.org.au
Email: [email protected]
Ph: 3841 3511
Fax: 3841 3522
ha
BLIA Annual World Conference first time to be held in China in 25 yrs
29 November 2015
One Day Meditation
Retreat
5 December 2015
Opening Ceremony of
The Magic of Chinese
Embroidery Art Exhibition
at Chung Tian Art Gallery
6 December 2015
English Basic Meditation
Introduction Class
26 & 27 December 2015
2 Days Amitabha
Buddha’s Recitation
Retreat
1 January 2016
New Year Day
Pilgrimage
3 January 2016
One Day Meditation
Retreat
16 January 2016
Celebrating Buddha’s
Enlightenment Service
Chanting the Diamond
Sutra
17 January 2016
Buddha Enlightenment
Day
 The Opening Ceremony of ‘The 1st Meeting of the Sixth Board of Directors of BLIA 2015’ was held
on this day in the Main Shrine of Foguangshan Ancestral Monastery Yixing Da Jue Temple. The
Founding President Venerable Master Hsing Yun welcomed thousands of people coming from more
than 80 countries to gather together. Deputy Director of the State Bureau of Religious Affairs Jiang
Jian-Yong, KMT Honorary Vice-Chairman John Chiang, President of China Buddhist Association
Venerable Xue Cheng and many other guests also came to make the event a success. Buddha Light
International Association (BLIA) was founded in Los Angeles 25 years ago. At present, more than 70
countries set up BLIA Chapters with a total of more than three million members globally. As for the
reason to establish BLIA, the Venerable Master pointed out that traditional Buddhism was confined to
temples and monastics, but separated from society and families. He said, “Buddhism is a treasure –
our faith, mind and aim. In particular, Chinese people around the world often find refuge in the
Buddhist faith. If we can let more people know Buddhism, Buddha’s light will shine over the world.”
Seventy-eight years ago, the Venerable Master renounced in Yixing Da Jue Temple. He hoped to
follow Master Tai Xu and Zhao Pu-Chu’s concept of Humanistic Buddhism to serve and contribute to
the country and society instead of the traditional way of Buddhism. Thus BLIA was established, not
only to propagate the Dharma but also actively promote Chinese culture. It was hoped that the title of
‘Sick men of Asia’ could be wiped out, and Chinese culture could shine in the world.
In 25 years, BLIA World Conference has been held in Los Angeles, Tokyo, Sydney and other places,
but never convened in China. This time, thanks to the approval of the State Bureau of Religious
Affairs, BLIA members worldwide were the first time to gather in Yixing Da Jue Temple to discuss how
to promote the development of Chinese culture in China. Jiang Jian-Yong said: The Venerable
Master is the practitioner of Humanistic Buddhism. By his prajna wisdom, courage and diligence, he
has led BLIA around the world to propagate Buddhism. Through culture, education, charity and joint
cultivation, he advocates the integration of the traditional and the modern, creating the mode of
Humanistic Buddhism in Foguangshan. All members, regardless of gender, race and wealth, aim to
benefit people and society with equanimity and unconditional compassion. KMT Honorary ViceChairman John Chiang mentioned that in the past, he often accompanied foreign guests to
Foguangshan to visit the Master. Based on many years of observation, he discovered that BLIA
members had faith and values of right and wrong. BLIA is an organization that serves and contributes
to society and the country. He hoped that other communities or political parties could learn from BLIA
and its members.
Most Venerable Xue Cheng said that Venerable Master Hsing Yun not only inherited the concept of
Humanistic Buddhism from Master Tai Xu but also developed it on a firm base. Over the years, BLIA
participated in social activities. Whether it was the Sichuan earthquake or the 1988 hurricane,
disaster relief given by BLIA members could always be seen. Through the welcoming of Buddha’s
finger relic to Taiwan, and the Second World Buddhist Forum and International Buddhist Music
Performance jointly organized with China, the Venerable Master was able to actively promote crossstrait educational development and exchange with far-reaching effect
Dr. Charles H.C. Kao, Founder and CEO of Global Views Monthly and Commonwealth Publishing
Company believed that the Venerable Master well-deserved the ‘Light of China’ award presented to
him by CCTV in 2013 since he was able to become a world-class religious leader starting from
nothing. He felt that the Venerable Master’s compassion, wisdom and selflessness were the best soft
power in Taiwan. Then, Letters of Appointment were presented to members of the Standing
Committee, Fellowship Committee of different continents, new Chief Elder Advisors and new Elder
Advisors. Following this, President of World Headquarters Most Venerable Hsin Bao and Acting
President Venerable Tzu Jung conferred Certificates and flags to four new Chapters of Houston,
United States.
 From Life News Agency  Translated by Elaine Pun
Page 1
Opening of Main Shrine in Foguanshan Ancestral Monastery Yixing Da Jue Temple
 After ten years of reconstruction of Foguangshan Ancestral Monastery Yixing Da
Jue Temple, the Opening Ceremony of the Main Shrine and Duobao White Pagoda
was held on 18th of October, hosted by the President of China Buddhist Association
Most Venerable Xue Cheng and eleven Grand Masters. Venerable Master Hsing
Yun was present to give a talk. Nearly 30,000 BLIA members from 80 countries in
the five continents of America, Oceania, Asia, Europe and Africa gathered there and
with Elders from different temples, celebrated the opening and witnessed a new page
for the cross-strait peace and harmony. In the deafening sound of Dharma drum and
bells, Most Venerable Xue Cheng and eleven Grand Masters, leading nearly a
hundred Venerables of Foguangshan filed to the altar, followed by offerings of tea,
flowers, lamps, treasures etc. to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas by devotees from Beijing,
Shanghai and Nanjing, dressed in Chinese traditional clothing and modern costumes.
The Opening Ceremony was grand and solemn, jointly hosted by President of China
Buddhist Association Most Venerable Xue Cheng, Abbot of Yixing Da Jue Temple
Venerable Long Xiang, Abbot of Thailand Foguangshan Thaihua Temple Most
Venerable Hsin Ting, Abbots of Changzhou Tianning Temple, Wuxi Xiangfu Temple,
Suzhou Saionji, Suzhou Hanshan Temple and Hangzhou Lingyin Temple, Former
Abbot of Foguangshan Most Venerable Hsin Pei, Abbot of Foguangshan Most
Venerable Hsin Bao, and Deputy Secretary-General of China Buddhist Association
Venerable Hong Du, a total of 11 Grand Masters. Most Venerable Xue Cheng in the
Opening Ceremony said, “First opening – Buddha’s light shines over the
universe. Second opening – Dharma water flows through the five continents. Third
opening – peace and prosperity last for thousands of years.” The whole audience
gave a thunderous applause and celebration began with the profusion of colorful
crackers.
Most Venerable Xue Cheng said that the completion of Da Jue Temple’s Main Shrine
and White Pagoda could benefit people of the world and be praised by all beings of
heaven and earth. He gave his warm congratulations on behalf of China Buddhist
Association. He pointed out that the fundamental in Buddhism was to receive living
beings with the aim of helping them to gain liberation mainly by education and
Dharma propagation through cultural activities. The Temple not only embodies the
Triple Gem, it is a cultivation centre for the monastics, an important place to develop
public welfare and a precious site to promote Chinese culture. He expected that in
future, Da Jue Temple could bring along new development on cross-strait exchanges,
and charitable and academic activities. Abbot of Da Jue Temple Venerable Long
Xiang warmly welcomed Elders from different temples and the public to participate in
the event. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the support and care from the State
Bureau of Religious Affairs, China Buddhist Association and all levels in
Jiangsu. Though half of Da Jue Temple’s construction has not been completed, the
opening of the Main Shrine and White Pagoda was a great success. He further
thanked Venerable Master Hsing Yun for his compassionate vow of restoring Da Jue
Temple.
Venerable Master Hsing Yun explained the background of reconstructing the
temple. Ten years ago, Religious Director of Jiangsu Province Weng Zhen-Jin
proposed to restore the ancestral monastery. At that time, the Venerable Master
responded by saying, “Since I live in Taiwan, could I rebuild Da Jue Temple in
China?” Thanks to the unanimous approval and support from the State Bureau of
Religious Affairs, China Buddhist Association and government officials of Wuxi and
Yixing, Da Jue Temple was finally completed after 10 years. He mentioned about his
relationship with his Master – Most Venerable Zhi Kai after he became a monk at the
age of 12. He was grateful to people of all directions for their ardent support to jointly
achieve the reconstruction of the Temple. Most Venerable Xue Cheng presented his
calligraphy and books to Da Jue Temple, received by Most Venerable Hsin Bao,
Abbot of Foguangshan. In return, books of Venerable Master Hsing Yun –
‘Humanistic Buddhism Books Collection’, ‘Between Ignorance and Enlightenment’,
‘Buddhism for Centuries’, ‘Foguang Textbooks’ and ‘Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts’
were presented to him. The event was successfully completed in the singing of the
song ‘Praise the Buddha’ by Yixing Da Jue Choir.
 From Life News Agency  Translated by Elaine Pun
Page 2
Service, Dedication and Team Work – Fruitful Achievements of BLIA
 President of BLIA World Headquarters Most Venerable Hsin Bao, Acting
President Venerable Tzu Jung and Secretary-General Venerable Hui Chuan
hosted a ‘Comprehensive Reporting Session’ on 21 st of October. With BLIA
Deputy Secretary-Generals of different continents, they listened to six persons
who took turn to report on the result of their group discussion. They were
Directors, Elder Advisors, Chapter Presidents or Dharma Teachers from various
countries.
The conference had two sessions of group discussions. In one session, groups
were divided according to duties such as Directors, Dharma Teachers, Elder
Advisors and Branch Presidents of Chapters to discuss how they could cooperate
with each other more smoothly. The other session was a discussion about
localization on three areas of cultural education, charity and receiving youths,
sharing results of the work over the years.
“The biggest difference between BLIA and other community groups is that we have
faith,” said by an American Dharma teacher who was the first to report. He
pointed out that Foguangshan had a lot of resources such as children could learn
morality through games, and when growing up, they could join the youth group to
learn Humanistic Buddhism. As adults, they could become BLIA members and
use ‘Hear Me Out – Messages from the Humble Monk’ to nurture their right views
and right thoughts so that their faith could be maintained continuously.
President of BLIA ROC North Chapter Li De-Quan said that Elder Advisors should
be clear about their positions in life and learn the demeanor of exemplary
personages. When in position, they should work together with Venerables,
temples and members by taking care of them and by work decentralization. When
handing over, all resources should be passed on to the new president who should
be assisted in the transitional period.
“Participating in General Meetings is the best way to unite member forces,” pointed
out by Wang Ke-Qian, President of Vancouver Chapter. “There are many ways to
make a person who knows nothing about BLIA to join in BLIA. However, once
when they have joined in, they should be taken care of in order to keep them
stay.” He stressed on encouraging them to participate in activities or do voluntary
work. When becoming steady members, they could be educated so that they have
a better understanding of Foguangshan and BLIA, and experience ‘Cultivation
when serving others, and making vows in dedication’.
Elder Advisor of Vancouver Chapter Lian Yi reported the result of the discussion
on ‘Cultural Education’. She mentioned the example of Venerable Ru Chang who
conducted Divinity Fellowship Gathering in the Buddha Memorial Centre, enabling
Taoists in Taiwan to come on pilgrimage and paying homage to Buddha for five
years. Venerable Jue Pei, after becoming the Abbess of Golden Light Temple,
held Baby Blessing Ceremony and activities for Foguang kids so as to create
conditions for devotees to be in contact with Buddhism. Venerable Miao Shi,
during the construction of Foguangshan Ancestral Monastery Da Jue Temple,
learnt about innovation, creativity and self-correction. She encouraged everyone
to become ‘monk detectives’ to seek for more talented and promising young
people to enter the Sangha.
Director of Paraguay Chapter Chang Yin-Zhen pointed out that BLIA members
upheld the spirit of ‘When trouble occurs at one spot, help comes from all
quarters’. In charitable activities, United Nations NGO considered that the
program of ‘Buddha’s Children in Brazil’ under operation for ten years was the first
in global success, whereas the second was the Computer Course in Nan Hua
Temple of South Africa. These two programs have successfully transformed the
lives of many people. In addition, Most Venerable Hsin Bao also encouraged
participating members to become everyone’s Kuan Yin Bodhisattva.
“Development of a country relies on young people. Establishment of Pure Land on
earth should be continued from generation to generation,” said Xu Gui-Ting,
President of San Francisco Chapter. Foguangshan and BLIA allowed Foguang
youths to have a platform. In benefiting society, they learnt to cherish, and in
serving the temple, they inherited the Dharma body and wisdom life. They could
make use of their talent to propagate Humanistic Buddhism. BLIA is an
organization that respects its institution. Even though young people selected as
Presidents do not need to worry as they have the support of the temple.
After the report of each group, President of Philippine Chapter announced that the
new Philippine version of ‘Biography of Buddha’ would be performed in Singapore
and Malaysia in November and December. He vowed that next year, he would
lead the performing group to perform in Foguangshan. Director of World
Headquarters Cheng Wen-Hong, considering himself as a ‘senior Buddha’s Light
member’ said that in the past when asking who would like to come forward to
report, everyone would lower their heads, but now many people raised their hands
wanting to report. Seeing the initiative and enthusiasm of BLIA members, he was
really happy.
 From Life News Agency  Translated by Elaine Pun
Page 3
The Night of BLIA
 The Central Square of Foguangshan Ancestral Monastery Da Jue Temple was
especially lively and bustling in the evening of 20 th of October. BLIA members from 80
countries worldwide fully showed their talent to exhibit the cultural characteristics of their
countries. Faces were filled with laughter, warm applause from the audience and
clicking sounds of cameras from all directions.
In this special night, BLIA members of the five continents, after the BLIA World
Headquarters Board of Directors Meeting transformed themselves to become the
leading characters on stage in singing, chorus, sign language, dancing, suite, short play
and even acting the role of the opposite sex. Performances were rich and multifarious,
sometimes elegant and graceful but sometimes vibrant and lively, gaining thunderous
applause from the audience.
Among them, the performance of cheerleaders of ROC Chapter was like international
carnivals that aroused the audience to wave their hands in the air, following the rhythms
of their vibrant dance. It is worth mentioning that when the actors of ‘Siddhartha’ from
Philippines sang ‘We are one’, the beautiful singing and melodies echoed throughout the
venue.
Mobile phones, cameras, video recorders not only focused the stage but also the
audience who unexpectedly became objects of favorite shot. Their expressions were
natural and happy, some waving their hands and some laughed as if they could not
close the mouth. There were even people when seeing lifelike vivid performances,
immediately kneeling and joining their palms, forming a touching scene of the night.
The last program was the singing of ‘Song of Foguangshan’ led by Venerable Tzu Jung
Acting President of BLIA World Headquarters and all other Venerables. BLIA members
also sang with them. The series of performances with the mingling of beautiful music
and art, and the warmth and joy when the monastics and lay Buddhists sang ‘We are
one family’, fully displayed the joyful characteristic of Foguangshan.
 From Life News Agency  Translated by Elaine Pun
Light Offering Blessing Ceremony – Nearly 2000 BLIA members lit up their mind
 In the moonlit night on 18th of October, ‘Light Offering Blessing Ceremony’ was held
in Bodhi Square in front of the Main Shrine in Foguangshan Ancestral Monastery Yixing
Da Jue Temple. Nearly 2,000 Buddha’s Light members offered their light to pray for the
blessings of Buddha.
Abbot of Foguangshan Most Venerable Hsin Bao, Former Abbot Most Venerable Hsin
Pei, Venerable Hui Kuan, Venerable Hui Fang and Venerable Hui Xing led devotees
from over the world to do light offering before the Buddha. It was followed by the
chanting of ‘Namo Calamity-Averting and Life-Prolonging Medicine Buddha’. In the light
breeze, everyone concentrated on the chanting. They raised the light to their eyebrows
and piously prayed for the blessing of their families and friends, and the liberation of all
beings from suffering.
Kenneth Holloway, an American shared in fluent Chinese, saying “To be able to join with
everyone to pray before the Buddha is an excellent opportunity for me and makes me
feel calm and peaceful.” From Foguangshan and BLIA, he found refuge of the
mind. Especially after reading the Venerable Master’s books and Dharma words of
wisdom, he gained unlimited strength to break through difficulties and barriers of life. He
hoped to learn the spirit of the Venerable Master and be able to do writing to convey the
concept of Humanistic Buddhism and the essence of Dharma to people.
“When participating in the Light Offering Blessing Ceremony in Da Jue Temple, I was
moved to tears,” Pan Hui-Mei, Chen Mei-Yi and Chou Ma-Li from Malaysia said. In the
praying, they vowed to follow the Venerable Master’s steps to deliver self and
others. They hoped to share their joy of studying Buddhism with others and more
people could learn Humanistic Buddhism. Liu Li-Ping, who was the first time to attend
the Directors’ Meeting, said shyly that she wished Buddha could give her wisdom to
accept everything with a loving heart.
 From Life News Agency  Translated by Elaine Pun
Page 4
Affirmation of Charity and Public Services in Dharma Propagation and Localization
 BLIA World Headquarters Board of Directors Meeting was held on 20 th of
October in Foguangshan Ancestral Monastery Da Jue Temple. There were group
discussions on ‘Localization’ and among which, ‘Charity and Public Services in
Dharma Propagation’ was hosted by Deputy Secretary-General of Northeast Asia
Venerable Yi Lai, Deputy Secretary-General of Southeast Asia Venerable Jue
Cheng, Chairman of Childcare& Medical Care Committee Song Yong-Jin and
Chairman of Social Charitable Services Committee Lu Shu-Yuan. Through
charity and public services, and combining with local education and culture in
purifying the human mind, BLIA won the recognitions from United Nations NGO
especially on the training program of ‘Buddha’s Children’ in Brazil and Computer
Courses to nurture talents in South Africa.
Venerable Yi Lai hoped that BLIA members could extend their hands of friendship
to the world, using charity to disseminate Dharma, implementing Humanistic
Buddhism, enhancing efficiency of Dharma propagation, promoting the
development of localization in Buddhism, and guiding local people to lead a
peaceful and happy life. Venerable Jue Cheng said, “The human world has love
as we are in coexistence.” Charity is a combination of public services and
education. Based on the team spirit of ‘When trouble occurs at one spot, help
comes from all quarters’, BLIA members motivated the Nepal ‘Four-in-One
Rescue System’ which included search and rescue, medical treatment, material
supply and humanitarian care to practice the concept of compassion.
“The most right thing in life is to join the Loving Care Group of BLIAQ.” said Lu
Shu-Yuan and she has actively participated in the charity program run by BLIAQ
Loving Care Group like fundraising for women’s breast cancer, Queensland floods
relief and other charitable activities. In serving others, her life was much
enriched. Song Yong-Jin said that because of the disparity of wealth in Paraguay,
the poor could not afford coffins and children were deprived of food. For 12 years,
BLIA members dedicated themselves in providing local medical services and set
up ‘Chinese Charity Foundation’ to help the poor, based on the spirit of the ‘Four
Offerings’. They got recognitions and assistance from the local government, thus
enhancing the status and image of Chinese people there.
Representatives from BLIA Chapters around the world shared their achievements in localization and charity and public services in
Dharma propagation. One of the stories of successful local charitable program was the establishment of the Dragon Team by
BLIA South Africa, providing computer courses to train talents and enabling more than 4,000 people to gain access to
employment. The Loving Care Group in Queensland, Australia has been established for 13 years, coordinating with the
government charitable fund to provide social services. A Brazilian named Eduarda, receiving education in the ‘Buddha’s Children’
program in Brazil has become an excellent English teacher. She was recognized by Venerable Master Hsing Yun and the United
Nations NGO as a successful case of charitable program implemented locally.
The Australian Sydney Chapter conducted activities such as near-death supportive chanting, ‘Respect for the Elderly’ in
Chungyang Festival, Laba congee etc. to induce people to learn Buddhism. BLIA Philippine was the first civil organization to
enter the affected area after the ravage of typhoon Haiyan, helping children in the disaster area to study in schools and to improve
their lives. They gained the recognitions and praise from the Philippine government.
Venerable Yi Lai said that during natural disasters, Venerable Master Hsing Yun would at the first time call upon all Foguangshan
temples around the world to conduct Blessing Ceremony to pray for the victims. In the Nepal earthquake, BLIA within one day
organized a ‘Four-in-One Rescue Team’ consisting of 38 members to go to the disaster area. This was the best example of
disaster relief. “Education is the purpose and future is the hope.” Venerable Jue Cheng who had been in disaster areas four
times, not only provided pluralistic education to children, but also gained recognitions from readers of Malaysia Sin Chew Daily,
saying that Foguangshan was an organization of integrity. She hoped that everyone could work together with the same aim of
promoting Humanistic Buddhism.
 From Life News Agency  Translated by Elaine Pun
BLIAQ members’ photos
 Meng
Page 5
Journey on the Ancient Silk Road
 Xian
 Small Wild Goose Pagoda
 The Wild Goose Pagoda
 The journey on the ancient Silk Road which I have yearned for a long time has
finally been accomplished because of the Consecration Ceremony of the Buddha
Statue in Dajue Temple. Prior to the trip, injection and preventive measures such
as malaria drugs were prepared. On 6th of October, we arrived at the first stop of
the trip – Xian, Shaanxi Province, which was the starting point of the ancient Silk
Road, 2500 km. extending from Xian to Urumqi.
 Famen Temple
 Famen Temple
 Terracotta warriors
 Maiji Mountain
 Maiji Mountain
 Maiji Mountain
Xian is located in the geographic centre of Mainland China and was the ancient city
of Chang’an. The city borders the northern foot of Qin Mountains (Qinling) to the
South, and the banks of Wei River to the North. It was the capital of 13 dynasties
including Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui and Tang. The ancient city walls are more than 10
km. long with four Gates of the East, West, North and South, surrounded by a moat
at the periphery. It is considered as one of the largest and most complete ancient
city wall in China. Outside the South Gate, the legend of the three cracking and
three repairing of the Small Wild-Goose Pagoda in Jianfu Temple added more
mystery to it. The three meters high ‘Wild Goose Pagoda Bell’ of Jin Dynasty is also
one of the eight attractions in Chang’an. The first visit of the journey was Ximing
Temple which was used by the Emperor in Tang Dynasty to produce the Buddhist
Canon and was also the centre of Buddhist culture in Chang’an. Master Xuan Zang
was the first Abbot. Then, we went to Da Ci’en Temple and its Big Wild-Goose
Pagoda in the Southern suburb of Xian. Da Ci’en Temple was one of the main sites
for Sutra translation at Chang’an in Tang Dynasty. The Big Wild-Goose Pagoda is
considered as the oldest and largest brick quartet-style pagoda of Tang
Dynasty. This was built for Master Xuan Zang to keep the Sutras and Buddha
statues which he brought back from India to China. After lunch, we went to one of
the eight wonders of the world – the famous Terracotta Warriors of Qin
Dynasty. The hand-moulded figures were made in a delicate way regarding their
costumes and the different demeanours, hand gestures and facial expressions, fully
displaying the amazing skills of ancient potters. I feel that if a person has not seen
the Terracotta Warriors of Emperor Qin’s Mausoleum, it is as if he has not visited
China. After visiting Xian’s famous Ximing Temple, the Big and Small Wild-Goose
Pagodas, Famen Temple Pagoda with Buddha’s relic, the Hand-Joining Stupa and
Terracotta Warriors, everyone was absorbed in the culture and history of the Sui
and Tang Dynasties. It is reasonable to say that Shanghai enables us to see
changes in a century, Beijing to see vicissitudes of the millennium, and Xian to see
civilization of five thousand years.
Leaving the border of Shaanxi, we came to Tianshui City, Gansu Province. There
we could really experience the Maiji Mountain Grottoes which is one of the four
main grottoes in Chinese Buddhism, constructed about 1,700 years ago on the cliffs
of Danxia landform. Some were built by boring caves and some were of indoor
style with eaves. There were many large outdoor stone Buddha statues. Taking
photographs of the overlooking view was already amazing. All of us followed the
ladder, built in accordance with the features of the cliff to the top of the hill where we
could see peaks and layers of mountains, surrounded by Cyprus and pine
trees. The guide and tour leader praised our spirit of strong will. The scenery was
very beautiful. Maiji Mountain Grottoes are the collection of Buddhist arts and
culture which differ from Dunhuang in taste and style. It could be said that it is
another pearl of Silk Road attractions.
After leaving Tianshui, the trip gradually entered the 1,000 km. long Hexi
Corridor. Twice taking the Xinjiang’s high-speed train saved us more time than
riding on a bus for 800 km. After arriving Zhangye, we went to the well-known Giant
Buddha Temple. Inside, there was a 35 metres long Nirvana Buddha statue which
was considered to be supreme among reclining Buddha statues in China. In the
temple, there were towering old trees and buildings everywhere. Shade of willow
trees on both sides outside the temple constituted a beautiful environment. Also it
housed the rare hand-written golden Sutra of Ming Dynasty. Then we went to
Zhangye National Geopark on the Northern foothills of Qilian Mountain. This was a
unique landscape in China, combining the Danxia landform and colourful hills. On
site, its beauty made one feel dizzy, and one could only marvel at the uncanny
workmanship of nature.
Page 6
The Mati Si (Horseshoe Temple) in Zhangye was built in the Northern Liang period
of Sixteen States in Eastern Jin Dynasty which was 1,600 years ago. The
legendary horseshoe print still exists in the Horseshoe Hall of Puguang
Temple. Mati Si was originally a Chinese Buddhist temple but it has gradually
become a Tibetan Buddhist temple. The large-scale Cliffside Pagoda Grottoes, also
known as the Caves of Thousand Buddhas were standing high on the cliff that
made us stunned by the magical architectural skills of ancient people. The
magnificent Tavatima Grottoes were in five layers with 21 caverns, in the shape of a
pagoda built on a cliff. However because of the time, we could not climb up to see
it. On the return trip, the scenery of green mountains and fields, extended woods
and pastures, and the snow white peaks of Qilian Mountain, matching with the
surrounding golden yellow leaves of autumn gave us boundless enjoyment both
visually and spiritually. Then we went to Jiayuguan Tower at the Western end of the
Great Wall. With its large scale, magnificent momentum and its construction
externally and internally forming ‘a city inside a city’, it is difficult to imagine how
ancient people could master the technique of using the loess ramming system to
build high buildings.
We then went to the renowned Dunhuang Magao Grottoes located on the West of
Hexi Corridor -- one of the four main grottoes in China. It has 1,700 years of history,
and is a palace of fine arts combining ancient architecture, sculpture and mural
art. Perhaps, having experienced the Grottoes of Maiji Mountain with numerous
outdoor sculptures on the cliffs and the large-scale Cliffside Caves of Mati Si
Grottoes, comparatively I was a bit disappointed about Dunhuang Grottoes’ overprotective way of display. After this, we arrived at one of the eight wonders of
Dunhuang, the ‘Desert Oasis’ -- Mingsha Mountain and the Crescent Moon Spring,
forming the 'Two Bests' in the southern Dunhuang city and becoming the tourist
resort. The quick sand and spring water are only separated by tens of
meters. Under strong wind, the spring will not be submerged by the quick
sand. Though situated in the desert, the spring water is clear. Such coexistence of
sand and spring is a rare topography, forming a wonder in the desert. The vast
expanse of the Gobi desert landscape in front and the lengthy 45 minutes of riding a
camel on the desert under the heat were unforgettable experience for us. It is
difficult to imagine how Master Xuan Zang crossed the 800 miles in Gobi desert to
the West to get the Sutras. His determination to overcome the hardships of the
journey and his unfaltering perseverance of “I would rather die while making one
last step towards the West than live by retreating one step towards the East,’ were
greatly admired.
 Zhangye National Geopark
 Zhangye National Geopark
 the Caves of Thousand Buddhas
After passing through the Hexi Corridor, we came to Yar City in Turpan, Xinjiang
Province, and Karez Paradise which was a unique irrigation system of wells
connected by underground channels on hill slopes, draining the water from melting
snow and ice into the farmland in Xinjiang. The Tian Shan Heavenly Lake was a
natural scenic spot at an altitude of 1910 meters high. There were golden autumn
aspen on both sides with trees towering into the sky, characteristic alpine and lake
scenery, and reflection of snow peaks. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the
Heavenly Lake, the temperature plunged to zero degrees Celsius. The lake was
covered with fog and the mountain with mist with nobody around. Though there
was no traffic, we still had the interest to pose for pictures. The guide and tour
leader praised our Buddhist spirit of taking things easy without complaint. We
walked down the hill in the dark and headed to the Urumqi airport where we flew to
Nanjing. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to BLIAQ for organizing this
trip to Dunhuang Silk Road, and the Abbess and Venerables’ careful planning and
thoughtful arrangements. We further thank Elder Advisors Collin and Christine Liu
for their considerate care, and the good affinity of Dharma brothers and sisters. We
also thank the tour leader Luo Dong and sister Luo for their meticulous care all the
way for us to safely complete the unforgettable journey on the ancient Silk Road in
China.
 Stephen Chang  Translated by Elaine Pun
 Bodhi Pagoda
 Bodhi Pagoda
 Taratimsa Grottoes
 Jia Yu Guan
 Dunhuang Grottoes
 Crescent Moon Spring
 Turpan – Yar City
 Jia Yu Guan
 Dunhuang Magao
Grottoes
 Mingsha Mountain
 Jia Yu Guan
Page 7
2015 BLIAQ Annual General Meeting
 On 14th of November at 2.00 p.m., BLIAQ Annual General Meeting was held in
the Main Hall of Chung Tian Temple, hosted by President Kim Wu. 250 people
participated including Abbess Venerable Chueh Shan, other Venerables, BLIA
Director David Yang, Elder Advisors Even Chang, Andy Hsueh and Jenniwaty
Luhur, and members of different Branches and Young Adult Divisions (YAD).
First, Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s talk on ‘The Value of Faith’ at the Board of
Directors General Meeting in Dajue Temple was played. “When faith matches with
the truth, we would gradually know how to be at ease and live freely on the
Bodhisattva path. Faith is our most important treasure. However, sincerity and selfcultivation are necessary before we can owe everything out of faith,” the Venerable
Master earnestly said.
President Wu talked about the benefits of being a President from organizing various
BLIAQ activities: 1. Blessed by deities; 2. Recognized by relatives and friends; 3.
Growing up in self-learning; 4. Chances to widely make good affinities; 5. Healthy
change of body and mind, and 6. Accumulation of merits with good causes and
conditions. “It also allows me to transform my plain life to stereoscopic life, a simple
life to colourful life, a self benefiting life to a life benefiting others, and a life with little
improvement day by day. A President not only enables the growth of the
Association, but also achieves self development.” He showed a video to report
BLIAQ activities throughout the year in promoting culture, education, charity and
joint cultivation.
Then the discourse of Venerable Man Ko, Deputy Secretary-General of Oceania,
Fogaungshan was played. She introduced Nan Tien Institute in promoting Buddhist
education in Australia. “For Buddhism to take root in Australia, in future it must be
able to obtain universal recognition. Whether lecturers can talk about Buddhist
concept is identified by their thesis. After identification, the general public and
scholars will fully believe in these doctrines, and recognize the status of Buddhism
in Australia.”
After the introduction of new members by Branch Presidents, Chung Tian Choir
leader, Loving Care Group leader, Diamond Group etc. and war cry from them,
Abbess Venerable Chueh Shan in her discourse said, “In ‘Hear Me Out – Messages
from the Humble Monk”, we can see that the Venerable Master has been making
vows in his life, vows from the self to society, to country and to all living beings
which broaden his mind. It is our bliss to become members of BLIAQ. Not only the
Venerable Master has given us a lot of practice methods, the temple also allows us
to study Buddhism. We are guided to practice the ‘Three Acts of Goodness’ and the
‘Four Offerings’. Foguangshan follows the Four Main Objectives to promote
Humanistic Buddhism. The Venerable Master told us about the value of faith. We
should acknowledge our faith, BLIAQ and everything that we do is to purify our
three karma of body, speech and mind in order to establish a Buddha’s Light Pure
Land.”
In the meeting, congratulations were given to Elder Advisor Even Chang to be the
Deputy Director of BLIA Diamond Fellowship Committee, and to Elder Advisor
Jenniwaty Luhur to be the Deputy Director of BLIA Women’s Fellowship
Committee. Then Certificates were presented to outstanding members and those
obtaining
excellent
results
in
Chinese
and
English
Buddhism
Examinations. Handover Ceremony of YAD leaders was performed – David Pham
to be the President of YAD I and Louise Chen the Presient of YAD II. The courage
of these young people in taking the responsibility of propagating the Dharma
allowed us to see the future and hope of Buddhism. Finally, the meeting ended in
the singing of ‘BLIA Song’ and a group photo was taken.
 Chung Tian Admin  Translated by Elaine
Pun
Page 8
Photos of 2015 BLIAQ Annual General Meeting
Page 9
Taking Refuge in Triple Gem – Our Spiritual Home
 On Sunday, November 15, in the peaceful setting of the Chung Tian Temple,
I took part in the Triple Gem Refuge ceremony – this time, however, to renew
my vows and re-dedicate my life to such a grand, perfect vision of existence. I
am inspired as one writer describes this vision in three great images: Perfect
Vision is a vision, first of all, of our actual present state of bondage to
conditioned existence as represented by the Wheel of Life. It is also a vision of
our potential future state of Enlightenment as represented by the Buddha, or the
mandala of Buddhas, or a Pure Land. Finally it is a vision of the path or way
leading from the one to the other – a vision, if you like, of the whole future
course of evolution (Sangharakshita, The Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path,
revised edition, 2007).
I reflected further after the ceremony: how privileged I am to discover a proven
way to wisdom, compassion, and freedom from suffering – now made readily
available in the West for all who wish to personally explore and participate in.
For me, then, having been introduced to the life-giving Dharma, this is a most
critical lifetime – so very much depends on my response. As part of my renewal,
I returned to the excellent publication entitled "The Triple Gem" (Buddhism in
Every Step #42), written by Venerable Master Hsing Yun. I find the booklet
inspiring; it is precious writing. It has much to study, reflect, and meditate upon!
With the horrendous Paris bombings fresh on my mind, I read the booklet which
explains that even if we were to rely on gods and deities, we will find that they
too are unreliable – because the gods themselves will one day manifest the five
signs of decay and will fall away. And so, the Buddha reminds us not to rely on
divine agencies (such as gods and deities, fortune telling, divination, or
geomancy) to guide and control our lives for good or ill.
The Dharma reveals that the most reliable support in this decadent age is the
Triple Gem – the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. In the final analysis,
only the Triple Gem can be a worthy object of our trust. Furthermore, in seeking
refuge in the Triple Gem, we can beseech them to help and protect us, and have
the expectation ever glow within us that we can indeed also be totally liberated
from suffering.
One of the most thrilling parts of my reflections was that of coming home to
myself! Again, drawing on "The Triple Gem", I share: The real taking of refuge in
the Triple Gem is actually to take refuge in oneself, to recognize oneself, and to
discover oneself. All along we have been in the world like walking corpses,
totally ignorant of where we came from in birth and where we will go in death. A
verse says: I was lost in oblivion when the Buddha was in the world and
appeared in this world after the Buddha’s parinirvana. I repent for all my many
karmic obstacles, that stopped me from seeing the Buddha’s glorious body.
After taking refuge in the Triple Gem, each one of us can suddenly discover that
“I am Buddha,” that we each possess the same wisdom and compassion as the
Buddha, and the same limitless potential. Each one of us is also the same as the
Buddha in his suchness and intrinsic nature. By relying upon the faith of taking
refuge in the Triple Gem, each one of us can be elevated to a oneness and
equality with the Buddha. Isn’t that something quite incomparably wonderful?
(Source: The Triple Gem, http://www.blpusa.com/download/bies42.pdf)
In closing, I honour and thank the Venerables for guiding us through the
auspicious Taking Refuge Ceremony. Also, I thank Meng (the editor of this
Newsletter), Brian Kemp and Gary Ziklag (leading members of BLIAQ) for
making my return to our "spiritual home" another memorable experience. The
serene country setting of Chung Tian Temple, together with the goodwill,
kindness, and warmth extended to me by everybody I meet, always moves my
heart to also show more love and compassion to others – and so to be a refuge
for them!
Long Life Prayer for Venerable Master Hsing Yun
In a time of degeneration with the world growing darker, you are a source of
happiness and good; kind and loving Venerable Master Hsing Yun, please
remain until samsara ends.
 Alexander Peck
Page 10
Chung Tian Temple Children’s Happy Camp – Learning the Three Acts of Goodness
 Chung Tian Temple ‘Children’s Happy Camp – Future and Hope’ was
kicked off on the 3rd of October. Its carefully planned courses with outdoor
games and activities attracted 165 local Australians and children of BLIAQ
members to participate. From this, the hope of transmitting the Buddhist faith
to the future generation could be anticipated.
The Opening Ceremony was held in the Heavenly Pagoda. Abbess Venerable
Chueh Shan encouraged children in the camp to learn and practice the ‘Three
Acts of Goodness’ i.e. ‘Doing good deeds, saying good words and having
good thoughts’, and the ‘Four Offerings’ i.e. ‘Offering people confidence, joy,
hope and convenience’ so as to make good affinity with others.
BLIAQ Elder Advisor Andy Hsueh told children to feel happy whatever they
thought, learnt and did in the camp. Chung Tian Branch President Brian
Kemp also encouraged them to nurture team spirit and to make good
friends. Louise Chen the Chief Coordinator and Linda Chang President of
YAD II said that the theme for the camp was ‘Future and Hope’. They hoped
that children could practice the ‘Three Goodness’ and ‘Four Offerings’ to
nourish the Bodhi seeds in them and to be the future and hope of Buddhism.
The camp was enriched with a lot of exciting activities such as ice-breaking
game, Buddhist etiquette, meditation and land treasure hunting. In
accordance with Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s book ‘Living Affinity’, courses
of ‘Significance of environmental protection’, ‘How to make good affinity’ and
‘Implications of wisdom’ were designed to inspire children’s compassion and
wisdom by integrating Dharma with games in a lively way.
 Chung Tian Admin  Translated by Elaine Pun
 On the 3rd and 4th of October, YAD members as well as other enthusiastic
helpers volunteered at this year's Chung Tian Temple Children's Happy Camp.
Just like any other year, crowds of smiling children filled the air with joy and
happiness. Being a yearly event, this year's Happy Camp was another great
success. With a really cooperative and energetic team of group leaders and
staff, teamwork was what made the two days such a great experience for the
many children who participated. Having to cater for 165 children, all the team
leaders showed their kids another face for fun with teachings of the Buddha as
well as etiquette, learning how to correctly do prostration, and many more fun
activities.
It's good to also see many familiar faces coming back to Happy Camp, which
shows that they certainly did have heaps of fun in previous camps. Throughout
the two days, the children enjoyed the company from their group leaders and
newly made friends. Overall, the camp was another great success and we aim
to make it an even better one next year!
 Winston Boon
Page 11
Shooting of Chung Tian Temple’s Tea Ceremony by Logan City Council to promote Artistic Attractions
 On 30th of October 2015, Nicole Davis, Marketing and Community
Engagement at Logan City Council and Paul Massingham, Tourism Marketing
Officer arranged Australian Celebrity Chef Poh Ling Yeow and three television
photographers of Channel 9 to come to Chung Tian Temple for filming and
interviewing. Logan City Council has included Chung Tian Temple to be one of
the important cultural artistic attractions and thus specially came to Chung Tian
Temple to film the demonstration of Tea Ceremony which would be broadcasted
on TV Channel 9. The photographs would be published in tourist magazines so
that people have a deeper understanding of Chung Tian Temple.
When shooting Tea Ceremony, it was demonstrated by Chao Xin and Sun YiQiao, explaining the characteristic of tea leaves and demonstrating the art of
brewing tea. Drinking tea is good to body health, refreshes the mind and can
even transcend oneself to a spiritual state of ‘Ch’an’ through brewing and tasting
tea. Celebrity Chef Poh Ling Yeow after tasting Oolong tea was very fond of the
tea’s fragrance and felt a sense of tranquility and ease. Simon Toy, the
photojournalist had many great shots and praised the uniqueness of Tea
Ceremony. These photos would be reported in media and magazines to
welcome tourists from Australia and all parts of the world to come to Logan City
for sightseeing. They could take the opportunity to visit Chung Tian Temple to
learn and experience Tea Ceremony which enriches the artistic and cultural life
of Logan City.
 Chung Tian Admin  Translated by Elaine Pun
Meditation Course for Department of Health, Queensland Government
 On 15th of October 2015, twelve staff from the Department of Health
Queensland Government specially came to the Temple to learn sitting
meditation for physical and mental health. They were received by Venerable
Miao Lai. In the Meditation Hall, they did warming exercise and walking
meditation. The basic essence of meditation was explained. When
concentrating on the counting of breaths, they should relax and feel at ease,
calm and peaceful. Breath counting in sitting meditation helps to gather the
scattering mind to a state of concentration. Life stress results from delusive
thoughts of the scattering mind which can lead to wrong views and wrong
judgment. If the mind is calm and clear, and is able to distinguish the right from
wrong or the good and bad, mistakes can be reduced and stress will naturally be eliminated.
After the course, they shared their experience in meditation. Some wanted to learn meditation so that they could concentrate on
their work much better or alleviate the pressure from work by suitable adjustment. Some wanted to know how to face the self in
solitude. The Venerable encouraged them to participate in meditation classes or meditation retreats of one day or two days in
Chung Tian Temple. According to the availability of time, people can practice sitting meditation themselves to purify the body and
mind. They were then led to visit the Main Hall and see the art exhibition by artist Mr. Liang Yan in Chung Tian Art Gallery so that
they have some understanding about the functions of the Temple.
 Chung Tian Admin  Translated by Elaine Pun
English Buddhist Chanting Service on every Sunday
 On every Sunday the English Buddhist Chanting Service is held from 9.00am
to 9.40am. Everyone is welcome to attend. On 18th of October 2015, Venerable
Jue Tang led 18 Westerners to recite ‘Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra’ in English
and Great Compassion Mantra, then chanting the name of Amitabha
Buddha. After sitting meditation to calm down and concentrate their mind, they
prayed by reading the Venerable Master’s ‘Prayer Upon Arising in the Morning’ –
“Oh great, compassionate Buddha! Please help me to become a brave person
in life: May I be able to purify my mind. May I be able to contribute often. May
I be able to cease all evil. May I be able to cultivate all goodness……”
After the chanting, Venerable Jue Tang in her discourse explained two gathas: “Following the lapse of the day, our life span is
becoming shorter. This compares to fish in diminishing water. Where is happiness?” “All should cultivate diligently like putting
out flame on the head. Always be mindful that life is impermanent and stay away from idleness.” She encouraged them to
practice sitting meditation everyday and implement the cultivation in life.  Chung Tian Admin  Translated by Elaine Pun
Page 12
Chung Tian Bus Trip
 On Sunday 4th October the Chung Tian Branch of the BLIAQ went on a bus
trip to a couple of attractions around Brisbane. The bus left the Temple at 9:00
am and made its way through the north west suburbs of Brisbane arriving at
Samford village around 10:00 am which was the first stop. Here the group had a
coffee break at the very popular coffee shop called the Flying Nun and then
visited the Samford Historical Museum. The museum is run by a very dedicated
group of volunteers who have preserved a diverse collection of local buildings
including a replica of the 1872 school, constructed with adzed slabs and split
shingles. European settlement of the area dates back to the 1850s and the main
source of income for the settlers was timber, dairying, bananas, small crops and
fruit. The area has now become rural residential with the last dairy farm closing in
2001.
After leaving the museum we travelled through Samford valley climbing the steep
winding road up to Mt. Glorious. The original plan was to go for a bush walk at
Mt. Glorious before lunch but as we had spent a little too much time in Samford
we continued on to Jolly’s Lookout for a picnic lunch. This lookout was named
after Mr William Jolly who was the Mayor of Brisbane during the 1930s and who
had visited the lookout in 1927. The lookout has a spectacular panoramic view of
the area stretching out to Moreton Bay and beyond. The group shared a
wonderful picnic lunch with different salads, quiches and for the sweet tooth
delicious brownies. After lunch we went for a short bush walk before continuing
on the round trip back down to Brisbane via Mt Nebo, stopping at the Walkabout
Creek Information Centre on the way, arriving back at the Temple around 4:30
pm. A pleasant day was had by all and we would like to thank Norm again who
volunteered to be our bus driver doing an excellent job.
 Brian Kemp
English Buddhist Chanting Service on every Sunday
 BLIAQ Logan Branch Annual General Meeting was held at Chung Tian
Temple’s Dining Hall on 31 October 2015. Logan Branch President Kwang Hooi
Khor and Logan Branch members have put together the afternoon tea and
refreshments for the gathering and meeting.
Logan Branch President has chaired the meeting and the guests included
Venerables Jue Tang, Miao Lai and Miao Ye, BLIAQ President Mr Kim Wu,
BLIAQ Alder Advisors Andy Hsueh and Choe Lam Tan, BLIAQ Vice President
Stephen Chang and all together about 70 people attended this meeting.
At the outset, the Logan Branch President greeted all the guests and members
for attending the meeting. He thanks all the Venerables, BLIAQ Committee, and
Logan Branch members for their support throughout this year that allowed Logan
Branch to progress and organise activities for members and also supported the
activities organised by the temple and BLIAQ. He thanks the Cantonese
Buddhist Class Dharma Teacher Li Kam Lin, Elaine Pun, Wayne Pun and
Venerable Jue Tang for assisted for 2015 Cantonese Buddhist Classes. He also
thanks all the members for their time, efforts and team work.
Logan Branch Treasurer Poh Suan provided the Finance Report then followed
with the video presentation of Logan Branch activities for 2015.
BLIAQ President Mr Kim Wu thanks Logan Branch Presidents and members for
their active involvement in temple and BLIAQ’s activities and also provided many
good cause undertakings.
BLIAQ Advisor Choe Lam Tan praised the Logan Branch President for his
leadership and Logan Branch teamwork.
He commended Logan Branch
President for using his culinary skills by sharing his knowledge to benefit all living
beings. Venerable Jue Tang thanks Logan Branch President and members for
their team efforts.
Recently a group of BLIAQ members had visited the Silk Road, China in October
2015 and the video of the Journeys of the Silk Road was presented in the
meeting. Stephen Chang has shared his experience with the members and
encouraged them to visit there in the future.
 Meng
Page 13
The Five Precepts
 Morality is the beginning of all good dharmas. Morality is the basis of all
spiritual growth. Morality is founded on the recognition that the self is not
preeminent and that the self must learn to respect the rights, the feelings, and the
needs of other sentient beings. The most basic moral injunctions taught by the
Buddha are called the Five Precepts. The Five Precepts are rules or principles of
behavior that serve two basic functions: they keep us from harming other sentient
beings, and they help us create good karma, or merit, for ourselves.
All bad karma is created by bad intentions. Whenever we deliberately or knowingly
harm another sentient being, we are guilty of acting out of bad intentions. The
Buddha taught the Five Precepts to help us break the habit of harming both others
and ourselves through our bad intentions. The Five Precepts are the basis of all
Buddhist morality and the beginning of all real growth as a human being. The Five
Precepts are: no killing, no stealing, no lying, no sexual misconduct, and no use of
drugs or alcohol. The Five Precepts are stated in the negative because the first
step in moral growth always is to stop doing things that harm other sentient
beings. Before we can even begin to think about helping other beings, we must
first stop harming them. I will discuss each of the Five Precepts in more detail
below.
NO KILLING - Intentionally killing a sentient being is an extremely serious way of
harming them. Even mice and mosquitoes and ants and other small animals
should not be killed if it is possible to avoid it. By respecting even the smallest and
most helpless of creatures, we foster in ourselves an attitude of respect for all
other beings. This kind of respect is the basis of all good merit. Since Buddhism is
a religion that is centered on human life and since the Buddha said that human life
is especially precious, the worst form of killing is to kill another human being.
The intentional killing of a human being is an extremely serious offense and it
always leads to very serious bad karma. The bad karma that results from murder
will always be different for different people since the circumstances that caused
the transgression are always different. Some indication of the seriousness of
murder, however, can be seen in what will come to pass for a Buddhist monk or
nun who kills a human being. That monk or nun will be expelled from the
monastery, not be allowed to live among other monks or nuns, and he or she will
definitely be reborn in the hell realm. Even the sincerest act of repentance cannot
lessen this retribution. The killing of an animal or insect is also a violation of the
first precept, but it is not considered to be as serious an offense as the killing of a
human being. The bad seeds planted in one's consciousness by the killing of
animals can be eradicated through acts of sincere repentance. The injunction
against killing is placed first among the Five Precepts because it is the least subtle
of them all, and thus it is a foundation for the others. If one can see that killing is
wrong, then one may begin to see that other forms of harming also are wrong.
Observing the precept against killing brings great spiritual benefit, for it teaches us
to practice compassion and to think deeply about the needs and rights of other
beings. In truth, all beings are one. If we cannot respect others, how can we
possibly respect ourselves? And if we cannot respect ourselves, how can we
possibly be worthy of knowing our own Buddha nature? Many people wonder how
plants should be understood in light of the precept against killing. Since plants
clearly are living beings, is it not also wrong to kill plants? The Buddha said that
since animals and insects have awareness, or sentience, they are very different
from plants. In the end, all of the things of this world have Buddha nature and all of
them should be respected, but since animals have sentience, they should be
treated with special respect, for they, like us, are in the midst of a journey that
ends only in complete awakening. Chinese Buddhists generally place more
emphasis on vegetarianism than Buddhists from other traditions. By adopting a
vegetarian diet, a practitioner removes himself completely from the cycle of raising
and killing animals. The Great Nirvana Sutra says, "People who eat meat disturb
the growth of great compassion. Whether they are walking, standing, sitting, or
lying down, other sentient beings can smell the meat they have eaten and thus
they are made afraid." People who enjoy killing repulse other living beings, while
people who do not like to kill attract other living beings to them. - Treatise on the
Perfection of Great Wisdom
NO STEALING - All of the Five Precepts are based on not harming others in any
way. When we steal from others we harm them by violating both their property and
their trust in the integrity of the world around them. "Stealing" is defined as taking
anything that does not belong to you. Whether this is done by trickery, by actually
removing a physical object from someone's possession, or by legalistic
legerdemain, it is still stealing. Borrowing things and not returning them, or
returning them in damaged condition, is also a form of stealing. Not passing on
something that has been entrusted to you to pass on is also a form of stealing.
Examples of this might range from the petty act of not passing on an object of
small value to the very serious act of appropriating an inheritance that someone
has entrusted you to pass on to its rightful heirs.
The Buddhist code of moral conduct
considers the act of stealing a serious
transgression if the object or property taken
is of more than paltry value. If the object
taken is of only paltry value, the act of
stealing is considered only "impure"
behavior. Karmic seeds still are planted by
even minor acts of stealing, but "impure"
behavior is not as serious as outright
stealing. Examples of minor stealing that
are defined as "impure" acts might be not
returning a ballpoint pen, taking an
envelope without asking, or using
someone's property without asking. The
precept against stealing is one of the
hardest precepts to keep because all of us
are often tempted to take things or hold
onto things that do not belong to us.
Keeping a friend's book, taking a towel from
a motel, removing office supplies from our
place of work, improper use of a company
telephone, and so on all are acts of
stealing, whether we admit it to ourselves
or not. A sage never clings to anything and
thus nothing clings to him; ordinary people
cling to everything and thus they are bound
to their delusions by both karma and greed.
The Flower Garland Sutra says that serious
acts of stealing will lead to rebirth in one of
the three lower realms. It also says that
once one is reborn as a human being, one
will be poor and harried by material cares.
The Buddha said, "Ananda, due to their
ignorance of the truth, sentient beings cling
to their desires and hide their wisdom under
the veils of their own preconceptions. " Great Nirvana Sutra
NO LYING - "Lying" is defined most simply
as not telling the truth. Lying may also be
defined as any kind of deceit, duplicity,
forgery, distortion, or presentation of
misinformation. Lying is a very serious
offense because it violates the trust of other
people and causes them to doubt their own
intuitions. There are two basic kinds of lies:
lies of omission and lies of commission. A
lie of commission is an outright lie, while a
lie of omission is the withholding of
information with the intent of deceiving
someone. Both forms of lying are very
serious and both of them create very
serious bad karma. Lies can be further
divided into the three categories of great
lies, less serious lies, and lies of
convenience.
A great lie is defined as saying that you are
enlightened when you are not or saying
that you have psychic powers when you do
not. If a monk or nun should commit a great
lie, it is an especially serious offense. A
less serious lie is all other forms of lying.
Examples of less serious lies are saying
you have seen something when you
haven't, saying you haven't seen something
when you have, and saying that what is
false is true or that what is true is false.
An example of a lie of convenience might
be not telling a terminally ill person how
serious his illness really is. Another
example might be sanitizing the truth for
children to prevent them from experiencing
Page 14
psychological trauma. The intention behind any lie of
convenience is very important, as is our assessment
of what that intention really is. If we are sure that we
are doing more good than harm by such a lie, it is not
a violation of the precept against lying. A person who
lies first deludes himself and then he deludes others.
He treats truth as if it were false and falsity as if it
were true. His complete muddling of the true and
false makes him unable to learn of good things. He is
like a covered vessel; clean water cannot be poured
into him. - Treatise on the Perfection of Great
Wisdom
NO SEXUAL MISCONDUCT - Sexual misconduct is
denned as any sexual behavior that violates the laws
or mores of society. In addition to this, incest or any
sexual act that harms or violates the rights of another
is also considered to be a form of sexual misconduct.
The following behaviors are also considered to be
forms of sexual misconduct even for men and women
who are legally married: having sex at the wrong
time, having sex in the wrong place, having too much
sex, and having unreasonable sex. Having sex at the
wrong time means having sex near the end of a
normal pregnancy, having sex during retreats, or
having sex while ill. Having sex in the wrong place
means having sex in a temple, in a public place, or in
a place where others may see. Having too much sex
means having so much sex that one is depleting
one's natural vitality. Having unreasonable sex
means excessive masturbation, trading sex for
money or favors, or engaging in sexual activities that
arouse unreasonable emotions (that is, emotions that
spring from greed, anger, or ignorance).
NO UNREASONABLE USE OF DRUGS OR
ALCOHOL- A more literal rendition of this precept
would be, "I take it upon myself to refrain from the
stupefaction or heedlessness caused by the use of
drugs or alcohol." In a word, don't get drunk. The
intent of this precept is to keep us from doing and
staying stupid things while our senses are clouded
with drugs or alcohol. The first four of the Five
Precepts are harmful moral violations in and of
themselves; their basic nature is evil. In contrast, the
use of drugs and alcohol is not in itself evil since the
mere act of using them brings no harm to anyone
else. The Buddha cautioned us about them, however,
because
the
consumption
of
mind-altering
substances too often leads to serious lapses in good
judgment and a violation of one of the other precepts.
There is a story in the Abhidharma-mahavibhasa
Shastra that shows how the use of alcohol can lead
to a violation of all of the other precepts. One day a
lay Buddhist got drunk. After that he decided to steal
his neighbor's chicken. Once he had stolen the bird,
he killed it and ate it. When his neighbor asked him if
he had seen her chicken, he told her he had not. The
man continued to pursue his own downfall by then
looking lustfully on his neighbor and speaking to her
in sexually provocative language. The whole chain of
events that led to his breaking all of the Five Precepts
began with his first drink. If he had never taken it, he
would never have planted so many bad karmic
seeds. I am sure we can all think of worse examples
from the modern world. When considering the
consequences of violating the precept against the
unreasonable use of drugs or alcohol, it is good to
consider that Buddhism is essentially a religion of
morality, self-control, and wisdom. Anything that
clouds the mind or dulls reason is bound to diminish
both our wisdom and our self-control. If you want to
cross the great ocean of birth and death, you must
uphold the Five Precepts with all of your heart and
mind. - Sutra on the Upasaka Precepts
THE IMPORTANCE OF MORALITY - People who do not give morality
very much thought usually think that following moral rules of conduct will
lead to a loss of freedom. Nothing could be further from the truth. Morality
does not destroy our freedom; morality frees us from delusion. The
karmic chains that bind us to delusion can only be broken by living a
moral life. Rather than seeing morality as some kind of disagreeable
burden, we should see it as an opening onto a much higher life. It is only
through our morality that we distinguish ourselves from beings in the
lower realms of existence. Just as stillness and composure are basic to
meditation, so morality is basic to all human growth. The Five Precepts
are not meant to be oppressive; they are simply one of the three basic
kinds of instructions given to us by the Buddha. The Buddha taught that
all growth toward higher consciousness depends on three things:
morality, meditation, and wisdom. Generally speaking, meditation is
based on morality and wisdom is based on meditation.
Morality is the necessary foundation for meditation and wisdom. The
Buddha said that if we follow the Five Precepts our present and future
lives will improve, because when we follow the precepts we plant the
seeds of our futures. Naturally, successful observation of the Five
Precepts is not something that can be accomplished in one day. It takes
time to fully open the deluded mind to the great and liberating expanses
of wisdom that appear once the mind begins to comprehend higher
realms. Few people can follow all of the Five Precepts from the moment
they first hear them. For this reason, the Buddha recommended that at
first the precepts be followed in steps. First the precept against killing
should be followed, then one of the other three should be followed, and
lastly the one against using drugs or alcohol should be followed.
The Treatise on the Perfection of Great Wisdom says, "There are Five
Precepts. In learning them, one should begin with the precept against
killing and continue on until one has also learned to follow the precept
against using alcohol. If one precept is followed, this is called taking a
first step. If two or three of them can be followed, this is called taking a
few steps. If four of them can be followed, this is called taking most of the
steps. When all five of them can be followed, this is called fulfilling the
precepts. As one learns the precepts, one should follow one's inclinations
about which one should be learned next." Just as the Buddha divided his
teachings into the three basic categories of morality, meditation, and
wisdom, so transgressions against the precepts can be divided into the
three basic categories of body, speech, and mind. The precepts against
killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct are concerned primarily with acts
of the body, while the precept against lying is concerned primarily with
speech. All of the precepts are concerned with the mind since, of course,
all action and all intention must begin in the mind. Body, speech, and
mind do not correspond exactly to morality, meditation, and wisdom, but
they are very much involved with the same areas. In basic morality we
learn how to control the actions of our bodies. In basic meditation we
learn how to control language and conceptualization. In basic wisdom we
learn how to use our minds to help both others and ourselves at the
same time. In the Great Nirvana Sutra, the Buddha says, "Ananda,
these moral precepts must become your great master. If you follow them
and base your practice on them, then you will achieve the deep samadhi
and wisdom that transcend everything in this world." The Sutra on the
Explication of Mysteries says that living a moral life in accordance with
the Five Precepts will confer ten blessings on us. The Sutra says that
eventually our morality will lead us: to a state of omniscience, to gaining
the ability to learn as a Buddha learns, to never harming the wise, to
keeping our vows, to peacefulness, to non-attachment to life or death, to
the desire for nirvana, to having an undefiled mind, to gaining the highest
level of samadhi, or concentration, and to strong and resolute faith.
The Buddha always asked his monks both to remain calm and to appear
calm. Morality can be conceived of as a kind of coolness or calmness
that is very comfortable to the one who practices it. When we live in
accord with the Five Precepts, we begin to attune ourselves not only to
the teachings of the Buddha, but also to the pure mind of the Buddha that
dwells within. Calmness founded on the promptings of this Buddha mind
can never be shaken and will prove never to be in error. One who
upholds the Five Precepts always is greater than even the most wealthy
and powerful of people who breaks them. The fragrance of flowers and
sweet wood cannot be sensed from afar, and yet the sweet fragrance of
morality can be sensed throughout the ten directions. One who upholds
the Five Precepts always is joyful and contented and his good name will
be heard from afar; heavenly beings will love him and respect him and
his life in this world will be filled with sweet bliss. - Treatise on the
Perfection of Great Wisdom.
 Venerable Master Hsing Yun
Page 15
2016 Term 1 - Meditation, Buddhist & Tai Chi Classes held at Chung Tian Temple
Basic Buddhist & Meditation Class
Level:
Day:
Date:
Time:
Level 1
Every Sunday
21 Feb 2016 to 27 Mar 2016
9:00am - 10:00am (Meditation)
10:10am - 11:00am (Buddhist talk)
$20 per term - Booking is required
Cost:
Advanced Buddhist Study & Meditation Class
Level:
Day:
Date:
Time:
Level 4(Free for BLIAQ members)
Every Sunday
21 Feb 2016 to 27 Mar 2016
10:00am -11:00am (Meditation)
11:10am - 12:00pm(Buddhist talk)
$20 per term – booking is required
Cost:
Intermediate Buddhist & Meditation Class
Level: Level 2
Day: Every Sunday
Date: 21 Feb 2016 to 27 Mar 2016
Time: 10:00am - 11:00am(Buddhist talk)
11:10am - 12:00pm (Meditation)
Cost: $20 per term - Booking is required
Buddhist Book Study & Meditation Class
Buddhist Sutra Study Class
Sutra: Surangama Sutra
Discussion Classes
Day:
Date:
Time:
Cost:
Every Sunday
21 Feb 2016 to 27 Mar 2016
11:10am - 12:00pm
Free Donation
Level:
Day:
Date:
Time:
Cost:
Level 3
Every Sunday
21 Feb 2016 to 27 Mar 2016
10:00am - 11:00am (Meditation)
11:10am - 12:00pm (Buddhist talk)
$20 per term-Booking is required
Day:
Every Sunday
Date: 21 Feb 2016 to 27 Mar 2016
Time: 11.00am – 12.00pm
Where: Chung Tian Temple
Cost: Free
Tai Chi Class
Tai Chi Class
Tai Chi Class
Day:
Time:
Where:
Cost:
Day:
Time:
Where:
Cost:
Day:
Time:
Where:
Cost:
Every Wednesday
9.30am – 11.00am
Chung Tian Temple
Free donation
 To book for the Buddhist classes, an
application form must be completed and
returned to the Chung Tian Temple’s
reception together with full payment at least
a week prior to the course
commence date.
Every Saturday
9.00am – 10.30am
Chung Tian Temple
Free donation
Bodhi Class For Children
Teenager’s Buddhist Class
Ages:
Ages:
3 - 12 years
13 - 19 years
Sunday: 10.00am - 11.00am
Sunday: 10.00am - 11.00am
Date:
21 Feb 2016 to 27 Mar 2016
Date:
Cost:
$20 per term
Cost:
Every 2nd & 4th child from the same family will be free.
 For all enquiry please contact
3841 3511 on Tuesday to Sunday,
or email: [email protected]
www.chungtian.org.au
Thank you.
Every Sunday
8.30am – 10.00am
Chung Tian Temple
Free donation
 Children are taught Buddhist morals and
ethics in a nurturing environment. Lessons are
backed by fun activities which include: simple
meditation, children’s tai chi, Buddhist stories
and virtues, craft activities and team-building
games.
21 Feb 2016 to 27 Mar 2016
$20 per term
Every 2nd & 4th child from the same family will be
free.
 The intermediate Dharma class builds on
and expands the basic foundations of
Buddhist learning, aiming for a practical
approach and solutions to challenges issues
faced by young people today.
Date
Day
Time
Program
26 Nov 15
Thursday
11.00am
Bright Light Dharma Service (15th of Lunar Calendar) (In Mandarin)
29 Nov 15
Sunday
9.00am ~ 3.30pm
One Day Meditation Retreat
5 Dec 15
Saturday
2.00pm
Opening Ceremony of The Magic of Chinese Embroidery Art Exhibition at
Chung Tian Art Gallery
6 Dec 15
Sunday
10.30am ~ 11.30am
English Meditation Introduction Class (Free)
11 Dec 15
Friday
11.00am
Bright Light Dharma Service (1st of Lunar Calendar) (In Mandarin)
25 Dec 15
Friday
11.00am
Bright Light Dharma Service (15th of Lunar Calendar) (In Mandarin)
26 & 27 Dec 15
Sat & Sun
9.00am ~ 3.00pm
Amitabha Buddha Birthday Celebration Service (In Mandarin)
2 Days Amitabha Buddha’s Recitation Retreat
1 January 16
Thursday
6.00am
New Year Day Pilgrimage
9.00am
Buddha Name Recitation Service (In Mandarin)
10.30am
New Year’s Blessing Service (The Eighty Eight Buddha Repentance)
3 January 16
Sunday
9.00am ~ 3.00pm
One Day Meditation Retreat
10 January 16
Sunday
11.00am
Bright Light Dharma Service (1st of Lunar Calendar) (In Mandarin)
16 January 16
Saturday
10.30am
Celebrating Buddha’s Enlightenment Service (Chanting the Diamond Sutra
– in Mandarin) & Laba Porridge Competition
17 January 16
Sunday
11.00am
Buddha Enlightenment Day
23 January 16
Saturday
10.30am ~ 12.00noon
Completion of the Yearly Light Offering Service (In Mandarin)
24 January 16
Sunday
11.00am
Bright Light Dharma Service (15th of Lunar Calendar) (In Mandarin)
30 January 16
Saturday
9.00am ~ 12.00noon
Memorial Service for Ancestors & Deceased (Chanting of Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva’s Sutra – in Mandarin)
6 February 16
Saturday
12.00noon
BLIAQ Members & volunteers Gathering
7 February 16
Sunday
11.30am – Mid night
Chinese New Year’s Eve Celebrations
8 February 16
Monday
10.00am ~ 12.00noon
Homage to Thousand Buddha Service
Every Sunday
9.00am ~ 9.40am
English Buddhist Chanting
Every Saturday
10.30am ~ 12.00noon
Buddhist Service (in Mandarin)
Page 16