Most Venerable Bhikkhuni Shih Yi-Ding

Taiwan

Most Venerable Bhikkhuni Shih Yi-Ding

Taiwan

Most Venerable Bhikkhuni Shih Yi-Ding was born Wu Xiufeng, in 1946 in Yunlin County. It was the year after Taiwan's restoration, freedom from Japanese occupation in World War II. Her mother worked quietly all day and her elder sister supervised her and her siblings strictly. She was the first girl in her village to attend junior high school. On the day to have her physical examination in order to attend high school, she saved her life, that of her friend and also her grand-uncle who were about to climb onto an already crowded bus which then crashed and all died. Before the crowded bus was to depart, she pulled them off the bus, and told them to wait for the next bus, which they fortunately did. Her premonition also helped her to escape disasters on three other instances in her life.

She entered high school and had to hault her studies due to surgery. Soon thereafter she became a health worker at an elementary school and did many other duties. Eventually, her brother called her back to mind his shop. One evening a former-classmate escorted her to Mazu Temple, where she later joined the chanting group. Amazingly, four young women from her village on April 6, 7 & 8 of 1964 all left their homes to become monastics, unbeknownst to each other, and all four families frantically searched for their daughters.

She ran to Lianfeng Temple on Dagang Mountain and after 12 days Master Miaoshangshongxia brought her to Ciyun Temple in Nanzi. Later she entered into Tianlong Buddhist College, where she graduated. Eventually, she completed the high school curriculum by evening study. She also graduated in the first class of Taichong Ciming Buddhist college, as well as, the Department of Chinese Literature of National Open University. By 1979 she became the deputy Abbess and by 1990, the Abbess of Xigang Xinhe Temple in Tainin City. In her 59 years at the temple, she strived to be a monastic who followed the Dharma and precepts. She has offered her contributions to the Buddha with a fervent heart and a sentiment of upholding the dignity of the temple.

Currently, Most Venerable Bhikkhuni Shih Yi-Ding is the Executive Director of the Chinese Buddhist Association for Protecting the Sangha, the Executive Director of the Chinese Buddhist Bhikkhuni Association and Director of the Taiwan Buddhist Association.

She has regularly made offerings to nursing homes, mental health shelters, family support centers, children in need, and emergency relief for natural and human-made disasters. The Buddha recitation session at her temple has about 160 participants every Sunday. She also opened Buddhist study classes in Mandarin and Taiwanese from beginner to advanced levels. She has taught courses, such as: "The Sutra on the Eight Realizations of the Great Beings."