A School of Life
Hui-Chen Yeh
“Go find the favorite toy of yours… The one you like the most that you’d like it to be a gift for others.”
Nepal is the place where the Lord Buddha Sakyamuni was born. Eight out of ten highest mountains in the world are located in Nepal. This very place that you can see the stunning beauty of mountain scenery is also one of the poorest countries in the world.
In 2014, Venerable Master Huei Guang, the Head Abbot of International Bodhisattva Sangha initiated the project of establishing a monastic institute in Nepal, hoping to truly bring changes and hope to people’s lives in Nepal through education.
“Most schools in general only offer the teachings of life skills, but no teaching on life itself.”
This book has collected photos and writings about the IBS novice monks in Nepal, presenting how purity that was easily forgotten by adults and the virtuous faith play an essential role in their lives. Each page in this book reflects their daily study and activities, bringing readers a sensation of a school that helps youngsters grow up with wholesome body and mind, deepen their roots in order to explore the vast universe and learn to be capable of helping others.
Master Huei Guang said, “confidence is a kind of love.” “A School of Life” is about the monastic institute of International Bodhisattva Sangha in Nepal, as well as how to actually practice Buddha Dharma in life, leading the readers to thinking of the value of school and education.
During the crisis of pandemic in 2020, Master Huei Guang led the novice monks to bring food and supplies to streets and communities in Nepal. Their actions of love and care are also recorded in this book.
“Just giving them food is not good enough, making people feel truly cared is something we hope for.”
May the blessings from Nepal spread to places far away. When our mind wavers, may the clarity of the little monk’s eyes remind us to bring our mind back to its original state and help us stand stably.
Each dot of lights on the book cover represents the glory of each life. It manifests everything in one’s mind and all sorts of appearances. This is the original state of life. When this book gets reprint in the future, its cover would have more dots of lights, showing more luminosity of life. The reprint of this book relies on your support and the readers may become the part of the design of the book cover.
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Hui-Chen Yeh
was a veterinarian.
She likes to travel and has travelled to the most far-flung corners of the Arctic Circle in Greenland.
She likes young adult and was the president of Buddha's Light International Association, Young Adult Division and the honorary counselor of Pingtung Prison.
She likes Dharma and has been transcribed the Great Perfection of Wisdom Treatise for years. Her wish is to become a Bodhisattva.
She is the comptroller of International Bodhisattva Sangha and the CEO of Vima House at present. And she is also the disciple and the Dharma heir of Venerable Hueiguang.
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Text：Hui-Chen Yeh
Editor：Hui-Chen Li
Calligraphy：Master Hui Guang
Photography：Ching-Long Lou、I-Chen Lai、Hui-Chen Yeh
Painting：IBS Sramanera School of Nepal
Art Director：Mistroom
