Ching Kung
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Venerable Master Ching Kung (釋淨空; pinyin: Shi Jing Kong) (1927-) is an influential figure in Mahayana Buddhism. He is the founder of the Amitabha Buddhist Society, an Buddhist organization based on the teachings of Pure Land Buddhism, a popular school in many parts of Asia.
He was born in Luchiang County, Anhui Province, China under the birth name of Hsu Yeh-hong (徐業鴻). He entered the monastic life in 1959, where he was ordained at Lintzi Temple at Yuanshan in Taipei, Taiwan. It was then that he received the name of Ching Kung, meaning pure emptiness.
Master Ching Kung is well known for using modern technology to spread the Buddha's teachings. His lectures are recorded on audio, video tapes and CDs for wide distribution in many temples, including centers where people can pick up books to distribute to other places.
He has sponsored the printing and the distribution of Buddhist texts worldwide, as well as portraits and pictures of various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. All these items have been distributed free of charge.
In recent years, Master Ching Kung has emphasized the Infinite Life Sutra and the Pure Land cultivation method of Buddha recitation, mainly the recitation of Amitabha Buddha's name.
