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STAFF WRITER
Sunday, Jun 05, 2005
Yin Shun was a mentor to Master Cheng Yen (??????) the founder of the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu-Chi Foundation, and was honored by Tzu-Chi members as their "Shih Kung" (Teacher Patriarch). He was a pioneer in developing the concept of "humanist Buddhism," the need for the monastic community to engage with the mundane world. At a press conference yesterday, Master Shih Chao-hui ( Chao Hui said Yin Shun was a harsh critic of the superstition and idolatry into which Mahayana Buddhism had sunk, and abhorred the conflicts between various sects within the faith. Although Yin Shun is closely associated with the Tzu-Chi Foundation, he has had a decisive influence on others of the new generation of Buddhist masters such as Master Sheng Yen (??????) of Dharma Drum Mountain and Master Hsin Yun (?????) of Fu Guang Shan, who are active in humanitarian aid, social work, environmentalism and academic research. Yin Shun was born in 1906 in Haining County, Zhejiang Province. He became a monk in 1930 and pursed his religious studies at the Nantuo Temple in Xiamen, developing into a formidable scholar. His is credited with raising the status of Mahayana Buddhism through his extensive writings and his insistence on theoretical rigor. In 1972, with the publication of his History of the Chinese Ch'an School ( Yin Shun traveled widely in Asia and lectured at many academic and religious organizations. In March last year, he was awarded the Order of Propitious Clouds Second Class, for his contributions to the revitalization of Buddhism in Taiwan. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ SPECIAL REPORT FROM LANKA DAILY NEWS _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Australia's Highest Honour awarded to Master Chin Kung ___________________________________________________________________________________________ From Davin:
Many colleges and universities have added Buddhist monks to their roster of chaplains as the religion has grown in the United
States. MIT didn?¡¥t have one until Tenzin arrived in 2002, while he was completing his graduate work at Harvard Divinity School.
Robert Randolph, senior associate dean for student life at MIT and a Protestant minister, recruited Tenzin after hearing about him
from colleagues at Harvard University.
?¡ãIt has paid off wonderfully,?Randolph said. ?¡ãWe wanted to have a religious presence on campus to serve our Buddhist students, but he also has broadened the experience of students who wouldn?¡¥t know how to spell ??Buddhism.?¡À?¡¥ One percent of college students identify as Buddhist, according to a recent study of college students?spiritual and religious practices, conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute and funded by the Templeton Foundation. The same study found that Buddhist students had high levels of charitable involvement and religious skepticism and they espoused ecumenical world views. Tenzin not only teaches and counsels students, he also lives in a campus residence hall, in a studio equipped with a meditation room and a laptop with a high-speed Internet connection. Tenzin said his students know he isn?¡¥t there to convert them. ?¡ãIt?¡¥s a very nonthreatening tradition, and it doesn?¡¥t require any conversion,?he said. ?¡ãReligious conversion is something that has to be done at a deeper level and takes years of time.?/P> John Essigmann, a professor of chemistry and engineering at MIT, said he saw Tenzin in the dining hall discussing gravitational lensing with a renowned physics professor. The next night, he and a neurophysician were debating theories about meditation?¡¥s effects on the brain. ?¡ãAll in a seamless conversation, as natural as could be,? Essigmann said. B. Alan Wallace, a Buddhist scholar who spoke at that conference, said science and Buddhism is a ?¡ãmatch waiting to be made,?although there are skeptics on both sides.
Tenzin said Buddhists have been studying and cultivating the mind for 2,500 years, but he wants to explore ways that science can answer questions that religion cannot.
?¡ãBuddhism goes very well with MIT,?he said. ?¡ãWe both want people to have good reasons for their beliefs.?nbsp; ___________________________________________________________________________________________
From Kok Weun:
Hi Bb,
I am very sorry to bother you . I have read many mails from the CAS and I noticed that you are really a full swing charity org. And I also had volunteered once before.
I have a question to ask but I am not sure its correct to ask .
I have a unit with 3 rooms , Sunflower Residence Geylang Lor 32 not near the red light district.
Lots of ammenties and 5 mins walk behind the Old Airport Hawkers Centre with >200 stores.
I am not sure if you have any buddhist friends or some monks that need lodging.
I was thinking of renting it out.The house will be available from this August 2005
It's fully furnished and move in condition.
I am sorry to have asked you for this favour.
Please let me know if you think my mail is not suitable for your CAS noticed.
Cos I was thinking that many Buddhist activities are going on over that area, so it might be a convenient place to live in .
THank you for posting my mail
As I will be flying most of my time pls leave me a sms @ 96641321
Or Email me at KokWeun_See@Singaporeair.com.sg
Have a pleasant day
Kok Weun
Dear Friend,
CAS will grab and anything that promotes the Teachings and benefits mother beings .!!
"Karmapa Chenno !!"
bb and other Grabbers __________________________________________________________________________________________
From Doris: Dear friends,
My friend photographer Ray Tan, is holding his very first photography exhibition on the life of Sister Teresa Hsu. At 107, she is Singapore's oldest social worker, dedicating her whole life to helping the underprivileged. Do come and attend this very special and meaningful talk this coming Thursday,
30 June , 7.30pm at Singapore Art Museum Glass Hall by Sister Teresa.
I would appreciate it if you could disseminate this to your friends. Thank you! Doris
Cynthia / Sze Ing / Kah Lai - can you disseminate to PKS & Youth Group?
Boon Beng / Tara / Iris - can you please help broadcast / disseminate?
Thankyou : )
The OneZeroSeven exhibition will focus on the life and work of the oldest social worker in Singapore, Teresa Hsu Chih. Born in 1898 in Swatow, China, Teresa Hsu dedicated her whole life to helping the poor and needy. The exhibition was conceived primarily to celebrate Teresa Hsu's 107th birthday in July, and also to allow the public a private glimpse into her life. Please reply to this email to register for the pre-exhibition talk as it is on a first come basis. The details of the talk and exhibition are as follows: Pre-Exhibition Talk : Brothers & Sisters
30 June 2005, 7.30pm
Singapore Art Museum Glass Hall
71 Bras Basah Road S(189555) OneZeroSeven Photography Exhibition
6-18 July 2005, 12-7pm (Excluding Sundays)
The Photographers' Gallery
MICA Building
140 Hill Street #01-02 S(179369) The OneZeroSeven exhibition will be officially opened by Teresa Hsu Chih on 6 July at 7.00pm
Best Wishes,
Ray Tan M 9830 8396
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