2016 Letter from Venerable Master Hsing Yun

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Venerable
Master
Hsing Yun s 2016
Letter to Dharma Protecors and Friends
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致護法朋友的一封信
2016
9
Merit Times
Times
Merit
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日 星期五
2016
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Dear Dharma protectors and friends,
Auspicious greetings!
As we bid farewell to the year of the goat to
welcome the year of the monkey and Fo Guang
Shan’s 50th anniversary, the spring breeze continues to
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sincerely wish that everyone can “be smart and agile,”
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development of humanity, it has always been something
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Philippines to supervise Guang Ming College’s land
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heart-to-heart talk with local devotees and students of
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Oceania Fellowship Conference and the official
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4,000 people were present, including then Australian
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still vividly remember the hardships encountered along
the way, and am sincerely grateful to all benefactors
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quote, “Regard as one’s top concern the state’s affairs,
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sacrifice and devotion, mutual support, and proactive
collaboration in order to nurture even more talented
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Directed by Political Deputy Minister of Education,
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also with the support and cooperation from scholars and
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District development project drew severe criticism
from the media, and also caused a scandal that affected
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surprise, when the articles were published, devoted
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as well as people from all walks of life showed
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light everything related to Fo Guang Shan’s cultural,
educational, and philanthropic endeavors for society,
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having the characteristics of compassion, perseverance,
and equanimity, as well as beliefs including “the
future of Buddhism is on my shoulders” and “peaceful
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under the same title, Hear Me Out: Messages from a
Humble Monk, and selected forty of the most insightful
and constructive pieces for 5HÀHFWLRQVRQWKH0HVVDJHV
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freely distributed to the public in hopes that readers will
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published by China Citic Press with the book launch
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Kao, founder of Commonwealth Publishing, selected
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on national and social matters, Buddhism and public
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published as Hsing Yun WisdomODVW$XJXVW,PD\QRW
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the entire society, robbing it of the harmony that once
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people, who share the same heritage and culture, to
rekindle the fire of war and turn against their own
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election in the Merit Times in hopes they would
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Commonwealth Publishing as a book titled 7KRXJKWVRI
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On November 7th, after almost seventy years of
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brought joy to more than a billion Chinese descendants,
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articles to praise this precious historical moment as
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Even after having attained enlightenment, the
Buddha was still concerned about state affairs, and
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concerns for policy without interfering in governance,
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to care for national and social stability, as well as public
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music enthusiasts of all ages from Fo Guang Shan
branch temples across more than fifty countries and
regions praised the Buddha with Buddhist hymns,
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invited to the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference
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the Forum, giving Muslims, Christians, and Buddhists
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Buddhism strives for harmony within a nation rather
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issues such as the purification of human minds, the
development of religions, and the propagation of good
deeds!
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Government to give a three-day Dharma lecture on
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were well received by an audience of more than ten
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GLVWULEXWLRQWRWKHSXEOLF365 Days for Travelers is
not only printed in Simplified Chinese for readers in
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the world, it is now also available in Chinese-English,
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the foundation laying ceremony for the reconstruction
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Ceremony held at the Fo Guang Shan Ancestral
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monastics from monasteries in various regions also
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Oceania, Asia, Europe, and Africa gathered together to
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and board of director meetings at different locations
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Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference,
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Religious Affairs, as well as the Party Secretary and the
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illuminating the way to allow students to strive for their
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Of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains in China,
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there, fulfilling my vow as a Buddhist to make a
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of formation, abiding, destruction, and cessation from
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the Nepal Earthquake caused severe and disastrous
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several investigations from various sources, it was
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the Northern Qi Dynasty, the statue’s head was stolen in
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accepted my proposal to bring the body of the Buddha
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people to revere and venerate, and will be returned in
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Cultural Relics Association, to present the head of the
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through the cause of this Buddha statue, people on both
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ceremony was broadcasted live worldwide, which not
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but also introduced Buddhist art and culture to the
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cut into parts, the Buddha’s Dharma body has always
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physical form of the Buddha has had its torso and head
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pilgrimages to the Buddha Memorial Center since its
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Meets the Gods” event was set to be held on December
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from different places gathered at the Buddha Memorial
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a marvelous interfaith unity and harmony!
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addition, Kaohsiung City Mayor Chen Chu was elected
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embrace each other’s differences rather than seeking
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of righteous faiths, and their followers to achieve
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prevailing rules arises faults,” it is inevitable that
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Fellowship Conference of Middle-Generation and
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both sides of the Strait meet and dialogue for the revival
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Chunghua,” which carries the very mission of
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Buddhist temples and organizations have registered
as members, including Dharma Drum Mountain,
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consensus, generate our bodhi minds together, and
revitalize Buddhism to build a joyful and harmonious
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the opening of the Beijing Guangzhong Culture and
Education Center, various cultural and educational
undertakings to propagate the Dharma will begin under
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has become one of the internationally renowned
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visitors can participate in enriching, diverse, and indepth cultural events such as forums, lectures, book
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folk arts, the puppet and marionette arts of Fujian and
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performances such as shows by Shandong Provincial
Acrobatic Group and large-scale productions including
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paintings and a related symposium were all held at Fo
Guang Shan in November, which was a rare historical
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became partner museums with Anhui Museum and
Suzhou Museum, signing five-year cooperation
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At the beginning of last year, a ceremony was held
to enshrine a statue of Confucius from Shandong and a
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always placed a strong emphasis on being well versed
in both letters and martial arts, since each represents its
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the martial arts are united with the Buddha, the symbol
of harmony between Confucianism, Buddhism, and
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is joyful to see that, in addition to an assembly of all
buddhas, bodhisattvas, and utmost virtuous people, Fo
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Repository at Fo Guang Shan, a symbol of the Dharma,
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Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order, which symbolizes
the Sangha, and the Buddha Memorial Center, which
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Shan will now be complete and connected by the Fo
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Aging, sickness, death, and birth are all realities of
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“diligence to the point eating is forgotten, and attaining
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persistent in diligently writing calligraphy and articles,
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seventy years, while Fo Guang Shan, which has just
reached its 50th anniversary, is in the prime of prosperity,
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and the perfection of merits and wisdom in the new
year!
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