I am from Taiwan. I often heard it said that without suffering, people will not grow weary of the world and seek to transcend it. After I had read the Venerable Master's Dharma talks and had heard about his virtuous deeds, I thought how fine it would be if I could cultivate in a Way-place of Proper Dharma founded by the Master! Upon witnessing my friends and relatives suffering one misfortune after another, I realized that life was ephemeral and not worth clinging to. Fortunately, my family generously allowed me to come so far away to cultivate. These were the main factors making it possible for me to become a nun.

In 1994 I conceived the wish to come to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (CTTB). In May I resigned from my job so I could go to the Dharma Realm Buddhist Text Distribution Society in Taipei more often. I also stayed at Amitabha Sagely Monastery in Hualien for a period of time, where I tried out the monastic lifestyle and participated in a Buddha recitation session. That experience reinforced my resolve to come to CTTB. In April 1995, with my family's permission, I came to Long Beach Sagely Monastery in the U.S. to attend the Repentance of the Emperor of Liang and celebrate the Venerable Master's birthday. Then our group went to CTTB, where we bowed the Ten Thousand Buddhas Repentance. After that I began working in Jyun Kang Vegetarian Restaurant, thus beginning my own training for monastic life.

After thirty months of cultivation at CTTB, I went to the City of the Dharma Realm (Sacramento) for further study of the Sutras and moral precepts. A year later, on November 4, 1998, I had my head shaved and received the ten Shramanera (novice) precepts at CTTB. Receiving the Dharma name Qin Yuan, I became a member of the Sangha under the Venerable Master.