Master Chin Kung's activities between year 1998 to year 2002

Dedication Towards Promoting a Profoundly
Peaceful and Multicultural Social Education
Following is a list of activities of Venerable Master Chin Kung between 1998 to 2002
1998/05/22 Delivered four hour lectures on the Flower Adornment Sutra daily
in Singapore.
1999/10/22-25 Invited to give a lecture to over 12,000 and more audience in
Kuala Lumpur
2000/06/29-07/03 Invited to give lectures at Kuching, Sarawak, Mlasia.
1998/04/04 Delivered lectures on The infinite Life Sutra for the 10th occasion
1998/05 Lectured on The Earth Treasure Sutra in Singapore, with a total of
202 hours for 101 lectures.
2000/10/24 Invited to give lectures at Penang, Malaysia.
2000-2001 Lectured on The Ten Virtuous Deed Sutra in Singapore, with a
total of 160 hours for 80 lectures.
2001/04 Gave lectures on “Liao Fan’s Four Lesson” in Hong Kong for a
total of 44 hours for 22 lectures.
2002/02/23-24 Invited to give lecture at Malacca City, to a 10,000 and more
audience.
2002/11 Invited to give six lectures on the “Eight Major Enlightenment
Sutra” in the “Ji En” Temple, Toyko.
2003/04/12 Lectured to the 1000th chapter on “The Flower Adornment Sutra”
in the Pure Land College, Toowoomba with a total of 2000 hours
spent.
2003/05/07 Gave lectures on the “Thrice Yearning Ceremony” in the Pure Land
College, Toowoomba for a total of 114 hours for 57 lectures.
2004/05/24 Lectured to the 1269th chapter on “The Flower Adornment Sutra”
in the Pure Land College, Toowoomba with a total of 2538 hours
spent
2004/04/25 Lectured on “The Infinite Life Sutra” in Singapore for a total of 328
hours for 164 lectures.
2004/07 Will be giving lectures on “The Flower Adornment Sutra” in Hong Kong,
by starting on the 1270th chapter.

Buddha talked about filial piety

The Filial Piety Sutra

The Sutra About The Deep Kindness of Parents
And Difficulty of Repaying It

Thus I have heard:

At one time, the Buddha dwelt at Shravasti, in the Jeta Grove, in the Garden of the Benefactor of Orphans and the Solitary, together with a gathering of great Bhiskshus, twelve hundred fifty in all and with all of the Bodhisattvas, thirty eight thousand in all.
At that time, the World Honored One led the great assembly on a walk toward the south. Suddenly they came upon a pile of bones beside the road. The World Honored One turned to face them, placed his five limbs on the ground, and bowed respectfully.
Ánanda put his palms together and asked World Honored One, “The Tathagata is the Great Teacher of the Triple Realm and the compassionate father of beings of the four kinds of births. He has the respect and reverence of the entire assembly. What is the reason that he now bows to a pile of dried bones?”
The Buddha told Ánanda, “Although all of you are my foremost disciples and have been members of the Sangha for a long time, you still have not achieved far-reaching understanding. This pile of bones could have belonged to my ancestors from former lives. They could have been my parents in many past lives. That is the reason I now bow to them.” The Buddha continued speaking to Ánanda, “These bones we are looking at can be divided into two groups. One group is composed of the bones of men, which are heavy and white in color. The other group is composed of bones of women, which are light and black in color.”
Ánanda said to Buddha, “World Honored One, when men are alive in the world, they adorn their bodies with robes, belts, shoes, hats and other fine attire, so that they clearly assume a male appearance. When women are alive, they put on cosmetics, perfumes, powders, and elegant fragrances to adorn their bodies, so that they clearly assume a female appearance. Yet, once men or women die, all that is left are their bones. How does one tell them apart? Please teach us how you are able to distinguish them.”
The Buddha answered Ánanda, “If when men are in the world, they enter temples, listen to explanations of Sutras and Vinaya texts, make obeisance to the Triple Gem, and recite the Buddha’s name, then when they die, their bones will be heavy and white in color. Most women in the world have little wisdom and are saturated with emotion. They give birth to and raise children, feeling that this is their duty. Each child relies on its mother’s milk for life and nourishment, and that milk is a transformation of the mother’s blood. Each child can drink up to one thousand two hundred gallons of its mother’s milk. Because of this drain on the mother’s body whereby the child takes milk for its nourishment, the mother becomes worn and haggard and so her bones turn black in color and are light in weight.”
When Ánanda heard these words, he felt a pain in his heart as if he had been stabbed and wept silently. He said to the World Honored One, “How can one repay one’s mother’s kindness and virtues?” The Buddha told Ánanda, “Listen well, and I will explain it to you in details. The fetus grows in its mother’s womb for ten lunar months. What bitterness she goes through while it dwells there! In the first month of pregnancy, the life of the fetus is as precarious as a dew drop on grass: how likely that it will not last from morning to evening but will evaporate by midday!”
“During the second lunar month, the embryo congeals like curds. In the third month it is like coagulated blood. During the fourth month of pregnancy, the fetus begins to assume a slightly human form. During the fifth month in the womb, the child’s five limbs, two legs, two arms, and a head start to take shape. In the sixth lunar month of pregnancy, the child begins to develop the essences of the six sense faculties: the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. During the seventh month, the three hundred sixty bones and joints are formed, and the eighty four thousand hair pores are also complete. In the eight lunar month of the pregnancy, the intellect and the nine apertures are formed. By the ninth month, the fetus has learned to assimilate the different nutrients of the foods it eats. For example, it can assimilate the essence of peaches, pears, certain plant roots and the five kinds of grains.”
“Inside the mother’s body, the solid internal organs used for storing hang downward, while the hollow internal organs used for processing, spiral upward. These can be likened to three mountains, which arise from the face of the earth. We can call these mountains Mount Sumeru, Karma Mountain, and Blood Mountain. These analogous mountains come together and form a single range in a pattern of upward peaks and downward valleys. So too, the coagulation of the mother’s blood from her internal organs forms a single substance, which becomes the child’s food.”
“During the tenth month of pregnancy, the body of the fetus is completed and ready to be born. If the child is extremely filial, it will emerge with palms joined together inn respect and the birth will peaceful and auspicious. The mother will remain uninjured by the birth and will not suffer pain. However, if the child is extremely rebellious in nature, to the extent that it is capable of committing the five rebellious acts, then it will injure its mother’s womb, rip apart its mother’s heart and liver, or get entangled in its mother’s bones. The birth will feel like the slices of a thousand knives or like ten thousand sharp swords stabbing her heart. Those are the agonies involved in the birth of a defiant and rebellious child.”
To explain more clearly, there are ten types of kindnesses bestow by the mother on the child:

• The first is the kindness of providing protection and care while the child is in the womb.
• The second is the kindness of bearing suffering during the birth.
• The third is the kindness of forgetting all the pain once the child has been born.
• The fourth is the kindness of eating the bitter herself and saving the sweet for the child.
• The fifth is the kindness of moving the child to a dry place and lying in the wet herself.
• The sixth is the kindness of suckling the child at her breast, nourishing and bringing up the child.
• The seventh is the kindness of washing away the unclean.
• The eight is the kindness of always thinking of the child when it has travelled far.
• The ninth is the kindness of deep care and devotion.
• The tenth is the kindness of ultimate pity and sympathy.

The causes and conditions from accumulated kalpas grows heavy,
Until in this life the child ends up in its Mother’s womb.
As the months pass, the five vital organs develop;
Within seven weeks the six sense organs start to grow.
The mother’s body becomes as heavy as a mountain;
The stillness and movements of the fetus are like a kalpic wind disaster.
The mother’s fine clothes no longer hang properly,
And so her mirror gathers dust.
The pregnancy lasts for ten lunar months
And culminates in difficult labor at the approach of the birth.
Meanwhile, each morning the mother is seriously ill
And during each day drowsy and sluggish.
Her fear and agitation are difficult to describe;
Grieving and tears fill her breast.
She painfully tells her family
That she is only afraid that death will overtake her.
On the day the compassionate mothers bears the child,
Her five organs all open wide,
Leaving her totally exhausted in body and mind.
The blood flows as from a slaughtered lamb;
Yet, upon hearing that the child is healthy,
She is overcome with redoubling joy,
But after the joy, the grief returns,
And the agony wrenches her very insides.
The kindness of both parents is profound and deep,
Their care and devotion never cease.
Never resting, the mother saves the sweet for the child,
And without complain she swallows the bitter herself.
Her love is weighty and her emotion difficult to bear;
Her kindness is deep and so is her compassion.
Only wanting the child to get its fill,
The compassionate mother doesn’t speak of her own hunger.
The mother is willing to be wet
So that the child can be dry.
With her two breasts she satisfies its hunger and thirst;
Covering it with her sleeve, she protects it from the wind and cold.
In kindness, her head rarely rests on the pillow,
And yet she does this happily,
So long as the child is comfortable,
The kind mother seeks no solace for herself.
The kind mother is like the great earth.
The stern father is like the encompassing heaven;
One covers from above; the other supports from below.
The kindness of parents is such that
They know no hatred or anger toward their offspring,
And are not displeased, even if the child is born crippled.
After the mother carries the child in her womb and give birth to it,
The parents care for and protect it together until the end of their days.
Originally, she had a pretty face and a beautiful body,
Her spirit was strong and vibrant.
Her eyebrows were like fresh green willows,
And her complexion would have put a red rose to shame.
But her kindness is so deep she will forgo a beautiful face.
Although washing away the filth injures her constitution,
The kind mother acts solely for the sake of her sons and daughters,
And willingly allows her beauty to fade.
The death of loved ones is difficult to endure.
But separation is also painful.
When the child travels afar,
The mother worries in her village.
From morning until night, her heart is with her child,
And a thousand tears fall from her eyes.
Like the monkey weeping silently in love for her child,
Bit by bit her heart is broken.
How heavy is parental kindness and emotional concern!
Their kindness is deep and difficult to repay.
Willingly they undergo suffering on their child’s behalf.
If the child toils, the parents are uncomfortable.
If they hear that he has to travelled far,
They worry that at night he will have to lie in the cold.
Even a moment’s pain suffered by their sons and daughters,
Will cause the parents sustained distress.
The kindness of parents is profound and important.
Their tender concern never cease.
From the moment they awake each day, their thoughts are with their children.
Whether the children are near or far away, the parents think of them often.
Even if a mother lives for a hundred years,
She will constantly worry about her eighty-year-old child.
Do you wish to know when such kindness and love ends?
It doesn’t even begin to dissipate until her life is over!

Master Chin Kung talks about peace

A Critical Moment that Can Change Heaven and Earth! For All Lovers of Peace -- "Let Us Pray Together for World Peace"

    The war between the U.S.A. and Iraq has finally erupted. All those who love peace tried everything possible but were still unable to prevent this war from taking place. We feel deeply sad that this war had to happen.

　　We believe that the majority of people in this world do not want this war. Then why couldn't we stop it from happening? We couldn't stop it because the people of this world all share in this common karma. If we want to survive this tragedy, all peace loving and kind people throughout the world should join together. With loving hearts, sincerity and compassion, let us pray together for lasting world peace and dedicate the merit of our prayers to the fulfillment of our concerted wish.

　　Since 911, people around the world are still impacted by the terror. Our everyday lives are filled with uncertainty. Some political leaders have tried to solve the conflicts by using military force. Responding to violence with violence will inevitably bring further reprisals, perhaps even the Third World War. It is possible that this war between the U.S.A. and Iraq is the prelude to the destruction of this planet and the annihilation of the human race.

　　The only thing we can do today is to pray together for lasting world peace with truly sincere, pure, and loving hearts for all people. A Chinese proverb says, "True sincerity can split a stone of gold." We are confident that with our strong faith and love, we will be able to receive a blessing that will resolve all of this world's tragedies caused by hatred, confrontations, and conflicts.

　　With utmost sincerity, I hereby urge all peace loving and kind people of this world to unite, regardless of nationality, race or religious belief, and to sincerely pray in their own ways whenever possible, regardless of time and place, for the resolution of all conflicts and for lasting world peace.

　　At the same time I hope that we can persuade others to join us in this prayer for peace. Each additional person increases our strength. With more people our strength and determination will be more powerful and effective. This will not just save the lives and material goods of billions of people, it also is the best way to ensure our own safety and that of our families. If we fail to do this, we will be unable to save ourselves from sharing the terrible consequences of the world's annihilation.

　　We must know that our prayers are not solely for the temporary relief of pending disasters. Rather, they are a continuation of humanities' long-held prayer for peace. Since humankind's emergence on Earth, war has been waged. If we want to reach lasting peace, we need sincere and loving hearts. Only by praying with this genuinely sincere heart, can we achieve the peace we seek. If our resolve should weaken even a bit, conflicts and confrontations would again erupt. Therefore, we must never cease praying for peace.

　　We must deeply believe that our sincere prayers will emanate our message of peace, and furthermore, that they can end this war and resolve the looming disasters caused by the conflicts. This is not superstitious belief, but proven truth.

　　During the Second World War, in order to end the Japanese invasion of China, an article in the journal of the Chinese-Japanese Buddhist Society for Peace stated: "All the effects of bitterness are derived from bitter causes. Our karmas are all created and changed by our minds. We should know that in this universe, space is not the most vast phenomena; indeed, the vastest is the mind for it encompasses everything in the universe. Neither is a diamond the strongest object; our will is. The most important and effective way for us to cultivate together is for all to make the same wish at the same time. One man's voice can only carry a few yards. When thousands of people call out together, the sound can travel miles. The light of one candle can only light an entryway: The light of a huge fire can illuminate the entire sky. Even though the results of our karmas are unimaginable, so is the power of our wishes. Since the pending disasters we face together are the results of our common karma, this great misfortune can only be eliminated by the power of our great wish for peace in unity." The article also said: "Even though we pray to heaven for its blessings, we can only seek happiness from within ourselves. We are the creators of our own good fortune and misfortune. Without exception, this maxim is the principle used in all religions, be they past or present, to make our prayers come true." Therefore, praying is our best method to cleanse our common karma, and to resolve the pending catastrophes.

　　Currently in Australia, all the students of the Pure Land Learning College are diligently chanting Amitabha Buddha's name, trying to eliminate the pending disasters and praying for lasting world peace. All the students of the Pure Land school worldwide have also joined in the efforts of praying for world peace.

　　All of us deeply believe that the power of praying together for a common cause will give us an unimaginable response, a fact proven in experiments conducted by Japanese scientists. Just recently, a Dr. Emoto and his colleagues published their findings on water crystals. They proved that "Humans' conscious minds can change the shape of water crystals." Thus, from the same principle, we know that human consciousness has the ability to alter its environment.

　　Example one:

　　On the 2nd of February 1997 at 2 p.m., a glass of Tokyo tap water was sitting on Dr. Emoto's office desk. Five hundred Hado instructors across Japan had been requested to simultaneously visualize the glass of water. They were to wish for the water to be clean and to think "thank you very much." Afterwards, photos of the microscopic water crystals showed their beautiful patterns. This experiment proved that human thoughts could be jointly effective regardless of how far apart the individuals are.

　　Therefore, let all those who love peace pray together. As long as we pray with sincere and loving hearts, we know we can completely change our physical living environment.

　　Example two:

　　At Fujiwara Dam located at Minakami-cho, Gunma Prefecture in Japan, another experiment was conducted on "Purifying Water with Inspiring Words." The experiment held by Reverand Kato Hoki, the chief priest of Jyuhouin Temple, Omiya City, was a perfect success and its results were astounding. Before the experiment, the shape of the microscopic water crystals was jagged and irregular. After an hour of praying, people observed the water slowly turning clear and clean. Photos were taken again and this time, they revealed beautiful water crystals. All those present was surprised and moved by the experiment.

　　These two scientific experiments proved what the Buddha said in the sutras: "Everything is manifested from the mind. All causes and effects, as vast as the universe, as small as a dust particle, are formed by the all-knowing mind because everything in this world and beyond contains an all-knowing and all-capable true nature." This is the principle behind the reason of why, when we pray with utmost sincerity, we can create unimaginably positive real world responses.

　　We deeply believe that although we live in different parts of the world, all people with noble ideals and visions can come together to resolve the conflicts of this world, and pray with sincere, pure, impartial, and compassionate hearts for the rest of our lives for lasting peace, and for evil to transform into goodness, delusion into enlightenment.

　　Doing this, we will definitely gain incredible responses. The Buddha said that infinite merits and virtues would come forth as this is the best and surest way to save our world from catastrophe. I sincerely hope that all the kind and good people of this world would share this wish. Together, let us all respond to this kindest act of praying together for world peace. If we can all do so, our world will be most fortunate!


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　Chin Kung
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The Pure Land Learning College
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　22nd March, 2003

Han Yin and Chin Kung

Master Chin Kung always mentiom Ms.Han Yin because Han Yin was the protector. Let's know more about Ms. Han Yin. Ms. Han Yin was born near the mouth of the Sa River, Dalian City, Liaoning Province on March 13, 1922. Her Dharma name is Ciben, which means to have compassion within. Therefore, helping others with compassion became her lifetime motivation in her interactions with others.

Her father, Mr. Han Ziming, was a patriotic businessman who was also a great supporter of Buddhism. He constantly did charitable work and made donations to help people in need. The Sungshan Temple at Dalian was supported by him. Ms. Han’s mother, whose maiden name was Kao, was born into a rich and powerful family. Madam Kao was both capable and virtuous as well as kindhearted and gentle. She was always ready to help others, and also a lifetime vegetarian.

Ms. Han was the first child born in her family. She had one younger brother, Mr. Han Qun, who passed away in 2007, and one younger sister, Ms. Han Xiuyin who lives in Dalian City, Liaoning Province.

 During World War II, Ms. Han studied at Tianjin and graduated from the Housekeeping Department of Nankai University of Tianjin. While she was at the university, she took courses on Japanese etiquette for four years. Later, she married Mr. Kao Shizhen, the second son of Mr. Kao Baozhen who was a bank president in Andong province. The newly-married couple had a very harmonious and affectionate relationship. They had a daughter, Wansheng, and two sons, Guiming and Guiyu.

In 1946, Mr. and Mrs. Kao family moved to Hong Kong. Three years later, taking into consideration the children’s education and future lives, Mr. Kao Shizhen and his family migrated to Taiwan in 1951 where they lived for forty-six years. Thus, Taiwan became the second homeland of Ms. Han.

Ms. Han Yin had an honest and amiable appearance. She was straight forward, lively, and loved to be neat and tidy. She was gifted in many ways and imbued with creativity. She also had a wonderful voice. She was very good in managing her career, her family, and the children’s education, and paid special attention to her children’s manner of interacting with people as well as their conduct and their ability to appreciate literature. All her children completed their higher education and became highly respected and successful.

In the summer of 1966, Ms. Han and her husband Mr. Kao listened to Master Chin Kung’s lectures on the Surangama Sutra at the Dharmakara Lotus Society. She felt the lectures were wonderful and found the answers to questions that for her had been unanswered. Thereafter, she started to study and practice Buddhism, and was determined to support and help in the propagation of the teachings.

In 1967, after learning about Master Chin Kung’s not having a place to lecture or live, she became determined to try to help him. With the consent of her husband and children, she sincerely invited him to stay with her family. She told him, “You can study here. We will do everything possible to find a place so that you can continue to give lectures.” Master Chin Kung then went back to Taizhong to report to Mr. Li Bingnan. After getting Mr. Li’s permission to live with Ms. Han and her family, Master returned to Taipei. He then made another visit to Mr. Li in Taizhung, this time with Ms. Han. After this, Master moved to the home of the Kao family. Soon, the whole family was learning Buddhism. Mr. Kao Shizhen joined the effort of supporting Buddhism. He wrote lecture notes for the Sutra of the Benevolent King Protecting the Nation.

Master Chin Kung lived in her residence in Muzha, Taipei for seventeen years. During this time, Ms. Han’s whole family whole-heartedly looked after Master's life. In order to find a place for him to give lectures, she made great efforts to make connections with the Buddhist societies, find a venue to hold the lectures, and to find an audience. With her help, Master started to give lectures two to three times a week. Gradually, this increased to seven times a week. Ms. Han did her best to support Master so that his lectures could continue uninterrupted week after week. This was the beginning of many opportunities to come in the propagation of Buddhism.

At the time of her passing from this world, Ms. Han’s unwavering support for Master Chin Kung’s propagation of Buddhism had been sustained for thirty years. During those years, Ms. Han traveled with Master Chin Kung to Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, the United States, Singapore, and many other places to propagate the teachings. She also returned to her motherland, China, to donate books and fund scholarships. Her willpower far surpassed that of an ordinary person. She was a great Dharma supporter and protector, one who is rarely seen in a hundred years.

In 1979, the Hwa Zang Buddhist Library was established. This enabled Master Chin Kung to continue to give lectures at a regular venue. It was no longer necessary to keep finding other places for lecturing. When the library was set up, Master gave lectures on the Avatamsaka Sutra (Hua Yen Jing), Therefore, to propagate Buddhism, Master named the center Hwa Zang Jing Shr, and its subsidiary organization the Hwa Zang Library. Ms. Han became the Director of the library.

The Hwa Zang Library was painstakingly managed solely by Ms. Han. During those years, the library attracted many practitioners who were ordained as monks or nuns. At the library, they continued their cultivation and were trained as lecturers to propagate Pure Land Buddhism. Ms. Han’s merits and virtues accrued from all her efforts are boundless!

After the establishment of the Hwa Dzan Library, many Pure Land centers were established in Taiwan and the rest of the world. Several millions of copies of the Infinite Life Sutra were freely distributed around the world. Today, the Pure Land school and the Pure Land Learning Centers have a great impact on the world. We need to remember the center’s source, for it was Ms. Han’s unwavering support of the Dharma that made them possible. Anyone who has received the books from the Pure Land Learning Centers or listened to Master’s teachings has accepted her kindness in supporting and sustaining the Dharma.

Throughout Ms. Han’s life, though she set high standards for her subordinates, she was also kind and cared for them as a parent cares for his or her children. She never had a single thought of taking advantage of others, but thought only of helping everyone achieve their best. She wrote two books: A Simple Explanation of the Amitabha Sutra and A Drop of the Dharma Sea.

When she was ill, she told Master Chin Kung that it was very important to nurture and train talented individuals to propagate Buddhism. The teachings must be continued and never lost. She appealed to Master to deliver a complete lecture series on the Avatamsaka Sutra and to record the lectures on audio and video tapes as reference for future practitioners. Master Chin Kung has now been lecturing for ten years on the Avatamsaka Sutra.

Ms. Han went to the Pure Land on March 5, 1997. Before she was reborn in the Pure Land, she saw Buddha Amitabha several times and also saw the vast assembly of the lotus pond.

When she passed away, there were rare auspicious signs. Before placing her body into a coffin, her attendants washed her body, changed her clothes, and found that her body was still soft and supple. Before her coffin was covered, her complexion still looked as it did when she was alive—glowing with health, serene, comfortable, and deeply asleep.

She demonstrated through her rebirth into the Pure Land that her practice of mindfully chanting “Amituofo” was successful. She proved that her sincere support for and propagation of the Buddha’s teachings has enabled the Buddha’s wisdom to continue for future generations. Her achievement matches that of Mr. Yang Renshan, who late in the Qing dynasty, supported and rescued Buddhism.

In our present era, Ms. Han saved the Pure Land school and honored the proper teachings of Buddhism. She is the contemporary role model for protecting and supporting Buddhism.

Ms. Han is a role model for all.