On 27th June 2026, Fo Guang Shan Christchurch and BLIA South Island New Zealand held a Humanistic Buddhism Dharma Talk titled Facing Death Embracing Life, presented by Lay Dharma Lecturer Dr Kwong CHAN, Deputy Director of the BLIA Lay Dharma Lecturer Fellowship Committee. Drawing on 29 years of research and practice in life and death education, Dr Kwong shared practical Buddhist perspectives on facing impermanence with wisdom and compassion.
The talk was attended by FGS NZ Abbess Manshin, Minister in Charge of FGS Christchurch Venerable Juexi, 140 participants at the South Island Temple, including nearly 60 English-speaking attendees, together with Fo Guang members from the North Island and online participants. More than 200 people joined the event in total.
Dr Kwong reflected on his personal journey of understanding life and death through both Buddhist practice and medical studies. He encouraged participants to cultivate mindfulness and compassionate communication by expressing love, gratitude and appreciation without delay. Rather than avoiding grief, he said people should accept reality, process their emotions and transform the love of those who have passed away into strength for living.
Reflecting on his childhood, Dr Kwong shared that his grandmother’s deep Buddhist faith inspired his own spiritual journey. Although he first turned to Buddhism to overcome his fear of death, he gradually realised that faith offers not only comfort but also wisdom and guidance for life.
Drawing on his experience in medicine and life education, Dr Kwong emphasised that those who wish to support others through loss must first learn to settle their own minds. Only by accepting impermanence can we genuinely accompany and comfort those who are grieving.
He also described the growth of Buddhist practice through faith, learning and application. He encouraged everyone to sincerely express Thank you, I’m sorry and I love you, believing that such words bring peace to both ourselves and those around us. Quoting the Buddhist teaching, The physical body may come to an end, but Dharma affinity continues without limit, he reminded participants that while physical life ends, wisdom and wholesome connections continue. Rather than focusing on whether we will meet our loved ones again, he encouraged everyone to become a better person for that future meeting.
In closing, Dr Kwong shared the teaching of Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the Founder of FGS Buddhist Order, on Old age, illness, death and rebirth, reminding everyone that death is not the end of life but part of the continuous journey of existence. He encouraged participants to embrace both reunion and separation with wisdom, courage and hope.
Abbess Manshin expressed appreciation to Dr Kwong for delivering such an inspiring lecture. Abbess also encouraged everyone to develop a sense of responsibility by doing meaningful things without delay so that life would be lived without regrets. Abbess reminded participants to continually reflect on whether they had overcome difficulties, cultivated greater compassion and wisdom and developed a more peaceful mind.
Following the lecture, participants expressed their appreciation for the meaningful sharing. BLIA South Island Vice President ZHANG Dong shared the talk reinforced the importance of cultivating wholesome affinities and wisdom in preparation for future lives. Subchapter Advisor Louisa KUO thanked the temple for organising the event and shared that practising Humanistic Buddhism through the Three Acts of Goodness, Four Givings and Five Harmonies continues to inspire her to accumulate blessings and wisdom for the future.
