Anne Hainer, Penn State Collegian, Pennsylvania: Penn State students, faculty and local residents were able to get an introduction to Buddhist culture and meditation this weekend.
Several hundred people attended a lecture by Chan Master Sheng Yen and introductory meditation classes as part of the Chan (Zen) events that took place Saturday and yesterday.
“We hope to help introduce Buddhism into Western society; not for religious reasons, but more to help people understand Eastern philosophy,” said Chang-Jin Lai, the lecture’s coordinator.
“It is important for people to understand other people’s beliefs as well as their own; we want to help this school diversify.”
Yen, who has written more than 100 books and has spoken with Pope John Paul II and the Dalai Lama, spoke about focusing on how to achieve happiness while being mindful of others and promoting the interests of the general public.
Yen travels worldwide to spread not only ideas of Buddhist thought but also the ideas of religious tolerance and interfaith cooperation….