FGS’ D OCTRINE AND R ITUALS

As religions encounter challenges of modern times, they inevitably need to re-appropriate and redefine the discourse of modernity in their new term. Master Hsing Yun gives a response to equality, wealth and presents a spirit of life.

In an article of Master Hsing Yun’s journal Renjianfojiao huigui fotuo benhuai 人 間佛教回歸佛陀本懷⁸⁴, he tries to give a more this-worldly⁸⁵ interpretation of the dharma to break down the boundaries between the monastery and general society.

Master Hsing Yun has been giving sustained attention to equality and democracy. He wrote in his article that “…after the Buddha was enlightened. He soon claimed that all the sentient beings are equal and have the Buddha nature.” Therefore, Master Hsing Yun points out that the innate equality concept in Buddhism exists long before Western political and social thinkers proposed this position.

As Buddhism is for the human realm, Master Hsing Yun expresses his view of money and having a joyful life. To Master Hsing Yun, Buddhism is a wealthy, joyful and fortunate religion, as he wrote: “…the Buddha’s teaching aims to bring joyfulness and felicity to the human realm”⁸⁶. He further said that “wealth is not a bad thing if the

84 星雲大師，〈佛教回歸佛陀本懷一、總說〉，頁 11。

85 To Master Hsing Yun, the existence of Buddhism is for the human realm. Because of the Buddha’s mercy, and he sought ways to help the sentient beings to free themselves from samsara, he formed Buddhism. All the Buddha dharmas that were revealed by the Buddha help lay people to solve their problems in the human realm (renjian 人間).

星雲大師，〈佛教回歸佛陀本懷一、總說〉，頁9 – 10。

The concept of “secularization” is closely related to the western context instead of Chinese religions in the Chinese context. Some scholars predict that as society develops, secularization will take place, religions will decline and become a matter of the private sphere. But this is not always the case. In Tang Zhongmao‘s article, he proposes that the so-called secularization of Buddhism is the process of Buddhism socialization. Buddhism doesn’t lose its holiness but concerns more this-worldly problems.

Zhongmao Tang, “An Analysis of the Issue of Secularization in the Development of Humanistic Buddhism”, pp. 774, 776.

For further reading about secularization, see Shiner Larry, “The Concept of Secularization in Empirical Research”.

86 星雲大師，〈佛教回歸佛陀本懷一、總說〉，頁 10。

‧ 國

立 政 治 大 學

‧

N a tio na

l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y

giver and receiver can make use of it properly, and Buddhism should value this income for establishing a pure land on earth.”⁸⁷In this way, Master Hsing Yun affirms the value of wealth and donation to the monasteries, “to offer others confidence, joy, hope and convenience” are the guidelines of the BLIA.

In terms of doctrines, Master Hsing Yun presents a spirit or rules of life for all people rather than principles of FGS. Master Hsing Yun divides the religious disciplines into social, daily life, human resource, interpersonal communication, human and nature, international issue, education, and religious belief. Each of these eight categories has ten rules. Some of these rules show Hsing Yun’s concern of human right, for sentient beings live on this planet as a unity and the ways to live in harmony with others. For example:

“To avoid disturbing the others, we should speak softly when we are chatting with families, enjoying movies or listening to music. (From ten rules of daily life)”

“Employers should treat their employees equally.They should not abuse and exploit labours. (From ten rules of human resource)”

“We should give a hand when other nations have a disaster. (From ten rules of international issue)”⁸⁸

Also, Master Hsing Yun not only gives a more this-worldly interpretation over some discourses, but he also recreates Buddhist rituals for people. In the past, those Monks on call (yingfuseng 應赴僧) gained rich income by performing rituals for the dead. As a result, the funeral rituals and monks gradually became commercialized, the

87 星雲大師，〈人間佛教語錄 – 生活應用篇 經濟觀〉，adopted 23November 2018.

88 簡逸光，〈佛光山星雲大師「人間佛教」的精神〉，頁 921 – 922。

‧ 國

立 政 治 大 學

‧

N a tio na

l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y

monks cared less about the Buddhist doctrines and were deficient in spiritual cultivation until the reformation of Buddhism.⁸⁹However, this doesn’t mean that performing rituals for the dead have to be cast away. They are still an important part of serving the living, helping the dead and generating income for the sangha. “Instead of doing away with these rituals, Master Hsing Yun re-creates the rituals for the dead which comprises nine steps that both monastics and the relatives of the dead have to perform. Parts of the rituals are performed at the mourning site with the rationale that the rituals should be benefiting the living, leading the living and the dying person to focus on reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha to ease their mind and focus their contemplation on the Pure Land.”⁹⁰To revitalize the sacredness of rituals and solemnizing ritual performance, Master Hsing Yun not only re-creates the routine for the dead but also compiles or writes “The Etiquettes and Rules” (yizhi 儀制) which include all aspects of life at different ages. The invention of “The Etiquettes and Rules”

helps FGS to blend Buddhism in people’s lives and continue the connection between religious ritual and people’s stages of life. To embed Buddhism into modern society and the life of the laity, FGS provides Buddhist rituals such as prenatal education, name giving, the one-month ceremony, name registration in the Dharma, the first day of school and paying respect to ancestors and a rite to welcome persons turn to adulthood.⁹¹ As Master Hsing Yun has stated that “…humanistic Buddhism should have rituals that guide people’s lives in different stages, from people’s birth, attending

89 Xue Yu, “Re-Creation of Rituals in Humanistic Buddhism A Case Study of FGS”, pp. 353 – 354.

90 Ibid, p. 357.

91 Ibid, p. 359.

‧ 國

立 政 治 大 學

‧

N a tio na

l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y

school, entering adulthood, marriage⁹², starting a business, or even when people grow old, get sick and pass away.”⁹³