ON THE OCCASION OF THE YEAR OF THE FIRE HORSE 2026
CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS /
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
SAKYA BUDDHA UNIVERSITY
Venerable Monastics,
Distinguished Faculty Members and Scholars,
Dear Students and Members of the Sakya Buddha University Community,
As the Spring of the Year of the Fire Horse 2026 arrives, it brings with it the renewed breath of heaven and earth and opens a new cycle of growth for our lives, our scholarship, and our practice. On this meaningful occasion of seasonal renewal, on behalf of the Board of Directors and the Executive Leadership of Sakya Buddha University, I respectfully extend to all Venerable Monastics, Faculty, Students, and Families my sincere wishes for peace, wisdom, diligence, and fulfillment in the New Year.
In the spirit of Buddhist teaching, Spring is not merely a change of seasons, but the manifestation
of pure vital energy within the mind. A person truly possesses Spring only when they retain the
capacity for trust, openness, transformation, and the nurturing of life. A Spring of self-confidence is a Spring grounded in the conviction that one can receive what is not oneself, refine it, and thereby renew one’s own vitality. It is this very vitality that affirms one’s presence amid the cycles of spring, summer, autumn, winter, and all phenomena.
Pure Spring is a Spring that knows how to return to time what does not belong to it. The rush,
rivalry, tension, and extremity of life—Spring does not carry these forwards. When one knows
how to let go appropriately and preserve what is essential, the learner can dwell peacefully amid
constant change without losing direction. In the journey of advanced Buddhist education, we
learn not merely to accumulate knowledge, but to purify mental disturbances, clarify wisdom,
and cultivate compassion.
Spring is also a state of ease. A mind without ease cannot give rise to wisdom. An academic
environment without spaciousness cannot nurture depth. Sakya Buddha University aspires to
become a safe island of scholarship and practice, a place where learners may take refuge, reflect
deeply, and mature—even while facing the challenges of life, society, and academia.
We must also remain mindful that although Spring is inherently pure, human beings often make
Spring burdensome through intentional grasping, competition, and calculation. When the mind
becomes entangled in such busyness, the Spring within oneself gradually disappears. Education,
if not supported by mindfulness and ethical grounding, can likewise become a subtle form of
distraction. Therefore, Sakya Buddha University remains steadfast in building an educational environment grounded in academic integrity, transparency, academic freedom, and freedom from
non-academic interference.
Spring has never been ahead of us for us to chase, nor behind us for us to mourn. Spring is the
pure, trust-filled, effortless life already present within us. When the seeds of fear, anxiety, doubt,
craving, hatred, and fixation come to rest, the inner space of consciousness opens wide for
Wisdom and Compassion, for Tolerance and Equanimity to blossom into fruition. When all
intentional grasping toward Spring has fully settled, true Spring reveals itself—and Spring and
we coexist. Spring is us, and we are Spring.
As we enter the New Year, Sakya Buddha University reaffirms its commitments to:
– Upholding academic integrity and academic freedom
– Advancing higher Buddhist education grounded in wisdom, compassion, and institutional
responsibility
– Serving learners, community, and society through authentic, sustainable, and mindful
education
May the New Year bring to all bodily well-being, inner peace, diligent practice, and the fulfillment of wisdom. May true Spring abide in every step, every page of learning, and every mindful breath we share.
With deep respect and warm New Year greetings,
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS & EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
SAKYA BUDDHA UNIVERSITY
Thich HuyenChau
Chair of the Board of Directors / Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Sakya Buddha University