Purpose of Mission
Middle Path Buddhist Temple of Calgary is a charitable organization certified by the Canadian government. It was founded in 2008 by Venerable Ruyuan and Venerable Ruli under the compassionate guidance of Venerable Master Zhenhua, the esteemed abbot of Fuyan Buddhist Institute, one of the most renowned Buddhist institutes in Chinese Buddhism. In 2013, the Middle Path Buddhist Temple of Yilan was established in Taiwan. The purpose of our temple is to promote the Dharma through teaching and meditation practice, enabling the public to truly understand Buddhism and apply it in their daily lives.
Venerable Ruli is currently the chair of Middle Path Buddhist Temple of Calgary, responsible for the organization’s administrative affairs, guiding practitioners in meditation, and teaching in English. Venerable Master Ruyuan serves as the abbot and mentor of Middle Path Buddhist Temple of Calgary/Middle Path Buddhist Meditation Center .
Middle Path Buddhist Temple of Calgary advocates for the dual practice of meditation and education, social care, and the preservation of cultural inheritance.
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本會導師
真華長老
Reverend Master Zhenhua’s secular surname was Baosheng Liu, and after his migration to Taiwan with the GMT army, he changed his name to Fu Yu. His ancestral home was in Shangqiu City, Henan Province, and he was born on March 13, 1922, in Shanchengji, east of Yongcheng County.
At the age of 14, he ordained under Master Jingwen at Taishan Zen Monastery and learned to read and write in a private school.
At 24, he received full ordination at Longchang Monastery on Baohua Mountain in Nanjing.
At 25, he sought refuge at Lingyan Mountain Monastery in Suzhou.
Due to the civil war, he left Lingyan Mountain Monastery and traveled to Putuo Mountain, intending to return to Lingyan Mountain Monastery when the situation stabilized.
At 28, he was conscripted into the military and brought to Taiwan.
At 32, after returning to monastic life, he vigorously promoted Buddhist education and nurtured numerous Buddhist monastics.
At 75, he resigned from his 18-year position as the president of Fuyan Buddhist Institute and retired to Zhongdao Academy in Puli, where he dedicated the rest of his life to Pure Land practice.
At 78, he was invited to Jade Buddha Temple in Houston, USA, to give lectures for over two months and was honored as an honorary citizen of Houston.
At 91, on October 5, 2012, at 4:10 pm, the elder master peacefully passed away amidst the chanting of the Amitabha Buddha’s name, at the age of 91.
The elder devoted his life to education, focusing on the training of monastic talents and monastic education, teaching at 12 Buddhist academies. He believed that “the propagation of the Dharma lies in the monastics,” and with the spirit of “propagating the Dharma is a monk’s duty,” he traveled domestically and internationally from a young age to old age. He performed temple consecrations, ceremonies, Dharma talks, and served in various significant roles such as instructor and teaching for full ordination for members of the clergy and refuge for the lay buddhists. He wast the mentor of the Pure Land research department at Yuan Guang Buddhist Academy, and mentor at the century-old Fahua Temple in Taichung.
The elder’s work, In Search of the Dharma, has also garnered attention from Buddhist scholars. Although this memoir describes the elder’s journey from childhood to youth, it also reflects Chinese Buddhism from the early Republic of China to the wartime period, making it an indispensable and important reference for modern Chinese Buddhism.
Abbot
Venerable Master Ruyuan
In 1968, Venerable Master Ruyuan was born in Luodong，a small town in Taiwan. In 1993, He was ordained by Reverend Master Zhenhua and given the dharma name, Ruyuan, alias, Xuejing. In 1999, he graduated from the advanced program at Fuyan Buddhist Institute, one of the most prestigious Buddhist institutes in Chinese Buddhism, founded by Venerable Master Yinshun. After completing the advanced program at the Buddhist institute, the Venerable Master felt that, despite his foundation in Buddhist studies, he still lacked academic training and sought to gain an international perspective on Buddhist research. Therefore, he decided to leave Taiwan and pursue further studies in Canada. In 2001, he enrolled at the University of Calgary, aiming for a comprehensive academic training journey. In 2013, he obtained a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from the University of Calgary.
He is currently the abbot of Middle Path Buddhist Temple of Calgary/ Middle Path Meditation Center the head of the Middle Path Buddhist Temple of Yilan in Taiwan. He was close to the contemporary Taiwanese high monk, Venerable Master Yinshun, and is well-versed in the master’s teachings. He also served as a lecturer at the University of Calgary.
Chairman
Venerable Master Ruli
Venerable Master Ruli, a Singaporean, ordained in 1992. In 1993, he received full ordination at Chaoyin Chan Monastery in Taiwan. In September of the same year, he enrolled at Fuyan Buddhist Institute, founded by Venerable Master Yinshun. He graduated from the institute’s basic program in 1996 and from the advanced program in 1999. In September of the same year, he went to Canada for further studies and subsequently became a disciple of Venerable Master Zhenhua. In 2005, he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies from the University of Calgary, followed by a Master’s degree in 2008. He completed his doctoral coursework in 2009 and passed his doctoral candidacy in 2010. He is currently the chair of the Middle Path Buddhist Temple of Calgary, responsible for meditation sessions, Cantonese and English Dharma teachings, and administrative affairs.
Timeline
In 1999, after graduating from the advanced program at Fuyan Buddhist Institute, Venerable Masters Ruli and Ruyuan went to Calgary, Canada, for further studies. Before their departure, their mentor, Venerable Master Zhenhua, advised them to actively propagate the Dharma in Canada if opportunities arose and to return to their homeland to spread the Dharma and repay the support and nurturing they received.
In 2006, during their studies, both masters fortuitously met the president of the Taiwan Association in Canada, who invited them to teach Dharma to the local Taiwanese community, thus beginning their missionary path in Canada.
In 2008, under the compassionate guidance of Venerable Master Zhenhua, the two Venerables established Middle Path Buddhist Temple of Calgary, which was recognized as a legal charitable organization by the Canadian government.
In 2012, to repay the support of Reverend Master Zhenhua and various benefactors in Luodong, Venerable Ruyuan gave a lecture titled “Living in the Freedom of the Heart Sutra” at the Luodong Exhibition Hall. Since then, both Masters have traveled between Taiwan and Canada annually to teach the Buddhist teachings in both continents.
In 2013, they established the Middle Path Buddhist Temple of Yilan in Taiwan, as a charity organization.
In 2014, with the support of the community, Middle Path Buddhist Temple of Calgary purchased an acreage in the suburbs of Calgary, and planned it as a meditation center.
In 2019, the main hall of the meditation center was completed, marking another milestone.
