The Fundamental Concepts of Humanistic Buddhism
The term “Humanistic Buddhism” was raised by one of Taixu’s disciples, Yin Shun, to indicate the criticisms against the deification of Buddhism. Humanistic Buddhism can be understood as the integration of our spiritual practice into all aspects of our daily lives. The important features of Humanistic Buddhism can be discussed in following six characteristics:
1. Humanism/altruism
Yin Shun followed his master’s idea that the Buddha was neither a supernatural spirit without leaving a trace nor a figment of one’s imagination. Buddha was a living human being just like all human beings who had parents, a family, and lived a life. It was through his human existence that he showed his supreme wisdom …show more content…
Though they had their usefulness and merits, all of them lack the comprehensive view of the Buddha dharma and must be corrected by it in order to achieve their aims. Realized at this point, we might begin to suspect that the compatibility and subordination of these various systems of though is of greater priority in Taixu’s view that their individual traits and characteristics which he occasionally gave limited attention. In harmonizing the modern world with Buddhism, Taixu's priority was harmonization and subordination, in harmonizing Buddhism with the modern world, however, Taixu's priorities lay …show more content…
One cannot study the development of Chinese Buddhism without studying Taixu and his reform. With the world pattern constantly changing, the competitions internationally are not limit to politics and economics. The culture competition plays a more important role. During the period of imperials falling and China decline, in order to adapt to the world development, Taixu take up the mission for Buddhism reformation, which made profound and lasting impact on Chinese culture. Taixu spent much of his latter lifetime in founding several institutions of monastic education and carrying on sangha reform as well as several journals and publications. The sangha reform and monastic education failed so that Taixu was a controversial figure in Buddhist circles at home compared to his being almost universally praised abroad. Ironically, within a few decades of his death, the situation had reversed itself as he came to be universally praised by his fellow Chinese Buddhists, while abroad his legacy was first contested and then simply
The term “Humanistic Buddhism” was raised by one of Taixu’s disciples, Yin Shun, to indicate the criticisms against the deification of Buddhism. Humanistic Buddhism can be understood as the integration of our spiritual practice into all aspects of our daily lives. The important features of Humanistic Buddhism can be discussed in following six characteristics:
1. Humanism/altruism
Yin Shun followed his master’s idea that the Buddha was neither a supernatural spirit without leaving a trace nor a figment of one’s imagination. Buddha was a living human being just like all human beings who had parents, a family, and lived a life. It was through his human existence that he showed his supreme wisdom …show more content…
Though they had their usefulness and merits, all of them lack the comprehensive view of the Buddha dharma and must be corrected by it in order to achieve their aims. Realized at this point, we might begin to suspect that the compatibility and subordination of these various systems of though is of greater priority in Taixu’s view that their individual traits and characteristics which he occasionally gave limited attention. In harmonizing the modern world with Buddhism, Taixu's priority was harmonization and subordination, in harmonizing Buddhism with the modern world, however, Taixu's priorities lay …show more content…
One cannot study the development of Chinese Buddhism without studying Taixu and his reform. With the world pattern constantly changing, the competitions internationally are not limit to politics and economics. The culture competition plays a more important role. During the period of imperials falling and China decline, in order to adapt to the world development, Taixu take up the mission for Buddhism reformation, which made profound and lasting impact on Chinese culture. Taixu spent much of his latter lifetime in founding several institutions of monastic education and carrying on sangha reform as well as several journals and publications. The sangha reform and monastic education failed so that Taixu was a controversial figure in Buddhist circles at home compared to his being almost universally praised abroad. Ironically, within a few decades of his death, the situation had reversed itself as he came to be universally praised by his fellow Chinese Buddhists, while abroad his legacy was first contested and then simply