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December 2005

Buddhism in Taiwan Government statistics claimed that in 1990 there were !" million #$ddhists and aro$nd 2000 %riests in &aiwan! 'n 200 the Government (ave a )i($re o) 5!5 million #$ddhists com%ared with 0!* million )or +rotestant Christianity 1! 't seems then that #$ddhism has been (rowin( in %o%$larity b$t it is hard to say how many #$ddhists there really are in &aiwan beca$se it de%ends on the de)inition yo$ are wor,in( with! &he &aiwan a$thorities do not collect or inde%endently veri)y statistics on reli(io$s a))iliation b$t do maintain re(istration statistics vol$ntarily re%orted by reli(io$s or(ani-ations! &he )i($re (iven )or n$mber o) #$ddhists seems $n$s$ally hi(h considerin( the low n$mber o) re(istered tem%les and in the case o) the lar(er #$ddhist or(ani-ations s$ch as &s$ Chi incl$de lar(e n$mbers o) %eo%le who re($larly contrib$te )$nds witho$t any real interest in the act$al #$ddhist teachin( o) the or(ani-ation! 'n 199" &s$ Chi claimed aro$nd Million members o) which only .000 %artici%ated in its activities, most o) whom were /i +a$ wearin( )emale disci%les 2! #$ddhist associations are )o$nd on most &aiwanese 0niversity cam%$s, ei(ht #$ddhist $niversities or colle(es are o%ened or near com%letion and three main #$ddhist hos%itals! &aiwanese cable &1 has a )ew channels devoted to #$ddhist teachin(! &here are 2" re(istered #$ddhist %$blishin( ho$ses and over 000 re(istered #$ddhist tem%les 2com%ared to aro$nd 3500 re(istered %rotestant ch$rches4 all si(ns that #$ddhism is im%actin( &aiwanese society! 5hen #$ddhism reached China in the 1 st Cent$ry 6D it mi7ed with other Chinese %hiloso%hies s$ch as Con)$cianism and &aoism! &he aesthetic teachin(s o) the #$ddha and the em%hasis on se%aration )rom the world and monastic livin( clashed si(ni)icantly with the %ra(matism o) the Chinese and the d$ties o) sons to %rod$ce heirs! &he e7am%le o) the #$ddha, 8iddhartha G$atama, abandonin( his wi)e, son and %alace in the 9$est )or enli(htenment so$nded stran(e to the Chinese whose %ra(matism and em%hasis on )ilial %iety wo$ld consider ownershi% o) a %alace and the %ossession o) a son as an ideal to be achieved! Marshall3 describes #$ddhism in China as :a )ish o$t o) water; needin( to evolve to )it in with Chinese c$lt$re! &he res$lt o) this :evol$tion; were many new schools o) #$ddhist tho$(ht, the most %o%$lar bein( +$re <and #$ddhism and Chan #$ddhism 2more %o%$larly ,nown in the 5est by its =a%anese name :>en;4 +$re <and #$ddhism +$re <and #$ddhism 2also ,nown as the <ot$s sect4 ties in with %o%$lar &aoist interest in Ma(ic and s%irit$al )orces and so mi7es 9$ite well with Chinese )ol, reli(ions! &he hel% o) #$ddha may be (ained thro$(h recitin( #$ddhist chants, most %o%$larly ?an Men 6 Me &o Fo, &his )orm o) #$ddhism believes in the idea o) a +$re <and, a 5estern %aradise com%arable to the idea o) heaven, which can be (ot to thro$(h )aith in #$ddha! &here is no idea here o) the e7tinction o) ?irvana in more traditional #$ddhism! +$re <and #$ddhism believes that all %ossess eno$(h o) the #$ddha nat$re that we can %ossibly achieve this! 't;s stress on the e9$ality o) all %eo%le becomes a (ood basis )or em%hasi-in( class e9$ality and this, alon( with it;s sim%le teachin(s ma,es this )orm o) #$ddhism more a%%ealin( to the (rass roots Chinese! +$re <and #$ddhism has a stron( em%hasis on moral teachin( and basic social virt$es, which overla%s with Con)$cianism! Chan 2>en4 #$ddhism Chan )oc$ses on meditation that is able to (enerate instant enli(htenment! &here is an intrinsic awareness o) reality that cannot be de)ined or else it will be lost! @ere there is stron( overla% with &aoist %hiloso%hy! &here are two maAor schools o) Chan #$ddhismB
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200 &aiwan Cearboo, htt%DDwww!(io!(ov!twD&aiwanEwebsiteD15E(%Dyearboo,D%351!htmlF1 cit! 05D10D05 2 &sai 5enE&in(, GDa$(hters o) the #$ddhaH in Sinorama No.12, Vol 22 =an 199", %(!12 3 Marshall, D!, True Son of Heaven: How Jesus fulfils Chinese Culture 28eattle, 086B I$ai M$ +ress, 20024 %(!101

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Northern School +erha%s characteri-ed by the statement o) their * th +atriarch! G&he body is li,e the #$dhi tree, the mind is li,e a clear mirror! &a,e care to wi%e it all the time! 6llow no (rain o) d$st to clin( to it!H &he ,ey teachin( is to ,ee% a clear mind! Southern School Characteri-ed by the co$nter statement o) one o) their %atriarchs! G&he #ody is not li,e a tree, the clear mirror is not to be )o$nd! F$ndamentally not one thin( e7ists! 5here then is a (rain o) d$st to clin(JH &he ,ey teachin( is to see %$rely! Chan #$ddhism has no em%hasis on a conce%t o) heaven, chantin( the name o) the #$ddha or on moral teachin(! Morals are considered tools )or li)e whereas concrete reality, $nderstood thro$(h meditation, is a tool )or the $ltimate! 5ellE,nown sides o) this ty%e o) #$ddhism in the 5est incl$de the develo%ment o) %hysical s,ills and meditation on %arado7es! Chan has enco$ra(ed %ractitioners to become hi(hly s,illed at %hysical tas,s! &he idea is that when one masters a %hysical tas, to the %oint that it may be done witho$t thin,in( abo$t it then a dee%er awareness o) s$rro$ndin( reality may be achieved! &his is the bac,(ro$nd to the )amo$s G$n( F$ s,ills o) Chinas 8haolin Mon,s and the wellE,nown boo, in the 5est, G>en and the art o) Motorcycle maintenanceH! Meditation on %arado7es s$ch as the )amo$s Gwhat is the so$nd o) one hand cla%%in(JH is $sed to Aar the mind loose )rom the bonda(e o) lan($a(e and enable dee% mystical insi(hts into the meanin( o) meanin(! Chan has a stron( em%hasis on the %resent and no conce%t o) a se%aration between sacred and sec$lar, Taiwan Buddhism Marshall4 describes how the rise o) literacy and o) the middle class aro$nd the world has allowed ordinary believers o) many reli(ions to read the scri%t$res o) their )aith )or themselves and $nderstand their belie)s in a %$rer and more acc$rate )orm! 6s a res$lt Orthodo7 #$ddhism has (rown in &aiwan! #$t, claims Marshall, :Chinese still see a contradiction between #$ddha;s idea o) com%assion and the )amily %ractices o) the #$ddha! &hey $s$ally choose, there)ore to inter%ret #$ddhism in terms o) Chinese c$lt$re, not the other way aro$nd! &aiwan Chinese have b$ilt more #$ddhist tem%les %er ca%ita than anyone else in the world5 b$t when s$rveyin( &aiwanese belie)s Marshall )o$nd most &aiwanese, :had %ositive )eelin(s towards 8iddhartha; b$t :when as,ed the %$r%ose o) li)e, )ew i) any said Gto esca%e s$))erin(H Gto attain detachmentH or Gto enter nirvanaH! 5hen as,ed, G5hat ha%%ens a)ter death,H )ew even mentioned reincarnation! &he only %art o) the Fo$r ?oble &r$ths that seem to have st$c, in most minds was the idea o) ri(ht cond$ct, tho$(ht and attit$de, which in any case Chinese believed lon( be)ore #$ddhism came to China!; 5an( =$n(EChan(6 describes how )rom the 19.0;s &aiwan saw the develo%ment o) a di))erent em%hasis in #$ddhism )rom the meditation o) Chan and the chantin( o) +$reE<and! Kather than an em%hasis on the internal &aiwanese #$ddhists shi)ted their )oc$s to e7ternal charitable acts and involvement in society! Kather than bein( a reli(ion concerned only with the individ$al the emer(in( new #$ddhist leaders called )or b$ildin( a G+$re <andH in this world! &hey %laced a stron( em%hasis on involvement in h$manitarian wor,s in society s$ch as relie) and medical wor,! &his has chan(ed the ima(e o) #$ddhism and res$lted in many becomin( re($lar donors to #$ddhist )$nds des%ite havin( little interest in or $nderstandin( o) #$ddhist teachin(! &he &s$ Chi )o$ndation has been %artic$larly noted )or this em%hasis 2see below4! 'n addition to charitable wor, and involvement in society &aiwan #$ddhism has
Marshall, D!, True Son of Heaven: How Jesus fulfils Chinese Culture 28eattle, 086B I$ai M$ +ress, 20024 %(!101 5 ibid E' am not s$re here i) Marshall is considerin( traditional &aiwanese reli(io$s tem%les as #$ddhist in ma,in( this claim! * 5an( =$iLChen, G&he new )ace o) #$ddhism in Modern &aiwanH in Taiwan Mission uarterl! Volume 1" Number # Summer 2$$# %&.1"'1(

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actively so$(ht to enco$ra(e the st$dy o) #$ddhism! #$ddhist 0niversities where sec$lar s$bAects may be st$dies in a conte7t where #$ddhist teachin( is actively %romoted, +rominent teachin( con)erences attractin( international #$ddhist s%ea,ers, and small (ro$% st$dies at a local level have all been $sed as strate(ies to %romote #$ddhist teachin(! #$ddhism is st$died at Doctoral level at the vario$s #$ddhist $niversities and to% #$ddhist scholars o)ten (ain (rad$ate de(rees at %resti(io$s )orei(n 0niversities in Keli(io$s 8t$dies De%artments! 'n contrast many Christian academics obtain their Doctoral de(rees )rom ?orth 6merican 8eminaries whose 6cademic 9$ali)ications are o)ten not acce%ted by &aiwan;s sec$lar academia! 1ario$s #$ddhist (ro$%s have e7tended their teachin( strate(y to involve the %o%$lar media! 'n addition to many )ree ma(a-ines and newsletters, Kadio and most %rominently cable &1 channels are $sed to %romote #$ddhist teachin(! #$ddhist (ro$%s em%loy to% %ro)essionals in mana(ement roles and thro$(h care)$l ima(e mana(ement in the media have achieved reco(nition and a%%roval by the &aiwanese %$blic 7! &he MaAority o) &aiwan;s (rassroots %eo%le, %erha%s .0M o) its 23M %o%$lation are believers in Chinese )ol, reli(ions! &hese believe in a host o) (ods arran(ed in a heavenly hierarchy similar in str$ct$re to the ancient Chinese co$rt! Fol, reli(ion, which mi7es ancestor worshi% in the home, o))erin(s to (hosts, tem%le worshi% and the $se o) s%irit medi$ms, is behind most o) the si(ni)icant )estivals in &aiwan! Many adherents mi7 #$ddhist ideas with a )ol, reli(ion worldview seemin(ly $nconcerned by the contradictions! Many in &aiwan will call themselves #$ddhists when in )act their real belie) are in )ol, reli(ions )or which no ade9$ate term e7ists in Chinese to describe adherence! One o) the roots o) this con)$sion may lie in the =a%anese attem%t to s$%%ress Chinese reli(ions d$rin( the 50 years that they (overned &aiwan! 6t this time to %revent clos$re many )ol, tem%les installed #$ddhist stat$es and called themselves #$ddhist tem%les 8! 'n many homes today it is common to see a #$ddhist stat$e alon(side the ancestor tablets with %ict$res o) Fol, (ods in the bac,(ro$nd! &his syncretism ma,es it hard to de)ine who is a tr$e #$ddhist in &aiwan! ?ann 8$(( %oint o$tB G&he avera(e Chinese worshi%%er will identi)y himsel) as a #$ddhist even tho$(h the tem%le where he most )re9$ently worshi%s doesn;t have a sin(le #$ddhist stat$e in itH 9 5itho$t do$bt #$ddhism is (rowin( in &aiwan and &aiwan #$ddhist or(ani-ations are %layin( a si(ni)icant role in the %romotion o) #$ddhism worldwide! Fi)ty years a(o as most %eo%le in &aiwan loo,ed to the 5est as the so$rce o) all %ro(ress #$ddhism had the low ima(e o) the %oor $ned$cated mon, with nothin( to o))er a society loo,in( to moderni-e! &oday #$ddhist or(ani-ations are a))l$ent and are sendin( %riests to (ain +hD;s in %hiloso%hy at %resti(io$s $niversities in the west! &hey are ma,in( im%ressive $se o) media and in)ormation technolo(y and have even ada%ted s$ch traditional Christian activities as wee,end retreats )or lay %eo%le, children;s cam%s and cell (ro$%s )or their own $se! &aiwan is the only 6sian co$ntry where ordination o) women as #$ddhist n$ns is )$lly acce%ted and as a res$lt women %lay a %rominent role in &aiwan;s #$ddhism! 8ince 1990 &antric #$ddhism has (rown in %o%$larity and mon,s e7iled )rom &ibet have moved here as missionaries 2some even trainin( at the same lan($a(e school $sed by Christian Missionaries4! &hree most notable or(ani-ations in &aiwan areB Fo G$an( 8han 2#$ddha Mo$ntain o) <i(ht 8chool4 Fo$nded by Master @sin C$n with the aim o) s%readin( #$ddhism worldwide! &hey now have 100 cha%ters in *0 co$ntries! &his has been described as :h$manistic; #$ddhism where )ollowers are directed towards the s$))erin( o) %eo%le in the world and %artici%ation in
. "

ibid! +(1* David I! =ordon, )od*s, )hosts and +n,estors: -ol. /eli&ion in a Taiwanese 1illa(e 2#er,eleyB 0niversity o) Cali)ornia +ress, 19.54 9 ?an 8$((, G#$ddhism N &aiwan styleH in Taiwan Mission uarterl! Volume 0 Number #S%rin& 111( %&11

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concrete social wel)are activities to relieve s$))erin(! &here are c$rrently aro$nd 1000 n$ns and 300 mon,s st$dyin( at the Fo G$an 8han Colle(e! Many are )rom overseas incl$din( si(ni)icant n$mbers )rom traditionally &heravada or &ibetan #$ddhist lands! &hese incl$de women see,in( to be ordained as #hi,s$ni 2see below4 be)ore ret$rnin( to their own lands! &s$ Chi Fo$ndation Fo$nded by the #$ddhist ?$n Master Chen( Cen who in 199* was nominated )or a ?obel %eace %ri-e! &s$ Chi is involved in charity wor, in ?e%al, &hailand and ?orth Iorea! &hey have 3 hos%itals and a medical and n$rsin( colle(e in &aiwan and )ree clinics in the +hili%%ines and the 08! &hey are noted )or their res%onse to disasters all over the world and very %rominent in &aiwan! &-$ Chi r$ns a .50Ebed hos%ital in @$alian that is the lar(est hos%ital in Eastern &aiwan! &s$ Chi is a (lobal or(ani-ation with its head9$arters in @$alien, E!&aiwan b$t ." o))ices in the 08 and over million s$%%orters worldwide! Many o) these s$%%orters belon( to a small networ, set $% by &s$ Chi disci%les each donatin( aro$nd 100?&O 208O 4 %er month towards &s$ Chi;s charitable wor,s! &he s$%%orters themselves may have little other interest or involvement with the or(ani-ation b$t (enerate lar(e amo$nts o) )$nds to s$%%ort the wor,! Dharma Dr$m Mo$ntain 2DDM4 Established by Master 8hen( Cen in 19"9 this or(ani-ation was )o$nded )or the s%read o) Chan #$ddhism &heir mission statement is Gto %romote com%rehensive #$ddhist ed$cationH! 8hen( Cen is a noted international #$ddhist teacher and within &aiwan DDM are in the %rocess o) b$ildin( a #$ddhist (lobal ed$cation com%le7 which will incl$de a research center, a 0niversity, a monastery, a m$se$m and international con)erence hall! &he or(ani-ation is also ,nown )or its em%hasis on environmental %rotection and red$ction o) waste in daily li)e! 5an( =$iEChen10 identi)ies a n$mber o) ,ey )actors res%onsible )or the (rowth in %o%$larity o) #$ddhism in &aiwanB 14 6((ressive %ro%a(ation based on methods learned )rom Christianity! 24 8ocial involvement, not sim%ly in relie) o) %overty and s$))erin( b$t also involvement with %olitical iss$es, environmental %rotection, ed$cation and %$blic wel)are! 6(ain m$ch o) this has been :learned; )rom the Christian ch$rches in &aiwan! ChenECan(, the leader o) &s$ Chi claims to have been in)l$enced in her thin,in( by the wor, o) %ioneer missionaries to &aiwan Mac,ay and <andsboro$(h! 34 ?onEKeli(io$s 6%%roachB modern #$ddhism in &aiwan is %romotin( meditation, not sim%ly as a #$ddhist reli(io$s activity, b$t as a bene)icial act %rovidin( the ,ey to %ersonal %eace, relie) o) stress, release o) %ersonal ener(y, adA$stment o) mood and %ersonality etc! &his in t$rn hel%s a %erson in their )amily and wor, li)e to achieve balance and harmony in relationshi% and release %ersonal %otential! 5or,sho%s and retreats involvin( a )ew days o) teachin( on meditation are bein( held by a n$mber o) #$ddhist or(ani-ations thro$(ho$t &aiwan! 'ndeed attendin( s$ch retreats is %erha%s the maAor distinctly #$ddhist activity in which the avera(e %erson wo$ld be li,ely to consider %artici%ation! 'n &aiwan;s hi(h stress $rban society it is easy to see the a%%eal o) this a%%roach, indeed it has stron( resemblances to ?ew a(e teachin( in the 5est, allowin( individ$als to select reli(io$s belie)s and activities that brin( %ersonal bene)it witho$t the need to ma,e lon( term commitments to reli(io$s or(ani-ations, activities or codes o) moral behavior! &aiwan;s (rassroots wor,ers are less li,ely to have the time or )inance to %artici%ate in s$ch activities, tho$(h an increasin( n$mber o) elderly retirees Aoin the hi(hly stressed whiteEcollar wor,ers in s%endin( time at s$ch retreats!

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5an( =$iLChen, GModern #$ddhismH in Taiwan Mission uarterl! Volume 1" Number # Summer 2$$# %&.1$

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The significance of Women in Taiwan Buddhism 6mon( &aiwan;s 30,000 ordained mon,s and n$ns the )emales o$tn$mber the males almost 3B1! 6%art )rom the colle(e at Fo G$an 8han mon,s tend to live alone or in smaller comm$nities whereas there are n$mero$s lar(e comm$nities o) ?$ns aro$nd the island 5omen leaders have %layed a %rominent role in establishin( #$ddhism in &aiwan! 6mon( these the most notable incl$deB Dharma Master Chen( Cen, who established &s$ Chi, 1en! @siao C$n the )irst #$ddhist to establish an acce%ted $niversity in &aiwan, 8a,ya Chao Fei, a %rominent animal ri(hts activist, 1en! @en( Chin( 8hih a scholar at the ?ational &aiwan ?ormal $niversity and 1en! 5$ Cin, )o$nder o) the <$minary 'nternational #$ddhist society! 5omen see,in( to become n$ns 2ni ($4 in &aiwan )irst $nder(o a 3E* month %eriod as $ntons$red novices! 6)ter a %ossible )$rther %eriod o) $% to * months they become sramanen,a, novices with observer stat$s! &wo years later they may be eli(ible )or ordination as bhi,s$ni a)ter which they may %artici%ate in ceremonies, hold the %osition o) 6bbess and vote on #$ddhist a))airs! 0% $ntil aro$nd 1 year a(o there were almost no bhi,s$ni o$tside o) &aiwan, most n$ns in other #$ddhist co$ntries havin( to be content with sramanen,a stat$s! 'n contrast )rom 1953 when &aiwan;s )irst ordinations were held, in all b$t one year the n$mber o) women bein( ordained has e7ceeded men! 6t Fo G$an( 8han $nder the 1en! @sin C$n and the Dharma Dr$m &em%le $nder Master 8hen( Can, nearly all the assistants $nder the tem%le director are women! 6t Fo G$an 8han the heads o) all 5 co$ncils are )emale bhi,s$ni! &he lac, o) bhi,s$n ordination in the rest o) the #$ddhist world has been a maAor to%ic o) debate in world #$ddhism, a debate in which &aiwan #$ddhism has %layed a %rominent role! 'n 1990 Fo G$an 8han held an ordination ceremony in 'ndia to hel% local #$ddhist societies reEestablish bhi,s$ni ordination there! 'n 199. the Dali <lama sent a s%ecial envoy to &aiwan to st$dy the role o) women in #$ddhism there with a view to establishin( an or(ani-ation )or &ibetan #$ddhist n$ns! 6 n$mber o) )actors have led to the %rominence o) women in &aiwan;s #$ddhism! 1en! I$an Chen11 claims that they are attracted by the challen(e and o%%ort$nities to s$cceed or ma,e si(ni)icant achievements as n$ns, which wo$ld be denied to them by the se7ism still %resent in sec$lar career %aths! Esca%e )rom the stron( %ress$res within &aiwan;s society to marry and have children may also be a )actor! 1en! 5$ Cin( 12 adds, :today;s n$ns come to #$ddhism )$ll o) ideas and enth$siasm! &hey themselves are hi(hly inde%endent and haven;t been %$shed to become n$ns by some $n%leasant event in their e7ternal lives;! Conclusion 6t the time o) it;s (reatest (rowth in &aiwan, Christianity had the advanta(es o) a %ositive %ro(ressive ima(e combined with a lar(e amo$nt o) )$nds 2)rom overseas ch$rches4 which were s%ent on social %roAects 2b$ildin( hos%itals and relie) wor,4 and ed$cation, %artic$larly the )o$ndin( o) 0niversities! 6t the %resent time #$ddhism has a done m$ch to %o%$lari-e and moderni-e its ima(e and has lar(e amo$nts o) )$nds available which it is s%endin( on medical and social wor, and ed$cation! 't is not s$r%risin( then that &aiwan has become a si(ni)icant center )or #$ddhist world mission! @owever, many (rassroots %eo%le in &aiwan, whilst considerin( #$ddhism to be %art o) their c$lt$re have little $nderstandin( or interest in it;s %hiloso%hical teachin(s! 8$ch %eo%le are li,ely to re($larly donate money to &s$ Chi b$t $nli,ely to ma,e any attem%t to $nderstand any o) the )ree #$ddhist literat$re that is widely available in &aiwan! #$ddhism is a serio$s challen(e to Christianity )or the minds o) ed$cated &aiwanese yet )aces the same challen(e in reachin( the (rassroots b$t %erha%s with many advanta(es over Christianity d$e to the #$ddhist ideas and thin,in( that have been incor%orated into traditional )ol, reli(ions! 5hilst many (rassroots %eo%le consider Christianity to be G)orei(nH they reco(ni-e #$ddhism as bein( GlocalH even i) they don;t really (ras% its teachin(s or (ive it a %rominent role in their lives!
11 12

/$oted by &sai 5enE&in(, GDa$(hters o) the #$ddhaH in Sinorama No.12, Vol 22 =an 199", %(!9 ibid