Foreword by Dharma Master Hsin Tao

Foreword by Dharma Master Hsin Tao

Dear Professors and Research Fellows, may peace be with you!

As we have all witnessed, COVID-19 pandemic has caused huge impact to all countries in the world, everyone’s way of living and behaviors have been fundamentally changed.  In response to this unprecedented situation, the upcoming 2021 Winter School of University for Life and Peace (ULP) is decided to go on-line for its courses during this difficult time.  Under the threat of pandemic, this new way of schooling presents a challenge to us in terms of how to effectively and continuously undertaking cross-country cooperation and learning.  On the other hand, it is also a turning point, we can take this opportunity to go beyond national boundary and allowing more people to participate in our courses and to better understand the mission of University for Life and Peace (ULP).

As the founder of ULP, I sincerely welcome all our faculty members and students to participate in this on-line Winter School.  It is vital for us to maintain and reinforce our connection.  Together we will continuously promote the spiritual and ecological education for loving the Earth.

“All of Dharmadhatu are created by our mind” as Buddha said.  As such, the most significant factor of influencing environment to become either good or bad is our mindfulness.  Mindfulness affects our recognition to the ecological system and the construction of ethics, which in term forms our physical living environment.  The outbreak of COVID-19 is ravaging the world, at this difficult time we have truly recognized that all sentient beings including us are living in this interconnected network of life system, all things on earth are interdependently living together, mutually assisting for survival.  Hence, when facing disasters, we need to contemplate our thoughts and awaken our mind, to help each other on the basis of shared life community.  Furthermore, we need to convert negative energy through our right mindfulness and good deeds, thus, the disasters will then soon be terminated.  It takes our compassionate will and wise decision to reach peace for mankind and safety for the earth.  Therefore, we introduce spiritual ecology as the foundation for 2021 winter school on-line courses and guide you to practice how in this complicated environment to make accurate decisions on protecting the eco-system on the earth.

The founding of ULP is at the preparatory stage currently, our team are intensively discussing and planning academic system, degrees to be offered and curriculum. The core teachings of ULP emphasis spiritual ecology and interdisciplinary approach to construct programs with a new integrated dimension.  Students are expected to become the driving force of the sustainability for mankind and this planet, the seeds of promoting the concepts of “Loving Earth, Loving Peace” and spreading peace around the world.

I sincerely welcome you participating in this program!