Hsi Lai Subchapter’s 3Fu Election: Insights from Most Venerable Hsin Bau on Harmony｜從心保和尚談「人和」看西來分會的「三福」選舉

【By Ching Pan from Rowland Heights Subchapter 1】The Eighth General Assembly of the Tenth Term of the Fo Guang Shan (FGS) Board of Directors took place on August 30 at the Grand Conference Room of the Tathagata Building of FGS Monastery. During the assembly, 11 new board members for the eleventh term were elected, and Most Venerable Hsin Bau was appointed as Chairperson of the Board of Directors and the eleventh head abbot of the FGS Monastery. Most Venerable Hsin Bau expressed his commitment to continuing the principles of Humanistic Buddhism. Despite challenging conditions, he believes that with “harmony among people,” all difficulties can be overcome. Embracing the collective creation spirit advocated by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founder of FGS Monastery, he views this approach as a crucial force for advancing Humanistic Buddhism. (Source: The Life News Agency)

The concept of “harmony among people” resonates deeply with me. These three simple words carry profound meaning. As early as 2009, Venerable Master Hsing Yun proposed using four characters as milestones for the development of FGS Monastery, each representing 50 years of history—People, Affairs, Dharma, and Systems.

Since its founding in 1967, FGS Monastery has entered its second 50 years. With the increasing number of dedicated individuals, it is now important to focus more on the development of “affairs.” Nevertheless, I firmly believe that “harmony among people” remains an eternal and crucial value. I deeply resonate with Most Venerable Hsin Bau’s profound insights into this principle.

This value is vividly exemplified by the Hsi Lai Subchapter of the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA), Los Angeles Chapter. This subchapter, primarily composed of English speakers from various ethnic backgrounds, represents a distinctive feature and a key direction for promoting Buddhism in the West. Venerable Master Hsing Yun emphasized the importance of localization in spreading the Dharma, underscoring the undeniable significance of the Hsi Lai Subchapter.

Another valuable characteristic of the Hsi Lai Subchapter lies in its embodiment of “harmony among people.” Here, “harmony” not only represents “peace” but also the underlying “dedication” and “intent” behind it.

On August 24, the Hsi Lai Subchapter held its in-person election for the 2025 and 2026 officers. Members first voted online to select seven committee members prior to this date. On August 24, the in-person election, where the committee members chose the president, was held. Following the election, a monthly meeting took place, attended by nearly 30 people, including all general members, committee members, and friends. The enthusiastic turnout made the event particularly special, and I was honored to be invited.

Current President Robert Wang recalled that the membership was only seven at the beginning of 2023 but grew to 22 within a year, tripling in size. He said, “This is the result of our collective efforts, and I am very grateful!”

The newly elected President Lynette King, who is also the current Vice President, is always smiling and affectionately refers to members as “Fo Guang Hsi Lai Family.” In the notice, she mentioned: “Please stay for tea and snacks after the event—FUN-FOOD-FRIENDSHIP.”

Inspired by this, I associated the pronunciation of “F” with “Fu” (福, meaning “blessing” or “good fortune”), making this election a “Three Fu Election”! New committee member Patricia Nathali and I brainstormed and agreed that “Three Fu” could also represent Family, Faith, and Future, each with a beautiful meaning that aligns with the spirit of the Hsi Lai Subchapter.

I sincerely wish the Fo Guang Hsi Lai Subchapter family unity and a bright future!

從心保和尚談「人和」看西來分會的「三福」選舉

【羅蘭第一分會 潘青霞】佛光山宗務委員會第十屆第八次會員大會，於8月30日在佛光山如來殿大會堂召開，選出了第十一屆的11位宗務委員，並由宗務委員推舉心保和尚為第十一屆宗長及佛光山第十一任住持。心保和尚表示，希望繼續秉持人間佛教的理念，即使缺乏天時地利，只要「人和」，所有困難都能迎刃而解，遵循佛光山開山祖師雲大師倡導的集體創作精神，是弘揚人間佛教的重要力量。（註一）

「人和」兩字，讓我內心激盪，簡短兩字蘊藏深意。大師早在2009年便提出四字—「人、事、法、制」，各自象徵佛光山每個50年的發展重點。 （註二）

佛光山自1967年開山以來，已邁入第二個50年。隨著發心人數的累積，現在應更加注重「事業」的發展。然而，我深信，「人和」始終是永恆的重要價值。心保和尚對「人和」的深刻見解，我深感認同。

「人和」讓我聯想到國際佛光會洛杉磯協會下的西來分會，這個分會由來自不同族裔背景的英語人士組成，這不僅是其獨特的特色，也是佛法在西方推展的重要方向之一。大師強調弘法必須本土化，因此西來分會的重要性不言而喻。

西來分會的另一個珍貴特點在於「人和」，「和」不僅僅代表「和諧」，更重要的是背後那份「發心」。

西來分會於8月24日舉行了2025及2026年的實體幹部選舉，會員們首先在先前的日期通過電子線上投票，選出了七位委員。隨後，實體選舉於8月24日進行，由委員們互選出會長。選舉後還舉行了月例會，近30位西來分會的全體會員及佛光之友出席了此次活動。出席人數踴躍，實屬特別，我有幸受邀參加。

現任會長Robert Wang回憶，2023年初會員人數僅有7人，一年後增長至22人，成長了三倍。他表示：「這是大家集體創作的成果，我非常感恩！」

新任會長Lynette King（現任副會長）總是笑容滿面，親切地稱呼會員們為「佛光西來家人」。她在通知上寫道：「請留下來一起喝茶、享用點心，Fun（有趣）-Food（食物）-Friendship（友誼）。」

我靈機一動，把「F」的發音與「福」（Fu）結合，這場選舉真是「三福選舉」！新任委員Patricia Nathali和我一起腦力激盪，認為「三福（3Fu）」也可以代表Family（家庭）、Faith（信仰）、Future（未來），這些字的寓意都非常美好，並契合西來分會的精神。

我誠心祝福佛光西來分會大家庭，願大家信念一致，未來燦爛！

註一：佛光山宗委選舉展現民主　心保和尚當選佛光山第十一任住持 點這裡

註二：星雲大師談佛光山的「人事法制」點這裡