Your Jesus! My Buddha!─
The book is devoted to the most respectable
Albert Poulet–Mathis, S. J.1927- 2010)
Written by: Sense Chen
Translated by: Justin Huang
Copyright: Tai-Tung St. Marry Hospital
Feel yourself on the bodies of others.
Feel others on your own body.
Accept others and be accepted.
This is the perfect ideal.
─Father Pedro Arrupe, S.J.
We must learn. In the depths of our own souls, we experience the deepest religious experiences of other religious followers.
Not only so doing, we must learn. We have got to turn the experiences of other religious followers to our own experiences of spiritual devotion (spirituality) (?).
─Swami Abhishiktananda (1910-1973)
Jesus said: 「I am the door! Anyone who goes through the door will be safe!」
─《Gospel of John》 x 9 》
Preface
─by Elder Jien Xin
The book is very particular. The author is a Buddhist. And yet he is appointed to write the biography of Albert Poulet-Mathis, S. J. The content is composed of the author’s growing background, the abandonment of his career to seek for his ideals and his efficaciousness in belief and so on. In a word, the book is a biography of two persons. In style, the book describes the real stories of a real person in the form of “novel”. But it also presents the effect of a drama. The book is sure to draw readers’ attention. I am convinced the book will have tremendous help and influence on mutual learning and mutual cooperation between different religions.
At the age of twelve in his first Mass, Albert Poulet-Mathis, S. J. heard God’s voices. God destined him to leave France and to preach gospels. Thus he made up his mind to be a “Father”. Through strict instruction, training and practice, he came to Taiwan in 1959 at the age of 32.Time seemed to fly. This year he is as aged as 80. During the period of long years, he has devoted his mind and effort to Taiwan, to the needy and suffering people and to religious dialogues and cooperation. He is, as he is, a great religious practitioner (doer).
He acted as a college chaplain in TUNG HAI UNIVCERSITY and FU JEN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY. He kindly and earnestly instructed the members of the societies of different religions mutual learning and mutual cooperation. He was very much loved and respected in the college campuses. He took good care of leprosy patients in Lo Shen Sanatorium. He bathed the old and the weak in the beggar refuge in Wan Hua. Sometimes he even slept together with them on the cold ground. He said: “I prayed to God for my hardship. I want to be nailed on the Cross like Jesus for all people.” He often accompanied the helpless dying people to the end of their lives. He even hosted Masses for them, wishing the dead go all the way to Heaven. He is full of kindness and mercy. “He does not seek for his own peace and happiness. He wishes that all human beings may have no miseries and sufferings. He is really “Buddha” in the human world.
In the past thirty years, he has interacted with people of different religions. He has actively paid visits to them with his open heart and open mind. He has got together with them. For instance, he visited Master Can Yuen. He wore clothes like a monk and held Buddhist Camps in his site of enlightenment. He recited prayers, prayed to Buddha and sat in meditation. He was completely lost in the Buddhist Camps. He successfully made it. It is not easy and it is beyond following!
Albert Poulet-Mathis, S. J. has had good relationships and friendship with Buddhist masters, Daoism, Yi Guan Dao, the Catholic Church and the like. He is seen on the occasions of religious festivals and activities. He is of course chosen as the representative of all religions. In 1994, under his leadership, “Taiwan Conference on Religion and Peace (TCRP) was founded. He is of course the first president. He is qualified to be the leader. The association business goes smoothly partly because we have the formal organization and partly because he has full experiences and partly because he is honorable and fully devoted. What is more valuable and precious, he shares with the whole world the precious experiences of the success of the cooperation among all religions. Especially in 1999, 921 Earthquake caused tremendous damage. In order to help the people in disasters, all the religious groups unprecedentedly cooperated and exercised great influence. The kind and merciful cooperation won recognition of the world.
In the last several thousand years, there have been endless wars, big or small, in human history. Wars are the worst miseries among all! Political efforts are not the solution to wars, but religions are! People can bring an end to wars through religious mercy, dialogue, mutual understanding, friendly relationship, peaceful life and perfect cooperation. These efforts can promote human welfare as well. In the past scores of years, Albert Poulet-Mathis, S. J. has paved a wide and smooth boulevard with his persistence and struggle and has accumulated precious experiences. He has offered correct directions and has made great contributions to mankind that we all can sight and that have tremendous effect.
I succeeded Albert Poulet-Mathis, S. J. as the president of “Taiwan Conference on Religion and Peace”. The author is an incumbent director. I consider the publication of the book to be meaningful. I am glad and willing to write the preface.
Jien Xin
Jien Juei Shan Lin Ji Zong Guan De Temple, Kaoshiung
2007 07 21
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