Wei Chueh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wei Chueh |
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Religion | Chan Buddhism |
Lineage | Linji school |
Personal | |
Nationality | Taiwanese |
Born | 1928 Yingshan County, Sichuan, Sichuan, China |
Died | 8 April 2016 Puli, Nantou, Taiwan |
(aged 87–88)
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.
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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.