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My Pilgrimage Experience to Chung Tai Monastery Following is the most important and vivid realizations I experience on my trip to Taiwan and Chung Tai Monastery. As I undertake the process of writing my pilgrimage experience, I contemplate the time I spend in Taiwan viewing different monasteries, and meeting Dharma masters and lay Buddhist practitioners. The more I think of my trip, the more I find my thoughts gravitate towards a few specific experiences. Mostly I think of the few occasions that I am privileged enough to see the Grand Master Wei Chueh. Grand Master Wei Chueh is a man who is small in physical stature, but his energy and charisma are larger than life. The instant I first see him, I know I am in the presence of a true Zen master. Although my encounters with the Grand Master are few and relatively brief in duration, I learn a great deal about practicing Zen from him. By observing the Grand Master, I can see that his mind is completely calm and he is mindful and deliberate in taking every action. It strikes me that the Grand Master is constantly practicing Zen. For me Zen Buddhism is about practicing, not about theorizing or philosophizing. Grand Master Wei Chueh practices the middle way every second. He directly expresses his true nature in every action. As a result of observing the Grand Master, I am inspired to practice Zen diligently. The fact that he can practice with such vigor makes me realize I have no excuse not to practice with intensity. There are instances that I feel unmotivated to practice. In those instances, I remind myself of how the Grand Master practices. By thinking of the Grand Master’s practice, I suddenly become motivated to act. Partaking in the pilgrimage to Chung Tai monastery and meeting Grand Master Wei Chueh and the other Dharma practitioners revitalizes my goals and commitments pertaining to my Zen practice. I commit to calming my mind, being mindful in my actions, letting go of my egotistical notions, and practicing Zen with robust effort---in each moment of my life.
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