“Let me tell you, although I am a left-home person, education has been my lifelong ambition. If any of you have faith in me, you should also devote yourself to education. We want to reform the schools, but not blindly. I set up volunteer schools when I was eighteen, and taught over thirty people by myself. Education is the foundation for being a person. It is the foundation for the world; and it is the true national defense. If you do not do a good job in education, national defense will fail as well.” – Venerable Master Hsuan Hua

The Venerable Master Hsuan Hua, Founder of the Instilling Goodness/Developing Virtue Schools, came to America to propagate Buddhism in the west. He vowed to save the world through education. Before becoming a monk, he had established a school in his home in order to teach the impoverished children of his community at no charge.

Later, continuing to act on his vow, the Master founded Instilling Goodness Elementary School in 1976, followed by Developing Virtue Secondary School, the first Buddhist high school in the nation in 1981, hoping to inspire children to goodness, and to encourage transformation and virtue in young people.

“You cannot just get angry when you feel like it, you cannot think “This is wrong. That is not right!” Do not be so negative. Things are not always going to go your way, so take a step back and think, “Patience! Patience! Got to have Patience!” Then things will turn out fine. – Ven. Master Hsuan Hua

Next: A Buddhist School