Dharma Drum for Young People (DDYP) hosted a 3-Day Retreat for College Students on April 17 through 19, 2009 at Dharma Drum Retreat Center in Pine Bush, NY. 27 participants from Columbia University, MIT, Penn State University and other colleges, as well as young professionals attended the retreat. Chang Wen Fashi, the current resident teacher at DDRC, and Chang Yu Fashi from Chan Meditation Center, led the retreat.

Dharma Drum Mountain Malaysia (DDM Malaysia) hosted outdoor Chan activities at the renowned national park, Buki Jalil, on 8th of March 2009. Fifty participants took part in this inspirational event.

Are Eating and Sleeping Considered to be Supernatural Powers?

One of Master Sheng-Yen's dharma heirs, Gilbert Gutierrez, visited Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association San Francisco Chapter (DDM San Francisco) on March 14th and 15th. DDM San Francisco hosted a series of meditation and Buddhism lecture events to spread the Dharma and to let more Westerns get acquainted with Dharma Drum Mountain.

~~The Physical Body Creates Bad Karma. Does the Dharma Body Suffer?

On Sunday, March 15, 2009, Venerable Guo Xing gave a talk entitled "How to Avoid Karma: The Physical Body Creates Bad Karma. Does the Dharma Body Suffer?"

On Friday, March 6, 2009, CMC presented a screening of Into the Wild as part of Movies and Mind, where films are viewed and discussed from a Buddhist perspective. After the movie, a discussion was led by Lindley Hanlon, professor of Film Studies at Brooklyn College.

On Sunday, March 8, 2009, Venerable Guo Xing, Abbot of Chan Meditation Center and Dharma Drum Retreat Center, continued the dharma talk series on Chan with a talk entitled, "The Raining Blossoms From A Goddess: Seeing Perfection in Imperfection".

On Sunday, February 22, 2009, Dr. David Slaymaker gave a dharma talk on "The Six Paramitas and the Bodhisattva Path" based on the teachings of Venerable Yin-shun's, The Way to Buddhahood: Instructions from a Modern Chinese Master and Master Sheng Yen's booklet, The Six Paramitas.

On the morning of Sunday 11 January 2009, Venerable Guo Xing gave a Dharma talk on meditation. Despite the chilly weather, about 100 followers took advantage of this rare opportunity. Venerable Guo Xing taught that the purpose of practicing Chan meditation is to enable practitioners to better cultivate themselves, work on precepts, stabilization and wisdom.

On Sunday, February 1, 2009, Dr. Rebecca Li, professor of Sociology, gave a talk at CMC on the topic of "Facing and Handling Desires in Daily Life".