T'ai Shen Centre for Mindfulness, Happiness and Healing

Pure Land Buddhism: A Way to a Happy Life

Pureland Buddhism is a way to live a happy and fulfilling life leading to supreme enlightenment.

Our Aims:

To provide an awareness of and space to practice Pure Land Buddhism as well as experience Chinese Buddhism at Guang Jue Monastery China.

To provide quality courses in Mindfulness Training, Naikan, and Pure Land Buddhism enabling people to enhance their practise and live a happy and enriching life.

Venerable Master Zheng Rong

Master Zheng Rong is Abbott of Guang Jue Monastery.

The Master is a monk of incredible vision, faith and energy opening up the way of Pure Land Buddhism to foreigners visiting China and welcoming them to the monastery.

When the Venerable Zheng Rong first came to the monastery from Hangzhou he found it in devastating ruins as a result of previous wars. Through his immense faith, compassion and energy he has almost completed rebuilding the monastery.

Venerable Zheng Rong teaches a way of life that brings to reality Pure Land in our midst. Our compassionate practise can turn the tide on world disasters and create a world of peace, harmony and prosperity.

Retreat Facilitator and Trainer

Zhe Sheng (Malcolm Hunt) is Retreat Facilitator at Guang Jue Monastery and works alongside Master Zheng Rong conducting Meditation Retreats, Mindfulness and Naikan Training and Pure Land Buddhist teaching.

Malcolm's background has been in mental health education and psychotherapy, Program Management and Supports Facilitation.

Malcolm is a Buddhist teacher in the Pure Land tradition and conducts Meditation, Mindfulness and Naikan retreats, coaching and personal counselling both in China and Australia.

Pure Land Buddhism

Pure Land Buddhism is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism originating in India and eventually introduced to China in approximately 64AD. Pure Land practice grew through the teaching of monk Hui Yuan (523-592) and later revival from the teachings of Zhuhong (1584), Shan Tao (613 – 681 AD) and later Yin Kuang (1861 – 1940) all of who were Buddhist monks and teachers of the Pure Land School.

Pure Land is a Buddhist school that understands by single mindedly focusing on the name of Amitabha Buddha- the Buddha of Infinite Light one is able to break free from the cycle of re-birth and death and live in a state enlightenment and bliss known as Pure Land.

The Shakyamuni Buddha knew that people would need great help in ages to come to achieve enlightenment. The Buddha told us of another Buddha, Amitabha, the Buddha of infinite Light and Life who had made 48 vows to help us reach Pure Land. It is in the Pure Land that we are able to cease the process of birth and death and suffering.

With the help of Amitabha Buddha we do not have to rely solely on ourselves to attain enlightenment as in other methods. We have the help of compassionate Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to help us.

Pure Land is not just a location in paradise but is essentially the Buddha mind. Pure Land understands enlightenment through the concentration and purification of the mind and that enlightenment is available to all beings. In fact it is essential that our meditation is “meditation in action” that compassion is a fruit of our meditation that is active in doing good to others.

Our condition or ‘life situation’ is created by our mind. Mind can be likened to the glass of a window. If it is dirty we are unable to see things as they really are. Our dirtied minds, if you like, are our ego minds that crave to attachment to things as well as the past and future. When we are able to let go of our desires and attachments the job of cleaning the window begins. We are literally what we think. When we begin to change our thought patterns for good and pure thoughts this begins to have a radical effect on our daily living and ultimately our destiny.

With so many people living lives of quiet desperation, depression and an undercurrent of unhappiness, Pure Land Buddhism teaches a way to complete happiness, serenity of mind and fulfillment.

The ultimate goal of Pure Land Buddhism is re-birth in the Western Pure Land by living a life Compassion, Peace and Mindfulness.