A Model of Buddhist Monastic Education in Taiwan – Take the Interaction Between Venerable Yin-shun and His Students As An Example
Min-chieh Chiu, Chinese Language and Literature and Dean of the College of Humanities, National University of Tainan (Taiwan, Republic of China)
Abstract
Venerable Yin-shun is a leading Buddhist scholar in Taiwan, and his relationship with his students is one of the most important aspects of the Yin-shun School. Some of Ven. Yin-shun's most important students with deeper Dharma connection include Shi Yan-pei, Shi Miao-qin, Shi Xu-ming, Shi Chang-jue, Shi Ren-jun, Shi Cheng-yen, Shi Chuan-dao, Shi Zhao-hui and Shi Xing-guang. Some of them live in Taiwan to teach the Dharma and bring benefits to the development of Buddhism in Taiwan; some of them have spread their teachings overseas, spreading the ideas of Ven. Yin-shun to other countries. Some of them lived with Ven. Yin-shun for a long time in the past, and Ven. Yin-shun often gave them lessons that they recorded in books for the benefit of future generations. They have also honored and written about the teachings of Ven. Yin-shun and have contributed to the promotion of Yin-shun's teachings, such as founding the Tzu Chi Sect, teaching on Yin-shun's thought of Humanistic Buddhism, developing Buddhist ethics, and expounding on meditation of Humanistic Buddhism. Ven. Yin Shun had a deep and close relationship with these students, and they shared a common ideal. There are at least four lines of thought that can be traced: first, the inheritance of his research path and methodology; second, the adherence to the judgement of the three Mahāyāna systems; third, the emphasis on sectarian Buddhism; fourth, the promotion of the Bodhisattva Path.
Keywords: Venerable Yin-shun, Shi Yan-pei, Shi Miao-qin, Shi Cheng-yen, Yin-shun School
References:
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