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Fo Guang Shan. Author Rutger van der Maar.

Top 10 Astonishing Facts About Fo Guang Shan

Fo Guang Shan also known as Buddha Light Mountain, Buddha’s Light Mountain, or Buddha Memorial Center is a Buddhist sect based in the Dashu District of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

It features the largest Buddhist monastery in the country along with 8 pagodas, a large pyramid, a huge sitting buddha statue, and a Buddha museum.

They practice Humanistic Buddhism and are considered the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan. The organization is also one of the largest charity organizations in Taiwan. Currently, it has established medical programs, several colleges, and one university, and has a presence in 173 countries.

The Fo Guang Shan religion was established by Hsing Yun in 1967, beginning with the development of the monastery in Dashu. The religion is focused on Humanistic Buddhism, with an emphasis on technology.

1. It Is Home To The Tooth Of Sakyamuni Buddha And Other Precious Artifacts

Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum. Wu Zhengyan.

One of the most precious artifacts in the museum is the tooth of the Sakyamuni Buddha. The grounds also feature eight pagodas, hundreds of statues, 4 different museums, an auditorium, Jade and Golden Buddha Statues, and 48 underground palaces (time capsules).

2. It Is Referred To As One Of The 鈥淔our Heavenly Kings鈥�

It was established by Hsing Yun in 1967. Hsing Yun is popularly referred to as one of the “Four Heavenly Kings鈥�, thus, Fo Guang Shan is referred to as one of the “Four Great Mountains” or four major Buddhist organizations of Taiwanese Buddhism, along with Dharma Drum Mountain, Tzu Chi, and Chung Tai Shan.

Fo Guang Shan embarked on many construction projects, including university buildings, shrines, and a cemetery. In 1975, Fo Guang Shan’s 36-meter tall statue of Amit膩bha Buddha was consecrated.

In 1981, 15 years after its establishment, the Great Hero Hall was built. During these times, many other Fo Guang Shan temples outside the order’s mother monastery were also built.

3. Fo Guang Shan Focused More On Charity And China’s Cultural Revival Than Propagating Buddhism

It is believed that Fo Guang Shan entered mainland China in the early 21st century. It focused more on charity and Chinese cultural revival rather than Buddhist propagation to avoid conflict with the Chinese Communist Party, which opposes religion.

 Its presence in China increased under the presidency of General Secretary Xi Jingping after he started a program to revive traditional Chinese faiths.

4. It Runs Several Social Protection Programs All Over The World

Currently, Temples and organizations have been established in 173 countries throughout the world, and now encompass more than 3,500 monastics.

The organization鈥檚 programs encompass; education and service, maintaining universities, Buddhist colleges, libraries, publishing houses, translation centers, Buddhist art galleries, teahouses, and mobile medical clinics.

 It has also established a children’s room, retirement home, high school, and television station.

5. Their Medical Program Serves The Remote Villages

Fo Guang Shan has social and medical programs. These include a free medical clinic with mobile units that serve remote villages, an annual winter relief program organized to distribute warm clothing and food supplies to the needy, a children’s and seniors’ home, wildlife conservation areas to protect living creatures, and a cemetery for the care of the deceased.

 Fo Guang Shan’s social work focuses primarily on helping the poor in remote areas.

6. Fo Guang Shan Is Involved In Alleviating Human Suffering

The organization also runs orphanages, homes for the elderly, and drug rehabilitation programs in prisons. Fo Guang Shan has also been involved in some international relief efforts.

7. It Runs A Unique Educational Program

The educational programs of Fo Guang Shan include four Buddhist colleges, three regular colleges, and various community colleges. The Fo Guang University was established in 2000. It focuses mainly on the humanities and social sciences.

 At the Buddhist research institute Tuition fees and lodging are provided by Fo Guang Shan, free of charge. Other prominent universities the order has established include Nanhua University in Taiwan and the University of the West in the United States.

Along with Tzu Chi, Fo Guang Shan is the only major Buddhist organization in Taiwan that offers some form of strictly secular education, as opposed to purely religious.

8. The Abbot Serves As The Overall Leader Of The Order

Fo Guang Shan, Taiwan: Entry to the monastery. Author M. Weitzel.

Unlike a traditional Mahayana Buddhist monastery, where the incumbent abbot usually selects his successor, Fo Guang Shan directly elects an abbot to head the Order and its temple branches worldwide. He serves as the abbot of Fo Guang Shan Monastery and is also the chairperson of the Religious Affairs Committee.

The abbot-elect then begins to use their “inner name”, in place of his/her dharma name, with the first character being Hsin (“蹇�”, xin, or heart).

Hsing Yun is the only abbot to have served as such for more than two terms, and was not elected by the RAC. In the case of Venerable Hsin Ping (who was originally Venerable Zhizong), he was also not officially elected, as he was Hsing Yun’s designated heir apparent.

9. At The Main Shrine Stand Three Unique Statues That Are Significant To The Sect.

Fo Guang Shan’s main shrine has an area of 3570 square meters, is 30 meters in height, and can house up to one thousand people. Inside the shrine, there are three statues of Buddhas, each 7.8 meters high. The Great Buddha is located on the eastern side of Fo Guang Shan next to the Great Wisdom Shrine. The Great Buddha is 36 meters in height, and is the highest standing Buddha in Southeast Asia. The interior four walls are filled with Dunhuang style stone niches enshrining 14800 more statues of . The Great Compassion Shrine has an area of 800 square meters, is 6 meters high, and contains a 6-meter-high statue of .

 10. Because Of Their Approach, They are More Appealing To The Masses

Their approach focuses on simplifying Buddhism to make it more appealing to the masses. The organization is known for utilizing modern marketing techniques and methods to preach such as the use of laser shows and multimedia displays.

Fo Guang Shan temples have no entrance fee, and do not allow many of the practices commonly found in other Chinese temples, such as fortune-telling or the presence of sales vendors.

Though they are popular, Fo Guang Shan has received criticism for being “too focused on commercialism, expanding its membership base, and building large temples.”