The 2010 Woodenfish Program
(Humanistic Buddhist Monastic Life Program)

-in conjunction with-

The 2010 World Youth Summit on
Cross-Cultural Education

 Sponsored by Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, Fo Guang Shan Monastery,
and Buddhist Light International Association

 Click here to download the application

Program Duration

July 25 to August 15, 2010

Eligibility and Selection

The Woodenfish Program accepts applications from students of any country and any academic major under the age of 40.  Applicants from diverse academic disciplines and religious backgrounds are encouraged to apply.  While a majority of participants are working toward an undergraduate or graduate degree, Woodenfish also encourages anyone involved in academic work or with an interest in Buddhism to apply. Applications will be reviewed by a panel of monastics, academics, and alumni of the program.  In a typical year, the acceptance rate to Woodenfish is between 20-30%.  This year’s year program will consist of 100 participants. Applications will be reviewed on a ROLLING BASIS, and decisions will be made within one to two weeks after the submission of one's application. Applications will be accepted until the final deadline of April 15, 2010. However, since only 100 students will be offered admission to the 2010 program, applicants are highly encouraged to apply early to offer a better opportunity for admission.

Program Location

Program Content

The Woodenfish program is designed to immerse Westerners in Buddhist monastic life, and give them first-hand experience with Zen that would likely be unavailable to them in their home countries. This year Woodenfish will be held in conjunction with another annual program at Fo Guang Shan Monastery: The World Youth Summit on Cross-Cultural Education, which gathers together students from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China—many of whom already have first-hand experience with Zen Buddhism—for the purpose of discussion, practice, and self-cultivation.  By combining these two programs this year, Fo Guang Shan hopes to facilitate greater cross-cultural, interfaith dialogue and to provide more opportunities for students from various countries and different backgrounds to exchange their ideas, learn from one another, and develop lasting friendships.  This year’s Woodenfish Program is divided into three main segments:

Segment I (14 days) – Classes, Monastic Etiquette/Lifestyle, Meditation

This part of the program involves an intensive immersion in the monastic lifestyle.  All students will receive full training for such activities as dining and walking in formation, and they will be exposed to the same disciplinary expectations as the monks and nuns at the monastery.  Classes each morning cover a wide range of Buddhist subjects–in the past having included dharma/doctrine, philosophy, art, medicine, history, the environment, and relics. These classes provide participants with opportunities to ask questions and begin discussions in an academic setting.  College credit may also be available.  Lastly, participants will be trained in proper meditation technique (both for sitting and walking meditation) and will have ample time to practice under expert supervision.  This segment of the program will conclude with a 3-day, intensive meditation retreat in Fo Guang Shan’s beautiful Meditation Hall, culminating with a “pilgrimage” (a slow, group procession accompanied by chanting) to the highest point on the monastery grounds, where one of the tallest Buddha statues in the world overlooks the Gaoping River.

An example of a typical day:

Download Detailed Schedule

Segment II (3 days) – Cross-cultural Exchange

The focus of this segment of the program will be on fostering exchange between the 100 primarily Western participants in the Woodenfish Program and the 800 students from Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong participating in the World Youth Summit on Cross-cultural Education.  While Woodenfish participants will continue to have daily classes as well as opportunities for supervised meditation at least once daily, their schedule will be slightly adapted  to allow time for interaction with their counterparts from East Asia.  There will likely be group classes, panel discussions, Q&A’s, and other activities.  In addition to Buddhist doctrine, classes will be also cover cultural and political issues of interest.  Translators will be provided whenever necessary.

Segment III (5 days) – Cultural Tour of Taiwan

Contrary to what many in the West believe, Taiwan is not just a land of factories and electronics stores.  Rather, it is a lush, tropical island home to the tallest mountains in East Asia, aquamarine seas, and some of the most important cultural and artistic treasures in the world.  The final part of the program, while still requiring all participants to maintain proper monastic decorum, will provide an opportunity to travel around the island with guides and translators to visit many important tourist sites.  Accommodation will be provided by Fo Guang Shan branch temples across the island.  Potential stops include Taroko Gorge, Tainan, Sun Moon Lake, the National Palace Museum and other sites in Taipei, Fo Guang University in Yilan County, and Qingde Temple high in the mountains of central Taiwan.

* Note: Fo Guang Shan is not responsible for securing visas for participants, and each participant should confirm specific requirements for his or her country.  However, citizens of many Western countries are eligible to receive a free, 30 day “landing visa” upon arrival at the airport.  As the program is only 3 weeks long, these participants should note that they have an additional week, either before or after the program, to travel in and explore Taiwan, should they desire.  Accommodation at Fo Guang Shan’s main or branch temples may also be possible during this period upon request.

Accommodation

Room and board at Fo Guang Shan Monastery will be provided free of charge to participants for the duration of the program.  Students will live in guest housing on the monastery grounds.  Most meals will be taken in the main dining hall with the assembly of monks and nuns, and students will be taught proper monastic dining etiquette.  During the cultural tour, participants will stay at Fo Guang Shan branch temples across the island of Taiwan. Due to the intensive nature of the program, dependents (spouses, children, and/or partners) will not be able to accompany participants.

Stipend

Fo Guang Shan is pleased to announce that all participants in this year’s Woodenfish Program will receive a US $500 stipend to offset travel costs and other expenditures.  Completing the entire program in good standing is, however, a prerequisite for receiving the stipend.

Costs

Participants in the Woodenfish program are responsible for securing their own transportation to and from Taiwan.

In addition, participants will be required to purchase two sets of uniforms which will be worn throughout the program. The cost for the uniforms is $150 (USD).

 College credit

Students may if they wish receive college credit for the program through the University of the West (Los Angeles).  The undergraduate course will be REL 427 Chinese Buddhism: Philiosophy and Practice (download the syllabus) for 3.0 credits and the fee for enrollment is $300.00 per credit ($900.00 total).  Participants are able to enroll in this course and upon completion of the program may be able to transfer the credits from the University of the West to the academic institution they attend.  Enrollment in a credit course is not required to participate in this program.  This option is provided for those participants who wish to also earn college credits for their time.  Upon completion the student will receive a letter grade for the class.  Please check with the academic institution/department you attend beforehand to see if it will accept the credits.

Additional Information

• All meals served in the monastery are vegetarian. Meat products are strictly prohibited on the monastery grounds. Meals cannot be adjusted for those with food allergies or special dietary needs.

• Alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs are strictly prohibited on the monastery grounds. Violation of these prohibitions may result in expulsion from the program.

• Participants are expected to observe basic Buddhist ettiquite while on the monastery grounds – i.e. the Five Precepts (No killing, No stealing, No lying, No sexual misconduct, No taking intoxicants).

• Fo Guang Shan is an active monastery; participants are expected to act appropriately and modestly in this environment. Please be mindful of interactions with the opposite sex.

• Participants are not required to shave heads or wear monastic robes as other monastics-in-training.

• Participants are expected to keep a clean appearance. Women are asked to keep hair tied back. Men without facial hair are asked to shave regularly.

• Participants are responsible for bringing personal care products, and appropriate and modest summer clothing. Insect repellent is recommended.

• Participants are also asked to limit as much as possible their use of technology such as ipods, laptops, etc. Please, no cell phones. A computer lab will be provided for participants to check email on a limited basis. We ask for participants to cherish three weeks without such distractions.

• For more information about the program, consult the summer HBMLP FAQ

Program Map

Program Background

Find out about the organization and people who make the various woodenfish programs possible.