News Gallery
“Let's get moving…” With the sound of the temple bell and wooden board, the seven-day meditation retreat at Hsi Lai Temple began on October 14 and ran through October 20, 2024, led by Venerable Hui Shiuan. This marked the temple's first post-pandemic retreat with on-site accommodations for participants.
Thirty-one attendees joined, most of whom were members of the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA). They came from various professions, including accounting, finance, healthcare, education, and food service, with some being retirees. Venerable Hui Shiuan introduced the retreat’s daily schedule and explained the cues used in the meditation hall during the opening session. In the Fundamentals of Meditation class, he emphasized aligning the body, breath, and mind.
Alongside sitting meditation, walking meditation, and Q&A sessions, Venerable Hui Shiuan introduced tea meditation. Each participant selected a tea canister labeled with the tea’s name, then prepared and observed their tea leaves unfolding, reflecting on the causes and conditions at play. Through this, participants learned to appreciate the present moment and practiced non-attachment, cultivating gratitude and ease. They were encouraged to observe their thoughts and sensations mindfully, letting go of judgments of “good” or “bad.” Each canister was inscribed with poems, Buddhist verses, and teachings from Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founding master of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order, offering wisdom for contemplation.
During a group discussion, participant Jun Xian Li shared that while he’d visited many advanced facilities, the Hsi Lai meditation hall felt like the best place due to its atmosphere of contentment and mindfulness. Another participant, Zhen Peng Yu, shared a Buddhist verse, “Fail to realize the Way in this life, and you may return with horns and fur,” as a reminder to apply the retreat’s teachings in daily life.
Venerable Hui Shiuan explained that the verses on the tea canisters were intended as Dharma gifts to integrate into daily life. He encouraged participants to let go of attachment to pleasant or unpleasant experiences, noting that true peace comes from releasing them and moving naturally toward inner freedom.
(Photos by Alex Kuo, Jonathan Thang & Hsin Yu)
