Venerable Guo Dong, Abbot President of Dharma Drum Mountain

Abbot President Ven. Guo Dong was ordained under Venerable Master Sheng Yen in 1993. He has served as the Venerable Master’s personal attendant, as guiding Dharma teacher of both the End-of-Life Chanting Group and the General Association of Dharma Upholders, as supervisor of the Caring Service Department, and as deputy provost of the Monks’ Department of the Sangha. He was among the Venerable Master’s Dharma heirs at the Dharma Transmission Ceremony in 2005. In September 2006, he became DDM’s second abbot president. In 2007, he succeeded as president of Dharma Drum Sangha University.

Before his ordination Ven. Guo Dong had long been searching for the meaning and value of life. Once, he participated in a seven-day Chan retreat guided by Venerable Master Sheng Yen, where he heard the Venerable Master say in his Dharma talk that “the Bodhi Mind means giving of oneself to serve others, performing meaningful things,” he suddenly found the answer and a focus point in life. He then decided to live a monastic life, and vowed to devote his life to the Three Jewels and all sentient beings.

Ever since he joined the Sangha Ven. Guo Dong has been held in high regard by Venerable Master Sheng Yen, and has been entrusted with the work of caring for the followers. During his leadership at both DDM End-of-Life Chanting Group and General Association of Dharma Upholders in particular, he upheld the ideals of the “Four Kinds of Environmentalism”, as advocated by the Venerable Master, namely “Protecting the Spiritual Environment, Social Environment, Living Environment, and Natural Environment”. He also was successful in promoting pure, simple, and solemn funeral ceremonies in line with Buddhism, thereby significantly improving the conventional concepts of funeral and burial practices in Taiwan. During times of many calamities and disasters, the Venerable was often the first to lead relief workers or the Chanting Group to the stricken areas, to comfort the victims, to conduct funerary rites, and to offer emergency relief on behalf of DDM.

In addition to his ceaseless care activities, the Venerable has traveled widely both at home and to many countries worldwide to spread the Buddhadharma, participating in major seminars, giving speeches at universities and delivering care to communities, where his witty words of wisdom abound through simple, humorous, and vivid language. He continues his dedication to spreading the social practices proposed by Venerable Master Sheng Yen, including the “Fivefold Spiritual Renaissance” and the “Six Ethics of the Mind”, as well as promoting the “Three Types of Education”―education through academics, public outreach, and caring―so as to achieve the vision of “uplifting the character of humanity and the building of a pure land on earth”.

At his inauguration as abbot president, Ven. Guo Dong took the inaugural oath to “realize Venerable Master Sheng Yen’s ideals, spirit, guidelines, and approaches in founding DDM; give of the self for the benefit of all; and regard continuing, spreading, and enabling the perpetual existence of Chinese Chan Buddhism as his mission.” This reflects the Venerable’s aim and duty to lead the DDM Sangha Community and cultivate monastic talent, moving toward the future.

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Dear Dharma upholders and followers of Dharma Drum Mountain,

Amituofo.

Our guiding teacher in life, Venerable Master Sheng Yen (Shifu), passed away peacefully at 4:00pm on 3 February 2009. Shifu relinquished his physical body and entered parinirvana amidst the recitation of the Buddha’s name by his monastic disciples led by the Abbot President. With this letter, we are proceeding with Shifu’s instructions to notify you of his passing as soon as it occurred.

Shifu once described the course of his life as being full of illness and difficulty, yet he was always full of gratitude. He said this about himself, “Although I led a very busy life, very seldom was I troubled by matters out of concern for myself.” While advocating “Protecting the Social Environment”, Shifu pointed out that “Death is neither a joyful matter, nor an occasion for grief; rather it’s an occasion for a noble and solemn Buddhist ritual.” He stated in his will in 2004 that, “Though nothing happens, we’ve grown old in our busy lives. We cry and laugh, all in emptiness. There is originally no self, so both life and death can be cast aside.” Shifu viewed matters concerning aging, sickness, birth and death with an open-mindedness, demonstrating the expansive breadth of his mind that transcends the vexations of birth and death. This is Shifu’s most earnest admonition to us, and his spirit serves as an exemplary model for us all to emulate.

Shifu’s tireless lifelong mission of spreading the Dharma and bringing benefit to all sentient beings through his travels and undertakings could not have been realized without your involvement. Shifu was always grateful for all of the support and devotion that you have shown him throughout his life. As Shifu had instructed, we would like to convey to you on his behalf his utmost gratitude, blessings, and bid of farewell.

Under Shifu’s leadership, Dharma Drum Mountain has developed into a well-established organization and it will continue to operate to carry on Shifu’s legacy by way of DDM’s ethos in making contributions to society and to all sentient beings. In addition, DDM’s faithfuls; monastic or lay, are all under Shifu’s orders to never dispute over matters regarding properties, funds, power, and positions. Rather, we are expected to uphold the standards of “Compassion, Wisdom, Harmony and Respect” and to carry out the education based on the Four Kinds of Environmentalism. In accordance with Shifu’s pledge: “Although the universe may one day perish, my vows are eternal. What I am unable to accomplish in this life, I vow to push forward through countless future lives. What I am unable to accomplish personally, I exhort everyone to undertake together,” we will be united in mind and vows and set out to spread the Buddhadharma to benefit all sentient beings. Let us transform our grief into the strength of making vows and repaying kindness by jointly perpetuating Shifu’s vows of great compassion.

We’ve been truly blessed to be able to study under Shifu. Today, he displayed for us the ease of being “Thus Come, Thus Gone.” We know just like us, you all must also feel the deep sense of sadness in having to part with Shifu. Yet we must remember that although Shifu’s physical body is no longer here with us, his Dharma-body has never left us, as his inexhaustible power of compassionate vows will forever remain in our hearts.

At this time, we sincerely ask that you pass on the information on the following Buddhist rituals to all who are also concerned about Shifu and DDM. Please go to any DDM-affiliated monasteries and branch centers to join our 14-day “Buddha-name recitation Dharma ritual: Repaying the Benevolence of Our Master” to show our gratitude and send our blessings to Shifu. Please stay in close contact with your DDM society and/or group (i.e. Buddha-name Chanting Society, Meditation Society, etc.).

For more related news and information, please visit the DDM website at
www.dharmadrum.org

With palms joined,
Shi Guo Dong, Abbot President
& the Sangha of Dharma Drum Mountain

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The Gratitude Letter of Abbot President

The universe may one day perish, yet my vows are eternal

"What I am unable to accomplish in this life, I vow to push forward through countless future lives. What I am unable to accomplish personally, I exhort everyone to undertake together."

Since the passing of the late Venerable Master Sheng Yen, DDM's Sangha has acted in strict accordance with his prior instructions as the monastic and lay disciples, united in heart and with shared vows, joined in a collaborative effort to conduct the related solemn and dignified Buddhist rituals. The Master's ash burial ceremony was successfully completed today. On behalf of DDM's Sangha members and lay followers, I'd like to express our sincere gratitude for your insightful help and compassionate support. May all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas bless you and your loved ones so you may gain merit, wisdom and peace in your lives. May the great compassion rise in each and every one of us as we pass forward the great vows to fulfill Shifu's compassionate vows, bringing health, peace, bliss, and happiness to ourselves and to all beings. And may all great compassionate vows live on in our world.

Joining palms with gratitude,

Bhikkhu Guo Dong, Abbot President of Dharma Drum Mountain,
& DDM's Sangha members