Feedback From Previous Rounds:
Dear Shi’an, am full of gratitude and 法喜 (Dharma joy) to attend another one of your well-researched Dharma courses. Truly appreciate the length and depth you have obviously gone through to present to your course attendees as complete a picture as possible on the background, context and significance of the Dharma with lively and interesting delivery. Really helped me to absorb and make sense of the often very ‘chim’ (profound), sometimes seemingly repetitive sutras. For this Universal Door Chapter, I was especially excited to learn about the extended gathas in Sanskrit which referred to Pure Land and Amituofo. I shared this ‘discovery’ immediately with my Mum who is very familiar with the sutra, having memorised and recited it many times, but she too, never knew about the extension. I hope to attend another run of this course in the future, for I am sure I had not taken in everything you had shared with us yet and there will be more discoveries to be made! Amituofo! Suzanne (静慧)
My exercise book is filled with notes. Very solid and substantial. – Eva
Dear Teacher Shi’an, thank you for the interesing and inspiring teaching. Best regards, Soo Thian
Teacher Shi’an, I’m one of your students at the ‘Universal Door Of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva’… Thank you for sharing with us the teachings, and I must say that every Saturday is a day I look forward to now to learn more about the compassion of Guanshiyin Pusa… I would like to thank you for running courses for the benefit of all who are seeking better understanding of life and existence. I’m definitely one of the beneficiaries. Regards, Hong Beng
Already learnt a lot from the first lesson… Thanks for your inspiration to reach Pure Land and the wonderful sharing on Guanyin Pusa… Always looking forward to learning from you. – Mei
Last night’s lesson was very inspirational. Thank you very much. Amituofo, Lai Yim
Thank you for your lesson and notes. They are enlightening and shed new understanding on perspectives in our pursuit of the Buddha’s teachings and wisdom. – Phyllis
Teacher Shi’an, your session last night was helpful to me and Lee Lian in recomposing ourselves in the midst of busy work schedules. Both of us have been quite overwhelmed by work these few weeks. The session reminded us to realign ourselves and to recognise impermenance in life. Refreshing and recharging. Thanks much! – Teng Leng
Thanks for the organising and teaching this course. It has been interesting and meaningful, especially when Pumenpin is something which I had no knowledge of initially. I am glad that Shi’an had been patient, slowly guiding the class with his examples and lessons. Thank you once again! Amituofo, Albert
Dear Bro Shi’an, thanks for sharing the wondrous Dharma. Amituofo, Geok Choo
So far, I have been enjoying your classes and I look forward to learning more from you. – Sam
‘I’m so glad I joined your class, and wish I have time to sign up for all your classes.’ – Hwee
‘There is no better way to learn about Pu Men Pin, especially if you are more English oriented.’ – Amituofo, Rick
‘Hi Shi’an, appreciate your teaching, which has been enriching and refreshing… Thank you and I am really glad to have had the opportunity to attend your teaching.’ – Regards, Mee Nah
‘The lesson tonight has further reinforced my faith in the path again. Thanks again!’ – Lam
‘The lessons are good and it has been very interesting coupled with the short videos. Thank you for the sharing.’ – Min
‘Very interesting class! Hope you can have it in Mandarin.’ – Jo
‘Thanks to teacher Shi’an for conducting Dharma courses in a mixture of English and Mandarin, especially for those of us who are not proficient in Chinese. We benefited a lot from this class. Thanks again.’ – Leng
‘So far, I have enjoyed your lessons a lot and they have definitely benefited me in terms of my understanding of Buddhism.’ – Alex
‘Congratulations for a successful run of the “The Universal Door of Guanshiyin Pusa… Thank you very much.’ – Best regards, Peter
‘Dear Bro Shi’an, thank you for your excellent Dharma sharing.’ – Linda
‘Hi Teacher Shi’an, thank you for being a “Great Teacher”! Your lesson and poem is inspiring!’ … – Sharol
‘Thanks for teaching the wonderful 10 lessons.’ – Andy
‘Dear Teacher Shi’an, thanks again, sharing the notes. I am so glad you have the English translation, as I am not very good in Mandarin.’ Best regards, Doris
‘Hi Brother Shi’an, I was one of the participants for the Dharma course. Thank you very much for sharing the Dharma with us, making every lesson so interesting with real life examples and stories. I must admit that before attending these lessons on Guanyin Pusa, my idea of her was that she is just another Pusa. I only knew to pray to her, for “popi popi” [general blessings]… But after attending your lessons, I have learnt to apply Nianfo to my daily life…
Something else I would like to bring up is the part in Pumenpin (Universal Door Chapter) which taught on how Nianfo can help conceiving. I didn’t know that we can ask for blessings from Guanyin Pusa if we want a child. I felt so inspired and that we have hope. Me and my husband have been married for nearly 5 years. We have been trying for a child all this while but with no good news. Now that I know that if we are sincerely mindful of Guanyin Pusa, we will be blessed with a kid. Thank you for bringing hope to us. I felt more motivated now. Thank you once again.
Later: I’m finally mother to a 5-month-old baby now!!! 感恩菩萨的保佑! We did seek medical help. But I believe it was my strong faith in Guanyin Pusa that led me to where I am today… Thank you for teaching. My entry to Buddhism was after attending your Project Rebirth class. 谢谢您! 阿弥陀佛!’ – PF
About Shen Shi’an 沈时安:
Shen Shi’an (沈时安) is an independent Buddhist teacher, author, researcher, translator, editor and poet, he was one of the founding members of the Dharma Propagation Division of Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery (Bright Hill Temple in Singapore) in 1997.
Holding a Master of Arts degree in Buddhist Studies that covered all major Buddhist traditions, he served as a Dharma Trainer and Project Coordinator in its Community Development & Training Department until 2011, focusing on Buddhist research, writing, teaching and answering of media queries on Buddhism.
He was the founder of the temple’s Youth Mission, a book purchaser for its Awareness Place project, and the Chief Editor of the Web & Library Department, that co-supported Buddhanet.net, a popular Buddhist education website.
He is the founder and editor of TheDailyEnlightenment.com since 1997, one of the world’s largest independent Buddhist inspirational e-newsletters with over 33,500 members, the editor of ‘Be a Lamp Upon Yourself’, ‘The Stonepeace Book (Volume 1-2)’, ‘Awaken: Gateway to Buddhism (CD-ROM)’ and the author-editor of ‘The Daily Enlightenment: Reflections For Practising Buddhists (Book 1-7)’ and the bestselling graphic novel, ‘The Amazing & Amusing Adventures of Sam & Sara: The Zen of All Kinds of Stuff!’ (He is the author-editor-translator of 13 books.)
He also contributes occasionally to magazines such as ‘Nanyang Buddhist’, ‘Awaken’ (for which he was a Contributing Editor), ‘For You (Information)’ (for which he was invited to be an editorial board member), and ‘Eastern Horizon’. He served with the film selection team of a Buddhist film festival, writes movie reviews for BuddhistChannel.tv, the world’s leading Buddhist news network, and popularised Dharma@Cinema, which is an innovative way of sharing the Dharma through detailed reviews and discussions of both popular and offbeat films.
Using retranslated sūtras and treatise texts, he has taught on the Pure Land teachings at Singapore Buddhist Federation, Kong Meng San, Pu Ji Si Buddhist Research Centre and Poh Ming Tse. He also leads the Pureland Practice Fellowship, which he founded in 2008.
He is also occasionally invited to conduct Dharma discussions for youths of tertiary institutions’ Buddhist societies (NTUBS, NUSBS, SIMBB, NPBS, NYPBS) on various subjects, and to introduce Buddhist life perspectives at Secondary Schools (St. Patrick’s School, Manjusri School, and its Buddhist Interact Club), Junior Colleges (Catholic Junior College) and International Schools (UWCSEA, SJII).
He was also invited to share on Buddhism by Dharma Drum Mountain (Singapore), Fo Guang Shan (Singapore), Tai Pei Buddhist Centre, Singapore Buddhist Mission Youth, Singapore Buddhist Youth Mission, Wat Ananda Youth, Buddha Of Medicine Welfare Society, The Buddhist Union Dharma Centre, Buddhist Fellowship, Dot Connections Growth Centre and Kampung Senang. He has also been invited to Indonesia and Malaysia to teach.
He was a committee member of the Inter-Religious Organisation, through which he served in interfaith harmony projects by writing and giving of public talks, having represented Buddhist points of view at national events held by NACLI, NHB, NHG, SAF, SPF, MHA, ACM, SPM, STB, OnePeople.sg, IRCC and MCYS. He was also chosen to be a member of the Publications Consultative Panel under Singapore’s Ministry Of Communications And Information.
He also co-runs Moonpointer.com, which is a community blog that promotes creative sharing of Buddhism via thousands of articles, and Purelanders.com, which archives hundreds of articles on the Chinese Pure Land teachings in English. He is also the founder of Facebook pages such as Buddhist Vegan Fellowship, Buddhist Confessions & Resolutions and Cinema Dharma. He can be reached at tde<at>thedailyenlightenment.com for invitations to share the Dharma via articles and talks.
Interview In Buddhist Magazine: http://moonpointer.com/new/2011/07/interview-with-shen-shian
