Kung Fu Star Jet Li Meets Master Sheng Yen for Compassionate Vow

On the afternoon of 16 December 2007, internationally renowned Chinese martial artist Jet Li (Li Lianjie) met with Venerable Master Sheng Yen at the Anher Branch Office of Dharma Drum Mountain, Taipei City.

The meeting was warm and cheerful. Jet Li expressed his sincerest regards to Venerable Master Sheng Yen and donated 200 free movie tickets The Warlords ─ his latest movie to be released in Taiwan ─ as a gift in support of the Master's compassion vow to build Dharma Drum University.

During the meeting, Venerable Master Sheng Yen said that helping people is the key to being a Buddhist disciple, emphasizing that people would be able to attain peace of mind as long as they hold good will in their hearts. The world would naturally be peaceful if everyone engages in charitable work to benefit others.

When asked about the reason for building Dharma Drum University, the Master replied that Dharma Drum Mountain holds the development and maintenance of the Spiritual Environment as its primary vision. It is the duty of all Buddhists to engage people in the work of mind-purification. "Dharma Drum University is built on the principles of Spiritual Environment."

Venerable Master Sheng Yen encourages everyone to uphold DDM's ideas and ethics of compassion so future generations will have the opportunity to cultivate the field of merit.

Jet Li echoes that he has never forgotten what the Master had taught him and that he is always grateful and tries his best to spread happiness to others. Li agrees that if one could not keep their mind peaceful, the material world will not be peaceful or harmonious.

Jet Li promises that he would actively propagate the idea of Spiritual Environmentalism amongst the international community through his own charitable foundation, much to the delight of DDM.

The Master presented two statues of little monks ─ one statue representing compassion and the other wisdom ─ as souvenirs to Jet Li at the conclusion of the meeting.

(translated by Jin Yang/edited by DDM Australia Editing Team)