【News】The Origin and Establishment of School
IKTCDS is an institution of higher education established in Taiwan in 2016. It was set up in accordance with the will of God, the great vows of Maitreya Buddha, and the vows of Buddha Tianran and Holy Mother Zhonghua who are considered the hierarchies of all religions. The preciousness of I-Kuan-Tao is obtaining Tao (enlightenment) before cultivation. By gradually learning and practicing Tao, one can eventually reach the goal. It was Baishui Sheng Di’s dream to establish a school, and he mercifully indicated several times that a school would be built between Tianyun Grand Temple and Carp Lake, exactly where the school is located now.
The school didn’t start until 2006. The new regulation about setting up a religious school was legislated that year. There was an open space around 2.05 hectares in Tianyun Grand Temple which was just right for the requirement of the Ministry of Education. It was operated by Heavenly beings and it started processing on March 10th. Twelve Groups of Fa- I sincerely invited Senior Chen as the founder, and in order to memorialize Baishui Sheng Di, he is honored as the honorary founder in perpetuity. The school held its groundbreaking ceremony on June 8, 2014 and passed the regulations of the Committee of Admission to Master's Programs formally on May 30, 2016.
For the school's teaching objectives, we follow educational policies espoused by Buddha Tianran. As a saying goes, “The officer may not be without breadth of mind and vigorous endurance. His burden is heavy and his course is long.” Thus, a true educator should understand this. “It takes 10 years to grow a tree but a hundred years to nurture people.” To propagate Tao, education is vitally important. The school's teaching objectives emphasize this in four ways: first, by increasing the inner beauty of virtues; secondly, by focusing on the spirit of education; next, by promoting the essence of Tao worldwide; last, by aiming to provide accurate teaching directions. Also, Baishui Sheng Di’s directive for the school is to collect and compile scriptures by Buddhas, and classics by saints or sages, and use these as charters and standards to enlighten people and transform their lives for the better; furthermore, the school does not only focus on academic research but also instructs students to become practitioners. In the future, hopefully all will be able to expound on the preciousness of Tao and practice the universal propagation of Tao.
It took ten years to found Chong De School. It couldn’t have made it without the help and generosity from all. Many thanks to enlightened seniors of Fa- I Groups for their heavenly assistance, and we are also grateful for a lot of financial support and efforts from seniors of Fa- I Groups. Again, we are really thankful for Master Shih-ming Hwang, who is also the chairman of Junhua Education Foundation, and his wife. Both of them realize the importance of Tao education and believe the school is a good place to foster societal mainstays. In order to pay back the love and care received from their parents, Baishui Sheng Di and Never Resting Bodhisattva, they generously donated NT 150 million to the school. Many people are deeply touched by their kindness.
This school is operated by both Heavenly and human beings. During the establishment of the school, it had gone through a lot of difficulties. With great Heavenly Grace, Holy Mater performed many miracles and eventually succeeded. According to Buddha Tianran’s expectation, IKTCDS represents a new era of educating. When the school opens, it also signifies that “The golden bell (awakening) is ringing and will ring for a thousand generations universally. People are gradually practicing Confucius’s teaching (awakening) globally.” Up-and-coming generations will be capable of following in the footsteps of saints and sages. The school will nurture students to become pillars of the community, and hopes to bring peace and harmony to the nation by training students to become practitioners of Tao. The school also hopes to foster students who will be able to help their Tao societies and turn the world into one without borders.
