宣化上人
The Venerable Master Hsuan Hua developed the inclination to cultivate early on in his childhood. Influenced by the filial piety of Filial Son Wong （Great Master Chang Ren） of Shuangcheng County， the Master vowed to follow his example. Every morning and evening after bowing to the Buddhas， he would make three bows to his parents. Later he took refuge with the Triple Jewel and had deep faith in Buddhism. When he was nineteen his mother passed away， and he lived in a tiny hut by her graveside for three years in observance of filial piety. At that time he left the home-life with Venerable Master Chang Zhi and cultivated quietly and earnestly. He travelled widely to study under Elder Masters of great virtue. Later he received the transmission of Dharma from Venerable Master Hsu Yun and became the Ninth Patriarch of the Wei Yang Sect， the forty-fifth generation since the First Patriarch Mahakashyapa. In 1949 the Master went to Hong Kong to propagate the Dharma. He founded monasteries， delivered lectures on Sutras， and engaged in other activities to benefit living beings， thus causing Buddhism to flourish in Hong Kong. In 1962 he came to America alone. Responding to the ripening conditions in the West， he worked to gradually actualize his vow to raise the banner of the Proper Dharma in the West.
The Venerable Master Hua's three great vows after leaving the home-life were （1） to promote and develop education in the Buddhist tradition， （2） to translate the Buddhist Canon， and （3） to establish a foundation for Buddhism in America. In order to make these vows a reality， the Venerable Master based himself in the Three Great Principles and the Six Great Guidelines. Courageously facing every hardship， he founded monasteries， schools， and centers in the West， drawing in living beings and teaching them on a vast scale. Over the years， he founded the following institutions: The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas， Instilling Goodness Elementary School， Developing Virtue Secondary School， Dharma Realm Buddhist University， Sangha and Laity Training Programs， Proper Dharma Buddhist Academy， International Translation Institute， Administrative Headquarters of the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association， and Dharma Realm Buddhist Books Distribution Association， The Institute of World Religions， Affiliated Monasteries （including this monastery， the Gold Summit Sagely Monastery）.
More information about the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua can be found at these pages on the Gold Buddha Monastery and the DRBA Web sites.