On May 17, in alignment with the Humanistic Buddhist principles of environmental stewardship and compassion for all living beings, the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) Toronto Chapter’s Da Tze Subchapters 1, 2, and 3 jointly hosted a “Green Earth” home gardening workshop at Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto. The event welcomed 56 participants and featured renowned horticulturalist Mr. Ruilong Fang as the keynote speaker.

The workshop opened with remarks from Venerable Ru Xin, the Subchapters’ Advising Monastic, who encouraged attendees to regard gardening not merely as a hobby, but as a form of spiritual cultivation. She emphasized that planting and nurturing life reflects Buddhist values such as compassion, mindfulness, and harmonious coexistence with nature.

Drawing on over 40 years of agricultural experience, Mr. Fang shared practical gardening techniques adapted to Canada’s spring climate. Topics included soil preparation, organic composting, rainwater collection, seedling care, plant propagation, and eco-friendly pest control. Through engaging slides and live demonstrations, Mr.Fang offered hands-on advice for natural methods to deter pests like squirrels and beetles, making sustainable gardening both accessible and enjoyable.

Mr. Fang’s lively presentation was filled with humor and real-life observations such as “fences are highways for squirrels” and “planting sunflowers invites bees for pollination,” eliciting both laughter and engagement from the audience. His approachable teaching style helped participants easily absorb new knowledge, regardless of their prior gardening experience.

An interactive Q&A session followed, during which Mr. Fang patiently answered questions on topics including weeding, fertilization, and plant selection. The event concluded with a trivia game, where winners were gifted flower seedlings—a cheerful way to reinforce learning.

Venerable Ru Xin expressed heartfelt thanks to Mr. Fang and the subchapter presidents, acknowledging the workshop as both educational and spiritually enriching. “This event not only shared practical skills but reminded us to care for the Earth starting from the heart,” she said.

Subchapter leaders echoed this sentiment. President Zhen Zhen remarked, “This was a lesson in both cultivation and compassion.” Annie Du noted, “Mr. Fang demonstrated sustainability with the heart of a Buddhist.” Li Sun offered a poetic reflection, stating that“ cultivating pure soil and a pure heart is the foundation for building a Pure Land on Earth.”

This workshop sowed more than seeds—it nurtured awareness, mindfulness, and Buddhist compassion in every participant.

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