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Venerable Semkye’s Journey to Taiwan

Venerable Semkye’s Journey to Taiwan (en Español)

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Venerable Semkye has returned from Taiwan where she received bhikshuni ordination, becoming the third fully ordained monastic—after Vens. Chodron and Tarpa—at the Abbey. The intense two month monastic program she attended, along with 259 other monks and nuns, gave her few opportunities to take photos, but this collection gives a good idea of the temples and people she met along the way


After her arrival in Taipei, Ven. Semkye and Ven. Hong Zen, one of the bhikshuni guides for the ordination program, visit beautiful Fa Ming temple. Chinese temples are brilliantly painted and meticulously landscaped.


The view from the front of Fa Ming temple is tranquil and lovely.


The nuns at Fa Ming grow some of their own food in a garden above the main hall.


The main temple altar.


A common sight in most Chinese temples—walls filled with Buddhas!


In a temple built just for her, an exquisite Kuan Yin
statue carved from a huge tree trunk
stands about 12 feet tall.


The main altar at Miao Fah Chan temple in Xian Yin City where the ordination took place. This temple was built by the abbot, Master Hsin Tien, who ordained Ven. Jampel at Sravasti Abbey two years ago. He is delighted to see another bhikshuni at Sravasti Abbey.


The ceilings are beautifully carved and painted.


Orchids grow very well in Taiwan and so the altars and planting pots are filled with them.


Ven. Semkye in her “official “ordination picture in the Chinese robes she wore while in Taiwan.


Back in her Tibetan robes, Ven. Semkye and four of her classmates (in the foreground) with the bhikshuni guides (in the background) who trained, supported, taught, and cared for the 120 nuns during the two month program.


Ven. Semkye and Ven. Hong Zen. Along with Ven. Chodron and Ven. Jendy Shih, Ven. Hong Zen translated much of the ordination and class courses into English, which will be of immeasurable benefit for future English-speaking bhikshuni candidates.

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Fa Ren (left), who is a professor at Hong Kong University, kindly accepted Ven. Semkye’s request to be her translator for the classes and the complex ordination rehearsals. Ven. Semkye was very grateful for her support. On Fa Ren’s right is Ven. Wen Che, the senior bhikshuni guide for the course.


Ven. Semkye's  Sravasti Abbey Dharma sisters meet her at the airport at journey's end.
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