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FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 27

How did you become the Abbess of Hoeh Beng or to attend Dharma classes. I thought this was not
Temple in Chowkit, Kuala Lumpur? correct, and decided to stop all the praying activities
after the temple renovation was completed. Instead, I
Actually it was Ven. Master Hsing Yun who was the transformed the temple into a place for Dharma study
Abbot of Hoeh Beng Temple, but because he was and propagation where devotees who come every Sunday
heavily involved in the construction of Hsi Lai Temple in can attend Dharma classes and savor vegetarian food.
California, he had to resign as abbot. Then my teacher
Ven. Guang Yu (廣餘長老) took up the responsibility However, I also needed to think about the temple’s
to be the abbot. After graduating from Fo Guang financial support. When I transformed the temple
Shan Tsung Lin University in Taiwan in 1988, I was into a Dharma education center, many of the devotees
ordained and became the “person-in-charge” (dangjia who only come for blessings and to seek good fortune
當家), helping out with temple administration and through prayers were unhappy, and they left the
management before eventually becoming the abbess. temple, together with their financial contributions.
So I came up with the idea of monthly donations.
What were the challenges you faced as Abbess of Since Christians could donate 10% of their income to
the Temple? the churches, why couldn’t Buddhists do the same?

The idea was accepted and the temple continues
As the person-in-charge, I was responsible for the to be financially well supported. It was a difficult
renovation of Hoeh Beng Temple. It was expected to responsibility I had to take to ensure Hoe Beng Temple
be completed in two years but instead took four years becomes a center for Dharma learning and practice.
due to many challenges during the process. We faced On hindsight, perhaps it was because I was young
opposition from the local Muslims while building the then and therefore considerably bolder to take such a
seven-storey pagoda because Chow Kit area was mainly challenge for the Temple.
a Malay area. Therefore, we had to make regular visits
to the Government departments to explain our rationale After the renovation was completed, two of my Dharma
and appeal for approval for the pagoda. The political brothers and sisters who had returned from Taiwan
party, United Malays National Organisation (“UMNO”), upon their graduation, were able to assist me in the
even applied for a warrant to stop us from proceeding temple administration. Thus, I was able to attend my
with the building of the pagoda. Fortunately, a first 3-month winter retreat in South Korea, which was
Government minister from the political party, Gerakan, recommended by a Buddhist nun (bhikṣuṇī). Since then,
who was a good friend of my teacher, helped us to I have been attending the retreat every year, even though
resolve the issue. Such problems led to a delay in the it coincided with the Chinese New Year celebrations
completion of the building project. which is always the busiest time of the year at the temple.
However, I do not see that as a challenge in my practice
Another challenge was in making the right decision for because when there is a will, there is a way.
the temple as not everybody will agree with the decision
made. Previously, devotees from the nearby area would Did you have time to study and practice the Dharma
visit Hoeh Beng Temple to pray for blessings and good as an abbess?
st
th
fortune during the 1 and 15 day of the lunar calendar.
As I had just returned from Taiwan, I decided to allow In the early days after I became a nun, I always think
the practice to continue. However, when I came to know that practicing the Dharma as a monastic means going
of a Dharma propagation group in the temple, I decided on retreats. As such, no matter how busy I was, I would
to organize Dharma classes for both adults and children. always manage to find time for retreats. However, I
However, I also realized that the financial support of realize now that we should practise the Dharma not
the temple came mainly from devotees who came for only during retreats but also in every moment of
blessings and fortune rather than to listen to the Dharma our lives. Retreats are nevertheless important and I