Venerable Dharma Master Hsin Tao
Founder of Ling Jiou Mountain Wu-Sheng Monastery, and Museum of World Religions, Taiwan
The Venerable Dharma Master Hsin Tao is a Buddhist monk who has combined his religious practices with political and social activism. In addition to his daily monastic practices, Hsin Tao has focused on three issues: the promotion of peace; the encouragement of interfaith dialogue; and the preservation of the environment. Hsin Tao was born in Myanmar, Burma in 1948 to ethnic Chinese. At the age of four, he was left orphaned after his parents were killed by the Chinese Nationalist Army. At the age of nine, Hsin Tao was forced to become a child soldier in the Burmese guerilla movement. Six years later, he fled to Taiwan to escape the invading Chinese. Exposed to the destruction of war and seeking spiritual guidance, Hsin Tao turned to Buddhism for answers. At the age of twenty-five, Hsin Tao became a monk and spent the next two years fasting and meditating in a cave high atop Ling Jiou Mountain in northern Taiwan. Upon his emergence from the cave, Hsin Tao established the Wu Sheng Buddhist Monastery at the site of his meditation. In subsequent years, he has formed other organizations to promote a number of projects as well as to perform charitable services. More...
How can I transform the power of religions into the directions of loving peace? Particularly today as we face the issues of global warming and all sorts of global crises, how can we religious communities help save our world and help peace to prevail around the world? We can achieve this when different religions are working in the same direction and concentrating on peace-work and taking the initiative to move the militants and politicians to give up biochemical weapons and nuclear weapons that destroy the whole world and human beings.
Through my religious practice I confirm my belief and fill with love and patience to promote peace. This is my personal path. I have also established a Museum of World Religions with the mission to promote respect, tolerance and love for peace among religious communities. Through this work we want to serve as a bridge among different religions.
