To Taiwan and Back Again...: Fó Guāng Shān 佛光山

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Fó Guāng Shān 佛光山

It took a couple buses to get to Fó Guāng Shān from Kaohsiung, but it was well, well, well worth the trip. We would absolutely recommend that anyone on a trip to Kaohsiung tries to make time to get out and visit FGS.

While some people are appalled by the notion of referencing the web information source, Wikipedia, “since it is not a peer reviewed credible source of information”, but in this case I have absolutely no qualms doing so… nah nah na nah nah!

So, according to Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fo_Guang_Shan

"Fo Guang Shan (Chinese: 佛光山; pinyin: Fóguāngshān; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Hu̍t-kong-san; literally "Buddha's Light Mountain") is an international Chinese Mahayana Buddhist monastic order based in the Republic of China (Taiwan), and one of the largest Buddhist organizations. The headquarters of Fo Guang Shan, located in Kaohsiung, is the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan. The organization itself is also one of the largest charity organizations in Taiwan. The order also calls itself the International Buddhist Progress Society.

Founded in 1967 by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the order promotes Humanistic Buddhism, a modern Chinese Buddhist thought developed through the 20th Century and made popular by this and other modern Chinese Buddhist orders. Humanistic Buddhism aims to make Buddhism relevant in the world and in people's lives and hearts. While Hsing Yun is a Dharma heir in the Linji Chan (Chinese: 臨濟宗; pinyin: Línjìzōng) school, his stated position within Fo Guang Shan is that it is an "amalgam of all Eight Schools of Chinese Buddhism" (his stated position within Fo Guang Shan is that it is an "amalgam of all Eight Schools of Chinese Buddhism" (八宗兼弘), including but not limited to Chan. In this sense, it is a monastic order, and not a doctrinal school of thought per se. This is the case for much of Chinese Buddhism, as the lineage of the founder or Abbot does not necessarily dictate the thought or practices of members of the monastery limited to Chan. In this sense, it is a monastic order, and not a doctrinal school of thought per se. This is the case for much of Chinese Buddhism, as the lineage of the founder or Abbot does not necessarily dictate the thought or practices of members of the monastery."

Do you have to appreciate Chinese Mahayana Buddhism in order to appreciate Fó Guāng Shān? No. It is a spectacular site, in a spectacular setting, with a well laid out Cultural Center that has a lot of interesting information - and with good English translations.

Amanda and I both agree that we would like to go back to FGS one day for a second visit and we would likely take a full day so that we can spend ample time between the Monastery and the Temple.

We didn’t get to the Monastery and in some portions of the Temple you aren’t allowed to take pictures. Some of the most spectacular architecture and decor that we saw in Taiwan was in the temple at FGS.

If you get a chance to go, take it!