Nor did he establish a one-stop theme park-style monastery like Buddha Light (佛光山), or a strongly regimented and hierarchical organization like Tzu-Chi (慈濟).
Although Hsin Tao arrived on the the scene somewhat later than these "big four," his organization is rapidly catching up.
The main reason for Hsin Tao's group's growing attraction is his charisma. In this, Hsin Tao is typical of the zen tradition, which traces its "transmission of the dharma" from enlightened teacher to disciple, and ultimately back to the Shakyamuni Buddha himself.
Although providing strong leadership and "brand recognition," this also means that the organization revolves largely around one person's reputation and has occasionally come under pressure as a consequence. At 53, Hsin Tao is much younger than the leaders of other monastic communities in Taiwan, but the question of succession, when it arises, will be a major challenge for his group.
Hopefully by that time the Museum of World Religions and the Commission for Preservation of Sacred Sites will have taken firm and independent roots of their own.
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