Most Venerable Hsin Bau Visits Yuan Thong Temple in Bacolod Praises Fo Guang Families for Passing on the Three Acts of Goodness

On November 16, Most Venerable Hsin Bau, the Head Abbot of Fo Guang Shan, visited Yuan Thong Temple in Bacolod, accompanied by Venerable Yung Guang, the Head Abbess of Fo Guang Shan Philippines; Venerable Miao Jing, the Abbess of Mabuhay Temple; and officers of the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) Philippines. A group of 19 members joined the compassionate visit. Under the guidance of Bacolod Chapter Supervisors Rosita Gochangco and Joby Gochangco, along with Chapter President Chen Zhenzhen and Vice President Shi BingLao, BLIA members warmly welcomed the delegation. The heartfelt reunion between the monastic and lay communities felt like the continuation of long-standing affinities.

Most Venerable Hsin Bau offered a Dharma talk, praising the grandeur and beauty of Yuan Thong Temple. Although this was his first visit, he felt a deep sense of familiarity: “When we see the growth of a temple, we also see the dedication, vows, and accomplishments of the BLIA members behind it. This is truly precious.”

He emphasized that Fo Guang Shan’s founder, Venerable Master Hsing Yun, who propagated Humanistic Buddhism across five continents, was always deeply concerned about the development of every temple. He constantly sought ways to “give” what was best to the world. In a predominantly Catholic country like the Philippines—especially in outer islands—BLIA members who earnestly safeguard the Dharma are remarkable. Hearing that second-generation BLIA member Joby Gochangco continues to support the temple in honor of his late mother’s wishes, together with his wife, Fu Mei-an, the Head Abbot expressed admiration for the meaningful transmission of the Dharma within families.

Responding to BLIA members' request for teachings, Most Venerable Hsin Bau expounded on the concept of liberation in the Heart Sutra. True liberation, he explained, comes from “insight” and “practice,” through which one can “transcend” the limitations of the Five Aggregates. By realizing the emptiness of form, feeling, perception, mental formation, and consciousness—illusory like “a dream, a bubble, or a shadow”—one also transcends suffering. The key to liberation lies in contemplating the emptiness of the aggregates, establishing right view, and gradually progressing through “faith, understanding, practice, and realization,” ultimately reaching the state of inherent freedom and nirvana.

Venerable Yung Guang expressed her admiration for the compassionate Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara statue in the main hall, whose gentle smile has guided countless devotees over the years. Yuan ThongTemple, established even earlier than Mabuhay Temple, is one of Fo Guang Shan’s most significant temples in the Philippines. Through the collective dedication of devotees across the country, and under the leadership of Venerable You Hui, the temple has become an important representative of Buddhism in the region. BLIA members continue to guide the younger generation in carrying forward Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s Humanistic Buddhism.

Chapter President Chen Zhenzhen expressed her heartfelt joy, sharing that the community had long awaited the visit of Most Venerable Hsin Bau. Although the time together was brief, it was profoundly fulfilling. “Every word from the Abbot has given us boundless confidence and hope,” she said.