DDM tends spiritual environment

This article was written by Rita Fang and published by the Taiwan Journal on November 18, 2005. It features the Dharma Drum Mountain's World Center for Buddhist Education, which was recently opened in Taiwan with some 10,000 devotees and guests attending.

Master Sheng Yen, founder of the Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association, hosted the opening ceremony of the World Center for Buddhist Education. Respected leaders of the world's religions and scholars of Buddhism from countries such as South Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, France, the Netherlands and the United States also participated in the event. Other distinguished guests included various cultural and political figures.

The Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association hosted a series of events recently, including the World Buddhist Leaders Colloquium, the World Buddhist Academic Colloquium, and the annual meeting of the World Council of Religious Leaders.

This article details the establishment of the Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association in 1989, as a result of hard work by Master Sheng Yen and more than 1,000 of his disciples. The name "Dharma Drum" comes from a chapter of the Lotus Sutra, which is devoted to Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy.

The World Center for Buddhist Education is envisioned as an international educational complex with the mission to "uplift the character of humanity and build a Pure Land on Earth", not only through academic learning, but also through public outreach and a wide range of social service programs. A good phrase is proposed by Master Sheng Yen - "spiritual environmentalism". It is hoped that the World Center for Buddhist Education will contribute to the work of protecting and purifying the spiritual environment in individual hearts and in society.