Marita Tan (傳見),
Coordinator , Reception Section

Marita came to attend meditation class in Ocean Sky in September of 2008. She felt she got the most benefit from studying the “Four Tenets of Chung Tai.” She said: “The four tenets are actually a very good foundation for a righteous way of living. I find them useful in forming harmonious relationship with others. If a person diligently applies the four teachings of the Grand Master in his daily life, he will surely gain respect from other people.”

Marita recalls: “I was fond of praying. But I didn’t have the correct knowledge of Buddhism and its practices. For 30 years of my life, my prayers consisted of reciting the sutras. After listening to the Dharma talks of Shifus, I soon learned about compassion and causality, where things that we did to others would eventually come back to us. I now think positively and am more able to find solutions to problems.”

Under the term of then Vice Abbess Master Jianding, the 66-year old Marita got involved with secretarial duties. In her desire to help the Sangha with record keeping, Marita, whose knowledge of computer was nil, went and bought a laptop and learned to do Excel from scratch. It was no small feat for someone her age. In practicing the second tenet, Marita also volunteered as coordinator of the Bodhi Star class during its first two terms, taking charge of kids younger than her own grandchildren.

She said: “I admire the Shifus of Ocean Sky so much. They are what make me stay with the monastery. I see them so dedicated and focused on their work at all times, in their desire to keep the monastery so organized. I also like their chanting very much.”

Apart from mastering the operation of the laptop, Marita also learned to play the drum and bell during Dharma ceremonies. During her free time, Marita has been diligently chanting the Medicine Buddha Mantra, and dedicating it to a sick loved one. From the records, hers is the most number of chants from among all disciples of the monastery.

In 2011, she took the Lay Bodhisattva Precepts in Chung Tai together with seven other practitioners, and vowed to observe the ultimate compassion of all, that of putting the happiness of all sentient beings ahead of her own. Presently, she will be taking on a more challenging duty as the coordinator of the reception office of Ocean Sky. Marita said: “The best way to succeed in our practice is to let go of all attachments and just learn to live with our true mind.”