2021 ANZBYC Conclude – Enthusiasm for Buddhism Overcome the Pandemic Challenge
The 2021 Australia New Zealand Buddhist Youth Conference (ANZBYC) held its grand opening ceremony on 3rd July, followed by an intensive program with 13 lecturers giving 9 classes in two days that were very beneficial and enriching for the participants. The closing ceremony was held at 7:30 pm New Zealand time on 4th July, with BLIA Oceania Deputy Secretary General and Australia New Zealand Chief Venerable Abbess Man Ko, FGS NZ Venerable Abbess Manshin, Nan Tien Temple Minister in Charge Venerable Man Wang, BLIA HQ Director Mr. Liu Zhao Ming and wife, BLIA Oceania Director Ms. Dolly Tsai, and BLIA Melbourne President Mr. David Yu.
FGS NZ Venerable Abbess Manshin led more than 40 YAD members from North and South Island New Zealand, along with Oceania Dharma lecturer, Venerables, BLIA Oceania committee members and other Oceania YAD members, with a total of about 200 people attending. BLIA South Island NZ was represented by BLIA South Island NZ President Bernie, First Chapter President Louisa Kuo, and Second Chapter President Cao Qian.
In her closing remarks, Chief Abbess Venerable Man Ko said, "Every succession is for the sake of sustainability. The fact that Buddhism has been passed down for 2,500 years is a testament to how it is valued and needed by people. There are more than 300 Fo Guang Shan monasteries around the world, with a well-established system of educating speakers, BLIA-led youth groups and YAD-led Scout groups. Nan Tien University in Australia is also promoting Buddhism abroad through academic means. All BLIA members, young or old, we must help and encourage each other, setting a good example of practicing the three good deeds. The Pure Land can exist in the human realm, as long as one is practicing Buddhism, one is a Buddha.”
FGS NZ Venerable Abbess Manshin was pleased to see that the first ANZBYC held in 1997 is now in its 23rd year, and it was that event back then which led to the formation of the BLIA Oceania chapter outside of BLIA HQ. It was a blessing for the participants to have a member of Parliament from Parramatta, Australia delivering a lecture at this conference. She encouraged the participants to "not be afraid to suffer, for knowing how endure will come with blessings. Whatever task we are given, it should be taken as an opportunity to transcend our inadequacy. Remember that we are only as good as the people around us, and we must give joyfully. The more you give, the more you will reap”.
In his closing speech, Director Liu Zhao Ming expressed his gratitude to YAD Melbourne for hosting the 23rd ANZBYC, such that the young Buddhists can understand how Buddhism depends on me and make it their mission to pass on the faith of Fo Guang Shan as a legacy for the next generation. Venerable Master Hsing Yun said that faith is joy and hope, and that Humanistic Buddhism will not abandon any sentient being. We must not only have faith in the Buddha, but also learn Buddhism and practice Buddhism. Only by applying Buddhism in our lives, can we truly benefit from it. David Yu hoped that attending ANZBYC has opened the horizon of the YAD, increasing their knowledge, allowing them to meet other YAD members and maximize their potential in this world.
During the closing ceremony, a retrospective video was shown, including the lecturer's talks, the students' progress in their classes, the activities held outside of class, the opening ceremony, etc. The warm memories evoked a lot of emotions. The short two-day course was very packed and fulfilling end-to-end, having enriched the students' experience and gave them confidence in the faith of Humanistic Buddhism. The closing ceremony also showed a clip of the conference flag being passed on last year, with YAD Melbourne receiving the baton from YAD NZ, and wasting no time to prepare for the conference since then. In that time, each country had gone through several Covid-19 lockdowns, but the challenges were overcoming and led to a successful online-based 23rd ANZBYC. The baton was handed over to the next host - YAD Queensland, and here’s to hoping that the pandemic will be over soon so that everyone will be able to meet next time sunny Brisbane!