About
The Compassionate Service Society is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Southern California, USA. Venerable Hang Truong founded CSS in year 2000.
Though founded on Buddhist principles, CSS takes an ecumenical and all-inclusive approach that transcends religious and cultural boundaries.
By integrating the ancient teachings of Buddhism with the best of 21st-century thoughts, practices, philosophies, and knowledge, CSS seeks to bring unity and healing to the body, mind, and spirit. Our goal is to facilitate the practice of altruism and promote holistic living.
The integral model for holistic living is to develop all four dimensions of life (spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and behavioral) within the four living/life conditions (physical/body, nature, culture, and social system).
Compassionate Service Society offers
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Exercise classes for elders, cancer survivors, victims of violence and for the general population in order to bring them health, hope and healing. These are offered at our centers and, in collaboration with other non-profit organization, at senior centers, as well as other sites in response to demand/needs.
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Meditation classes and trainings for all who look for relaxation, peacefulness, serenity, openness and to experience self-transformation.
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Various charities in the community with the aim to heal and bring hope.
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Teachings and opportunities designed to unfold the light of wisdom and compassion present in all of us.
Our Founder
Venerable Hang Truong is one of the influential Vietnamese monks in Vietnamese communities worldwide. Born in Vietnam, grew up during the war, educated in the United States, ordained under the Chinese tradition, and educated in the Dharma under the direct tutelage of Master Hsuan Hua, the world’s enlightened Master of the Chinese Zen lineage, Master Hang Truong has worked and served multi-ethnic communities across Asia, America and Europe. He is well known for his holistic, integral approach to modernizing and integrating Buddhism into the fast-changing world. The Master embodies, teaches, and lives by multicultural, multi-disciplined, global-centric values.
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In 2000, he created Compassionate Service Society, a non-profit organization that helps heal the body, mind, and spirit.
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In 2002, he formed CSS Service Group, a core group that organized CSS events.
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In 2003 he co-founded Hana Spiritual Retreat in Maui, Hawaii, a spiritual center that aspires to bring key leaders of the world religions for dialogues and cross-cultural understanding.
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He developed a training curriculum for ITC instructors in 2004 after teaching Integral Tai Chi to the public.
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He opened an Integral Taichi Center in 2006, a community program that promotes health, hope, and healing. To this day, Venerable Hang Truong and the ITC instructors have taught the practice worldwide in California, Texas, Hawaii, Canada, France, Hungary, and Taiwan. Many who have taken the classes have reported the healing effects and the evolutionary force of Integral Tai Chi.
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In May 2008, he was awarded the Community Leader of the Year in Orange County, recognizing his exemplary leadership, selfless dedication, and valuable service to the community. In a world in dire need of love and caring, Venerable Hang Truong’s innovative spiritual work and teaching bring invigorating spiritual uplift and healing, peace, and harmony for self and community. His work is indeed the new hallmark of Buddhism in the 21st century.