Over tea, Ven. Guo Dong expressed greetings to His Holiness and other guests on behalf of the DDM Sangha, and talked about the friendship of Nung Chan Monastery and His Holiness in the past through a dialogue of exchange between Master Sheng Yen, founder of Dharma Drum Mountain, and His Holiness at the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders in 2000, as mentioned in the Master’s book titled Ascending the Summit. Ven. Guo Dong also explained about the Master’s educational philosophy, which is based on the idea of Protecting the Spiritual Environment, and elaborated on how DDM promotes the Threefold Education: Extensive Public Buddhist Education, Extensive Social Care Education, and Extensive Academic Education.

To revive the Drikung Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, His Holiness has since 1987 been giving Dharma teachings around the world, and in 1985 established the Drikung Kagyu Institute (DKI) and Jangchubling Monastery, outside Dehra Dun in the northeast of India. In 1991 His Holiness visited Nung Chan Monastery for the first time; this time, he had a chance to visit the Monastery again, which underwent a renovation and now has a new look. During Ven. Guo Dong’s explanation, His Holiness expressed his appreciation of the endeavors by DDM’s monastics and laity to continue the spirit of Nung Chan Monastery, and marveled at the Chan-inspired landscape design of water reflection of the ever-changing images of clouds and sky in the Water-Moon Pool.

Afterwards, Ven. Guo Dong guided the guests to visit the Original Farmhouse, giving them a deep impression of the historical developments of Nung Chan Monastery. Toward the end of the meeting, both sides exchanged gifts. Ven. Guo Dong presented the calligraphy scroll that reads “Protecting the Spiritual Environment” and booklets of 108 adages of wisdom to His Holiness, who in return presented Ven. Guo Dong a Khata and Dharma books to mark this spiritual visit.


Report by Chang Tien-Pei (張田沛)
English translation by Kate Wanchi Huang (黃婉琪)
Edited by Chiacheng Chang