American Ci Bei Temple
A Sanctuary of Wisdom and Compassion
Our Vision
Preserving the Wisdom of Prajñā, Inspiring Modern Life.
Guiding the Journey Toward Wisdom Awakening.
Our long-term vision is to establish American Ci Bei Temple as a lasting center for Buddhist practice, education, and compassionate service.
We aspire to:
- Build a welcoming Buddhist community rooted in wisdom and compassion.
- Support sincere practitioners through meditation, Dharma study, and spiritual guidance.
- Preserve and transmit the teachings of the Buddha for future generations.
- Promote harmony between ancient Buddhist wisdom and the challenges of contemporary life.
- Inspire individuals to cultivate inner peace while contributing positively to society.
Our Philosophy
Rooted in the Dharma, guided by compassion, cultivated through wisdom, and enriched by trustworthy modern knowledge for the benefit of all beings.
American Ci Bei Temple honors the timeless teachings of Buddhism while embracing responsible advances in modern knowledge and science. We believe that authentic Buddhist practice should support both spiritual cultivation and the well-being of individuals and society.
About the Temple
Founded in New York City on June 30, 2024, American Ci Bei Temple (美國慈悲寺) is a Mahayana Buddhist temple dedicated to preserving and sharing the Right Dharma through the traditions of Chan (Zen) and Pure Land Buddhism.
Under the spiritual guidance of Venerable Master HongYoun Swueta Shi, the founding abbot, our temple is committed to cultivating wisdom, compassion, and inner peace through Buddhist practice, Dharma education, meditation, Zen arts, and compassionate service.
We welcome people from all backgrounds who sincerely seek spiritual growth and a deeper understanding of the Buddha’s teachings.
Inspired by the Bodhisattva path, we strive to help individuals cultivate compassion, overcome suffering, and move toward liberation through spiritual practice, mindful living, and compassionate action.
Our Spiritual Tradition
American Ci Bei Temple follows the Mahayana Buddhist traditions of Chan (Zen) and Pure Land practice.
Our temple is devoted to Shakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, Avalokitesvara (Guanyin) Bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva.
Their teachings and compassionate vows inspire our practice and guide us in serving all beings with wisdom, kindness, and selfless compassion.
Based on the Buddha’s teachings, we encourage meditation, mindfulness, Dharma study, ethical living, and compassionate action as practical paths toward inner transformation and spiritual awakening.
Our Practice and Service
Dharma Practice and Education
We offer regular meditation sessions, Pure Land recitation, Dharma lectures, scripture study, and educational programs designed to deepen understanding of Buddhist teachings.
Through in-person activities and online outreach, we seek to make the wisdom of the Dharma accessible to people throughout the world.
Strategic Guidance & Life Navigation
One of the distinctive missions of American Ci Bei Temple is offering Strategic Guidance & Life Navigation, a unique approach rooted in the Buddhist principle of Yi Shu Zai Dao (以術載道 — “Using Skill as a Vehicle for the Way”).
As a form of Upaya (Skillful Means), this approach integrates Buddhist wisdom with traditional Eastern wisdom systems, including the Guanyin Oracle (Kau Chim) and Qimen Dunjia.
Rather than predicting the future, these methods help individuals better understand timing, circumstances, opportunities, and personal choices, encouraging thoughtful reflection, wise decision-making, and spiritual growth.
Guided personally by Venerable Master HongYoun Swueta Shi, these consultations combine timeless Buddhist principles with practical life guidance, helping individuals navigate important life transitions, clarify personal direction, strengthen resilience, and cultivate greater awareness, balance, and confidence.
In accordance with the Buddhist tradition of Dana (Generosity), these services are offered without fixed fees. Those who voluntarily support the temple’s mission help sustain the continuation of these educational and spiritual services for the wider community.
Zen Arts and Cultural Heritage
Through our Zen Art Center, we preserve and promote the traditional arts of Zen calligraphy and ink painting.
These artistic practices embody mindfulness, simplicity, and inner cultivation while preserving the rich cultural heritage of Mahayana Buddhism and Eastern philosophy.
Compassionate Community Outreach
Compassion is at the heart of our temple’s activities.
We provide prayer and blessing ceremonies, memorial chanting, memorial and blessing tablets, end-of-life spiritual care, Dharma counseling, and other Buddhist services for individuals and families.
Beyond these services, we strive to encourage personal transformation through compassion, wisdom, and mindful living, embodying the Bodhisattva spirit of benefiting all beings.
At American Ci Bei Temple, Zen art and traditional Eastern wisdom are embraced as skillful means (Upaya)—not as ends in themselves, but as compassionate pathways that help people cultivate mindfulness, awaken wisdom, and gradually enter the teachings of the Buddha.
Our Mission
Dispelling Ignorance, Spreading the Right Dharma, Guiding Society Toward Virtue, and Serving All Beings with Great Compassion.
Support Our Mission
American Ci Bei Temple operates entirely through voluntary donations and the generosity of our supporters.
Your contributions help sustain temple operations, Dharma teachings, meditation programs, educational activities, compassionate outreach, and the preservation and sharing of Buddhist teachings for future generations.
Every offering, regardless of size, helps the Dharma continue to benefit all beings.
Your Support Helps
- Temple operations and facility expenses
- Dharma teachings and meditation programs
- Buddhist education and cultural activities
- Compassionate outreach and community services
How to Donate
Donations can be made to:
American Ci Bei Temple Inc.
A U.S. tax-exempt nonprofit organization
Legal Name: American Ci Bei Temple Inc.
EIN: 99-4375261
Address:
6410 8th Avenue, Suite C2
Brooklyn, NY 11220
Donation Methods
Zelle (USA):
cibei.temple@gmail.com
PayPal Giving Fund:
https://www.paypal.com/US/fundraiser/charity/5319192
With Gratitude
We sincerely thank all supporters for their generosity and kindness.
May your offerings contribute to the flourishing of wisdom, compassion, and peace for all beings.
Biography of Venerable Master Hong Youn Swueta Shi (泓雲法師)
Seeking Beauty through Art.
Seeking Truth through the Dharma.
Serving the World through Compassion.
Founding Abbot of American Ci Bei Temple
Venerable Master Hong Youn Swueta Shi (泓雲法師) is the Founding Abbot of American Ci Bei Temple in New York. He is a Mahayana Buddhist monk, spiritual mentor, Zen ink artist, and Dharma teacher dedicated to the practice and transmission of compassion, wisdom, and the teachings of the Buddha.
His life journey has been shaped by two profound pursuits: the search for artistic truth through Zen ink painting and the search for liberation through Buddhist cultivation. Through decades of artistic practice and spiritual exploration, he gradually came to understand that while art can inspire beauty and elevate the human spirit, the Dharma provides a deeper path—helping sentient beings understand suffering, cultivate wisdom, and discover inner freedom.
This realization transformed the direction of his life. He did not abandon art; instead, he discovered its higher purpose. From that point onward, art became not merely a form of personal expression, but a means of cultivating the mind and benefiting others.
Today, Venerable Master Hong Youn continues to teach Zen ink painting and calligraphy as a form of contemplative practice. Through the relationship between brush, ink, and mind, students learn not only artistic techniques but also patience, awareness, simplicity, and inner harmony. In his teaching, Zen art becomes a bridge between traditional culture and spiritual cultivation.
At American Ci Bei Temple, he fulfills the traditional responsibilities of a Buddhist monastic, including leading Dharma assemblies, chanting services, Pure Land practice, Buddhist teachings, blessing ceremonies, memorial services, and spiritual guidance for the community.
In addition to these traditional monastic duties, his lifelong experience as an artist and his study of Eastern wisdom traditions have become two distinctive approaches through which he serves and guides people.
Two Paths of Skillful Means
Through Art, Conveying the Way (以藝載道)
For Venerable Master Hong Youn, Zen ink painting is not simply an artistic discipline. It is a practice of observing the mind.
The empty space within a painting, the movement of the brush, and the relationship between ink and paper all reflect principles deeply connected with Chan (Zen) practice—stillness, awareness, simplicity, and harmony.
Through Zen painting education, he encourages students to discover creativity while cultivating inner peace. The purpose of Zen art is not only to create beautiful works, but to use the process of creation as a way of understanding oneself and awakening wisdom.
In this way, art becomes a vehicle for the Dharma.
Art carries the Way. (以藝載道)
Through Traditional Wisdom, Conveying the Way (以術載道)
Throughout his life, Venerable Master Hong Youn has also studied traditional Eastern wisdom systems, including Qimen Dunjia and related classical methods of reflection and analysis.
Many people first approach him during times of uncertainty, seeking guidance when facing challenges in relationships, career, life decisions, or personal direction. Through these traditional methods, he helps individuals examine their circumstances, recognize patterns, and develop greater clarity and awareness.
However, these methods are not regarded as the final destination. In accordance with the Mahayana Buddhist principle of Upaya (Skillful Means), they serve as compassionate approaches that meet people according to their needs and circumstances.
The ultimate purpose is not prediction, but wisdom.
Not dependence, but understanding.
Not fear of the future, but greater awareness of the present moment.
Through this approach, traditional Eastern wisdom becomes another bridge leading people toward reflection, compassion, and the teachings of the Buddha.
Skill carries the Way. (以術載道)
One Purpose, Many Ways
Different people enter the Dharma through different doors.
Some people come through meditation and chanting.
Some come through Buddhist teachings and scriptures.
Some come through compassionate service.
Some discover the Dharma through art.
Others first seek guidance during difficult moments in life.
Venerable Master Hong Youn believes that all wholesome methods can become bridges when guided by compassion and wisdom.
Whether through Zen painting, Buddhist practice, or traditional Eastern wisdom, the purpose remains the same:
To help people reduce suffering, cultivate wisdom, and move toward greater peace and awakening.
From Artist to Monk: A Journey of Cultivation
Venerable Master Hong Youn Swueta Shi’s journey from an artist to a Buddhist monk was not a sudden change of direction, but a gradual unfolding of a lifelong search for truth, beauty, and meaning.
Born in Binzhou, China, in 1971, he developed an early appreciation for traditional Chinese culture, calligraphy, and painting. In 1995, he graduated from the Department of Fine Arts at Xi’an United University, where he received professional training in Chinese painting and artistic expression.
After graduation, he devoted himself to the creation and teaching of Chinese ink painting. During his early artistic career, he was known as Yang Penggu (楊鵬古), under which he participated in artistic activities and developed his foundation as a professional painter.
However, his pursuit of art was never limited to technique alone. From the beginning, he was deeply drawn to the spiritual dimension behind Chinese painting—the relationship between nature, the human mind, and the principles of harmony expressed through brush and ink.
Entering the Buddhist Path
In 1997, while continuing his artistic career, he formally took refuge in the Three Jewels at Great Ci’en Temple (大慈恩寺) in Xi’an, China, entering the Buddhist path as a lay practitioner.
According to Chinese Buddhist tradition, when a person takes refuge, a teacher may bestow a Dharma name to represent the beginning of their spiritual journey. At that time, his refuge name was given as Cigu (慈古).
This marked an important turning point in his life. Although he remained a lay practitioner engaged in society and artistic work, Buddhist cultivation gradually became the foundation of his understanding of life.
Through years of meditation, study, and reflection, he came to see that artistic beauty and spiritual wisdom are not separate. The quietness required in ink painting, the awareness required in brushwork, and the cultivation of the mind in Chan practice all share a common foundation.
Artistic Development and International Journey
In 2000, he moved to Shenzhen and founded Peng-Gu Art Studio, beginning a new stage of professional artistic development.
Over the following years, he continued to develop his style of Chinese ink painting and participated in cultural exchanges and exhibitions. His works were exhibited in China, Japan, Hong Kong, and the United States, receiving recognition in the field of traditional Chinese painting.
In 2005, he moved to Hong Kong and served as Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of the China Zen Art Academy (HK), further exploring the relationship between Zen philosophy and artistic creation.
In 2009, he immigrated to New York. From this period onward, he became widely known by his artist name Gu Yi-Xiong (古一雄).
In New York, he continued his work as a professional ink painter and educator, teaching Chinese painting and calligraphy while participating in cultural activities. Through his art, he introduced the spirit of Chinese Zen aesthetics to a wider international audience.
Yet during these years, his inner search continued.
The more deeply he explored art, the more he reflected on the ultimate purpose of human life.
A painting can bring beauty.
A painting can bring inspiration.
But can a painting completely relieve the suffering, confusion, and fears within the human heart?
This question gradually led him deeper into Buddhist practice.
Entering Temple Life as a Xingzhe (行者)
In March 2021, he entered full-time temple life at American Tianfo Temple as a Xingzhe (行者).
In the Chinese Mahayana Buddhist tradition, a Xingzhe is a practitioner who lives within a temple environment, follows disciplined spiritual practice, serves the temple community, and prepares for deeper commitment to monastic life.
This stage is different from ordinary lay practice. Although not yet ordained, a Xingzhe dedicates significant time and energy to temple cultivation, learning, service, and adaptation to the rhythm of monastic life.
During this period, he was appointed the first Zen Hall Supervisor at American Tianfo Temple, where he assisted with temple activities and supported the practice community.
Through this experience, his understanding of Buddhist service deepened. He gradually recognized that the greatest value of spiritual practice is not personal realization alone, but the ability to relieve suffering and benefit others.
Ordination and Monastic Commitment
In January 2023, after years of Buddhist cultivation and temple practice, he formally entered monastic life.
Upon ordination, he received the precept name Yiyun (一雲).
In Chinese Buddhist tradition, a precept name represents a monk’s commitment to observing the Buddhist precepts and dedicating one’s life to the path of cultivation and liberation.
The name Yiyun (一雲, “One Cloud”) symbolizes simplicity, purity, and the natural movement of the Dharma—like a single cloud flowing freely through the sky without attachment.
After ordination, he continued cultivating both Chan (Zen) and Pure Land practices, integrating meditation, chanting, Buddhist study, and compassionate service.
Pure Land Study and the Dharma Name Yinzheng (印証)
In 2023, he began studying the Pure Land tradition under Dharma Master Tianpei in New York.
During this period of practice and learning, he received the Dharma name Yinzheng (印証).
The name reflects the Buddhist idea that true understanding is not merely intellectual knowledge, but something confirmed through sincere practice and realization.
Through the harmony of Chan and Pure Land traditions, he continued to deepen his understanding of Buddhist cultivation:
Chan (Zen) practice emphasizes direct insight into one’s own true nature through seated meditation and contemplative practice. Its primary aim is the awakening of one’s inherent Buddha-nature, ultimately leading to enlightenment and liberation.
Pure Land practice emphasizes sincere faith in Amitabha Buddha, wholehearted recitation of Amitabha Buddha’s name (nianfo), and mindful contemplation of Amitabha Buddha. By relying upon the compassionate vows and liberating power of Amitabha Buddha, practitioners aspire to be reborn in the Western Pure Land (Sukhāvatī), where they continue their cultivation and ultimately attain liberation.
Together, the complementary traditions of Chan and Pure Land have become the foundation of his spiritual cultivation, teaching, and compassionate service.
Founding American Ci Bei Temple
On June 30, 2024, Venerable Master Hong Youn founded American Ci Bei Temple in New York and became its founding abbot.
The establishment of the temple represents the continuation of his lifelong journey—from a young artist seeking beauty, to a Buddhist practitioner seeking truth, and finally to a monk dedicating his life to serving others.
The temple was founded with the aspiration to preserve Mahayana Buddhist traditions, provide spiritual support to the community, and create a place where people can cultivate compassion, wisdom, and inner peace.
Today, he is widely respected and known as Venerable Master Hong Youn (泓雲法師).
The name Hong Youn (泓雲) carries the image of a vast and boundless cloud-like wisdom, reflecting the expansive nature of the Dharma and the compassionate aspiration to benefit all beings.
A Life Dedicated to Compassion and Wisdom
When Venerable Master Hong Youn looks back on the journey of his life, he does not see separate chapters of artist, teacher, practitioner, or monk. He sees one continuous path of cultivation.
Every stage of his life has prepared him for the next.
Art taught him to observe.
Buddhism taught him to awaken.
Compassion taught him to serve.
Today, as the Founding Abbot of American Ci Bei Temple, he continues to uphold the traditional responsibilities of a Buddhist monk through daily cultivation, Dharma assemblies, chanting services, Buddhist education, memorial ceremonies, blessing rituals, and pastoral care for the community.
Alongside these traditional forms of Buddhist practice, he has gradually developed two distinctive approaches to sharing the Dharma, each arising naturally from his own life experience.
The first is “Through Art, Conveying the Way" (以藝載道).
As a professional Zen ink artist for many years, he understands that true art is not merely about technique or appearance. Through Zen painting and calligraphy, he encourages students to cultivate mindfulness, patience, simplicity, and inner awareness. Painting becomes a practice of observing the mind, allowing artistic creation to serve as a path of self-cultivation and spiritual growth.
The second is “Through Traditional Wisdom, Conveying the Way" (以術載道).
Over many years of studying traditional Eastern wisdom, including Qimen Dunjia and the Guanyin Oracle, he discovered that many people first seek help not because they are searching for Buddhism, but because they are facing suffering, uncertainty, or difficult decisions in life.
Rather than treating these traditional disciplines as ends in themselves, he regards them as Upaya—skillful means that create opportunities for deeper reflection and spiritual awakening.
Through compassionate guidance, he helps individuals better understand their circumstances, cultivate wisdom, and regain confidence during life’s challenges. For many, these conversations become the first step toward discovering Buddhist teachings and beginning their own path of cultivation.
For Venerable Master Hong Youn, neither Zen art nor traditional Eastern wisdom is the destination.
The destination is always the Dharma.
Different people enter through different doors.
Some begin with chanting.
Some begin with meditation.
Some begin with a Dharma lecture.
Some begin with a painting.
Others begin with a question about life.
Regardless of where the journey begins, his aspiration is to accompany people with compassion until they discover greater wisdom, inner peace, and freedom from suffering.
This vision also shapes the educational mission of American Ci Bei Temple.
The temple is dedicated to preserving the living traditions of Mahayana Buddhism while making them accessible to contemporary society. Through Buddhist practice, Zen art, cultural education, and compassionate guidance, it seeks to build bridges between Eastern wisdom and modern life, helping people from all backgrounds discover practical ways to cultivate clarity, kindness, and inner peace.
Throughout his life, Venerable Master Hong Youn has never regarded art, culture, or traditional wisdom as personal achievements.
He regards them as offerings.
Every brushstroke is an offering.
Every conversation is an offering.
Every Dharma teaching is an offering.
Every act of compassionate guidance is an offering.
His lifelong aspiration remains unchanged:
To preserve the Right Dharma, relieve suffering through compassion and wisdom, and help all beings discover the peace that arises from awakening.
美國慈悲寺介紹
我們願景
承傳般若智慧，啟迪現代人生。
引導智慧覺醒。
我們理念
以佛法為根本，以慈悲為精神，以智慧為方法，以可靠的現代知識利益眾生。
美國龍佛慈悲寺是2024年6月30日在美國紐約市成立的佛教禪宗的宗教組織。首任住持由泓雲法師率四眾弟子護持弘法。本寺宗旨是，遠離無明，弘揚正法，警世導俗，倒駕慈航。宣揚大乘佛法與修行實踐，以佛法僧三寶為師，禪淨共修。推廣佛法傳播教化，服務社會。為紐約社區信眾提供了一個修行的道場和精神家園。
本寺供奉娑婆三聖和西方三聖。娑婆三聖，即釋迦摩尼佛是佛教教主，是凡人成佛的化身。左脅侍為觀世音菩薩，是救苦救難有求必應的化身。右脅侍為地藏王菩薩，是幽冥教主，也是孝子的化身，超拔冤親債主，消除宿世業障，求其冥福救贖；西方三聖，指西方極樂世界教主阿彌陀佛。左脅侍為觀世音菩薩，能伏外道魔憍慢。右脅侍為大勢至菩薩，以念佛證果為法界淨土初祖，恆念阿彌陀佛，以智慧之光普照一切，使人得到無上力量、威勢自在，接引眾生往生淨土。
本寺機構設有理事會，禪堂。禪堂恭設有往生蓮位、長生祿位、平安符、安太歲、光明燈等祈福信眾，消災解難。本寺在泓雲法師的帶領下念佛共修，並有禪書法，和禪水墨畫講座，以及觀音靈簽等服務。所有宗教活動對佛教徒都是免費服務，同時也接受信眾自願供養和功德捐款。
歡迎信眾前來禮佛祈福，共修般若，早證佛果！American Ci Bei Temple是在美國紐約州註冊的佛教禪宗宗教組織。具有聯邦國稅501(c)(3)免稅地位，捐款可抵稅。
感恩眾生大德護持本寺！佛光普照！
天池一雲淨土禪院，佛祖護佑法力加持；
觀音普渡救苦救難，地藏大願超拔債主；
摩訶那鉢證果初祖，恆念彌陀往生淨土。
南無極樂世界阿彌陀佛！
南無大悲觀世音菩薩！
南無精進大勢至菩薩！
南無本師釋迦摩尼佛！
南無大悲觀世音菩薩！
南無大愿地藏王菩薩！
釋泓雲（Venerable HongYoun Swueta Shi）
精神導師｜首席戰略顧問｜禪墨書畫師
【住持簡介】
釋泓雲（Venerable Hong Youn Swueta Shi），法名慈古、印証，戒名一雲，法號龗雲、泓雲，以號行於世。法師是一位卓識的精神導師、傑出禪墨畫師及首席策略顧問(奇門遁甲)。現任美國慈悲寺住持，美國奇門風水學會首席策略顧問。
法師俗名古一雄，字龗子。別號沙門半僧、天庭古龗，齋名龗淼精舍。曾用楊鵬古。1971年生於中國彬州，1995年畢業於西安聯合大學師範學院藝術系。歷任世界禪藝術研究院院長，中國禪林畫院（HK）副院長，美國天佛寺禪堂堂主。
法師靈性修行之旅始於中國彬州。1998年，他在西安歷史悠久的大慈恩寺正式皈依佛門，成為一名佛教徒，開始了數十載的參禪行藝實踐，法師天資通禪道玄學，擅書畫，自成一家。移居美國後在紐約慈航精舍妙峰長老的門下學習觀音心法。在遍訪中國名山聖地並經歷了深刻的靈性覺醒後，法師的弘法使命邁向了新的高度。
2021年3月，受美國國際禪宗佛教總會聘請，出任美國天佛寺禪堂首任堂主，並負責主持工作。2023年1月，法師在美國天佛寺出家，戒名“一雲”，發大願弘法利世。2023年9月，泓雲戒子在紐約拜天沛法師為師，師父賜法名“印証”，修學淨土法門，承傳衣缽。
2024年6月30日，為踐行慈悲宏願，法師在紐約布魯克林創立美國龍禪慈悲道場，並任首任住持。其弘揚實踐的「龍禪法脈」，融合了禪宗的頓悟開般若、淨土法門的一念誦持佛號、「戰略元科學」（Strategic Meta-science，包含觀音靈籤和奇門遁甲實踐等，猶如天氣預報可為信眾生活決策提供實用的參考）、以及中國龍文化智慧精髓，和美國現代文明的價值觀，形成現實生活中極其務實的修行心法。該法脈既包含佛教的慈悲與解脫，又有東方文明智慧的實踐與應用，來廣種福田，培植善根，利於和諧奉獻服務社區。法師倡導「生活就是修行，信仰是力量之源，虔誠是入門鑰匙，和諧博愛和大慈悲心，是修行境界之體現」。
法師常年為信眾提供：念佛共修、開壇祈福消災和薦亡超度法會、禪書畫講座、解觀音靈籤、奇門遁甲策略決策諮詢服務。法師為信眾排憂解難，引導眾生向善學佛，遷善改運和早證佛果！法師大願：「遠離無明，弘揚正法，驚世導俗，倒駕慈航。」
泓雲法師致力於引導每一個靈魂，從無明陰影，走向淨土光明！
American Ci Bei Temple美國慈悲寺 