In September of 2000, Vice President
of the R.O.C., Ms. Lu Hsiew-lien visited Central America to undertake diplomatic
meetings. Among the entourage accompanying her was a monk who generated
great excitement among the press and media wherever they went. He was, of
course, Dharma Master Hsin Tao of Ling-Jiou Mountain.
This was the first formal visit by a Buddhist teacher and religious leader
to El Salvador, Honduras, Belize and Guatemala, which are predominantly
Roman Catholic countries. In media interviews held in those countries, Master
Hsin Tao said, ˇ§The reason for my visit to Central America is to encourage
religious exchange and interaction; to bring an end to misunderstanding
and estrangement between religions.ˇ¨ Dharma Master Hsin Tao also said that
the display area dedicated to indigenous religions in the Museum of World
Religions, due to open formally in November 2001, will begin with an exhibition
of cultural relics of the Mayan people of Central Americas. He hoped, therefore,
to use this trip to advance his understanding of Mayan culture.
Not only did Dharma Master Hsin Tao take the opportunity offered by this
trip to personally invite El Salvadorˇ¦s Catholic Archbishop to participate
in the November opening ceremony of the museum, during discussions with
Mayan religious leaders in Guatemala, those leaders also expressed a desire
to come to Taiwan and participate in the opening ceremonies of the MWR,
which the saw as symbolic of the great unity of religions. |
