慈莊法師 Ven. Tzu Chuang
2024-03-02
On March 2, 2024, Venerable Tzu Chuang, an elder monastic of Fo Guang Shan Monastery, was interviewed at the Fo Guang Shan Taipei Vihara, Taiwan. The interview focused on her experiences in establishing overseas branch temples for Fo Guang Shan, including the Nan Tien Temple in Wollongong, Australia.
Venerable Tzu Chuang recounted her personal journey, beginning with her early encounters with Buddhism and Venerable Master Hsing Yun in Taiwan. These experiences inspired her to ordain as a Buddhist nun at Fo Guang Shan Monastery in 1965. After contributing to the operations and teaching at the Buddhist college and completing her university studies in Japan, she was entrusted with the mission of establishing branch temples overseas. This mission took her to the U.S., Australia, Europe, and Africa, where she identified suitable locations and initiated the establishment of new temples.
Throughout the interview, Venerable Tzu Chuang emphasised the vision of Venerable Master Hsing Yun to spread Buddhism across all five continents, ensuring that the temples are accessible to everyone. The Nan Tien Temple in Wollongong stands out as a significant realisation of this vision.
This interview offers valuable insights into the vision and efforts behind the establishment of the Nan Tien Temple and other branch temples of Fo Guang Shan. It introduces the origin of the grand Buddhist temple in Wollongong from the perspective of one of the key executors who first set foot on the land to realise such vision.
