Panorama of Events
Helping the Physically and Mentally Challenged
By Taoyuan News Group (Originally in Chinese)
[Taoyuan] On December 1, Golden Year 4 (2007), at the Fuxing National Elementary School amphitheater in Taipei City, juvenile volunteers from The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association helped a physically and mentally challenged group of people to present a drama performance. Many guests attended the event. Under the guidance of the sister initiates responsible for writing and directing the play, and assisted by the young volunteers, our physically and mentally challenged friends from three to thirty years old all displayed their latent abilities and courage. Councilor Lin Yi-hua, Director of the Society of Service Development for the Physically and Mentally Challenged, expressed his sincere gratitude to the fellow initiates, “We are very grateful to The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association for your love and care of the physically and mentally challenged, especially the juvenile volunteers of your Association from Taoyuan, who have for the last two months paid for their own travel expenses and used their own time to help our friends.” Ms. Cai Shu-ru, General Secretary of the Society also said, “While their peers are enjoying recreation activities, this group of young volunteers contributed their time to interact with our challenged friends, not only in drama training, but also in backstage support. They care for other people with practical actions. I can really see their truth, goodness and beauty.”
SETTV Visits Hsihu Center to Make a Special Report
By Taipei News Group (Originally in Chinese)
[Hsihu] SETTV is a prominent channel in Formosa. After their leading host conducted an exclusive interview with Master through a videoconference on October 25, they decided to come to Hsihu Center again. On November 18, Golden Year 4 (2007), which happened to be a major group meditation day, two reporters came and interviewed fellow initiates to collect information that would hopefully introduce the truths and facts about Master and the Quan Yin Method in the form of a special report, so that people outside would better understand our Association. That day, accompanied by fellow initiates, the two reporters had a tour inside Hsihu Center, and were absolutely amazed to find almost three thousand fellow initiates sincerely meditating together in the Center. During one interview, a brother initiate who was studying in university said that, after following Master to practice spiritually, he has become a better and happier person and is positive that he is walking on the right path. The brother said: “Master always teaches us to be independent, as we must first take good care of ourselves before we can take care of others. I’ve really benefited a great deal from Her teachings.” The reporters also interviewed a very senior initiate, who recounted how Master, answering the yearning of Truth aspirants many years ago, began to teach sentient beings. When the reporters from SETTV arrived at Hsihu Center that morning, they immediately worked very hard filming and gathering information. Right after lunch, they again interviewed many fellow initiates. Their serious and professional working attitude was very touching.
Students Encouraged to Love Animals
By Hsinchu News Group (Originally in Chinese)
[Hsinchu] On November 2, Golden Year 4 (2007), fellow initiates from the National Tsinghua University's Light and Sound Society held a mini book fair and vegetarian food-tasting event. Making use of the lunch hour, they set up a booth in front of the crowded university cafeteria to provide free vegetarian food. They displayed Master's publications, including the new books—The Dogs in My Life and The Birds in My Life. They also played the DVD showing Master's loving and playful interactions with animals, and distributed Supreme Master TV flyers and pens printed with the network's web address. Students, who were passing by in haste, were attracted by the steaming and aromatic vegetarian food and friendly ambience. Many tasted and relished the food. Some said that they would eat more vegetarian food in the future and others left their contact information intending to join our Light and Sound Society. A gentleman from another country, who mentioned that he was a dog lover, enjoyed reading Master's books so much that he could not put them down and wanted to buy them. Due to the overwhelming response and interest, fellow initiates held the activity again the following day to satisfy the requests of many people.
Promoting the Vegetarian Lifestyle at
a Local Food Festival By Changhua News Group (Originally in Chinese)
[Changhua] On November 24, Golden Year 4 (2007), the Changhua City Office held its fifth Local Food Festival. Apart from food stalls, the festival showcased a wide variety of performances including folk art, jazz dance and children's drama, attracting large crowds to the event. Our Changhua Center set up a booth from which vegetarian snacks were served to the local community, and also broadcasted programs from Supreme Master Television. They distributed informative materials and souvenirs, printed with announcements of the success of Master's new books—The Birds in My Life and The Dogs in My Life—rising to number one on the Bestsellers’ List of the Amazon and Formosa's Kingstone online bookstores, respectively.
In an interview with Supreme Master Television, Mayor Wen Kuo-ming expressed appreciation of our Association's participation in the festival while also encouraging his citizens to eat more vegetarian food to alleviate global warming and improve their health. Legislator Lin Tsang-min invited everyone present to accompany him to taste the healthy and delicious vegetarian food. He commented that he did not know that vegetarian food could be so delicious, or that vegetarianism is so beneficial to the environment and economy. Mr. Rodin Chen Wen-bin, an artist from Rodin Gallery and an online viewer of Supreme Master Television, said that he was happy to have had the chance to read The Birds in My Life at the venue. As he had felt Supreme Master Ching Hai's immense love and concern towards the animals, he was eager to share his feelings with everyone. Through the informative material, the vegetarian food tasting and the positive comments by personages at this event, we hope more people will join the big vegetarian family and thus make our world a more beautiful one.
Imbuing the Vegetarian Ideal
into Communities and Families By Changhua News Group (Originally in Chinese)
[Changhua] To imbue the vegetarian ideal deep into communities and families, Changhua Center of the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association held a vegetarian promotion event on December 4, Golden Year 4 (2007) at the Dongqing Community Center in Tianjhong Township in Changhua County. In addition to talking to the local inhabitants about the importance of a vegetarian diet and demonstrating vegetarian cooking, they also introduced Master's new books and Supreme Master Television and distributed relevant informative items. Towards the end of the event, they contributed a collection of Master's publications to the Dongqing Community, including The Dogs in My Life, News magazines, sample books and Supreme Master Television informative items, which were accepted by the President of the Committee on behalf of all the community members, thus putting a perfect end to that day's activity.
Coordinating with NGOs to Promote
the Compassionate Lifestyle By Chiayi News Group (Originally in Chinese)
[Chiayi] On November 25, Golden Year 4 (2007), Chiayi Center of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association was invited to participate in a seminar on environmental protection and healthy diet, as well as a vegetarian food tasting event jointly convened by major NGOs and foundations in Singang Township. Many people came that day. Apart from displaying Master's spiritual publications and introducing Her new books and Supreme Master Television, several vegetarian dishes had also been prepared for the vegetarian food tasting event. The conveners had arranged three talks, and the main speakers were Director Cai Yong-lung of the Singang Township Community Health Promotional Center, fellow initiates from The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association, and Director Li He-chuan of the Chiayi City Animal Protection Society. The audience listened attentively, and many of them earnestly supported the Animal Protection Society's compassionate effort of caring for stray animals by giving generous contributions. During the event, Master's publications were positively and warmly received by the public. The children especially loved the two books about animals and asked their parents to buy them. A teacher, who had bought the book, Coloring Your Life, not only read it herself, but also read it to the villagers. After hearing a few sentences from the book, Ms. Li realized that it was talking about what she had been looking for, so she immediately borrowed a whole set of The Key of Immediate Enlightenment books from a fellow initiate. After reading them, she was totally convinced by Master's teachings, and has decided to receive initiation. The Animal Protection Society greatly admires Master's compassionate example in taking perfect care of each stray animal that She adopted so they can have a happy life. They hoped that they would have further opportunities to work with our Association in promoting the idea of loving animals.
Love Enables Happiness
By Nantou News Group (Originally in Chinese)
[Nantou] The annual observance of the International Day for the Disabled is on December 3. This year, the Nantou County Government especially held a “Love Enables Happiness” Carnival at the Cao-Tun Handicraft Center. The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association was also invited to participate in this event. At the Carnival, many people with disabilities presented brilliant performances that amply showed that they were able despite their handicap. Our Western and Chinese doctor Association members provided free medical consultations and during that time free vegetarian meal boxes were served. At the waiting area, the beneficial and interesting Supreme Master Television programs were broadcasted, so that people coming to the Carnival were taken care of in body, mind and soul.
Appreciation for News Reporters’ Incisive Coverage
By Tainan News Group (Originally in Chinese)
[Tainan]On November 9, Golden Year 4 (2007), on behalf of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association, several fellow initiates from Tainan paid visits to the United Daily News (UDN) and the China Daily News (CDNS), to present letters of appreciation and gifts to Mr. Li Ming-xian, the UDN's Assistant Manager of Advertising in the Southern Region, and Miss Lin Xue-juan, a CDNS reporter. They thanked them for their earnest support in publishing news and in-depth reports about the Supreme Master Ching Hai Art Exhibition at the National Tainan Social Education Center from November 1 to 16. The fellow initiates conveyed to them the sincere gratitude of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association: “By reporting positive and beautiful news and information, the media can help to elevate and beautify society. This selfless and righteous spirit deserves commendation.” Mr. Li Ming-xian mentioned that he had attended one of Master's lectures 19 years ago when She first started to speak openly, and he greatly admired Her fearless spirit. He had once asked a friend to buy a CD of Master's Buddha Chanting and played it all day long. He said sometimes he could hear Master's chanting clearly even when the CD was not playing, and Master's invisible power had saved him from danger many times. He stated: “In my heart, Supreme Master Ching Hai is the incarnation of Quan Yin Bodhisattva!” Miss Lin Xue-juan was very impressed by Master's multiple talents. She remarked: “The Supreme Master Ching Hai infuses society with a purifying energy!”
2007 Taiwan International Beverage Festival
By Kaohsiung News Group (Originally in Chinese)
[Kaohsiung] The 2007 Taiwan International Beverage Festival was held from November 22 to 25, Golden Year 4 (2007) at the Guang-rong Pier on the Ren-ai River in Kaohsiung, attracting thousands of visitors. Supported by fellow initiates from various Centers, the Loving Food Co. Ltd. participated in the Festival aiming to introduce non-alcoholic healthy beverages to the public, which hopefully will minimize the harm caused by drinking alcohol. Vegetarian dog food and Master's new books were also displayed, and the latest DVD—The Birds and Dogs in My Life-was shown. During the festival, an elderly lady in a wheelchair visited our booth with her family and tasted our beverages. They bought six bottles of Kraft Malz non-alcoholic beer. The next day, they came again and bought another two cases. They said that their family had suffered from constipation for many years, but drinking Kraft Malz had alleviated their problem, for which the old lady was especially thankful. On the second day of the festival, there was a fun quiz with prizes for the winners! We also offered vegetarian chicken nuggets cooked in the Kraft Malz for the public. The irresistible aroma attracted lots of people, and many of them asked for the recipe.
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