Nov 16, 2006
Reported by Master Lian Jie 蓮潔上師 / translated by Sue T

For three days from Oct 31 to Nov 2, 2006, the Board of Directors of True Buddha Foundation held its bimonthly meeting at the Seattle Tantric Quarter. In attendance were the newly appointed director Master Lian Yin蓮印, Master Lian Ning蓮寧, Master Lianhua Cheng Zhu蓮花程祖, Master Lian Zhi 蓮緻(Lin Ho), Master Lian Wang蓮旺and Master Lian Jie蓮潔. Master Lian Han蓮翰 was unable to attend due to some health problem.

The meeting started with the review of August 2006 meeting minutes and continued agendas from August, September and October 2006 meetings, followed by reports from each director regarding the progress of the previously stated agendas.

There were a total of fifty topics listed for discussion. Included were the agenda for the March 2007 All Masters Meeting in Seattle and the plan for Worldwide Conference for Learning and Discussing Buddhism in summer 2007, hosted by Edmonton Chin Ying Buddhist Society from Edmonton, Canada. The conference will be attended by local experts and the Edmonton Chapter will present a special speech on hospice preparatory work.

The board of directors was approved to travel to Shin Chu chapter in Taiwan (台灣新竹福佑雷藏寺) to support the `Golden Mother Ceremony for the Supplication for the Buddha to Stay in the Samsara World` that will be conducted by Master Lian Zhi (Lin Ho). She will also lead the Buddhadharma Discussion Workshop scheduled in the morning on the same day.

TBF Grand Master`s Books Distribution Committee has produced the Cantonese version of three of Grand Master`s audio books. They are book 154 `The Aura of Wisdom`, book 156 `Whispers of the Breeze` and book 163 `Cross the Ocean of Life and Death`. The responsible distributors and temples were encouraged to help with the conversion of the books to CD and MP3 versions so as to facilitate the process faster.

TBF Board of Directors continued to discuss certification of various chapters and the Second Period Dharma Teaching Assistants (Zhu Jiao助教). Chapters are urged to return the appropriate questionnaires as soon as possible so that certificates can be renewed.

In his report, Master Lianhua Zheng Chu stated that from Dec 12 to Dec 21, 2006, The Great Virtue Buddhist School (大德佛學院) of the Malaysian main chapter Persekutuan Agama Buddha Tantrayana Chen Foh Chong Malaysia (馬來西亞真佛宗密教總會) will host its second Sangha Progressive Workshop. From Dec 23 to Dec 25 classes will be held for all Dharma Propagators, both sangha and laity. Master Zheng Chu encouraged the leaders, dharma propagators, and representatives of the chapters to attend and register for the workshops as early as possible. It would be a great opportunity to learn the skills and conduct of a good dharma propagator. The lectures and workshops will be held by many masters as well as TBF directors.

The Malaysian main chapter has applied for the building of an elderly care centre and Grand Master bestowed its name as Peaceful Home for the Elderly (平和養老院). To fulfill Grand Master`s Three Major Wishes On This Earth, we hope this project will be completed as soon as possible.

A lay cultivator Liew Tze Ching (劉志慶) has applied to become a monk and it has been approved. The ordination will take place on Dec 23 at the Leizang Temple Klang (Kualalumpur) Chapter (般若雷藏寺).

Dr. Gordon, the author of a book on the True Buddha School, on his continuing interviews, will be accompanied by Master Lian Zhi (Lin Ho) to visit Malaysia. We hope the book will be done soon so that it can benefit the world.

TBF activities for the year 2007 include a trip to Sao Paolo, Brazil in March to organize a Padmakumara Homa Ceremony and to plan and exchange ideas on dharma propagation.

The next TBF election for directors and committees is tentatively scheduled for September 2007, at the True Buddha Foundation All Masters Meeting.

With the blessing from the lineage root guru, the three day meeting came to a good completion. As Grand Master and Grand Madam happened to visit the Tantric Quarter around the end of the meeting, we had a picture taken together.

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