Master’s Wednesday talk at the Chinese Pure Land Buddhist Association, Hawaii Chapter was so well received. As a result, members voluntarily organized a beach picnic Friday. The picnic was held at Honolulu’s famous Ala Moana beach park and over 50 to 60 people gathered. With delicious home-cooked food and beautiful Hawaii weather as companies, everyone sat under the shade to take the last chance to listen to Master’s teachings.
Venerable pointed out that Chan originated in China and its teaching highlights the quest to uncover our original pure mind. For example, the concept of “dust” and “guest” from the Shurangama Sutra 《楞嚴經》can help illustrate this concept. Buddhist’s quest is to realize what/who is the dust and guest. Guests are those coming and going in a hotel while the owner is the real host. We should observe the impermanence of the world, and recognize that all phenomena are dust and guest where they appear and fade away. This way, we will not waste our lives on pursuing mirage (dust/guest) but to uncover our true host – our pure mind.
Among the attendees were trained teacher in Japanese True Pureland, scholar in Japanese Buddhism, and many other students with different faith traditions. After the detailed and lively talk, many people stayed and took this rare opportunity to ask more questions.
Date: March 18
Time: 1:30 – 2:30 pm
Location: University of Hawaii at Manoa, REL 475 Seminar on Buddhism class
Venerable Dr. Mun is a Korean monk and a visiting scholar to University of Hawaii at Manon. He offers classes about Buddhism at the department of philosophy and religion. When he received the news about Venerable Jian Dan’s visit, he eagerly invited Venerable Jian Dan to give a talk at his undergraduate seminar class. This semester, this seminar class focuses on the investigation of Buddhism in peace. Based on this idea, Venerable Jian Dan was asked to teach basic meditation techniques and addresses the relationship between meditation and individual inner peace.
Venerable taught basic breath counting method and let the students practice twice. After the short meditation practices, students expressed the difficulty of focusing on the breath. Many indicated that their minds wondered around and were unable to concentrate. Venerable Jian Dan pointed out that we are habitual beings who are used to allow our wondering thoughts control us. We follow our thoughts everywhere but here. Most of the time, we are not even aware that out thoughts have gone a thousand miles away. By relying on counting the breath, we can gradually train our mind to be more aware, more concentrated and therefore more peaceful.Date: March 17, 2007The Abbot of Fo Guang Shan Hawaii Center, Venerable Yi Hong, was generous enough to give their regularly scheduled book club meeting time to Venerable Jian Dan for a dharma talk. Venerable Jian Dan used some frequently used Chinese idioms to illustrate some Buddhist concepts. Interestingly, many of these Chinese idioms were originally from Buddhist text. However, over the years, their meanings have changed. For example, tian hua luan zhui (天花亂墜) means smooth talking that stretches the truth. However, from the Buddhist text, it means heavenly beings are so joyful after hearing Buddha’s teaching, they drop flowers from heaven to express their appreciation.
Time: 10am – noon
Location: Fo Guang Shan Hawaii Center@ Chinese Culture Plaza
After a short and humorous talk, attendees started to ask questions. For example, one person asked, if Buddhism talks about cause and effect and stresses that we are always the receiver of our own action, no one else could take our consequences away from us, then why when America made a big mistake and dug a big financial hole that caused economical crisis, the rest of the world has to suffer with America? In other words, America created the cause but everyone else suffers the effects? Venerable quickly pointed that there are at least two kinds of karma – individual karma (別業) and collective karma (共業). Countries that have a close economic tie to America share the collective karma, therefore suffer when the entire economy changes. However, not all countries or all companies are losing money under current situation. They have individual karma that separates them from America, therefore can avoid been affected by the economy.
After the talk, Venerable stayed for some delicious homemade vegetarian meals. Another visiting Buddhist nun, Venerable Yi Fa, also joined for lunch. During lunch, Abbot introduced both Venerables and praised Venerable Jian Dan for his right view, sharp concepts, and skillful presentations.
Venerable Yi Hong, Abbot of Fo Guang Shan Hawaii Center, and members welcomed Venerable Jian Dan for his visit to the center
Venerable Jian Dan visited Guan Yin Temple, a traditional Chinese temple of over 100 years old. Abbot of Guan Yin Temple, Venerable Hong En, encouraged Venerable Jian Dan to visit Hawaii again.
Venerable Jian Dan visited Xu Yuan Temple, a 40-year temple in Honolulu. Venerable is in the lineage of Master Xu Yuan (empty cloud)
Venerable visited a Korean Temple called Dae Won Sa Buddhist Temple of Hawaii. It is said that this temple is the largest Korean temple outside of KoreaDate: March 13 (Friday)
Time: 3:30 - 5:30 pm
Location: Wist 115 (University of Hawaii @ Manoa - College of Education)
Sponsors: Center for Chinese Studies
Participants asked many practical questions after the talk. One professor from social work shared her reflection afterward, "it was a very interesting talk that I really enjoyed. The teacher is not a old monk we usually have in our mind. He is a young, funny, and intelligent teacher. I am glad we will all go to meet him and listen to his talk."Location: Sakamaki Hall A302 (University of Hawaii @ Manoa - Department of Religion)
Date: March 13 (Friday)
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 pm
Sponsors: Department of Religion & Center for Chinese Studies
Many people attended this talk, including professors from the Department of Religion and Department of Philosophy. After the talk, Venerable gave rosary to those who wish to receive blessings. Two students approached Venerable and requested to have private one-on-one lunch meeting with him.
