James Lu was born and raised in a politically-oriented family in Taiwan. He attended a Catholic primary school. Although his own life was quite comfortable, he saw those around him undergoing the various sufferings of life. In 1987 he heard Venerable Master Hsuan Hua's instructional talk, thus encountering Buddhism for the first time. After reading in the Vajra Sutra that "All conditioned Dharmas are like dreams, illusions, bubbles and shadows, like dew and like lightning; we should contemplate them thus," he desired to believe in and study Buddhism even more. In 1990 he took refuge with Venerable Master Hua. Under the Master's guidance, he investigated the Avatamsaka Sutra, and found the profound and wonderful Buddhadharma to be an inexhaustible treasury. Then he told himself that he must make a good use of his life to study Buddhadharma. Moreover, he should really practice it by putting down all attachments and changing his bad habits; otherwise, he would not be any different than before, and he would not benefit from Buddhism. In character, Upasaka Lu is upright and generous, honest and straightforward. He likes to benefit others. In 1990 he became a vegetarian with the purpose of transferring that merit and virtue to a friend. From studying Buddhadharma, he realizes that each person has different causes and conditions and he cannot force people to accept Buddhism. In daily life, he is always trying to repent and reform his bad habits, follow the Venerable Master's instructions, and cultivate patience. James Lu is the president of the San Francisco Bay Area Buddhist Study Association. Despite his busy career, his first priority is to help the Master propagate the Dharma by translating the Sutras. He hopes more people will join them, and everyone will work together to make the Proper Dharma flourish in the West, and help living beings leave suffering and attain bliss!