Dharma Talk by Venerable Abbot Hsin Bao at FGS South Island
After attending the 2018 Buddha Light’s International Association (BLIA) Oceanic Gathering and inauguration of Nan Tien Bridge Ceremony, related activity on the 27th July 2018, Fo Guang Shan (FGS) Head Abbot Venerable Hsin Bao arrived at FGS North Island on 30th July 2018 to give a talk to devotees and members of Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) North Island. On 1st August 2018, accompanied by FGS Oceania Chief Abbess Venerable Manko, FGS New Zealand Abbess Venerable Manshin and Deputy Director of BLIA Oceania Fellowship Committee Dolly Tsai, Abbot Hsin Bao visited FGS South Island Christchurch. On hand to welcome Abbot Hsin Bao were BLIA Headquarter Director Dominique Cheung, BLIA Melbourne David Yu, BLIA South Island President Bernie, BLIA South Island Advisor John Lai, BLIA South Island Dharma Lecturer Rona Ku and other BLIA South Island committee members. FGS Minister-in-charge Venerable Jue Xi personally guided Venerable Abbot Hsin Bao for a tour of the Temple and the Fo Guang Yuan (FGY) Art Gallery Christchurch.
On the same night, a Dharma Talk by Abbot Hsin Bao was held at the Buddha Hall attended by more than 100 people, consisting of the public and members of BLIA South Island. Addressing the audience, Abbot Hsin Bau remarked that this was the first time he ever set foot on New Zealand. Abbot thanked FGS Oceania Chief Abbess, FGS New Zealand Abbess and other Venerables for leading BLIA members in taking care of, and offering services to, FGS New Zealand. Abbot was also touched by the creative and harmonious collective efforts put up by BLIA New Zealand members in their performances in the BLIA Annual General Meeting held at FGS Headquarters, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
In his talk, Abbot Hsin Bao mentioned the importance of ‘causes’ and ‘conditions’ in all phenomena. Even if there is ‘cause’ but if there is no right ‘condition’, this will not result in an ‘effect’. A seed needs to be planted in the soil, requires water, sunlight, air and nourishment before it can grow into a big tree. Abbot compared all the people around us as our ‘good causes and conditions’ which we need to treasure. This is because if we can carry out the ‘Three good deeds’, build up friendships with the people around us, we are in fact cultivating ‘good karma’ and should not worry about ‘bad karma’ coming our way. Abbot also mentioned that Buddhist practitioners are people born with ‘good karma’ and will find that their desires and afflictions will diminish as they practise the Buddhist ways of ‘listen’, ‘contemplation’ and ‘action’ in their daily life. Abbot also pointed out that the word ‘Compassion’ in the Buddhist context is not just merely a ‘noun’, but a ‘kind feeling that calls for action’. ‘Compassion’ needs to be acted upon, experienced and turned into a habit.
Abbot Hsin Bao encouraged the public to incorporate Buddhism into their daily lives and to benefit from that because without guidance from Buddhism, it is extremely dangerous for one tends to follow one’s emotion in doing things. As for Dharma cultivation, Abbot pointed out that it has to be through one’s own effort, and no amount of external help from outsider can uplift one’s Dharma cultivation. The audience was reminded that life is short, and regardless of whether one is smart, wealthy or fame, one will ultimately toward death. For this reason, it is important for one to utilise the limited time available to practice Dharma cultivation. Abbot also taught the audience how to make use of the Buddhist ways to deal with impermanence and changes. He said that only Dharma wisdom can help us face the fast changing World: we cannot control the weather, but we can use umbrella to shelter us in the rain; when it is cold, we can overcome the problem by wearing thicker clothes. We should utilise our Dharma wisdom to overcome our afflictions.
In the question and answer time, BLIA South Island President Bernie sought Abbot’s advice on how to incorporate Buddhism into people’s daily lives in order to benefit them. Abbot answered that Dharma wisdom can be found everywhere. Tolerance and mutual accommodation between the worker and his boss can be compared with the ‘Compassion’ in Buddhism; workers working hard is another form of ‘Diligence’ in Buddha’s teachings. Buddha’s teachings are not confined to the Sutras only, if applied properly, the Temple, the house, the workplace or the local community can be all be the places to practice Buddhism. BLIA South Island Dharma Lecturer Rona Ku asked why Humanistic Buddhism is the original intent of Buddha and is the present trend of Buddhism in the World? Abbot Hsin Bao replied by telling a few life stories of Buddha to prove that the Dharma and the Precepts in Buddhism were themselves not dogmatic, but were human and lively; and in this modern era, it is only possible to promote Buddhism to the World by propagating Humanistic Buddhism.
FGS New Zealand Abbess Venerable Manshin remarked that Abbot Hsin Bao was concerned for the aftermath of Christchurch Earthquake. Abbot was also aware that FGS Temple had undergone reconstruction after the earthquake and had to face many challenges which were all overcome. Abbess Manshin extended her invitation to Abbot Hsin Bao to visit New Zealand in the near future so that the people here can again benefit from his Talks. FGS Oceania Chief Abbess Venerable Manko summing up and thanked Abbot Hsin Bao, members of BLIA New Zealand for their participation in the recent opening ceremony of the Nan Tien Bridge in Wollongong, Australia. Abbess Manko stressed that constructing a concrete bridge is not difficult when compared with the building of spiritual bridges linking our hearts to that of Buddha. She urged the audience to seize this opportunity to digest the contents of today’s Dharma Talk given by Abbot Hsin Bao for it revealed the many underlying truths in the Dharma. Nearing the end of the Talk, Abbot Hsin Bao presented to each member of the audience a special badge commemorating ‘80 years Ordination of Master Hsing Yun’. Afterwards, Abbot Hsin Bao took the opportunity to explain the concept behind the design of the badge. The badge was designed to mark the 80 years of Master Hsing Yun’s ordination as a Buddhist monk and to highlight Master Hsing Yun’s enormous contributions in the propagation of Humanistic Buddhism to five continents of the World throughout this period. Before their departure, the audience thanked Abbot Hsin Bao for the talk which enabled them to have a better understanding of Humanistic Buddhism, filling their hearts with boundless blissfulness in the process.