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42 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE

as there is only a small ethnic in the West can encounter the next generation on this path, must
Chinese population here. When my teachings with fewer barriers and uphold the monastic discipline and
teacher chose Chilliwack, BC, I could benefit their lives. try our best to share the authentic
see that he had a vision and wanted teachings of the Buddha. Anything
I do not have a vision for the growth
us to spread the Buddha’s teachings that is meant to be, because of
of Buddhism in Canada, the West
to people in the local community. sufficient virtuous causes from the
or anywhere. Everything comes
But it is not for us to pull people past, will take root and flourish
from dependent origination, and
into the Dhamma. Rather, as a result and prosper. We are just one of the
everything depends on conditions.
of past connections, people find many, many conditions that lead to
I can see the vision of my teacher to
themselves drawn to the Dhamma, the present and future fruits.
establish a nunnery or monastery
and to Po Lam. Po Lam is not here
in Western Canada. I see his vision For more information about Po Lam,
today to convert people to a Chinese
slowly and gradually materialize. please visit www.polam.ca or follow
Buddhist way of life. Rather, we
Our ancient teachers had an it on YouTube and FB EH
aim to integrate into the existing
incredibly wise vision and we, as the
community. By doing this, people

The Journey

Home

By Serena Wu

Zhi Yi Wong interviewed Serena about her charitable
work and how the teachings of the Buddha had been
Serena Wu is the Founder and Board Director of a great inspiration in what she does. Based on the
Taiwan Foundation for Rare Disorders (TFRD). She interview, she has very kindly written out the response
studied at the Department of Political Science in in the form of an article for ease of our readers in
Soochow University, and then went on to work as the understanding her work.
Office Manager of the U.S. Wheat Associates (Taiwan
Office) from 1978 until 2016 when she retired. She During the conference on Rare Disease Day that
discussed about the challenges and future of rare
transformed the pain of seeing her son suffering
disease, I was suddenly aware of the sufferings due to
from a rare metabolic disorder, as well as losing
the five aggregates that felt so familiar, whilst facing the
him later in 2005, into compassion in helping rare
rare disease patients, families, government officials,
disease patients and families. Since established in legislative representatives, and physicians. Although
1999, TFRD has actively raised the awareness about I was not as shaken and sentimental as I was when I
rare diseases and promoted legislative change in first learnt about the Dharma, I could not control my
society, including the establishment of rare disease tears. I felt that my practice of sīla and samādhi all these
earmarked fund in the national health insurance years had collapsed because of my habitual tendency.
system. Serena was awarded the International Rare After reflecting and looking deeply, I realized the
Hero Award by Rare Disease International (RDI) in importance of practicing the three gradual stages from
October 2019 for her excellent service. the Śūraṅgama Sūtra – firstly, cultivating to eliminate