Task Eight - Letter

A Descriptive Letter: Place.

Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple.

Dearest Mother,

Served as a place of worship with a mission to promote interfaith, culture and education about how to lead good lives, the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temples located in Auckland and also in Christchurch were set to transmit the ideals of Humanistic Buddhism as proposed buy Venerable (servant of God) Master Hsing Yun, founder of the Fo Guang Shan Temples in New Zealand. A community filled with philosophy, psychology, sutra, tranquility, terminology, symbolism, meditation, realizations, growth, harmony and culture.

The Fo Guang Shan Temple in Auckland is the largest Buddhist temple in New Zealand. The temple and complex were built over a period of seven years at a cost of $20 Million NZ Dollars that opened in late September of 2007 designed with the architectural style of Tang Dynasty, using greyish green glazed roof tiles, maroon stone pillars and vertical slat window frames to project magnificence, grandeur, cultivation and strength that also features a large Buddha statue or the Main Shrine: Sakyamuni Buddha and a two-tonne bell instrument that represents awareness and reflection plus many more.

Descriptive Words.

Peaceful. Graceful. Beautiful. Elegant. Unity. Love.

Emotional. Neutral. Harmony. Relaxed.

My Experience.

Even as a non-Buddhist, I had a truly amazing experience with my trip to the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple with my CVA class from M.I.T. As soon as we walked through the entrance doors, immediately I felt a lot of weight just elevate off my shoulders. The front shrine or Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, the main statue who signifies great compassion who greets you at the main entrance captivated me. After being introduced to the venue by a wonderful volunteer there, we made our way through to the courtyard and field of merit. This is the moment my eyes glistened, where the feeling in my legs became transparent while a great feeling of peace and love reached deep into my heart and encapsulated all the heaviness I had inside my heart weighing me down. One of the most beautiful places I have ever experienced in my life and am very eager to visit again in October or November as I hear that's when the Cherry Blossom trees appear to bloom.