Nantou Puli Dafan (Great Brahma King) Temple
Celebrating the Sacred Birthday of Great Brahma King
Text by: Hsieh Ming-Yuan, Hsieh Ai-Chu
Images provided by: Nantou Puli Dafan Temple
The ninth day of the Chinese New Year, known as “Tiangong Sheng,” is the birthday of Tiangong (Heavenly Grandfather). Tiangong is the folk name for the Jade Emperor, the Four-Faced Buddha, and is also the Great Brahma King in Buddhism. Nantou Puli’s Dafan Temple specially held a grand heaven-worship ceremony in advance on the last day of the Chinese New Year holiday (February 22, the sixth day of the Chinese New Year) to offer a pre-birthday ceremony for the Great Brahma King. They invited the 85th-generation Grandmaster of the Buddhist Zen School, to personally preside over the ceremony. Nantou City Mayor Chang Chia-Che also attended the entire event. The Zen Grandmaster teaches that Heaven and Earth bestow the grace of nourishment upon humanity. When we embrace profound gratitude, the nation will naturally find prosperity, and the world will abide in peace.
The sixth day of the Chinese New Year dawned with radiant sunshine and gentle warmth. Early that morning, nearly 2,000 Zen disciples and believers from across Taiwan—young and old alike—gathered at Dafan Temple. Grandmaster Wu Chueh Miao-Tien graced the event with his presence at 10:00 AM. At 10:50 AM, the Grandmaster began the blessing of sacred mementos, longevity peaches, and longevity noodles, followed by the consecration (Eye-Opening ceremony) of various prayer lamps offered by the public, including the Tiangong Lamps, Tai Sui Lamps, Longevity Lamps, and Success Lamps. Afterward, the Grandmaster led the assembly in celebrating the Holy Birthday of the Great Brahma King, offering profound gratitude for the Great Brahma King’s divine protection and care over humanity and all sentient beings on Earth.
Puli Dafan Temple was established by Grandmaster Wu Chueh Miao-Tien in 2002. The Grandmaster said, ” The 921 Earthquake in 1999 brought the most severe devastation to Nantou. At that time, I felt a profound calling to build Dafan Temple here, a project that was completed three years later. Beyond enshrining the principal deity, the Great Brahma King, we also invited heavenly deities, guardians, and the celestial powers of the sun, moon, and stars to dwell here to ensure peace for all of Taiwan.”
The 85th-generation Grandmaster of the Buddhist Zen School, preaching a dharma discourse to the disciples and believers.
The Grandmaster revealed that every planet in the universe is cared for by a sacred spirit; the Great Brahma King is the very sacred spirit guarding our earth. Living solely within the human realm, people often remain preoccupied with worldly affairs, unaware of the subtle relationship between Heaven, Earth, and Humans.
“Just as the composition of the universe is very subtle, so too is the structure of the human body, reflecting the cosmos itself. The head represents heaven, the heart represents humans, and the feet stand upon the earth. Thus, ‘Heaven, Earth, and Humans’ are perpetually unified, though most remain unconscious of this bond. However, those who practice Heart-Imprint Zen Dharma and Heart-Imprint Buddhist Dharma are different—for we understand that the energies of ‘Heaven, Earth, and Humans’ are interconnected. “
The Grandmaster taught that while eating and drinking are necessary to sustain life, the energy derived from food can only maintain our vitality for about a week. However, those who practice the Heart-Imprint Zen Dharma and the Heart-Imprint Buddhist Dharma experience a different reality. Practicing the Heart-Imprint Zen Dharma can cultivate a healthy, disease-free body and even lead to longevity and agelessness. The Grandmaster shared that he is 94 years old this year (2026); in six years, he will reach a century, and his health remains as healthy as ever.
The Heart-Imprint Zen Dharma, personally transmitted by the Grandmaster, can awaken the life energy within the body’s ten chakras. “By activating these ten chakras, the released energy can be harnessed for the benefit of one’s life. If one further connects with the energy of heaven, earth, and the universe, longevity and agelessness can be attained. Thus, practicing the Heart-Imprint Zen Dharma brings not only physical health but also great joy to the mind.”
The Grandmaster taught that the slower a person breathes, the longer their lifespan; conversely, the faster the breath, the shorter the life. For instance, a dog’s breath is rapid and shallow, resulting in a lifespan of only about a decade. Therefore, we must practice abdominal breathing, eventually reaching the state of fetal breathing, just like a fetus breathing through the umbilical cord in the mother’s womb. This is the breathing method achieved after entering meditation.
“In fact, the entire body can breathe. Even the brain and the third ventricle possess the capacity to breathe. Observe how a newborn’s crown gently pulsates; it is connected to heaven, breathing together. This is the subtlety of practicing the Heart-Imprint Zen Dharma: the heart can connect with heaven to breathe together, continuously absorbing the energy of Heaven and Earth. This kind of energy from Heaven and Earth is far greater than the energy derived from food, leading to a body that is healthier and a life that is much longer.” the Grandmaster revealed.
“While practicing Heart-Imprint Zen Dharma brings physical health, Heart-Imprint Buddhist Dharma focuses on the cultivation of the “Heart” and “Spirit”. The Grandmaster teaches: “Everyone possesses a heart of kindness and love. We must expand this love into great love—loving not only ourselves and our families but extending that love to all of humanity and every sentient being, including plants and animals. This mirrors how the Great Brahma King watches over the safety of all people and beings on Earth. Every morning when I pay my respects to the Buddha, I offer my deepest gratitude for the grace of the Great Brahma King and the nurturing blessings of heaven and earth. I pray for the well-being of humanity, all beings, and for world peace. This is the understanding and the duty we must embrace as practitioners.”
The Grandmaster taught that Heaven and Earth nurture all living things with sunlight, air, and water, never asking for anything in return. As human beings, we should recognize the grace of the nourishment provided by Heaven and Earth and always maintain a heart of gratitude. “If we hope for others to be kind to us and for Heaven and Earth to be good to us, we must know how to be grateful, appreciate kindness, and repay it. We should not harbor hatred but instead cultivate a loving heart.”
“The first thing to cultivate in practice is the heart. One must maintain a calm and peaceful heart, be joyful and at ease. No matter what happens, face it with an ‘ordinary heart and a heart that is always peaceful.’ Some families are not peaceful but do not understand where the problem lies. In fact, to have peace and tranquility, one must start with spiritual cultivation, because after cultivation, one’s heart will change, and then the surrounding environment and the entire family will also change accordingly.”
Chang Chia-Che, Mayor of Nantou City (holding the microphone), participating in the Grand Heaven-Worshipping Ceremony at Dafan Temple and sharing New Year blessings with the assembly.
A Pure Heart Brings Peace
The Grandmaster teaches that practice is not about seeking Buddha or worshiping Buddha externally; rather, it is about looking within and cultivating one’s own heart. “If a person has a kind heart, they will receive good karma and blessings, and will encounter helpful people. Conversely, without a heart of kindness, one will inevitably encounter misfortune.”
From this, it is clear that spiritual practice is very important, but many people do not understand it. Moreover, cultivation can even influence Heaven and Earth. The Grandmaster has been promoting the Buddha-Land on Earth for many years in order to create world peace. “If everyone practices Heart-Imprint Buddhist Zen Dharma, everyone can attain Buddhahood. Then, our Earth will truly be transformed into a Paradise in the Human Realm.”
The Zen Grandmaster taught that practicing Heart-Imprint Buddhist Dharma begins with purity and leads to Wisdom—the Prajna Wisdom. Every day, as we work and live outside, our “eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body” come into contact with much polluted and chaotic external environment, but we should not let our hearts become unsettled. The heart should remain completely unaffected. We must cultivate this pure heart so that we find beauty in everything we face. “For example, civil servants should do their best to serve the people and benefit the country and its citizens. Therefore, I encourage everyone to undertake great tasks and take care of their fellow countrymen.”
In conclusion, Chang Chia-Che, the Mayor of Nantou, shared New Year greetings with the assembly, expressing the hope that world peace would arrive soon. The grand heaven-worshipping ceremony concluded auspiciously at 11:30 AM. Dafan Temple provided oil rice and raw noodles blessed by the Grandmaster as commemorative gifts. Afterward, the attendees either proceeded to the meditation hall on the second floor for meditation practice or stayed at the temple to light prayer lamps and seek oracles, preparing themselves to charge forward into the Year of the Horse (Bing-Wu).
Translation: Chueh Miao Gong-Ming, Chueh Miao Dao-Lian
