Welcoming HK & Macau Chief Abbess Venerable Yong Fu to FGS South Island

After her successful Dharma lecture at Fo Guang Shan (FGS) North Island, on 15th March 2019, the Head Abbess of FGS Hong Kong and Macau Venerable Yong Fu, visited FGS South Island to give a Dharma talk. She was accompanied by FGS New Zealand Abbess Venerable Manshin, FGS North Island Venerable Rulian, Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) Oceania Fellowship Committee Committee Director Dolly Tsai and BLIA HQ Committee Director Dominique Cheung. The entourage was warmly welcomed by FGS South Island Minister-in-charge Venerable Jue Xi and 20 members of Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) South Island.

At the Buddha Hall, accompanied by Venerable Manshin, Venerable Yong Fu first performed light offering to Buddha and then continued to share her Dharma wisdom with the assembly. Touched by the warm reception, Venerable Yong Fu, who is very good at Dharma Chanting, chanted the ‘whose chant the Buddha’ and ‘The Triple Gems’ to the applause of the congregation. They were visibly moved by her clear and forceful voice. Venerable Yong Fu afterwards gave out, as a souvenir, a mini-size copy of Heart Sutra to everyone present. She encouraged the congregation to make good use of their time to learn and practice Buddha’s teachings. Venerable Yong Fu later introduced her new book “Wealthy Mindfulness of Reciting Buddha”. She told the assembly that, as Buddhist Practitioners, they should “not only understand the Dharma, but also practice what it preaches”. In this respect, they should always continue to improve their understanding and practice of Humanistic Buddhism.

Following the session at the Buddha Hall, Venerable Yong Fu was taken for a tour of the “The Liquidity of Motion Acrylic Pour and Paint Exhibition” and the “Sacred Art Exhibition”. She also toured the Time Tunnel, the Tea Meditation area, the Middle Courtyard, and the award-winning FGS Garden. Venerable Manshin explained that the Architecture of the Temple Building was based on the “Buddhist Practitioners’ Concept” of Simplicity, Tranquillity and Determination. Venerable Yong Fu praised FGS South Island for the artistic beauty and the tranquil religious air found in every corner of the building, allowing the devotees to have an inner sense of peace and blissfulness.

Under the strong urging of BLIA members, Venerable Yong Fu obliged the crowd with a book signing ceremony of her new book “Wealthy Mindfulness of Reciting Buddha”. Those at the ceremony also bought the Dharma chanting gadgets produced by Venerable Yong Fu so that they can listen to Venerable’s Dharma chanting while carrying out self-cleansing in the Dharma way, planting the Dharma seeds of joy and bliss.

In the final phase, BLIA members took part in a sharing session with Venerable Yong Fu where they thanked Venerable for her special effort in visiting FGS South Island and for her inspiration imparted on them to go forward with their Dharma cultivation and practice with increased vigour and determination. Venerable Yong Fu’s visit, though lasted just a few hours, was filled with joy and surprises and was definitely a lively and fruitful Dharma meeting!