Global buddhism scholars in remembrance of Venerable Master Hsing Yun
Venerable Master Hsing Yun, a world-renowned religious leader, passed away in February. CUHK’s Centre for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism co-organised an online memorial service on 5 March with the Centre for Buddhist Studies of Peking University and the Institute of Buddhist and Religious Theory of the Renmin University of China.
Professor Lawrence J. Lau (right top, photo above), Ralph and Claire Landau Professor of Economics and former Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, Venerable Xin Bao, Abbot of Fo Guang Shan, and Venerable Miao Fan, Dean of Fo Guang Shan Institute of Humanistic Buddhism, as well as scholars from the US, Canada, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, gathered to praise Venerable Master Hsing for his contributions to the world. The opening ceremony of the memorial service was hosted by Professor Chen Chien-huang (right bottom, photo above), Director of the Centre for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism.
In his speech, Professor Lau pointed out that the passing of the Master was the loss of an admired mentor in life for mankind. Under the leadership of the Master, more than 300 monasteries have been established on five continents. He had over 1,300 disciples. In addition, members of the Buddha’s Light International Association are spread all over the world. Professor Lau recalled meeting Master Hsing Yun in 2005 when he was the then Vice-Chancellor. In the same year, CUHK established the Centre for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism in cooperation with the Fo Guang Shan Foundation for Buddhist Culture and Education. In 2017, Venerable Master Hsing Yun was conferred a Doctor of Social Science, honoris causa by the former CUHK’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Joseph J.Y. Sung, in person at Fo Guang Shan.
The Venerable Xin Bao thanked the scholars for their memorial tributes to Venerable Master Hsing Yun and emphasised that he attached tremendous importance to helping general public to understand the Buddha’s wisdom of Prajna and develop a positive attitude toward life through academic research of Humanistic Buddhism. Venerable Miao Fan shared that Fo Guan Shan didn’t perform the “Sutra Repentance Dharma Service” and recited “Namo Buddha Shakyamuni” following the guidance given by the Master ten years ago. She thanked everyone for remembering Venerable Master Hsing Yun and his contribution in promoting the Theory of Humanistic Buddhism.
