In
February 1963, Master Cheng Yen went to Taipei to register for a 32-day
"novitiate" to formally become a Buddhist nun. However, since
she had shaved her head herself, she was rejected. Before returning to Hualien,
she went to a lecture hall to purchase Buddhist texts, and met the Venerable
Master Yin Shun, one of the most respected dharma masters in Taiwan. Venerable
Master Yin Shun kindly consented to be her teacher and gave her a dharma
name: Cheng Yen. Thus, Master Cheng Yen was formally ordained and became
a Buddhist nun.
He instructed her to "work for Buddhism
and for all living beings," an objective that the Master carries
with her even today. This photo was taken in 1969, when Venerable Master
Yin Shun visited Hualien.
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