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【Buddhist Encounters: Finding a Home in the Human Condition】Introduction
Since the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Dr. Lewis R. Lancaster, Emeritus Professor of the University of California, Berkeley, USA, has been giving online lectures for the Department of Religious Studies at University of the West, USA (one of the universities established by Fo Guang Shan). Through his engaging teaching approach, he has guided students to explore the depths of Buddhist teachings and its application. In the hope for more people to benefit from his lectures, they will be featured as a column series in the Humanistic Buddhism: Journal, Arts, and Culture journal, which will be published in both Chinese and English. Dr. Lancaster has granted permission for the FGS Institute of Humanistic Buddhism to translate the content into Chinese. We included an introduction written by Dr. Lancaster in this current issue of the journal to set the stage for this unique column series.
Situating Buddhist Modernism within a Global Context: The Global Spread of Fo Guang Shan
Only in the last decades has modern Buddhism become a serious topic of academic investigation. Today, however, the field is flourishing. Modern Buddhism in its many forms is studied in many languages and disciplines. Despite this recent advancement, the subject of investigation is not always that clear. What are we talking about when we are speaking of modern Buddhism? This paper aims to tackle this question by considering the global spread of Fo Guang Shan from a transnational perspective. Transnationalism describes a recent advance within the social sciences and humanities to move away from a research approach that examines its object of interest solely by placing it within the context of one nation state.
A Discussion on "Faith" in Humanistic Buddhism as Exemplified by Venerable Master Hsing Yun's "Positive Forecasts for Life"
《人生卜事》是星雲大師依生命經驗口述的108則法語，希望佛法能在人有困境時，乃至日常生活中，做心靈上的指南。《人生卜事》的設計與用法看起來像算命，違背表面上的佛教教義：但是所謂的「卜事」不是占卜，而是透過對因果的釐清、身口意的淨化來改變人的命運。此設計受大眾的喜愛，展現星雲大師人間佛教的信仰觀。星雲大師針對當代迷信的引導，對比佛陀時代吠陀的祭祀儀式之教義，有多方面的相似之處，能看出星雲大師弘法的善巧方便。另外，本文旨在探討《人生卜事》如何引導人的正確信仰：從充滿迷信、恐懼，及個人慾望的信仰，到慈悲、智慧、利益眾生的菩薩道。
Venerable Master Hsing Yun's Methodology for the Practice of Humanistic Buddhism: a Case Study of Chan at Hsi Lai Temple
本文以星雲大師「人間佛教」的實踐為研究對象。本研究將從幾個面向展開：禪的定義、禪在西來寺的實踐、以及對其進行評估，並作為現代社會的一個基本準則。
【Buddhist Encounters: Finding a Home in the Human Condition】The Human Condition in Crisis:Learning and Reflecting through a Buddhist Lens
A Sun 的創作理念
印度ABC
My Understanding about Humanistic Buddhism
Humanistic Buddhism inspires us to elevate and have faith in ourselves; because this self embodies the wisdom and virtue of the Buddha. Thus we must realize that we are all buddhas and be proud to say that “I am a buddha.” Such is the spirit of Humanistic Buddhism. Instead of placing our fate in the hands of divine entities, we should take responsibility for our own lives. The saying in the Āgamas, “Rely on the self, rely on the Dharma, rely on nothing else,” is a rendition of the faith of Humanistic Buddhism.
Fo Guang Shan Buddhism and Ethical Conversations across Borders: “Sowing Seeds of Affinity”
On the basis of a study of an international Buddhist movement, this article defines “ethical conversations across borders” – acts of ethical deliberation, evaluation or argument that take place in cognisance of multiple ethical regimes – and proposes the conditions under which they can take place. Fo Guang Shan, described in the first part of the article, is a Buddhist movement that originated in Taiwan, but which now has branches around the world. It seeks to promote the cultivation of virtue among its members and among other people with which it has contact. The teachings of Master Hsing Yun, the movement’s founder, advocate two methods through which this project can be realised, “sowing seeds of affinity” and “convenience”. The second part of the article generalizes observations made in relation to Fo Guang Shan and draws the conclusion that all “ethical conversations across borders” require two things, namely, the identification of similarities or “affinities”, and an account of difference that stipulates the units between which the conversation is to be carried on.
Detachment and Connection Across Boundaries
When we hear the English word “attachment,” it is often a positive reaction.Some might go further to say “loving attachment” to spouse, children, family, and friends. By contrast “un-” or “de-” prefixes are seen as removal from interaction and imply indifference toward others. From the Buddhist perspective, attachment is seen as a construct of our thoughts and intentions. They are using the word in its meaning of “an addition to,” as when we have an attachment for our computer. Attachments are the “add-ons” we make to our concepts of self and others. I recently watched the fascinating documentary “My Octopus Teacher.” In the video, we get to see the octopus hiding herself from sharks by using her tentacles with their suction cups to pick up bits of pottery, metal, and glass, using the objects to wrap around her body so she is not recognized. For all the world, she looks like a pile of broken bits of glass and ceramics. This comes very close to the meaning of attachment used in Buddhist material. We add on external features that are constructed items not a part of us, used to present ourselves to others. If we want others to see us as smart, controlled, leaders, we attach attempts to display these features. When we hear of “detaching,” it means to put down the attachments and just be a pure view of who we are. It is by no means indifference, it is letting go of those aspects that obscure and misguide those around us.
