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Melodic Meditation: Buddhist Chant as a Vehicle for Choral Composition
During the 2017–2018 academic year, it was my good fortune to spend five months in Taiwan researching Buddhist chant as a U.S. Fulbright Senior Scholar. My primary host institution was the Institute of Humanistic Buddhism here at Fo Guang Shan and I worked closely with the capable leaders of the Institute, most notably Venerable Miao Guang. I spent a majority of those five months living in the residence attached to 普賢殿 (Samantabhadra Shrine) on these Fo Guang Shan headquarters monastic grounds. Morning and evening chanting services in the Main Shrine were a typical part of my routine, as was the thrice-daily mealtime chanting.
【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
The Concepts and Practices of Vinaya in the Humanistic Buddhism: A Case Study of Fo Guang Shan Monastery
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.
Interpreting the “Humanistic” in Renjian Fojiao (人間佛教) as Advocated by Venerable Master Hsing Yun of Fo Guang Shan
Śākyamuni Buddha expounded the Four Noble Truths as his first teachings to demonstrate to human beings the causes of suffering, and more importantly, to give hope that suffering can end. For this reason, the Buddha is often referred to as the doctor who tends to human beings in their very fundamental need: fulfillment in attaining freedom from suffering. As human interests and values are given broader definitions, the Buddhist movement also becomes much more diverse in scope, giving Buddhism a humanistic character regarding various aspects of life.
