“What’s the difference between the lives before and since being the 6th Abbot President of DDM?” someone asked me.

Well, the most obvious difference, in appearance, is an additional string of one-hundred-and-eight Buddhist beads. Also, the DDM Sangha organization has appointed secretaries and attendants at the Abbot President Office to assist me with the administrative affairs; thus all of us become a team of joined forces.

Confidently asserting “To step down is not to retire” , the former Abbot President Venerable Guo Dong (果東法師) is fully responsive to my requests. When I have conflicts in my schedule, he always generously offers his kind supports, by attending some of the events on behalf of me, or representing DDM monastics in religious communication and social care activities. This sense of a team indeed goes with us everywhere.

Exploring the mysteries of life; unlocking the treasures in our minds

DDM Social Welfare and Charity Foundation (DDMSWCF) hosted its 33rd “Grants and Scholarships for Students” events during which a total of 1,280 students received financial aid. The ceremonies were held at various DDM Branch Monasteries and Chapters in Taiwan from October 7th to November 17th.

At the invitation of DDM, Venerable Thubten Chodron, the founder of Sravasti Abbey, Oregon U.S.A, came to share with Taiwanese Buddhists her rumination of "The power of great compassion in times of trouble" at DDM Nung Chan Monastery on November 23, 2018 at 7pm, which was also composed as a part of "Global Buddhists Lecture Series".

On November 25, at 3pm, the 12th DDM Water and Land Dharma Service started after the sprinkling ceremony. Thousands of followers and volunteers gathered at DDM World Center for Buddhist Education. Real-time connections were available at DDM’s 34 branch monasteries and practice centers at home and aboard, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Vancouver. With 11 separate Halls installed at different venues, the eight-day Dharma service saw participants, some from others parts of the world, engaged in sutra recitation, repentance prostration, making pure offerings, and volunteering. It is hoped that the accrued merit and good wishes can benefit themselves and others, and also help resolve enmity and eliminate karmic obstructions throughout the world.

[Notice]
For your kind reference, Nung Chan Monastery will be closed for the Seven-day Amitabha Chanting Retreat, from December 23rd to 29th, 2018, to uphold the gracious atmosphere for the practitioners.

For the practitioners who plan to rejoice the assemblies in merit, i.e. partial participation, please apply your temporary entry pass at the front gate. During this period of time, activities only take account of Amitabha Chanting Retreat; neither sight-seeing nor photographing were permitted.

Nung Chan Monastery
With Joined Palms

Chan Buddhism, with its abundant connotation on oriental culture, has been spreading to the West for the past decades. We wonder what parts of the oriental spirituality of Chan was retained and what parts have been transformed?

What are the approaches that the Westerners use to train their disciples in order to pass down the oriental Chan Method?

The two Chan Masters, Reb Anderson and Zarko Andričević, discussed what they had learned, their insights on the subject, and gave their valuable feedbacks for the audience to reflect upon, particularly from the perspective of oriental culture.

Question:
Is special knowledge and advanced learning required to practice Buddhism?

This is an ambiguous question that can easily cause confusion. First of all, we basically agree with Confucius’ saying, “ People can be taught to act, but not necessarily to understand.” This implies that ordinary people, especially those who are not too knowledgeable, are more likely to follow simple instructions on a single subject, practice diligently, and gain great benefit.

The Yoga Flaming Mouth Ceremony (瑜珈焰口法會) is another special Dharma service in the Grand Hall. It is often conducted at night, with its main aim being to deliver hungry ghosts.

The Buddhist service conducted at the Avatamsaka Hall is led by two senior bhikshus. Practitioners reverently and silently read the 80 scrolls of the Avatamsaka Sutra (大方廣佛華嚴經) that was translated by the Tripitaka Master Sramana Siksananda of Khotan in the Tang Dynasty.(唐代實叉難陀)

The Surangama Sutra is recited reverently in the Surangama Hall, followed by The Surangama Mantra (楞嚴咒) and the Heart Sutra (心經) . Every day, there is a session where practitioners practice the meditative contemplation of “entering the flow and extinguishing all objects” (入流亡所), which is the perfect penetration, or method, used to attain liberation. This is the method based on using the organ of the ear that was cultivated by Guan Yin Bodhisattva.