There are over two thousand years Buddhist history in China, while sentient beings are awakened through the Buddhist mercy and wisdom. The actives of the compassion benefit people, while their efforts and the rain of Dharma has deeply moisturized Chinese land and harmoniously integrated and interfused with Chinese culture. The Chinese Buddhism could well serve society and deeply purify the heart of people as it earned a lot of support from sincere Buddhist lay people. Since reform and opening-up, the society rapidly developed and the Buddhism has revived. Many people who desire for pursuit of happiness life are eager to learn the Buddhism, worship Buddha and serve for Triratna (Three Jewels). So, there are many Buddhist lay people voluntarily to serve Chinese monasteries and help protect this spiritual treasure and the pure land of mind. However, these lay Buddhists come from different backgrounds and have different personalities. Most of them lack a unified platform to learn, practice the Buddhism, and find the gentle Buddhist ways of serving the community. Due to these reasons, in August 2009, the Department of Volunteers was established with the strong support of the local religious authority. All volunteers try their best to wholeheartedly learn and practice the Dharma together with right śraddhā (faith) to help others and protect the monastery. They also guide more kind people to become volunteers and carry forward the spirit of the bodhisattva way to benefit the public and serve the society.

Mission of the Organization 

The Nanputuo Temple was built with a history of more than thousand years in south Fujian. It is an important monastery for Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva in the southeastern coastal area. The aims of the volunteer organization of the Nanputuo Temple are to carry forward the thought of Humanistic Buddhism, the spirit of the Avalokiteśvara's "compassionately benefit the world", "empathic compassion and benevolence with no condition" and "serve for masses that benefit to the sentient beings". Through voluntary works, volunteers practice the idea of "to learn and practice the Dharma, while benefit yourself and others". 

The Objectives of Service

The objectives of service of the volunteer organization are to improve the volunteer's diathesis; strengthen solidarity and cooperation; develop sincere and respect mind; learn skillful means of transmitting Buddhist mercy and wisdom to others; devotedly give considerate service to the people; be friends of all sentient beings; and construct a harmonious society. 

Our Services

● Visitors Guide Unit: free tour guide and service for introduction of the Buddhist history and promotion of Buddhism.  
● Offering-Managed Unit: responsible for purchase and arrangement of flowers and offerings for monastics 
● Reception Unit: including team of concierge and team of poster. The group is responsible for guest reception, guidance, escort and introduction. 
● Diamond Group: maintain the order of visitors, keep the environment clean, guide tourists and distribute free incenses in the temple.
● Bodhi Group: maintain the order of visitors, keep the environment clean, guide tourists and distribute free incenses in the temple. 
● Monastic Ceremony Arrangement Unit: responsible for arrangement, protection and cleaning of monastic ceremonies. 
● Financial Group: responsible for financial transaction, management, registration and review. 
● Catering Unit: responsible for volunteer's food and beverage. 
● Social Work Group: includes clinic team, fire-fighting team and cleaning team. 
● Planning Unit: responsible for event planning.
● Promotion Unit: responsible for culture propaganda. 
● Recruiting Unit: responsible for recruiting volunteer members. 
● Chanting of Bhāsa (Buddhist hymns) Unit: responsible for performing Buddhist music of the Bhāsa to purify people's mind. 

Constant Recruitment of Volunteers

The Nanputuo Temple, a millennium ancient monastery which has owned numerous eminent monastics, always upholds the patriotism and keeps tradition to serve the society. Since its establishment in 2009, the department of volunteer of the Nanputuo Temple has grown from a few hundred members to more than 5,000 members nowadays, while its service has expanded from the support of the monastery to the community care. In these 8 years, the volunteers who have different careers, backgrounds and conditions kept their same Bodhi mind to work and study together without any differentiation, explore themselves through serving society and search happiness by devoting their love to people. 

Ven. Master Ze Wu, the mentor of volunteers, said the volunteers must make themselves out of the monastic gate and serve the community. All the volunteers have to go to the communities and launch their voluntary works according to the people's need. In 2015, the Nanputuo Temple started to launch a series of activities to promote civilized behaviors in public place, to practice "Kind Mind and Kind Deed", "12 Do Nots of deeds in public place" and "no garbage fall on the ground", etc. to help the development of beauty of Xiamen City. All these won unanimous approval and praise from all social units. All units of the department made their contributions in several occasions including visiting households to promote the firefighting knowledge, promoting the usage of environmental protection enzyme, visiting low-income families, promoting reasonable ways of life relief, holding ceremonies of Buddha bathing and spreading the idea of filial piety in communities, doing voluntary service of the Spring Festival travel, etc. We can see the volunteers of the Nanputuo Temple everywhere, from family to community and from the hospital to the station. 

In 2017, in order to further strengthen professionalization and systemization of the department, the Volunteer Service Society of the Nanputuo Temple is incorporated by the support of relevant departments. All the volunteers serve the society and the public by wholeheartedly holding "empathic compassion and benevolence with no condition". The establishment of the Volunteer Service Society of the Nanputuo Temple will be a new starting point for volunteers of the Nanputuo Temple to serve the society and to make Xiamen as an example city of demonstration of the Five Great Developments.  
Address: Floor B1, Shang Ke Tang (Bodhi Guest House), the Nanputuo Temple, No. 515, Si Ming South Rd., Xiamen. 
Telephone No.: 0592-2518280 
E-mail: 3043751272 @qq.com 
Website: http://www.nanputuo.com/ 
Please scan QR code "home of bodhisattva" for the volunteer registration

 Volunteer Recruitment Unit of the Nanputuo Temple