VENERABLE MASTER TAO AN

The Venerable Dharma Master Tao An was born in 1907 in Chi Yang Province of Hunan. He turned his mind to the Way while in his adolescence, and left home when he was still young at Buddha Realm Monastery in Heng Yang. Later he received the complete precepts of the Bhiksu at Arhats Monastery, and remained there to devote himself to a study of the Tripitaka and receive training in Buddhist practices. Then he vowed to devote his life to fulfilling the principles of Buddhism and relieving the sufferings of living beings.

When he arrived in Taiwan, he soon raised funds to rebuild Fir Mountain Temple. Under his guidance the Tz'u Hang Middle School was established, and the monthly Buddhist magazine Lion's Roar began publishing under his direction. He has been named to important positions in numerous Buddhist associations.

In the last decade he has been the Dharma host at many Dharma assemblies for the explanation of Sutras, and has given many lectures before Buddhist societies and in schools.

He has been an Elder Dharma Master at the transmission of the Great Precepts of the Thousand Buddhas on many occasions.

The Venerable Master Tao An has recently been named the Abbot of Hsuan Tsang Temple at Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan, where the relics of the Great T’ang Dynasty Master and Translator, Hsuan Tsang, are enshrined. At transmission ceremonies held at Hai Hui Temple, Keelung, in 1969, and at Tz’u Shan Temple, Taichung, in 1971, he was a certifying Master and Karmadana respectively to the first American Bhiksu and Bhiksunis to be ordained in the orthodox Buddhist tradition.

--By Bhiksu Heng Kuan