Venerable Chang Hui visits DDM Malaysia
On the afternoon of 22nd February 2009, members of the Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association in Malaysia (DDM Malaysia) welcomed the arrival of Venerable Chang Hui from the DDM Sangha community in Taiwan. Mr. Lin Zhonghong, Chief Convener of DDM Malaysia, hosted a welcoming party in the evening during which Venerable Chang Hui gave a Dharma talk to 200 devotees.
The Venerable showed a film of DDM Founder, Venerable Master Sheng Yen presenting a talk on "Life and Death" in the Buddhist perspective. In the recording, the Master compassionately encouraged everyone to transcend death because mundane affairs in our lives are nothing but illusions. Life is impermanence and hence death should not be treated as a painful occurrence. The Master advised all his followers to incorporate the Dharma in their daily lives following his "departure" from this earthly realm.
Next the Venerable played the last film that had been recorded by the Ven. Master where Master Sheng Yen expressed his aspirations on the development of DDM Malaysia, encouraged local youths to study and propagate orthodox Chan Buddhism for the welfare of human beings and to support Chan Buddhism in local communities.
Following the films, Venerable Chang Hui introduced the Eco-Friendly Memorial Garden located in the DDM World Center for Buddhist Education in Jinshan, Taipei. Everyone was impressed by the Garden with its focus on environmental protection, and was touched by the Master's courage of foregoing the outdated rituals in organizing his funeral as expressed in his will.
Finally, Venerable Chang Hui lit the lamp in his palm and instructed everyone to light up the lamps in their palms, symbolizing the final offering to Venerable Master Sheng Yen and their vow to fulfill the Master’s will in "building a pure land on earth".
(translated by Jin Yang/edited by DDM Australia Editing Team)
