Book Description

At the age of twelve, I took the vows of a novice under Venerable Master Sheng Yen at the Chung-Hwa Institute of Buddhist Culture in Beitou, Taipei. Thus, I became his disciple, and he became my “shifu,” my teacher. When Shifu was in solitary retreat in Meinong, in Gaoxiong County, Taiwan, and later studying for his doctorate in Japan, I lived and studied with Grandmaster Dongchu. Dongchu was at one time abbot of the large Dinghui Monastery of Jiaoshan in Jiangsu province, China. Originally called Puji Monastery, Dinghui was established in the second century during the Eastern Han Dynasty. Even while he was at Dinghui, Dongchu was renowned for his imposing demeanor. Master Sheng Yen recalled his encounter with Grandmaster in Shanghai: “When he walked, it was as if a powerful wind blew in his wake.” No novice monk dared to engage him in conversation; he often reprimanded his students loudly, earning him the nickname of “Dong Dapao,” or “Big Cannon Dong.” However, due to the turmoil of the civil war, Dongchu left for Taiwan in 1949, and took residence at Fazang Monastery in Beitou, where he be gan publishing Humanity Magazine. In 1955, he established the Chung-Hwa Institute of Buddhist Culture, where he promoted and organized the reprinting of the Taisho Tripitaka, conducted wintertime relief charity services for the poor, and spread Buddhist culture and education to benefit sentient beings.