Taixu' Thoughts On The Modernization Of Chinese Buddhism

To revitalize Chinese Buddhism and enable it as the "right pointer for modem mind", Yen. Taixu held high the banner of "Human Life Buddhism" and made comprehensive choices for the way of Buddhist modernization.Choices for Buddhist Scriptures. Awakening to Faith in Mahayana and Leng Yan Jing, the general base and standards of Chinese Buddhism, were judged as Forged scriptures by learners with bias for reason. Taixu, maintaining the service of textual examination for belief, and verification of knowledge with belief and practice, answered that Awakening to Faith and Chinese Buddhism are Holy-words standard for they were authored by Saintly Bodhisattva or wrote in accordance to Buddha's teachings. Chinese Buddhism, based on fundamental wisdom and unthinkable dharma realm, cannot be confined by logical understanding and denied by Yogacara school and Madhyamaka school.Choices for Buddhist instructions. By classifying Buddhist instructions on theory of conditional causation, Taixu established theoretical ground for Human Life Buddhism aiming at perfect enlightenment. As an answer to criticism of Tathata pratitya-samutpada from the viewpoint of vijnapti-matrata theory, he proved it just with vijnapti-matrata theory. Taixu thinks of Buddhism as a rational religion.Choices for Buddhist monastery system. Regarding "Sangha" as the systematic embodiment of Buddhist nous, Taixu tried to reform Chinese Buddhist monastery system which had decayed into pseudo-families and objected to the ideas of replacing Chinese Buddhist monastery system with lay-Buddhist Sangha or SrilankaSangha system. Though changed several times with the society, his thoughts on monastery reformation was always based on Human Life Buddhism.Choices for Pure Lands. With consideration to the narrowness and passiveness of recent Pure Land belief, Taixu explained rebirth in Pure Land with vijnapti-matrata theory, advocated purifying the world with "idealist Pure Land" and oriented his belief to Pure Land of Maitreya for the Bodhisattva's rational and active teachings contain all the dharma of the Buddha.Responding universally to worldly cultures with "Human Life Buddhism", Taixu established a new Buddhism system that combines religious and worldly thoughts and can instruct both the west and east.