Panorama of Events
Report from Formosa
Rising to the Challenge through Persistence
By the Chiayi News Group
[Keelung] O[Chiayi] From April 29-May 3, 2005, Formosa’s 14th Annual National Athletic Meet for Universities and Colleges was held at National Chung Cheng University. About 12,000 athletes from 165 universities and colleges throughout Formosa participated in the Meet’s numerous sports competitions held in coordination with the annual Pineapple Cultural Festival in Wensyong Township, Chiayi County. With its fruit bazaars and performances by the world-renowned Cloud Gate Dance Theatre and more traditional Liyuan Drama Workshop, the Meet featured an interesting blend of athletics and culture.
Initiates from The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association participated in the event by conducting a booth to share Master’s teachings and another to promote vegetarianism. The practitioners prepared a wide variety of delectable vegetarian dishes and snacks for visitors to the Meet’s remote venue, where such fare is in short supply. While enjoying their food, many guests raised questions about Master and the Quan Yin Method, which the fellow initiates were happy to answer. All during the Meet an exhibitor who had been a vegetarian for over a decade visited the vegetarian booth and confessed, “While both the sumptuous meals and Master’s wise words leave me greatly impressed, I’m benefiting more from watching Her lectures on DVD than from the food.”
The Association’s booths attracted many other people with affinity and a keen interest in Master’s teachings, including a foreign language student who had once capitulated to his family’s objection to his being initiated due to their misunderstanding of the Quan Yin family. Upon learning the Convenient Method, the young man looked elated and blissful as though he had become another person. Also, a well-known local celebrity came frequently to watch Master’s DVDs, staying several hours each time and being reluctant to leave even at meal times. On the fourth day of the event, he learned the Convenient form of meditation and expressed a wish to be initiated into the Quan Yin Method once he became accustomed to the vegetarian diet.
In addition, several athletes visited the Association’s booth, some of whom were Quan Yin Practitioners who were both the best of their respective institutions and vegetarians as well, demonstrating that a well-balanced vegetarian diet increases physical strength. For example, brother Liu, a swimmer from National Central University, said the vegetarian diet had eased the burden on his body and given him such stamina and strength that his superiors recommended him for long-distance swimming.
The spokesman for the Meet, Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou, encouraged the participants to be well-prepared in advance, fearless about losing at the starting point and persistent in discovering their own strengths and goals. “The main challenge in long-distance running and swimming is stamina and strength,” he said, “and a slow start does not necessarily mean losing in the end.” Mayor Ma’s insights also apply to spiritual practice. As long as we pursue the right goal and use our time well on the spiritual path, we will be able to rise higher and higher. And if we can rise to all challenges through persistence, we will definitely achieve good results, be it in spiritual progress or athletic competition.
Report from Taipei Report From Keelung
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