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Humanistic Buddhism: The Essence of Learning for Life in Guang Ming College
Giving importance to education and cognizant of the multifaceted talents of many Filipinos, Venerable Master Hsing Yun founded in June 2014 in the Philippines the fifth consortium school of Fo Guang Shan educational system, the Guang Ming College. Being the pioneer Humanistic Buddhist College in the Philippines, Guang Ming College is open to students of all faiths who are willing to learn and to mutually respect one another̕s customs, cultural traditions, and religious affiliations.
Humanistic Buddhism: The Essence of Learning for Life in Guang Ming College
Giving importance to education and cognizant of the multifaceted talents of many Filipinos, Venerable Master Hsing Yun founded in June 2014 in the Philippines the fifth consortium school of Fo Guang Shan educational system, the Guang Ming College. Being the pioneer Humanistic Buddhist College in the Philippines, Guang Ming College is open to students of all faiths who are willing to learn and to mutually respect one another's customs, cultural traditions, and religious affiliations.
The Influence of Humanistic Buddhism in Deepening the Founding Ideals of Community College
As a result of government support at the city and county levels, there has been a significant increase in the number of community colleges in Taiwan, with nearly eighty schools added in recent years. However, education cannot be lacking in regard to its fundamental ideals. An issue of concern among the people preparing to establish community colleges was how to avoid turning the colleges into a disguised form of tuition, while maintaining the primary demand of developing civic consciousness by encouraging community participation.
Translating Fo Guang Dictionary of Buddhism: Building Online Collaborative Buddhist Translation Projects with Small Crowdsource Platforms
As a second generation Chinese immigrant in Australia, my parents provided well for us to grow up and to receive an education in the Australian language and culture. Nevertheless, on the weekends, they also brought us to the local Fo Guang Shan temple—the Nan Tien Vihara, so that we can reconnect with our Chinese roots through continued learning of the Chinese language and participation in the Chinese religious experience inside Nan Tien Temple. Certainly, we were very happy to have that opportunity to also witness the development of Humanistic Buddhism in Australia.
Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s Perspective on Humanistic Buddhism’s Life Education
Venerable Master Hsing Yun is the most important practitioner promoting the development of the contemporary Humanistic Buddhism movement. After arriving in Taiwan, he devoted himself to various causes aimed at maintaining the Dharma in the human world. This has entailed extensive practical efforts for its realization, focused specifically on six aspects: 1. popularizing Buddhism 2. propagating Buddhism 3. Buddhist education 4. establishing culture 5. building Dharma centers and 6. charitable works.
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.
Editor’s Preface
In Buddhism, the concept of upāya kauśalya refers to using skillful means to teach each person according to their capability to understand. What might be appropriate for some people at a certain time might not be appropriate for others at different times. In other words, tailoring the message so that it resonates with the audience. Although the means of guiding sentient beings are only partial aspects of the ultimate truth, using language and teaching methods that inspire others to begin on the path toward enlightenment. Skillful means is one of the perfections (paramitā) of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Just like a bodhisattva motivated by wisdom and compassion, Venerable Master Hsing Yun made a great vow to help bring out the spiritual potential of sentient beings. He crafted a version of Humanistic Buddhism that integrated Buddhist doctrine with the daily life of people of current times and cultures. He not only adapted his teaching to effectively transmit the Dharma, he also used skillful means to propagate the Dharma. The articles in this volume discuss some of the various ways he grew the Fo Guang Shan into a worldwide Buddhist organization through building temples throughout the world, founding the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) for lay practitioners, globalizing and localizing, education, natural aesthetics, and through developing the concepts of collective effort and leadership by system.
Preliminary Study on Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s Educational Leadership Style
Over the past fifty years, Venerable Master Hsing Yun has promoted Humanistic Buddhism in Taiwan, and has been devoted to the cause of schooling and education. He has been a prominent educator, having established a large number of education institutions, including comprehensive universities, secondary schools, elementary schools, and kindergartens. His style of educational leadership can be summarized as: (1) rooted in Humanistic Buddhism, (2) with a passion for education, (3) good at fundraising for building schools, (4) skillful at appointing specialized professionals to run schools, (5) caring for disadvantaged students, (6) leading in teaching innovation, (7) holding the teaching profession in high esteem, and (8) focused on rebuilding the humanities.
