FG$

Buddhism, like every organized religion, relies heavily on donors for financial support. Even a brief visit to FoGuang Shan(FGS)'s monastic compound in Kaohsiung would make clear that the donations are put to good use:


A picture of a picture of the FoGuang Shan Kaohsiung monastic "complex"

This monastery had two art museums, a television station, a bookstore, a nun's college, a monk's college, an English college, multiple 500 seat theaters, the Great Buddha Land (photos in "quick pics"), four temples to the Bodhisattvas, a dormitory for orphans, a senior citizen's home, several meditation halls, and a "Pure Land Cave." (I'm sure I'm leaving things out, too.)

I wanted to share a bit about the "Pure Land Cave" because I thought it was really... interesting. Take a look at this short clip I took inside:



A nun told us what inspired the creation of the Pure Land Cave: the Venerable Master (founder of FGS) visited It's a Small World Afterall in DisneyLand.







It is pretty wild. Tells the entire story of the Buddha's life as well as has visual representations of the Bodhisattvas and important Arhats. Compassionate, Cheerful Enlightened Beings were jumping out of lotus flowers every 15 seconds, before electronically receding back into the ground, right next to Bambi and some friendly squirrels.

The idea must be something about accessibility... trying to present Buddhism in a fun, friendly, interactive, and lively (albeit mechanical) way that young children and their grandparents can both enjoy and appreciate.

But it all felt a little... excessive?

Especially in Kaohsiung, where the compound is literally on a hill overlooking the city and surrounding tenements--many of which were in extremely poor condition with tin roofs and crumbling walls. I was initially only shocked by the wealth of FGS, but it got to a point where I was almost suspicious about how and why funds were allocated to beautification of the monastic grounds, or for veneration of the Venerable Master (there was a life-size wax model of him in one building; his picture and/or a lifesize bust of him could also be found in just about every building).

After asking a couple of my friends and speaking with our venerable of discipline, I began to understand that monastics view places such as the Pure Land Cave as tools to bring people to the Dharma (law of Buddhism); a walk through the Pure Land Cave has the potential to inspire someone to be compassionate, to treat others fairly, to practice--even if in a little or small way--some part of Buddhism in one's daily life. Furthermore, I realized it's out of line for me to make value judgments about how much money or how much funding should be allocated for veneration of the Buddha, or the Venerable Master. Because I am not Buddhist, I cannot grasp the gravity that these figures have in the minds of Buddhist practitioners. And in any regard, getting caught up in the physical materiality of the FGS campus ignores the fact that FGS engages in so many relief and education programs across the world.

To say the least, living at such a wealthy temple challenged my assumptions about the "Buddhist monastic lifestyle" (if one such single category exists). And it also helped me realize the various avenues that modern Buddhism takes to penetrate the lay community.