Group Discussion Facilitators

	Venerable Yuan Zhi In 1988, on Christmas Day, Venerable (Shi) Yuan Zhi took his Wu Jie (Five Precepts) vows and became a Ch’an Buddhist disciple at Shaolin Temple in Henan Province, China. At that time he was only the fourth westerner to take vows under Ch’an master and then Abbot, Ch’an master Shi Su Xi (1923-2005). Shi Yuan Zhi was instructed to work in Australia as a Buddhist “high layman” until 1995, when he took the role of householder monk to continue his work and studies. On May 8, 2005 he was ordained at the Ch’an temple, Da Xiang Guo Si, by the Abbot Shi Xing Guang in Kai Feng, China. Shi Yuan Zhi thus attained the rank of Sha Mi Jie (Ch’an Master) and became the first westerner to reach this level in the temple’s 1,500-year history. On this day he was also raised to the position of incumbent Head Seat Monk of Australia’s Da Xiang Guo Si Shaolin Ju Shi Lin.
	Venerable Thubten Choden Venerable Geshe Thubten Dawa ordained Ven Choden in 2003. Under the guidance of her Teacher and Abbess, Venerable Thubten Tenzin, Ven Choden is the Director of MYI4I (Mahayana Youth Initiative for Interconnectedness). MYI4I encourages young people to be actively involved in environmental issues and world peace. Ven Choden's academic background includes a BA from Sydney University and a Diploma of Community Services.
	Venerable Thubten Chokyi Venerable Thubten Chokyi is a Tibetan Buddhist nun in the gelugpa tradition and resident at Vajrayana Institute where she runs meditation classes. She has been meditating for many years and recommends this practice for anyone wanting to bring mindfulness and equanimity into the activities of everyday life.
	Venerable Wuping Venerable Wuping obtained her masters degree in Chemical Engineering in February 1992. She became a novice nun studying under Venerable Master Chin Kung in 1992 at the Dallas Buddhist Association in Texas, USA, and took her ordination in 1997. She was a secretary to Venerable Master Chin Kung from 2000 to 2004 and currently lives in Australia. She heads the Video and Audio Recording department which produces Venerable Master Chin Kung's Talks in Pure Land Learning College Association, and gives talks in Amitabha Buddhist Association of NSW Inc.
	Shi Yuan Du In Dec 2007, Shi Yuan Du took his pu sa jie (high laymen) vows at the Ch’an Temple, Da Xiang Guo Si (The Immense Presence Temple) in Kaifeng (PR China). Shi Yuan Du currently teaches Ch’an Buddhism at the Blue Mountains Dharma Education Centre through the medium of martial arts, moving meditation and zazen; breathe in, breathe out.
	Venerable Heng Liang Venerable Heng Liang was born and grew up in Massachusetts. She lived in California for 32 years and has been a Buddhist nun since 1980. She took her full ordination as a Bhikshuni in 1982, under Venerable Master Hsuan Hua. Venerable Heng Liang received her DRBU Master’s Degree in Translation of Buddhist Texts in 1986. Currently, she is involved in education administration at CTTB, a member of Dharma Realm Buddhist Association Education Board and a member & secretary of Dharma Realm Buddhist University Board of Trustees. She is also the registrar of Dharma Realm Buddhist University. Venerable Heng Liang has special interests in Buddhist Liturgy, education, Tai Ji Chuan and Buddhist art.
	Venerable Sister Susila Venerable Sister Susila was born in 1943 in Australia. She was ordained in 2007 as a Theravada nun at Sri Subodharama Monastery in Sri Lanka. During the past 20 years, while living in Sydney she studied Hinduism and Tibetan traditions. In 1992 she also founded a meditation and healing centre and traveled extensively teaching meditation, conducting workshops, tai chi, working with the terminally ill, visiting schools and youth detention centers. Ven. Susila has focused much of her life assisting indigenous people in Australia and has also spent time in the Cook Islands, facilitating the setting up of a community centre, teaching meditation and counseling in the prison. During the last 3 years she has continued to travel to Sri Lanka on a number of occasions to facilitate humanitarian aid after the tsunami. Ven. Susila continues to support on going projects with local villagers while furthering her studies of Theravada Buddhism.
	Venerable Heng Jiao Venerable Heng Jiao entered monastic life under Venerable Master Hsuan Hua in l995, after which, she resided for 3 years at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas and 2 years at City of the Dharma Realm, both in California, while she earned her certificate in the 4-year Sangha and Laity Training Program. In 2000, Heng Jiao Shi received full ordination and entered Dharma Realm Buddhist University. She earned a B.A. in Translation in 2005 while also serving as a monastic administrator for the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association. Heng Jiao Shi has participated in two Zen-Catholic Conferences and attended one Conference for Western Monastics.
	Venerable Guo Jun Fashi Venerable Guo Jun Fashi, Dharma Heir of Chan Master Sheng Yen of Dharma Drum Mountain, Taiwan, was ordained at Mahabodhi Monastery, Singapore under Master Song Nian. Venerable has a diploma in Biotechnology from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore and holds degrees in Buddhist Philosophy from Fu Yan Buddhist Institute, Taiwan and in Psychology and Sociology from Monash University, Australia. He has studied and practised extensively in Chinese Pure Land, Tibetan, Burmese, Thai, and Korean traditions. Venerable began his formal meditation training in 1997. Through the past eleven years, he has learnt meditation under various teachers including: Vajrayana Lam Dre Teaching under H.H Sakya Tenzin of Tibetan Buddhist Sakyapa Tradition, Burmese Buddhist Meditation Mahasi Sayadaw Tradition, Thai Buddhist Meditation – Dhammakaya Tradition, Ajahn Chah Tradition, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu Tradition, Mahayana Amitabha Pure Land Tradition, Son Meditation at Hwa Gye Sa Buddhist Monastery and Song Kwang Sa Buddhist Monastery, and finally Chan Meditation under the personal guidance of Venerable Master Sheng Yen. In 1999, Venerable Guo Jun attended one year solitary retreat in Korea at Hwa Gye Sa Buddhist Monastery and Song Kwang Sa Buddhist Monastery. Over the last few years, Venerable Guo Jun has traveled across the globe to teach and propagate Chan Meditation. To date, he has taught in Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, America, Luxembourg, Poland, Croatia and Switzerland. During this period of time, he has conducted more than thirty meditation courses and workshops and over twenty retreats. He has more than two thousand students. Abbot of the Mahabodhi Monastery, Venerable is also Chairman of Mahabodhi Monastery Management Comittee, Singapore; From 2005 to April 2008, Venerable Guo Jun became the abbot of the Dharma Drum Retreat Center, New York, a guiding teacher of the Asia-Pacific Buddhist Translation Group; spiritual advisor of Chan Culture and member of the Australian Psychologist Society.
	Venerable Kelsang Zabdon Venerable Kelsang Zabdon is a Mahayana Buddhist nun in the New Kadampa Tradition who was ordained by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso in July 2004. She is a teacher based at Mahasiddha Buddhist Centre in Bondi Junction. Known for her humility and gentle manner, Zabdon is a trained chaplain, a registered school scripture teacher and volunteers much of her time to the flourishing of Buddhadharma.
	Dharmacharini Padmadakini Dharmacharini Padmadakini has been practicing Buddhism for with the FWBO (Friends of the Western Buddhist Order) for over 20 years and was ordained into the Western Buddhist Order in 2003. She is an experienced Social Worker, Educator and facilitator and has worked in many different settings including children and young people who have suffered abuse and hardship, worked with inmates in NSW Correctional Centres, within the Community Legal Centres sector and currently works at the NSW Ombudsman teaching resolution skills and promoting the rights of those disadvantaged in the community. Padmadakini has taught Buddhist scripture in schools for many years and is committed to providing in family Dharma activites including retreats. She lives in Clovelly with her 14 year old son.
	Phil Carlisle Phil Carlisle first met Lama Ole Nydahl in 1995 at a public talk. His relaxed style and western approach inspired Phil to begin practising Diamond Way Buddhism in the Karma Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism.The Karma Kagyu lineage is one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. As a lineage of direct oral transmission, it especially treasures meditation and, through interaction with a qualified teacher, can bring about the full and direct experience of the nature of mind. As a lay practitioner, Phil runs a successful multimedia business, integrating his Buddhist practice with living in the modern world. In 2007 Lama Ole asked Phil to begin teaching Diamond Way Buddhism in Australasia and spread these precious teachings as transparently as possible to idealistic, clear-thinking Westerners.
	Rod Lee Rod Lee is the director of the Tibetan Buddhist Society. He has been practising Buddhism for nearly 30 years and is currently a very well-spoken and experienced Buddhist teacher. He is a disciple of Venerable Geshe Loden. By adopting light-hearted and entertaining teaching approaches, Rod Lee teaches Buddhism to a varied audience and Buddhist meditation to business people besides teaching Tai Chi and applying Shiatsu massage. He also provides counselling services and special mental therapies from the Buddhist perspectives.
	Christopher McLean Christopher McLean is a Vipassana teacher in Sydney, with the Blue Gum and the Tortoise Mountain sanghas. Christopher has been practicing Buddhadharma since the late1960s and during that time he has practiced in Zen, Tibetan and Theravadan contexts. He brings to the teaching role his love of inquiry and dialogue. Christopher is also a psychotherapist and a trainer of Eugene Gendlin's 'Focusing'.