Hsu Yun - Old Age

Old Age

Hsu Yun tiredlessly worked as a bodhisattva, teaching precepts, explaining sutras, and restoring old temples. He worked throughout Asia and did not confine himself to one country. His large following was spread across Burma, Thailand, Malaya, and Vietnam, as well as Tibet and China. Hsu Yun remained in China during World War II and after the rise of the People's Republic of China to support the Buddhist communities rather than retreat to the safety of Hong Kong or Taiwan. After the Communists took over mainland China, he and his disciples were mistreated and tortured. In 1953, along with Dharma Master Yuan Ying and others, Hsu Yun formed the Chinese Buddhist Association at Kuang Chi (Extensive Aid) Monastery. He was nominated for the office of President, but he declined because of old age and ill health and assumed the title of Honorary President. The following resolutions were proposed to the government: 1) In all places, further destruction of monasteries and temples, the desecration of images, and the burning of sutras shall immediately cease; 2) the intimidation of bhikshus and bhikshunis to force their return to lay life will not be tolerated; and 3) all monastery property shall be returned forthwith, and there should be returned to the Sangha enough arable acreage to make the monasteries self-supporting. The petition was approved. He then represented the Association in receiving three gifts from a Buddhist delegation from Sri Lanka. Hsu Yun also responded to the invitation of Dharma Master Nan T'ung (Penetration to the South) to head another Dharma assembly at Lang Shan (Wolf Mountain) Monastery, where several thousand people from all over took refuge. He returned to Shanghai in the third lunar month, and the next month received a telegram from Peking requesting his presence in the Capital. Hsu Yun arrived and stayed at Kuang Chi (Extensive Aid) Monastery. Representatives of various Buddhist groups also were present, and the Chinese Buddhist Association was officially inaugurated. After a plenary meeting in which important policies were decided (some defiled monks suggested to change some precepts and rules, he scolded them and wrote an essay about the manifestation of the Dharma Ending Age.).

In 1955, the Master, at one-hundred-and-sixteen, had completed the Accumulation of Fragrance Kitchen, the Five Contemplations Hall, and other construction projects, and held another meditation session. In the next year, the Master's one-hundred-and-seventeenth, he wrote a letter to the composer of this book, asking the latter to return to Yun Chu which, however, was impossible. The Great Hall and the Hall of the Heavenly Kings were completed, in addition to other monastery buildings, and Dharma Master Hai Teng (Sea Lamp) became Abbot. He continued to lecture Sutras and held a two-week meditation session. In 1957, when Hsu Yun was one hundred and eighteen, all of the work was completed, and more than one hundred Buddha images were cast. He continued to lecture the Sutras and held a three-week meditation session. There were now more than two hundred monks living at the monastery. At one-hundred and nineteen, in 1958, Hsu Yun was aided in the establishment of the Hai Hui (Sea-vast Assembly) Stupa by Chan Li Wu. In 1959, Hsu Yun's age was one-hundred-and-nineteen, and he became ill during the summer and fall.

On the twelfth day of the ninth lunar month, he knew that the time had come. Hsu Yun instructed his successors to earnestly and vigorously apply themselves to the cultivation of precepts, samadhi, and wisdom, in order to counteract greed, anger, and stupidity. Telling them to forget themselves for the sake of the Dharma and to mutually cherish and respect one another, he then spoke the following gathas: