Biography of John David Hughes (1930-2003)

In an age of heightened tensions in Australia and around the world, the message of Buddhism has never been more necessary to bring peace to communities and spiritual refuge to individuals. The challenge is how to elucidate that message so that it speaks clearly in diverse voices to different people with disparate needs and to communicate it so that it cuts through an ever-increasing information clutter. As with other organisations, religious bodies are

V. G. Nair, Buddhist-Mission-Visits-America-Before-Columbus-1979

Buddhism in America Before Columbus, Hui Shen was a Buddhist monk and missionary who lived during the latter half of the 5th Century AD to the early part of the 6th Century. From all indications he was born somewhere within the landlocked area adjacent to China which now days would be considered Afghanistan. Although not much is known of his early years it is known that he dedicated his life to Buddhism and spreading the word of Buddhism far and wide --- most notedly to America, known as Fu Sang in Chinese.

Like the youngteenagers who delight in doing things differently from their parents, new Buddhists innon-Asian countries seem to be going through their own proud adolescence by challengingthe boundaries of traditional Buddhism. Fortunately, for both our youngsters and WesternBuddhists, the arrogance of youth soon gives way to the mature, long years ofunderstanding and respect for tradition. It is in order to hasten this growing up ofBuddhism in Australia that I write this article on the meaning of 'Sangha' as it was meantto be understood by the Lord Buddha.