Enjoy this interview with DRBU Professor Bhikshuni Jin Jr.

Tell us a little about yourself:

Growing up in Malaysia, I became acquainted with a number of spiritual traditions, including various strands of Buddhism as well as Taoism and Confucianism. A turning point in my spiritual life occurred when I was 12, when the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua visited and lectured in Kuala Lumpur. My whole family was struck by his genuine, sincere teachings. We all took refuge with him in 1998 when he hosted an Earth Store session, and later joined the DRBA community at a branch monastery in Kuala Lumpur.

After that, I attended various retreats at The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (CTTB) in the United States and I made the decision to leave home and become a nun. CTTB is my home now, at the same time that it is a sacred place available to everyone.

What inspires you to work at DRBU?

I am blessed to learn Master Hua’s Dharma which inspires me to practice and make vows. While pursuing my BA degree, I was moved to have a lifelong commitment to DRBU. I continue until this day because I am enriched by the shared inquiry format as I dialogue about text with students and colleagues.

The growing student body at Dharma Realm Buddhist University brings a special energy to the CTTB campus. Because it’s an unusual setting for learning, DRBU students tend to be uniquely independent, motivated to learn about themselves in a spiritual context, and open to meeting people of different backgrounds. Even as I play a role in guiding their classroom discussions, I learn a great deal from them. I see them growing and transforming in ways deeper and more profound than I’ve ever observed among students at other universities I’ve attended.

I am also drawn to bringing Buddhist thought into curriculum studies at the K-12 as well as university level. I am eager to explore the potential that Buddhist liberal studies education offers for developing personhood among democratic citizens of the world.

What motivates you as an individual?

I admire Bodhisattvas and the hardships they undergo, so I try every day to be at least a 1% Bodhisattva. Being able to help others is my daily dose of joy.

Do you have a spiritual practice? If so, can you share a little about it?

I meditate and recite the Shurangama Mantra as well as bowing as my spiritual practice. On my daily walks, I recite the Great Compassion Mantra. I read the Avatamsaka Sutra as my daily dose of medicine. My favorite chapter is Sudhana’s journey. I am humbled and in awe by his search and his mentors.

What is your wish and hope for your students?

I hope my students aspire to be at least a 1% Bodhisattvas daily and can gradually realize their Buddha nature.