THE BODHI STAND

INTRODUCING DHARMA PROTECTOR

UPASIKA CHU YA-HSIN

      Upasika Chu was born in Hupei Province in 1910. As a youngster she became familiar with Buddhism because her family worshipped the Buddha. She soon developed deep faith in the Buddha's teachings and has been a Buddhist all her life.


      Upasika Chu graduated as a teacher from Hupei University and then did research in Chinese medicine. She has taught both elementary and high school and has served as manager of women's groups.

In 1974 she first met the Venerable Master Hsuan-hua during his tour of Asia when he was in Taiwan lecturing the Pure Conduct Chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra. She and her husband, Major-General Fu, were delighted with the subtleties in the Master's words and detected a strong flavor of Ch'an.

 

So in July of 1976, when they visited the United States, they were most eager to come to Gold Mountain Monastery to pay their respects to the Venerable Master. The Fu's joined members of the Sino-American Buddhist Association on a tour of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas and in the evening Upasika Chu and her husband were again delighted by the double meanings and tacit lessons which emerged from the Master's instruction. Visibly regretful to end the visit with the Master, Upasika Chu exclaimed at length about how fortunate the West was to have the Master come to propagate the Ch'an teachings and expressed her desire to return and take up practice under the Master's guidance.

Cover Gatha: Composed by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua
  Translated by Bhiksu Heng Sure
                                  Calligraphy by Bhiksuni Heng Ch’ih and Elly Hu