Sunday, May 12, 2024, 2-4pm @ Woo Ju Memorial Library
In celebration of BAUS’s 60th anniversary, please join us at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Dr. CT Shen & Mrs. Shen Memorial Hall. Dr. CT Shen and Mrs. Shen are two major contributors to BAUS, whose influence continues to shape and inspire our community. Your presence will enrich this momentous occasion as we honor their dedication and impact.
沈家楨居士 (1913-2007), 美國佛教會創辦人之一。祖籍浙江绍興，父親沈钧業致力于公益事業，母親為虔誠的佛教徒，自幼耳濡目染。早年即顯長才，同時並秉承父業，衷心於多項公益事業。舉家移美定居後，因緣巧合，跨足航運業，幫助美國打通五大湖航線業務。榜登《美國名人錄》多年。事業的成功，使他更加努力回饋社會，社區，以及佛法的修習。盡心盡力運用資源幫助難民、留學生、學者、佛教道場、促進宗教交流，不遺餘力。他所建立與推動的宗教组織，知名的有美國佛教會、世界宗教研究院、譯經院、大覺寺、莊嚴寺等，不知名的不計其數。晚年修習以《金剛經》為日課。沈居士一生勤修財布施，法布施、無畏布施，著作有《金剛經的研究》及《五眼》等等，遺愛人間。並推動「莊嚴世界」，留給世人一處福慧雙修的清靜道場。
Dr. SHEN, CHIA THENG (1913-2007) was one of the founders of the Buddhist Association of the United States. Dr. Shen grew up in China, where his father dedicated himself to public welfare and his mother was a devout Buddhist. Following in his parents’ footprints, Dr. Shen in his early years had been a successful entrepreneur and had contributed to public welfare. After immigrating to the United States, Dr. Shen ventured into the shipping industry, pioneering the Great Lakes route. He was listed multiple times in “Who’s Who in America.” Dr. Shen devoted himself to philanthropy, aiding refugees, students, scholars, and Buddhist temples, while also promoting interfaith dialogue. The organizations he helped to establish include the Buddhist Association of the US and the Institute of Advanced Studies in World Religions. In his
later years, he focused on studying the Diamond Sutra and authored works on its studies. Throughout his life, he practiced generosity, establishing a Chuang Yen World and leaving behind a serene sanctuary for generations to practice wisdom and merits for spiritual growth.
居和如女士 (1917-1988)，祖籍浙江海宁，出生名門之閨秀，1940年與沈家楨居士結褵。育有三女一子。沈夫人待人謙和厚重，心細言寡。對物用度有節，熱心護持佛教及慈善事業。1964年，沈居士分享贈與夫人一大筆工作獎金，沈夫人將之全數用于購置纽约市布朗區的一處辦公樓，捐贈美佛會，成立了現今的「大覺寺」。沈夫人也與沈居士共許互相成就、福慧雙修。1988 年，沈夫人往生後，捐美金 40 萬元，遺願在莊嚴世界內建一座圖書館。美國佛教會及世界宗教研究院為紀念夫人多年來的諸多貢獻，將圖書館命名為「和如紀念圖書館」。沈夫人日頌受持《金剛經》十八年直到往生，從未間斷。《內學要點》為夫人喜歡的學佛典籍之一。美國佛教會第三任會長仁俊長老以「無因之動，無願之修」八個字，讚歎沈夫人一生行誼。
Mrs. CHU, WOO-JU (1917-1988), born into an esteemed family, entered into matrimony with Dr. C.T. Shen in 1940, and together they raised three daughters and one son. Mrs. Shen, revered for her humility and benevolence, radiated a profound warmth and unwavering dedication to
both charitable causes and the teachings of the Buddha. In 1964, Mrs. Shen generously donated a building in New York City to the Buddhist Association of the United States, what is now the “Temple of Enlightenment.” United by their commitment to fostering virtue and wisdom, Mr. and Mrs. Shen pledged mutual support in their spiritual journey. Following her peaceful passage in 1988, Mrs. Shen left behind a legacy of compassion, manifesting in a bequest of $400,000 designated for the establishment of a library within the Chuang Yen World, now known as the “Woo Ju Memorial Library.” Mrs. Shen recited the Diamond Sutra daily, a practice she faithfully upheld for eighteen years. Ven. Ren Jun eloquently extolled Mrs. Shen’s lifelong virtues with the timeless adage, “Motion without cause, cultivation without desire,” encapsulating the essence of her noble and selfless endeavors.