ARTISTS FROM KUSAN, JAPAN, VISIT DHARMA REALM UNIVERSITY

Professor Yang Ying-feng, Head of Dharma Realm Buddhist University's College of Fine and Applied Arts introduced two honored guests from Japan to the Great Assembly recently. Professor Tanana, who teaches modern art at Osaka Art Center of Modern Art, and Prof. Kataguiri, President of the Commercial Art School of Kusan presented brush and ink drawings of Patriarch Bodhidharma and bronzes of Kuan Yin Bodhisattva and a standing Buddha respectively to Chancellor Hua. Both gentlemen than spoke a few words of greeting:

PROFESSOR TANAKA:

On coming to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas I am really pleased to see the flourishing development and rapidity with which the City and University are growing. I have been involved in the Art Movement for more than 60 years. Yet at the end of those 60 years, I feel I have come to a halt in my development. Upon coming to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas and meeting the Master, I feel I have to start from point zero again the life of my art will now take on an entirely different mold. It's time to begin anew.

PROFESSOR KATAGUIRI;

I am very please to come to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas and meet the Venerable Master Hua and all of you. The main purpose of my visit is to discuss the formation of an alliance with the Commercial Art School of Kusan. I am indeed impressed to see people deeply involved in cultivation. You obviously work hard at your ascetic practices and everything seems to move along so smoothly under the guidance of our honorable Chancellor, Master Hua. I am very touched by all of this.

Through Professor Tanaka I have met Professor Yang and from this I have been able to come to Dharma Realm Buddhist University. I feel that this has all been one strain of affinities, which are very precious to me; I value them.

I have always believed that in human life, people can get along together effortlessly and in harmony so there is a communication between races and all problems are solved peacefully. If we work to make progress peacefully together then life will certainly have a lot of meaning.

It is my hope that we can so join together so students from the art school in Kusan can come to Dharma Realm Buddhist University to study—especially spiritual matters, because this is the best place to learn about Buddhism, and through that study these students can also come to achieve loftier states even in their arts, as well as enrich their spiritual lives.