星云法师慈航永渡人间，法驾不舍众生。愿大师乘愿再来，普度一切有情众生。感谢法师教诲

说好话，存好心，做好事

阿弥陀佛

阿弥陀佛

阿弥陀佛

星云法师慈航永渡人间，法驾不舍众生。愿大师乘愿再来，普度一切有情众生。感谢法师教诲

说好话，存好心，做好事

阿弥陀佛

阿弥陀佛

阿弥陀佛

星云法师慈航永渡人间，法驾不舍众生。愿大师乘愿再来，普度一切有情众生。感谢法师教诲

说好话，存好心，做好事

阿弥陀佛

阿弥陀佛

星云法师慈航永渡人间，法驾不舍众生。愿大师乘愿再来，普度一切有情众生。感谢法师教诲

说好话，存好心，做好事

阿弥陀佛

阿弥陀佛

星云法师慈航永渡人间，法驾不舍众生。愿大师乘愿再来，普度一切有情众生。感谢法师教诲

说好话，存好心，做好事

阿弥陀佛

阿弥陀佛

星云法师慈航永渡人间，法驾不舍众生。愿大师乘愿再来，普度一切有情众生。感谢法师教诲

说好话，存好心，做好事

阿弥陀佛

阿弥陀佛

星云法师慈航永渡人间，法驾不舍众生。愿大师乘愿再来，普度一切有情众生。感谢法师教诲

说好话，存好心，做好事

阿弥陀佛

阿弥陀佛

阿弥陀佛

“THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF LOVE”

A Tribute to

VEN. MASTER HSING YUN

(1927-2023)

By: Cecile B. Manikan

Humanistic Buddhism Center, Philippines

I am a non-Buddhist whose life has been touched by the writings and life testimony of one who truly understood what it means to be truly human and humane. The description sounds trite but unpacking the circumstances from whence it came seeks only to glorify the extraordinariness by which he pursued and lent meaning to the word ‘humanity’. This, I will attempt to explore but first the impact of his earthly departure for me.

I couldn’t help but shed buckets of tears watching the memorial service of this religious leader whom I have not even met personally. And there were hundreds of thousands like me who were glued to their monitors for more than five hours to witness the final leave-taking of the Master whose thousands of devotees and monastics countlessly bowed and prostrated themselves at the sight of the white tower containing his body. What person is this who can command such deep love and respect from many across the globe? Let me share my own version of Ven. Master Hsing Yun based on how he impacted my life.

Hsing Yun’s story is one of boundless generosity that cannot be outdone. All because during some significant periods of his life, when everything seemed dark and desperate, a human being – a friend or teacher, showed him acts of kindness that saved his life. Such human goodness became the inexhaustible source of gratitude and compassion that would turn the table against all kinds of adversities he experienced in life. He transformed challenges into opportunities of selfless giving almost to the point of extravagance. “When you give rice to the poor, fry it with butter”; not to be ridiculous but to illustrate unbounded giving from a heart’s limitless capacity to care. This is noteworthy, because, this in fact, is the discernable template of giving that guided his life and by which he exhorted his followers to emulate. Extravagance is giving beyond normal expectation – “give big tips to taxi drivers and service people” so they do not run away from begging monks. Unable to obtain formal schooling as a child, he founded schools and offered scholarships in all levels of education so that no one thirsting for knowledge may be deprived of its benefits. Deprived of hospitality and home when he landed in Taiwan, he built nurseries and homes for the aged so that no one may sleep wet, cold, and under the mercy of varying climes such as one who is homeless…Venerable Master Hsing Yun gives back and does it big time from out of his deprivations in the past.

When I first visited Fo Guang Shan in Kaohsiung, I was wondering why the monks did not cultivate farms and gardens of vegetables so that the Order could be self-sustaining given the vast areas of land that could be cultivated. Then, I was told that the source of food and vegetables come from the surrounding vicinity of hundreds of farmers whom the Venerable Master considered part of the Fo Guang Shan community. The Order would sustain them so they grow as part of the Community. Inclusive and wise in the cultivation and promotion of interconnectedness and interdependence. Such perspicacity of mind is beyond economic measure – it is wisdom that dwells in the human heart; it knows how to give – abundantly, because at sometime in the past, it felt and understood how to be in need.

I studied Humanistic Buddhism at Nan Tien Institute as a scholar of the Hsing Yun Education Foundation (HYEF). When I graduated, I wanted to give back to FGS by giving educational training and Mindfulness Practice to public schools that have adopted the TAG (Three Acts of Goodness) as part of their Values education curriculum. Around 300 teachers nationwide attended and I was happy that I could render this service in return for my scholarship at Nan Tien. But Master Hsing Yun asked the Abbess to give me some red envelop for this service despite my protestation that it was for free as act of gratitude to the HYEF. But Master Hsing Yun’s generosity cannot be outdone…through some skillful means of the Abbess, I humbly accepted the offer…, again, love’s extravagance from the Master.

I saw in a video clip, how upon returning to China, Hsing Yun visited the first temple where he was educated, taken care of, and tonsured. How he thanked those in the temple for having taken care of his past teachers and masters. And how in a very determined way, he vowed to spread Buddhism across all five continents, tears choking the unfathomable gratitude of all past kindnesses bestowed upon him…love repaying love in a spontaneous, boundless way…that is the Venerable Master Hsing Yun to me. One whose inner sensitivity resonate with the deeper needs of all people and how from such well of humanity he draws love’s extravagance and kindness for humankind. On the opposite side, dealing with those who are unwilling or not ready to give or share, he has the wisdom and delicacy of character to grant space and freedom – “should anyone show signs of avoiding you, do not bother them ever again”…This bespeaks of bigness of character that is replete with honor, refinement, and dignity.

Farewell for now, Venerable Master. You have touched me with the way you mastered yourself in all situations. You have shown me how to persevere through tough times, you have illustrated to me the heart-rending expression of deep gratitude; you have exemplified the boundlessness of compassion, and you have shown me the highest level of character and magnanimity of spirit both in good times and in bad. A noble in the truest sense of the word.

And so, when non-Buddhists continuously heed your call for unity to propagate goodness and kindness, there could be no stopping the spread of humanistic light in all five continents. Rest for a little bit now, my virtual master and hero. We pledge to continue planting the seeds of the universality of Humanistic Buddhism, in loving affinity and joyful harmony with the Fo Guang Shan monastics and family…come back when the golden harvest is ready…see you in the morning!

Thank you, Venerable Master Hsing Yin for love’s extravagance…

認識師父上人是在1997年時。 當時工作不是很順心。 機緣巧合之下， 弟子的前同事送給了弟子一段您的勵志語錄。 那段話不止讓弟子度過那段艱難的日子也陪伴弟子度過無數黑暗的時光。

但真正讓弟子進一步深入了解您及人間佛教是在弟子開始教兒童佛學班。 為了希望把佛學班教好， 能令學生有正知正見，弟子常常閱讀您的書籍及觀看您的視頻。

漸漸的，您成為了弟子的聖賢偶像。 三好四給五和也成為了弟子生活的一部分。 有時出現不明煩惱時， 您的法語及語錄是弟子的明燈， 照亮我前方的路，為我指引迷路 。

如今師父上人您雖不在，我們必定奉行您的教誨， 荷擔家業、傳承宗風。

盼望您早日乘願再來，弟子願能和您一起弘法度眾。

南無本師釋迦牟尼🙏🏻

南无啊弥陀佛🙏

南无啊弥陀佛🙏

南无啊弥陀佛🙏