Fu-yan Monastery, founded on the basis of merit cultivation

Fuyan Monastery (福嚴精舍) was founded by Elderly Ven. Yin Shun (印順長老), an eminent Buddhist scholar. He was candid about his focus on intellectual and scholarly studies. As indicated in his autobiography An Ordinary Life (平凡的一生), "In Buddhist terms, my cultivation predominantly lies in wisdom." That being said, why did he name the monastery he first established "Fuyan," which means "being adorned with meritorious blessings?" Even Elderly Ven. Dao Yuan (道源長老) was puzzled, asking Elderly Ven. Yin Shun, "You value learning and wisdom. So, regarding the monastery you established, why is it called Fuyan Monastery?" He replied, "My senior fellow! Without adequate merits as the right cause and condition, it's hard to attain wisdom."

In A Sixty-year Spiritual Voyage on the Ocean of Dharma (遊心法海六十年), Elderly Ven. Yin Shun mentioned that since his ordination, he had always been the kind that valued "intellectual learning," among the three types of monastics, characteristic of their respective emphasis on "actual practice," "intellectual learning," and "meritorious blessing." That is, relishing the "hearing and contemplating" of Buddhist teachings, he had focused too much on merely exploring Buddhist teachings through sutras, precepts (vinaya), and treatise (śāstra), thus ending up achieving limited attainment. "Due to my pursuit of the studies, I haven't really been able to receive long-term education. Moreover, while engaging in self-education, I was often afflicted by illnesses. Isn't this a clear proof of my lack of karmic blessings?" That is why Elderly Ven. Yin Shun named the monastery "Fuyan." In addition, he founded the Fuyan Buddhist Institute (福嚴佛學院) to nurture monks, expecting them to cultivate blessings while studying Buddhist wisdom.

Buddhist teachings entail cultivating merit and wisdom. Therefore, Elderly Ven. Yin Shun named the Dharma hall for public Buddhist education "Light of Wisdom," as a venue for people to develop in wisdom. Thus, Elderly Ven. Yin Shun infused the Buddhist philosophy of "cultivating merit and wisdom" in the Fuyan Monastery and the Light of Wisdom Dharma Hall, respectively, for nurturing monastics and promoting public Buddhist education, while facilitating each other.


Reference: Vol. 5 of Hua-yu Collection (華雨集第五冊) and the revised edition of An Ordinary Life (平凡的一生) by Elderly Ven. Yin Shun



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Resource: Issue 437 of Humanity Magazine (January 2020), Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation
Original Chinese text: Qiu Huimin (邱惠敏)
Translation: Li Siang-ling
Editing: Keith Brown, Chang Chia-cheng (張家誠)