Prof. Chia-lin Pao Tao, the senior fellow of the Center for Buddhist Studies, was invited to attend the Foguangshan University Presidents Forum in Taiwan, 11/5-11/8. The major theme of the Forum is “The Responsibility of the Buddhist universities toward the World”. Participants came from 29 universities in 15 countries. The Forum convened in 3 locations – Foguang University in Yilan (2 days), Nanhua University in Chiayi (1 day), and Foguangshan in Kaohsiung (2 days).
In order to promote collaboration, resource sharing and interaction among universities and Buddhist Studies programs worldwide, the Forum encouraged the universities to sign agreements to indicate intention to cooperate. Several universities did so with their pre-arranged match in a ceremony on November 5.
Foguangshan has been consistently promoting Humanistic Buddhism. The Forum in its concluding statement emphasized that the illumination and cultivation of Buddhist wisdom will benefit the development of humanity and sustainability of nature. The teaching and cultivation of emptiness, generosity, patience, diligence, equality of all sentient beings and meditative concentration, combined with prajna wisdom towards non-attachment to phenomena could diminish human greed that causes ecological ruin and plundering of resources. The Forum urged that besides the university’s mission to foster talents, the universities should turn Buddhist education into the core of education, and further implement Buddhist teachings that enhance human happiness.
Attending this Forum enabled Prof. Chia-lin Pao Tao to gather enough material for her research project on how Master Hsingyun, the founder of the Foguangshan Temple and Consortium, uses Chinese calligraphy as a vehicle in promulgating Buddhist teachings.