Seminar on Life & Death By Venerable Huei Kai

Following his earlier successful talk in Fo Guang Shan (FGS) Temple in Auckland, New Zealand, on 16 Jan 2014 Venerable Huei Kai, Deputy Abbot of FGS Temple Taiwan, conducted another seminar on the ‘ Life and Death’ in the ‘Cloud Water House’ Christchurch for members of Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) South Island. The seminar was presided by Abbess Manshin and was attended by Venerable Jue Xi, Venerable Miao Yu, Venerable Zhi Ming, BLIA North Island President Dolly Tsai, BLIA South Island President See Shen and more than 70 BLIA members. In the talk, Venerable Huei Kai deliberated on the topic ‘Life and Death’ and other family problems in a candid, lively and humorous way. The talk lasted for 3 hours and was very well received by the audience, with some even requesting for time extension.

After the earthquake in 2011, the people of Christchurch are subjected to the problems of “Life and Death’. Due to ignorance and lack of understanding of the subject, many become fearful and helpless. Venerable Huei Kai analyzed the topic from the Buddhist perspective telling the audience that Life does not end with Death but is a mere transformation into another new life form, a new beginning. Hence, one should not fear Death. In fact with preparation, the process of dying can be carried out with dignity and blissfulness. The audience was overcome with joy and conviction at the end of the seminar.

In his parting words, Venerable Huei Kai presented a New Year gift to the audience: the three ‘Must’,
(1) Must not idle till your expiry date. Live a fruitful life without wasting your time;
(2) Must not take steps to prolong life unnecessarily when it is time to die;
(3) Must maintain a healthy physique to enable you to die with sufficient stamina to reach the place you crave for.

At the end of the seminar, Abbess Manshin, on behalf of BLIA NZ, thanked Venerable Huei Kai for coming over to New Zealand to share his knowledge on this very important topic, despite his tight schedule. Abbess Manshin told the audience that it was because of his unwillingness to let people suffer the fear of Death that, with great compassion, Venerable Huei Kai came to enlighten the audience, with the hope that one should be better prepared, should listen to one’s inner voice, and should learn to face Death without fear. Before departing, Venerable Huei Kai presented the audience with 3D bookmarks and ‘Dedication word’ and wished them a colorful and purposeful future.