Develop Everyone's Inner Treasure
 

Uplifting the character of humanity by protecting the spiritual environment, building a pure land on earth based on Chinese Buddhism.

 

Concerned with the future of Buddhism and Buddhist education, Master Sheng Yen founded DDM by integrating the efforts of many people in 1989. The complex was inaugurated on 21 October 2005. Situated in an area resembling the shape of a drum lying on its side, DDM was named after an analogy in the Lotus Sutra ¢w ¡¨beating the large Dharma drum¡¨ ¢w in the hope that by beating the mind-purifying Dharma drum, people may obtain peace and harmony.

DDM aims to care for humanity, purify the mind with the Dharma, and eliminate conflicts and barriers through global interaction, dialogue, and collaboration, so as to achieve a pure land by working jointly with all humanity.
 
The Spirit and Character of the Architecture
 

Combining humanistic features from both the East and the West, blending in the environment through ecological engineering methods.

 

While planning the construction of DDM, Master Sheng Yen led architects and Buddhist artists on many visits to important Buddhist location worldwide, including ancient temples and stone caves in China, and historical religious and cultural sites in India, Japan, Europe, and America, to study their architectural features. These were then combined with a modern spirit of Buddhism and a modern architecture style featuring multifunctional space design, rendering DDM an integral environment for education, spiritual practice, and cultural purposes.

The colors used for the buildings are mainly brown, gray, and white, which signify our salute to nature, Buddhist calmness, and the vivacity contained in serenity. The complex was constructed applying ecological engineering methods, mirroring the contours of the mountain, creating a composed yet open atmosphere.
 
Scenic Spots¡G
 
Paths
There are seven paths in the center ¡G the Linxi (Riverside) Path , the Wish Fulfilling Path , the Lotus Bell Park Path , the Path of Life , the Medicine Buddha Loop , the Wooden Trail and the Founding Guanyin Park Path . Each path has an abundance of natural beauty and its own unique attraction ¢w a bamboo forest, dense woodland, varieties of birds and insects, splashing streams. So enjoy a good walk, connecting with the environment and with your own spirit.
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1.
 DDM Emblem Rock
 Inscribed on an andesite rock, the emblem was inspired by the Vitarka Mudra (hand gesture of teaching) of the Buddha turning the Dharma wheel. It serves as a landmark showing the location of the center, and also as a signpost to a pure land on earth.
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2.
 A Stone Inscription
   ¡¨A Spiritual Mountain and Sublime Environment¡¨ Made of shale rock from Hualian, Taiwan, 36 tones in weight and five meters in height, it serves as the marker indicative of the center's entrance. The inscription on its back says, ¡§Adorn all the worlds in the cosmos. Enlighten all the sentient beings in the universe.¡¨
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3.
 Statue of Welcoming Guanyin
 Situated near the entrance, 2.4 meters tall, in a walking posture with its garment flowing, the statue suggests the bodhisattva's spirit of actively reaching out to embrace sentient beings at any time and place.
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4.
 Main Entrance (¡§Sanmen¡¨)
Usually referred to as ¡§Sanmen¡¨ (Three Gates of Liberation) in Mandarin in Chinese, the main entrance of a monastery symbolizes the Buddhist concept of the three liberations: emptiness, signlessness, and desirelessness. The wooden plaque inscribed by Master Sheng Yen says, ¡§Guanyin Practice Center,¡¨ indicating that DDM's establishment was aided by Guanyin Bodhisattva, and that it is a Dharma center that reaches out and delivers sentient beings with his spirit of compassion and wisdom.
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5.
 Lotus Bell
 Built modeling the Tang style, the bell weighs 25 tons and is inscribed with the whole Lotus Sutra, the Great Compassion Mantra, and a painting titled ¡§The Buddhas Sitting in the Many Jeweled Pagoda¡¨. Each sounding of the bell shall carry the Dharma throughout the cosmos nurturing sentient beings in the universe.
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6.
 Building I
(1.) 3 rd level ¡G Founding History Memorial Hall ¢w displays objects connected to the Dharma lineage of DDM, thanking our supporters worldwide .
(2.)  4 th level ¡G Auxiliary Hall ¢w displays artist Li Bin's artwork titled ¡§In Praise of Dharma Drum Mountain¡¨, consisting of some 40 separate paintings depicting Master Sheng Yen from his times as a young novice to establishing DDM )
(3.) 5 th level ¡G Multipurpose Exhibition Room
(4.)  6 th level ¡G Grand Buddha Hall ¢w seats around 2,000 and serves as DDM's spiritual center for Dharma propagation, where statues of Amitabha Buddha (left), Shakyamuni Buddha (middle), and Medicine Buddha (right) are enshrined.
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7.
Building II
 (1.) 1 st level ¡G
Bus Terminal ¢w the main route for vehicles to enter and leave the center
(2.)  2 nd level ¡G
1. Visitor Service Center
2. Briefing Room ¢w where group visitors can watch a short film introducing DDM
3. Dharma Shop ¢w sells DDM's publications, audio-visual materials and souvenirs
(3.) 3 rd level ¡G
Wishing Fulfilling Guanyin Hall ¢w where a Tang-style Guanyin statue is enshrined, whose expression of compassion and wisdom signifies that the bodhisattva listens to sentient beings' inner voice. It functions as a center for people to pray and make wishes and vows. Inscribed by calligraphers Dong Yangzi, the tablet over the gate says, ¡§The Rising Great Compassion.¡¨ Inside, there is a creation by ceramics artist Lian Baocai titled ¡§A Pure Land on Earth¡¨
(4.) 4 th level ¡G
Dining Hall ¢w serves vegetarian food
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8.

 Statue of Founding Guanyin
 This DDM's first Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara) Bodhisattva statue. It witnessed the difficult process in founding DDM. Now placed at the highest point of the center, it constantly guides DDM and guards the sentient beings by universally spreading sacred water with a willow branch.
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9.
 Chan Hall
The design reflects a concept in the Diamond Sutra ¢w ¡¨Abiding nowhere, give rise to the mind¡¨ ¢w and the Chan School's emphasis on simplicity and moderation. Using wood and bamboo as the main building materials and designed in a way that allows sunlight and air inside, the hall facilitates spiritual practice in a peaceful and harmonious setting.
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10.
 Statue of Medicine Buddha
Conveying masculinity and simplicity ¢w characteristic of the North and South dynasty, the hands in meditative posture, the eyes downcast, and slightly smiling, the Buddha sits with his legs crossed between the bamboo forest and the pond, calming the minds of the visitors contemplating the statue.
 
Watch Video
  DDM Tour Guide Video :
http://www.dharmadrum.org/watch.aspx?murl=pictures/modules/PDT/PDT060207001/20073211212477475.wmv 		 
Visiting Notices
 
1. Visiting Hours
09:00am to 16:00pm (For group visit, please make an appointment in advance to ensure a complete tour experience)
2.

The Center's Rules
All visitors are required to speak softly within the center. Photography and video recording in the indoor areas are prohibited. Smoking and consumption of betel nuts, non-vegetarian food and alcoholic beverages are not allowed. Pets, foods and perilous items are not allowed in the center's area. Swimming and playing in the water, picking any flowers, and harming insects and animals are not permitted. Please take care to show respect to the Dharma center and avoid
inappropriate behavior, language and revealing clothing. Remember to protect the environment at all times and take your garbage home with you. Please follow the direction and coordination of the traffic coordinators and tour guide volunteers.

 
How to get here
 
1. By Road
•  Take Danjin Highway to Jinshan via Sanzhi
•  Take Yangjin Highway to Jinshan via Yangmingshan
•  Take Freeway 1 and exit at Badu interchange or Freeway 3 and exit at Wanli interchange, and proceed along Jijin Highway to Jinshan via Wanli
2.

By Bus
•  Take the Guoguang Bus from the Taipei Intercity Bus Terminal (at the intersection of Chongqing N Road and Civic Boulevard) Guoguang Bus Schedule
•  Take the Keelung Bus in Keelung to Jinshan Town Hall stop, then take a taxi. Keelung Bus Schedule
•  Take the Danshui Bus in Danshui to Qingshui stop, then walk or take a taxi. Danshui Buss Schedule

3. Location Map
 
DDM Visitor Information Center
 

Address ¡G No. 14-5, Lin 7, Sanjie Village, Jinshan, Taipei County 208, Taiwan
Tel ¡G 886-2-2498-7171 #1350, 1351, 1353
Website ¡G http://www.ddm.org.tw