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The Buddhist Nationalism in Master Fafang’s Thought
As is well known, in the nineteenth century, China faced a severe national crisis due to the invasion of Western powers. In particular, the import of Western ideologies had a big impact on the idea of “Huaxia-centrism” (Huaxia zhongxin zhuyi 華夏中心主義), which caused Chinese intellectuals to have a strong sense of crisis concerning the status of Chinese national-cultural identity. It was in this context that “nationalism” as a modern concept was introduced to China from Europe and Japan in the late nineteenth century.
The Localization of Buddhist Teachings within Glocalization
The purposes of promoting Buddhist culture and education are to guide sentient beings towards purifying their body and mind, and awakening their wisdom. By relying on cultural and educational means, it is possible to avoid conflicts between different religious faiths and allow non-Buddhists to accept Buddhist culture. In the course of accepting Buddhist culture, they will be able to gradually understand and eventually accept Buddhism. It is a kind of “skillful and expedient means” of the Dharma. Through culture and education, we can teach according to the learners’ aptitude, bring benefits and joy to all sentient beings and allow them to gain wisdom.
Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s “Buddhist Economics”
There is limited research regarding the economic problems faced by Buddhism in its development over the past 2000 years, which has contributed to much confusion and many misunderstandings. Venerable Master Hsing Yun is the first eminent monk to publicly disclose his Buddhist economic beliefs based on his experience propagating the Dharma in the past decades. Venerable Master Hsing Yun merges the laws of society with the Dharma, explaining in a considerate and rational manner.
Buddhist Humanism in the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch
The Platform Sūtra ranks as one of the most popular texts ever produced by Chinese Buddhism. While Buddhists such as Daisaka Ikeda have linked the Lotus Sūtra to Buddhist humanism, few studies have investigated the Platform Sūtra for its humanistic elements. The earliest extant version of this sūtra is the Dunhuang edition, which arguably represents an early transformation from Indic to Chinese Buddhist humanism. Of greater interest is how the form of ninth century Chinese Buddhist humanism encapsulated in this sūtra becomes a form of posthumanism in the twenty-first century. This paper argues for this makeover through Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s commentaries on the Platform Sūtra. Of particular concern is how such Buddhist posthumanism may inform future discourses in the twenty-first century as humanity faces the sixth mass extinction caused by the Anthropocene.
The Key to Promoting Localization is not to ‘Discard’ but to ‘Give’–My View on ‘De-sinicization'
In Taiwan, issues of provincial origin and ethnicity are often intentionally used to manipulate elections. During the March 2004 presidential election, ethnic sentiment was once again provoked to the extent that some people chanted slogans of “localization” and “de-sinicization.” This throws us into doubt. In this era of multiculturalism, when countries are making every effort to absorb other cultures, it is indeed perplexing—and even unfathomable—why some Taiwanese people are moving to “discard” a culture via “de-sinicization.”
Can “Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s Values” Increase Social Harmony?
A very good afternoon to Venerable Tzu Hui, the master of ceremony, scholars, and experts from both sides of the Taiwan Straits, and venerables, whom I have come to know and respect. Let me speak standing, as I am still young. Of the close to twenty experts and scholars who are in attendance, the youngest should be Professor Shang, could you please raise your hand?
What is Chan? Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s Point of View
This article explores Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s views on the meaning of Chan by examining his answers to the important question: What is Chan? This article has three parts. First, Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s expression of Chan is described, showing a multitude of answers to this issue. The second part focuses on Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s view that Chan is the foundation of Humanistic Buddhism. The third section describes Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s idea that Chan is life in more depth. The idea that Chan is life is thenfurther examined. Essentially, Chan is a life guided by an ordinary mind, a life lived in true reality, a life oriented toward what is good. In other words, a beautiful life. This article concludes that Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s idea of Chan is creative, fusing the teachings based on the scriptures with those outside the texts, combining Chan and Pure Land, and harmonizing the three doctrines of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism.
Śamathavipaśyanā in Fo Guang Chan
Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s Humanistic Buddhism places great importance on the study and practice of Chan. Fo Guang Chan is founded upon the Buddhist scriptures and commentaries, as well as the traditions of Chinese Buddhism, and is adapted to the needs of modern society, with a system of progressive cultivation which includes the paths of accumulation (saṃbhāramārga), preparation (prayogamārga), morality (śila), concentration (samādhi), wisdom (prajñā), vision (darśanamārga), cultivation (bhāvanāmārga), and the adept path (aśaikṣamārga). Among these, the paths of concentration and wisdom are at the core of Fo Guang Chan. Śamathavipaśyanā in Fo Guang Chan is based on the concepts of concentration and wisdom of early Buddhism, and further integrates the Mahāyāna doctrine of prajñā wisdom and the Tiantai practice of śamatha and vipaśyanā, with special emphasis on its application in daily life.
Interpreting Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s Commentaries on the Guanyin Faith
Along with the modernization of Buddhism and the theoretical and practical development of Humanistic Buddhism by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, devotion to Guanyin has also undergone a humanistic transformation. The main characteristics of this humanistic transformation are a shift in emphasis from a dependence on divine blessings toward independent self-awakening, and a shift in practice from passive prayer toward active spiritual cultivation. By analyzing his thoughts on divine connection, liberation, and practice as laid out in his commentaries on Guanyin, this paper explores Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s contribution to the humanistic turn in Guanyin devotion, i.e., enlightenment not through worship and prayer, but through individual spiritual cultivation aimed at emulating and then becoming one with Guanyin.
Editor's Preface:Human Life
Volume four of Studies on Humanistic Buddhism contains eight translated articles, two commentaries, two original articles, and a perspective piece all relating to human life. Human life is a topic with a vast scope. It was chosen because it is central to Humanistic Buddhism. As several articles in this volume and previous volumes discuss, Humanistic Buddhism developed as a response to the perception that Buddhism no longer related directly to human life. By the nineteenth century in China, Buddhism was seen to provide what came to be mainly perfunctory rituals to be performed upon the death of a family member. Humanistic Buddhism revived Buddhism as an intrinsic part of daily life.
