[THAILAND News]

From July 21st to 27th, 2017, Abbot President Venerable Guo Dong paid a visit to share his solicitude and propagate Buddhism in Thailand, accompanied by Venerable Chang Yuan, Managing Director of the DDM General Association of Dharma Supporters, and Venerable Chang Xue, newly appointed Monastic Advisor of the Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhism - Thailand Chapter (Also referred as DDM Thailand).

On July 23rd, Abbot President presided over a Refuge-Taking Ceremony in the Three Jewels and Five Precepts, at the DDM Thailand, and delivered a speech on “Fortune and Misfortune as Two Sides of the Same Coin”. Full of solemn silence and warmth, the Refuge-Taking Ceremony had forty-one participants.

Among them was Wu Shengxiong, sharing that since he had health problem, he has received a lot of loving care from the DDM Thailand and started to value the compassion in Buddha’s teaching and the importance to practice. Therefore, Wu took this invaluable opportunity and became a disciple of the Three Jewels. Wu was delighted to make such positive affinity and attended refuge-taking with other practitioners. Furthermore, Wu hoped that he could improve his dharma practices together with all in the future.

September 11th, 2001 is a date that will live in infamy. The attack by Al-Qaeda terrorists killed nearly 3,000 people and injured over 6,000 others, as well as causing property damage. As a result, the United States responded by launching the War on Terror. This hatred has led to racial discrimination and killing in succession. In 2016, Tomorrow Together by 911Day.org initiated ”Meal Pack for NYC” and has been supported by a diverse community of national service, youth, faith, and education organizations to actively promote the ideals of unity, empathy and service among young people throughout the United States. This year, the event took place at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City.

In the afternoon of Aug. 12th, at the invitation of Dharma Drum Vancouver Center, current Director-in-Chief Venerable Guo Guang delivered a talk on "Life in Chan Contemplation", sharing how Buddha dharma has enriched her life. Whenever she was at a turning point in hard times, she would re-examined herself with a Chan perspective, and often had come to discover a brighter side of life. Her relaxing and humorous way of talking filled the Center with laughter, constantly. Each word and every part of her sharing was full of sincerity, love, and wisdom based on solid experience, leaving a deep impression in 110 participants’ minds.

The Eighth Silent Illumination Retreat from May 27 through June 3, 2017, was successfully concluded under the guidance of Venerable Gouyuan, Abbot of the Dharma Drum Retreat Center.



This retreat was held at the Mar de Jade Center in Mexico, with more than thirty young adults participating. This group of participants is quite diverse as many are employed in different professions, such as teachers, psychiatrists, and environmentalists, just to name a few, and reside in either the States or Mexico. One of the participants, who is also a member of staff at the Center, was inspired to sign up for the retreat and experience Chan meditation after listening to feedback from previous participants.

On August 19, 2017, the Chinese American Academic & Professional Society (CAAPS) held its 42nd Annual Convention in Flushing, New York. The theme for this convention was “New Thinking and New Technology in the Changing Era.”

CAAPS invited three keynote speakers for this convention: Dr. Henry Lee, Venerable Chang-Hwa, and Secretary Elaine L. Chao. Dr. Henry Lee, a famous forensic scientist, spoke during the opening ceremony on “Sharing My Life Experiences - New Concept in Homicide Investigation”.

Every year, Chan Meditation Center holds a family camp for children aged from seven to sixteen at Dharma Drum Retreat Center located in Pine Bush, NY. This year, 47 children, 14 counselors, and 24 adults attended the camp.



Andrew Shen, a new counselor, said, “It was good that they taught us some important life lessons in the training session, and it helped me better deal with the kids at times.

Some activities for the kids group included creating kites, making lanterns, and learning about basic buddhist etiquette. Meanwhile, the teens attended conversations regarding compassion, buddhist philosophy, and learned about the art of tea. Guo Kai Fashi flew to the United States from Taiwan and taught classes for the adults, which consisted of discussions around topics such as life and death.

Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Centre Malaysia launched the Compassionate Mind Class, a children’s life education course, in 2017, with an aim to continually nurture the seeds of Bodhi already planted over the past few years. The first term of the course wrapped up on May 7.

6 p.m., April 19, 2017, Ven. Chang Zao (Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Centre Malaysia) gave a spiritual lecture on “Listen to Your Inner Voice and the World Will Hear You” at Taylor’s University. She explained in details the causes of vexation as well as methods to overcome them.

Master Sheng Yen, founder of Dharma Drum Mountain, once made a trip to San Francisco to share Chinese Buddhism, prompting him to establish the San Francisco Chapter in 2004. Ven. Guo Yuan, abbot of Dharma Drum Retreat Center, was the first monastic from DDM to visit the chapter and share the Dharma.

On January 21, 2017, at the invitation of Venerable Chang Xing, director of the San Francisco Bay Area Center, Venerable Yen-Ben (演本) delivered a lecture on “Approaches to Dharma Practice in the Daily Life of DDM Volunteers”.