At each stage in going from nothing to something, there were perhaps personal differences over understanding, conceptualization, and judgment, but once an issue affected the general direction of Fo Guang Shan, or what was needed to bring success to Buddhism, everyone promptly came together. There was never any conflict sparked by personal or selfish motives, for we shared a common determination to overcome any difficulties and help each other work towards the same goal. This was the spirit behind the founding of Fo Guang Shan.

“Collective creation” does not mean many people supporting the dictatorship of one individual; rather, it means that each individual within the collective participates equally, so we can broadly solicit views and opinions from all corners. From Fo Guang Shan’s founding to the present day, nearly every single issue has been decided democratically. At all of our meetings at every level of the organization, everyone has an equal opportunity to speak and exercise their right to vote, regardless of their degree of seniority or the duties they undertake. At the meetings I chair personally, anybody who is so inclined is free to sit in and listen at any time. Not only does this style reduce many of the barriers to getting things done, it also ensures that members of Fo Guang Shan who attend these meetings can learn the art of communication. Everyone has an opportunity to grow from such experiences.

When I think of Fo Guang Shan’s initial building phase, images of how all of us worked together from morning to night, shouldering loads of bricks, sand, rock, and cement with sweat streaming down our backs flash in my mind. After the hired workers had finished their day’s work and gone home, Fo Guang Shan’ s disciples would continue working. In addition, there are no words to describe the assistance we received from all of the laypeople who wished to support the Dharma. This is why I often say, “the success of Fo Guang Shan belongs to everyone:’ Fo Guang Shan is not for any individual. Rather, it belongs to its more than thirteen hundred monastic disciples, the millions of lay followers around the world, its many benefactors, as well as people from all walks of life. Fo Guang Shan was not something that was completed in a day or a certain period of time; it succeeded, bit by bit, through the continuous effort due to oneness and coexistence.

Source: Hsing Yun, Four Insights for Finding Fulfillment: A Practical Guide to the Buddha’s Diamond Sutra, Los Angeles: Buddha’s Light Publishing, 2012.