Myanmar’s Highest Education Award Bestowed on Grand Master Hsin Tao; Disciples Hail Auspicious Return
In the chilly early spring rain, a warm and solemn joy filled the Buddhist society. Amidst the chilly mist of early spring, a warm and solemn sense of Dharma joy prevailed. Grand Master Hsin Tao, the founding abbot of Ling Jiou Mountain (LJM), has long shouldered the mission of propagating the Dharma and advancing spiritual education. Recently, he was honored with Myanmar's Highest National Award for Educational Achievement. Upon his return on March 10, he was greeted by a devoted delegation at Taoyuan International Airport. Later that evening, a dignified welcoming ceremony was held at the monastery, where all present basked in the Master’s boundless compassion.
Grand Master Hsin Tao is dedicated to the practice and realization of Buddhism as a rare bearer of the Triyana—encompassing the three traditions of Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. His core mission in propagating the Dharma centers on meditation, spiritual ecology, and life education. His "dual cultivation of compassion and wisdom" is profoundly revered in Myanmar, where since 2006, he has received numerous prestigious honors. These range from awards for Outstanding Contribution to the Propagation of Buddhism to the Highest Meditation Achievement Award. This year’s crowning as the recipient of the highest national education honor serves as a supreme affirmation of his lifelong dedication to the Bodhi path.
Disciples Greet the Master at the Airport, Filled with Dharma Joy and the Fragrance of Flowers
This dual recognition in meditation and education is regarded by the LJM community as a rare and auspicious milestone. Hearing of the Master’s return with such high acclaim, his disciples feel a profound sense of shared honor. To them, it is a concrete symbol of the Dharma’s enduring radiance, continuing to illuminate the world and benefit all sentient beings.
By early evening, the Vice President of the LJM Dharmapala Federation, joined by over twenty senior representatives who had traveled from far and wide, had gathered at Taoyuan International Airport. As Grand Master Hsin Tao stepped through customs, the delegation greeted him with palms joined in prayer, offering flowers with deep reverence. This simple yet touching welcome captured the profound respect the disciples hold for their teacher, standing as a testament to the fruits of the Master’s lifelong vow to propagate the Dharma and benefit sentient beings across the globe.
Resonating Bells and Drums: A Solemn Reception at Wu Sheng Monastery
As night fell, gusty mountain winds did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the fourfold assembly. The welcoming ceremony at Wu Sheng Monastery commenced around 8 p.m., as monastics, meditation students, retreat volunteers, and staff members lined the Huazang Sea Hall Corridor with fresh flowers. Notably, the gathering included international meditation students from Germany and Austria who had traveled across oceans in pursuit of the Dharma—a testament to the extraordinary spiritual affinity shared with the Master.
As Grand Master Hsin Tao arrived, the monastery’s bells and drums resonated in unison, while the congregation chanted the Name of "Shakyamuni Buddha." The sacred sound of the chanting lingered in the air, creating an atmosphere of profound serenity. An offering ceremony followed in the Meditation Hall: monastics presented ceremonial Chattras, benefactors offered baskets of pure flowers, and lay practitioners presented hadas (sacred white scarves). Each step of the ritual served as a profound expression of the disciples' sincere devotion and their unwavering reliance on the Master and the Dharma
After the assembly offered three prostrations in reverence, Grand Master Hsin Tao compassionately shared that the award was not merely a personal honor, but a sincere tribute to the profound value of Buddhist education. For him, it served as a reaffirmation of his compassionate vows and a profound source of inspiration to further deepen his spiritual path. The Master emphasized that the core of practice is to "rediscover one's original nature," with meditation being the essential path to settling the mind and awakening to one’s true awareness. He encouraged the fourfold assembly to remain dedicated to the practice of meditation, experiencing the spiritual essence that is "formless, neither arising nor ceasing." He reminded practitioners that their goal is not fame or fortune, but the cultivation of this "awareness"—guiding everyone back to their inherent tranquility and harmony amidst the complexities of the world.
Grand Master Hsin Tao is dedicated to the practice and realization of Buddhism as a rare bearer of the Triyana—encompassing the three traditions of Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. His core mission in propagating the Dharma centers on meditation, spiritual ecology, and life education. His "dual cultivation of compassion and wisdom" is profoundly revered in Myanmar, where since 2006, he has received numerous prestigious honors. These range from awards for Outstanding Contribution to the Propagation of Buddhism to the Highest Meditation Achievement Award. This year’s crowning as the recipient of the highest national education honor serves as a supreme affirmation of his lifelong dedication to the Bodhi path.
Disciples Greet the Master at the Airport, Filled with Dharma Joy and the Fragrance of Flowers
This dual recognition in meditation and education is regarded by the LJM community as a rare and auspicious milestone. Hearing of the Master’s return with such high acclaim, his disciples feel a profound sense of shared honor. To them, it is a concrete symbol of the Dharma’s enduring radiance, continuing to illuminate the world and benefit all sentient beings.
By early evening, the Vice President of the LJM Dharmapala Federation, joined by over twenty senior representatives who had traveled from far and wide, had gathered at Taoyuan International Airport. As Grand Master Hsin Tao stepped through customs, the delegation greeted him with palms joined in prayer, offering flowers with deep reverence. This simple yet touching welcome captured the profound respect the disciples hold for their teacher, standing as a testament to the fruits of the Master’s lifelong vow to propagate the Dharma and benefit sentient beings across the globe.
Resonating Bells and Drums: A Solemn Reception at Wu Sheng Monastery
As night fell, gusty mountain winds did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the fourfold assembly. The welcoming ceremony at Wu Sheng Monastery commenced around 8 p.m., as monastics, meditation students, retreat volunteers, and staff members lined the Huazang Sea Hall Corridor with fresh flowers. Notably, the gathering included international meditation students from Germany and Austria who had traveled across oceans in pursuit of the Dharma—a testament to the extraordinary spiritual affinity shared with the Master.
As Grand Master Hsin Tao arrived, the monastery’s bells and drums resonated in unison, while the congregation chanted the Name of "Shakyamuni Buddha." The sacred sound of the chanting lingered in the air, creating an atmosphere of profound serenity. An offering ceremony followed in the Meditation Hall: monastics presented ceremonial Chattras, benefactors offered baskets of pure flowers, and lay practitioners presented hadas (sacred white scarves). Each step of the ritual served as a profound expression of the disciples' sincere devotion and their unwavering reliance on the Master and the Dharma
After the assembly offered three prostrations in reverence, Grand Master Hsin Tao compassionately shared that the award was not merely a personal honor, but a sincere tribute to the profound value of Buddhist education. For him, it served as a reaffirmation of his compassionate vows and a profound source of inspiration to further deepen his spiritual path. The Master emphasized that the core of practice is to "rediscover one's original nature," with meditation being the essential path to settling the mind and awakening to one’s true awareness. He encouraged the fourfold assembly to remain dedicated to the practice of meditation, experiencing the spiritual essence that is "formless, neither arising nor ceasing." He reminded practitioners that their goal is not fame or fortune, but the cultivation of this "awareness"—guiding everyone back to their inherent tranquility and harmony amidst the complexities of the world.