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FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 33

advancement of technology, and we can always make
the best out of them. For the past few days, I have had
to give talks in English while I was in Pakistan, and I
would not have been able to do that without help from
artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT. Although the
translation might not be totally accurate, it had saved
me a lot of time.

As we are now living in an interconnected global
village, we need to accept the challenges that come with
Ven. Jue Cheng does some gardening at Dong Zen Temple during her technology advancement. We need to accept the fact
spare time. that the world changes. The most important thing is
developing the right view and right understanding. With
Practicing the Dharma is a basic yet essential skill for our Buddha nature, we can overcome the difficulties
us as a Buddhist monastic. My daily practice includes and challenges with ease. Even a working machine or
cultivation of compassion, purifying my body, speech robot is designed and commanded by a human with
and mind as well as training of right concentration a mind, and the mind is the forerunner of all actions.
with the focus on breathing. Whenever I have some By learning and practicing the Dharma, we can then
time, I will read Buddhist scriptures and books by Ven. train and master our minds. In my opinion, science
Master Hsing Yun. It has become a habit to make full and technology are not hurdles. On the contrary, they
use of any spare time in my daily life. The practice and facilitate the propagation of Dharma.
cultivation of the Dharma are not only about sitting in
meditation all day long, but it is about maintaining right What are your aspirations for Buddhism in Malaysia
mindfulness all the time, having the right intentions and Southeast Asia?
for others, being gentle and compassionate. It is also
important to appreciate every condition that may help South East Asia is full of infinite possibilities and
to bring others into Buddhism. potentials. For instance, in countries like Cambodia,
Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand, there are issues in the
Why did you choose to renounce your life and formal recognition of the Bhikkhunī Order. However, I

become a nun in Fo Guang Shan? sincerely hope that one day, the Theravāda tradition is
able to change and accept the Vinaya from the Mahāyāna
There was not a particular reason that led to my tradition, so that the Theravada female monastics can be
renunciation. I read about Fo Guang Shan in Pumen fully ordained into the Bhikkhunī Order.
magazine and learnt that there was a monastic college.
So, I gave myself a year’s time to study Buddhism. In fact, I have met many excellent and outstanding Theravāda
I was not familiar with Fo Guang Shan back then. It was Bhikkhunīs. Hopefully, we have the clarity to see what
only when I started studying there that I got to know the world needs in the future, in which the Buddha’s
about Humanistic Buddhism, which promotes integration teaching of equality can be fully integrated and
and practical application of the Dharma in life. implemented in Buddhism. The Mahāyāna tradition
has managed to do it. In the Fo Guang Shan lineage,
In this information-overloaded era, how can we help both male and female monastics are equally eligible
people realize the values of learning the Dharma? and able to receive full ordination as well as the
Bodhisattva precepts. The Sangha Order shoulders
There is no need to avoid information or technology. For the responsibilities of propagating the Dharma and
instance, I am now responding to your questions using benefiting all sentient beings, regardless of gender.
a smartphone. I think we should be grateful for the There is a serious shortage of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunīs.