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36 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE
Buddhist
Leadership
Development and
Continuity
By Tan Huat Chye
Tan Huat Chye is the Founding Benny: You are a well-known can contribute best. The Buddha’s
Director of the Centre for Buddhist leader in the great compassion in giving his
Research & Dhamma Leadership community and many would remaining 45 years of his life (after
Enhancement (d’CRADLE), a know you for your dharma talks enlightenment) to help individuals
strategic initiative started by and Buddhist music that you to find joy, happiness, and liberation
the Theravada Buddhist Council compose over the years. What in life is indeed incomparable. To
of Malaysia to transform the inspires you to be so active in me, the Buddha didn’t have to do
Buddhist missionary work after
Buddhist community through so many decades? so but he did it out of compassion
enhancement of leadership for the good of gods and men. I
must say I drew a lot of wisdom and
based on Buddhism. He is also
Huat Chye: Yes, it has been a long 45 inspiration from the Buddha’s vision
the Program Designer and Lead
years of Dhammaduta service work in spreading the Dhamma to “beings
Facilitator of the Great Leadership
so far. Looking back, the journey with little dusts in their eyes”
Awakening with Dhamma (GLAD) has been filled with challenges (Mahāvagga I.10–11: Vinaya I.20–
program, and DhammaWorks and was not completely smooth 21). Without his great Compassion
Mini Workshop Series. Huat sailing. Whether it is delivering to reach out, we will be groping in
Chye gives talks on Buddhism in Dhamma talks, setting-up and the darkness of ignorance.
various Buddhist centers, and at running Buddhist organizations or
Buddhist Conferences and Inter- simply writing Buddhist music, it As a management consultant
faith Forums on various aspects of takes lots of patience and resilience; yourself, I understand you
Buddhist practices and leadership. thankfully supported by wisdom have started programs to
He is also an accomplished English and compassion that I learnt from train Buddhist leaders. What
and Chinese Buddhist Song-writer, the Buddha and his teachings. is the difference between the
Buddhist concept of leadership
with many tunes and albums to
What inspires my involvement in as compared to the Western
his credit. Benny has asked Huat
Buddhist missionary work over theory of leadership? Are there
Chye to share his broad insights
all these years is the feeling of similarities?
into leadership and Buddhism for
gratitude that I deeply felt towards
the Buddhist community.
the Buddha. In learning more about I always consider good leadership
his life and the footsteps that he has is the pulse of any inspiring
taken before us, I am motivated to organization. For that, Buddhist
do my small part in areas where I organizations are of no exception.
