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Dharma Talk – Prajñā, Going Forth (3)
The first four monastics—Sister Hằng Nghiêm, Sister Ghi Nghiêm, Brother Pháp Lạc, and Brother Pháp Ấn—received the precepts on the beach in Florida during a retreat for psychotherapists. However, as they did not have documents to go to France, with the support of the American lay friend Pritam Singh, the group traveled to the northern United States and chose Vermont—the “Green Mountain” state, with its brilliant autumn leaves and snow-covered winters—as the place to establish Maple Forest Monastery and Green Mountain Dharma Center. It took ten years to obtain construction permits due to environmental protection regulations. Finally, I decided to move to New York, and after ten years of difficulty, we were able to establish Blue Cliff Monastery with the spacious Great Togetherness Meditation Hall, receiving building permits within just a few months.
In forty years abroad, we have established many centers and sanghas in forty-five countries, training hundreds of Dharma teachers, both monastic and lay friends, and organizing retreats for two to three thousand people without the need for a central figure. Everything is operated by the sangha in the spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood. I emphasize that we must rely on the precepts, the true Dharma, and the sangha, not cling to any individual. Quoting the “Island of Self” sutra, I encourage taking refuge in oneself. The certificate from the European Institute of Applied Buddhism, awarded after the 21-day retreats, is internationally recognized, equivalent to continuing education certificates for doctors and PhDs in Buddhist studies, opening opportunities for collaboration with European and American universities.
- The origin of the monastery’s development began with four people who had no place to stay.
- The Vermont monastery took ten years to get permits, while in New York it took only a few months.
- In forty years, thousands of lay sangha members and hundreds of monastic and lay Dharma teachers have been trained.
- The spirit is to work hand in hand, with no splitting off to establish separate centers.
- The 21-day certificate from the European Institute of Applied Buddhism holds international value.
