“The Buddha gave his teaching for the good of many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world…Make known your way of life”.
The Buddhist Faith Fellowship is dedicated to guiding individuals on their spiritual journey through the integrative teachings of Lieu Quan (Linji/Rinzai) Zen and Shin Buddhism (Jodo Shinshu), fostering mindfulness, compassion, and wisdom. With a unifying vision that brings all Buddhist paths together, we guide seekers from Zen’s clear effort to Shin’s gentle letting go—a path from self-effort to grace, reflecting a non-dual truth. Our mission is to transform suffering into well-being, creating a path to liberation through clarity, gratitude, and faith, welcoming all to join us in this journey of mindfulness, compassion, and connection through accessible programs, retreats, and gatherings.
Two Poems Reflecting Our Vision
Embodying All-Embracing Compassion
“Because the power of Great Compassion is without limits, even our negative karma, so deep and heavy, is not burdensome, because the Buddha’s wisdom is without bounds, even the bewildered and wayward are not abandoned.”
—Master Shinran Shonin, Shin Buddhism
This teaching reflects the teaching of all-embracing love and kindness, affirming that the Great Compassion – the Buddha of Inconceivable Light and Life – welcomes everyone, no matter their karma or struggles. It inspires us to act with the same compassion and action, transforming suffering into well-being and ensuring no seeker is left behind on this journey of grace and connection.
Uniting Wisdom and Action
“The great way of Reality,
Is our true nature’s pure ocean.
The source of Mind penetrates everywhere.
From the roots of virtue springs the practice of compassion.
Precepts, concentration and insight –
The nature and function of all three are one.
The fruit of transcendent wisdom,
Can be realized by being wonderfully together.
Maintain and transmit the wonderful principle,
In order to reveal the true teaching!
For the realization of True Emptiness to be possible,
Wisdom and Action must go together.”
—Thien (Zen) Master Lieu Quan
This poem by Master Lieu Quan, a cornerstone of his lineage within the Thièn Lâm Te (Linji Chan, i.e., Rinzai Zen) school, reflects our mission to also unite wisdom and action in an active journey of transformation. For Shinran, we passively receive the embrace of the Great Compassion, while Lieu Quan actively urges us to cultivate our endowed compassion and wisdom through mindful practice, noting that the source of One Mind penetrates everywhere—a boundless truth we strive embody with clarity and kindness in our daily lives. This vibrant path inspires a joyful community where all seekers share in the awakening of connection, balancing the passive and active practices of our Shin and Zen traditions.
