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近泰師出生於臺灣，童年時隨茹素的祖母念佛，也常到姑婆出家的寺廟參加法會。清淨莊嚴的佛像，鐘鼓聲、誦經聲，令她滿心歡喜。初中時祖母、姑婆相繼往生，當時佛教在臺尚未興盛，她的佛緣就此中斷，糊裡糊塗地結婚生子。
一次墮胎醒來時，夢見自己從鬼門關出來，知道鑄下大錯；覺悟自己的愚昧無知後，發心到寺廟服務，曾在臺北法界印經會當義工，協助佛書流通。
偶閱本會出版的書籍，知有萬佛聖城，進而認識上人慈悲的教誨。尤其是六大宗旨無私的妙法，讓她內心充滿了喜悅。屢次參加法會，道場皆以「祈求世界和平」來迴向功德，更體會到上人「無緣大慈，同體大悲」的精神，確實與眾不同。
一天夢見上人慈悲加持，她左看右看，佛殿處處都是莊嚴的佛像。出家前曾到聖城七次，隨眾共修並為義工，認識聖城是人間的極樂世界，修行的好地方。念佛堂裡上人「打得念頭死，許汝法身活；少說一句話，多念一聲佛」的偈語，讓她警覺到要把生死常掛眉梢，老實念佛。每次到聖城，歸去時都覺得身心自在，法喜充滿。
她秉持上人嚴謹的家風，至高的法寶，發願生生世世親近三寶，長住道場隨眾修行，培福培慧。1999年10月24日星期日聖城慶祝觀音菩薩出家法會時，滿願剃度，隨即至金聖寺受沙彌尼訓練，2002年在萬佛聖城受具足戒，法號近泰，目前在洛杉磯金輪聖寺服務。
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Chin Yang Shi was born in Taiwan. As a child she recited the Buddha’s name following the example of her vegetarian grandmother. She also attended Dharma assemblies at the monastery where her great aunt was a nun. The pure and adorned Buddha images, the sounds of the drum and bell, and the chanting of the sutras made her extremely happy. When she was in junior high, her grandmother and great aunt passed away, one after the other. At that time, Buddhism was not yet thriving in Taiwan, so her affinities with Buddhism were interrupted. Befuddled, she got married and had kids.
Once upon waking up from an abortion procedure, she felt as if she had just come back from the ghostly realm. She knew that she had made a serious mistake and realized how stupid and uninformed she had been. She resolved to volunteer in the temple. She had previously volunteered at the Dharma Realm Buddhist Books Distribution Society in Taipei, helping to circulate Buddhist books. Once she happened to read the books published by this Society and learned about the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. She then studied the compassionate teachings of the Venerable Master. The amazing and altruistic Dharma of the Six Guiding Principles delighted her especially. She participated in several Dharma assemblies, and each time the temple dedicated the merit to world peace. This led her to sense the Venerable Master’s unique spirit of “great kindness for those with no affinities; and great compassion because we’re all one.”
One day she had a dream that, out of compassion, the Venerable Master was blessing her. She looked to her left and right. Everywhere in the Buddhahall were beautiful Buddha images. She had been to the City seven times before leaving the householder’s life. She worked as a volunteer and cultivated along with the group. She saw the City as the Land of Ultimate Bliss in this world, an excellent place for cultivation. The verse: “Slap your thoughts to death/ So your Dharma body lives; / Say one word less / And recite ‘Buddha’ once more!” in the Buddha Recitation Hall, left her with a sense of urgency that she should always be aware that birth and death are imminent, and bow down and recite the Buddha’s name. Every time she returned home from the City, she always felt carefree and filled with the joy of Dharma in body and mind.
She duly upholds the Venerable Master’s strict traditions and the excellent Dharma treasures. She vows to draw near to the Triple Jewel in life after life, and live long-term in a monastery to cultivate and develop blessings and wisdom along with the community. On Sunday, October 24, 1999, Guanyin Bodhisattva’s Leaving Home Day, her wish came true and she had her head shaved and became a Shramanerika [novice nun]. She immediately went to Gold Sage Monastery to receive novice training. She was fully ordained as a Bhikshuni at the City of Ten Thousand Budhhas in 2002, and she now lives at Gold Wheel Monastery in Los Angeles.
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