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Wei Chueh
Master Wei-Chueh.png
Religion Chan Buddhism
Lineage Linji school
Personal
Nationality Taiwanese
Born 1928
Yingshan County, Sichuan, Sichuan, China
Died 8 April 2016(2016-04-08) (aged 87–88)
Puli, Nantou, Taiwan
Senior posting
Based in Taiwan
Title Venerable Master or Grand Master

Wei Chueh (Chinese: 惟覺法師; pinyin: Wéijué, 1928 – 8 April 2016) was a respected Buddhist monk from Taiwan. He started the Chung Tai Shan monastery and its Buddhist group. Many people say that Wei Chueh helped bring back the old ways of Chan Buddhism. Chan Buddhism is a type of Buddhism that focuses on meditation and wisdom.

The Life of Master Wei Chueh

Early Life and Becoming a Monk

Wei Chueh was born in 1928 in a place called Yingshan County, Sichuan in China. When he was older, in 1963, he became a monk. This happened in Keelung, Taiwan. He was fully ordained, meaning he completed his training to be a monk, in 1967.

Living Simply and Teaching

After becoming a monk, Wei Chueh lived a very simple life. He stayed in quiet, lonely places near Yangmingshan in Taiwan. Even though he lived in very basic conditions, he kept practicing and teaching Buddhist ideas.

In 1987, he opened a temple called Lin Quan Temple. Wei Chueh became well-known for leading special seven-day meditation retreats. He also held large gatherings where he taught about Buddhism. People liked his teaching style because it was "lively and flexible." As more and more people wanted to learn from him, his temple became too small.

Building a New Home for Buddhism

Because so many people wanted to follow his teachings, Wei Chueh decided to build a much bigger monastery. This new place, called the Chung Tai Chan Monastery, was built in Puli, Taiwan. It officially opened in September 2001. It became a very important center for Buddhist learning.

Working with Other Buddhist Leaders

In 2004, Wei Chueh was one of eight important Buddhist leaders. They suggested creating a big meeting called the World Buddhist Forum. This idea was supported by Buddhist groups in countries like Japan and South Korea. This shows how respected he was around the world.

In 2005, Master Wei Chueh chose one of his students, Jian Deng, to become the new leader of Chung Tai. Wei Chueh passed away on April 8, 2016, at the age of 88.

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