A Tea Session between BLIA South Island Members and Professor Shiau

The Dharma Lecture A Dialogue between Aerospace Science and Humanistic Buddhism delivered by Professor Shiau Ting-Nung on 5 December 2020 at FGS South Island Temple had received enthusiastic responses from the audience. They were full of praises and appreciation for Professor Shiau’s vast knowledge and immense experiences. As a sequel to the Lecture, on December 6th, Fo Guang Shan (FGS) New Zealand Abbess Venerable Manshin specially arranged a Tea Session for the audience to meet and ask Professor Shiau questions. More than 30 members of Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) South Island attended the Tea Session.  Also present were Venerable Abbess Manshin, FGS South Island minister-in-charge Venerable Jue Xi and Professor Shiau's wife, Professor Wang Su-Chen.

At the Tea Session, Professor Shiau recounted his days before he embraced the Buddhist faith. He said that before becoming a Buddhist, he liked to go fishing but had to endure the retribution arising therefrom. Later, after studying the Ksitigarbha Sutra, and learning about the relationship between karma and retribution, Professor Shiau sincerely repented. Through diligent recitation of the Ksitigarbha Sutra, he hoped to eliminate the bad karma accumulated by his previous wrongful actions.  Professor Shiau praised the Ksitigarbha Sutra for its excellence. Its contents not only talk about the philosophy of life but also about Time and Space and corporate management etc. Professor Shiau encouraged BLIA members to cherish the opportunity to seriously take up Buddhism and use it to open up life’s new frontier and to find true value and direction of Life.

During the discussion, BLIA members seized the opportunity and actively asked Professor Shiau questions. They also generously shared their own life experiences with the audience. BLIA Dharma Lecturer Rona Ku shared her late husband, BLIA Advisor Ku's personal experience in his journey to embracing Buddhism. Next, BLIA first Subchapter President Louisa Kuo described how she took her father to Christchurch to spend his remaining  years. In Christchurch, her father was well taken care of by FGS Temple Venerables and BLIA members. Later, when her father passed away, it was at the time of Filial piety month of Ksitigarbha Sutra cultivation. So, in future whenever she takes part in the Ksitigarbha Sutra cultivation or Dharma service, Louisa will return the merits to her late father. In another case, BLIA South Island member Ms. Chen Xiao Yun claimed that, from Professor Shiau’s experience about fishing, she recalled how her father’s frequent fishing and hunting trips in his younger days had caused him to suffer from stroke and cancer and endured great pain in the last 20 years of his life. Now that she has learned about the truth of the Law of Cause and Effect, Ms. Chen promised to carry out more Sutra chanting and return the merits to her father.

In her speech, Abbess Manshin pointed out that to be able to live well in the present moment is the greatest blessing we can have. We must continue to work hard, to read, and to calm our mind and engage in rightful thinking in order to develop wisdom. This process is very tough and tedious, just like turning stone into gold. You should not be afraid of your achievements. If you are able to contribute your labour, means that you have been working diligently; and if you are able to donate, indicates that you are wealthy.

The cause of Professor Shiau’s involvement in Buddhism stemmed from his wife, Professor Wang, who had herself come into contact with Buddhism in 1984 at FGS Taiwan. Out of her expectation, after migrating to New Zealand, Professor Wang was still able to keep her contact with FGS North Island. In the past few months, Professor Shiau and wife had participated in the activities of FGS North Island. After witnessing the diligence and dedication of the Venerables and volunteers there, they were motivated into regaining their lives’ energy and into re-igniting the joy long-buried in them. Professor Shiau and wife felt very happy about this trip to South Island. They were very grateful for the kindness and hospitality bestowed on them by Abbess Manshin and the people of FGS Temple South Island, and felt elated and blessed for the new knowledge and Dharma wisdom they had acquired here.