Visit of the Buddhist Nuns from the Nan Tien Temple

November 28, 2023 | Current News

On November 27^th, the community at the Abbey had the privilege of sharing hospitality with the Buddhist Nuns of Nan Tien Temple.  Rev. Youji and 5 of her Venerable Nuns came with 11 students from Fo Guang Srimala College in Taiwan.  The students were in Australia on an overseas Buddhist study course with the intention of expanding their horizons.

We enjoyed a lively morning tea together where there was much talking, laughter and moments of profound sharing as we listened to each other.  While we are different in our traditions and beliefs, we also recognised and were surprised at how similar are both our values and lifestyle.  Both the Buddhist Nuns and ourselves share the vocation of living apart from the world but very much at its heart.

Rev Youji asked if we would share our Midday prayer with them.  It was 20 minutes of connectedness between two traditions.  A brief time of chanting, silence and deep reverence.  The willingness to understand and be together in peace was palpable.

The students then gave us an opportunity to listen to them sing in Mandarin and then in English, a beautiful song about how to bring peace, mindfulness and wholeness to our lives.

We shared gifts and then in 2 short hours our visitors had to leave for their next destination, Kiama.  Rev. Youji said they were to have lunch in Kiama but after the morning tea she felt it would be entirely unnecessary!

Rev. Youji and her Nuns warmly invited our Sisters to visit them at the Temple, which is only 20 minutes from the Abbey.  We look forward to fostering this connection between our two monasteries and have another opportunity for Inter-Faith sharing.