You, Me, Him, or Us? Toronto BLIA Members Learn Life Wisdom from Venerable Master Hsing Yun

Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto
August 14, 2025

To promote the application of Humanistic Buddhism in daily life, Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto and the BLIA Toronto Chapter held a lecture on July 20 as part of the 2025 Humanistic Buddhism Lecture Series. The featured speaker, BLIA Lay Dharma Lecturer John Lu, delivered a talk titled “You, Me, Him, or Us? Learning to Navigate Life from Venerable Master Hsing Yun – Part II.” Nearly 150 participants joined both in person and online to explore how individual and collective perspectives influence spiritual practice.

Venerable Ru An opened the event on behalf of the temple, commending Lecturer John Lu for his longstanding service, both through his IT expertise and his efforts in spreading the Dharma through music. She noted that the talk translated profound teachings into accessible, relatable language. Referencing the Buddha’s “I am one among the many” and Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s insight “I am in the multitude,” she emphasized how the lecture helped attendees understand dependent origination and integrate Buddhist principles into daily life.

Building on last year’s theme, “Taking Light Matters Seriously or Lightening Heavy Matters,” Lu reiterated that Buddhism is not only to be learned but lived. This year’s topic expanded on the idea by contrasting individualism (“you, me, him”) with collective identity (“us”). He highlighted the importance of coexistence, interconnection, and mutual support, citing Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s “Song of the Ten Practices,” particularly the practice of “giving” as key to fostering harmony.

Drawing from his years of service in BLIA Toronto’s Dajue Subchapter, Lu shared his journey from choir member and event host to subchapter president, advisor, and Lay Dharma Lecturer. He encouraged members to seize every opportunity to serve, develop collective thinking, and cultivate compassion through action.

Using the choir as a metaphor, Lu explained that “1 plus 1 is greater than 2” because harmony arises through cooperation. Just as each voice contributes to a unified performance, every BLIA member plays a crucial role in spreading the Dharma. He also reminded attendees to avoid emotionally charged written communication, and instead practice empathy, face-to-face dialogue, and active listening.

BLIA Toronto Advisor Ken Choi concluded by thanking Lu for his eloquent and inspiring presentation, expressing hope that more people will benefit from the life wisdom of Venerable Master Hsing Yun.