The Research On Yang Du’s Buddhism

At the end of the Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, with the developmentof modern China social reform, Chinese ideological circle set off a wave of studyBuddhism thought. A large number of famous scholars and progressive thinkershas involved in the wave. They learned and discussed Buddhism. They absorbedWestern culture and civilization with Buddhist theory and methods, criticized thefeudal system and culture, constructed the theory of social transformation andscheme. Those greatly promoted the China social moderniza tion and ChineseBuddhism modernization. Yang Du is the one of the important representatives.Yang Du’s thought kept changeable in his whole life. In his old age, he turnedto Buddhism research had profound theoretical and practical reasons. Theformation of his Buddhist thought had been through three stages--rudiment,preliminary forming and maturity. His Buddhist thought, represented by "newBuddhism theory", mainly covered epistemology, methodology, sectarian view andview of life. He took the Southern School of Zen thought as the basis, compatiblewith Sanlun zong, Weishi zong and other Buddhist sects. He hoped all livingcreatures could believe in Buddhism and to build a free and equal Pure Landtogether. Under influence of this Buddhist theory, he realized that it is hard topursue absolute freedom and equality under the real suffering society. So peopleneed to have "the body is ordinary, the heart transcend world" attitude to life.Based on the analysis of the Yang Du’s Buddhist thought content, the articlesummarizes four aspects of his thought, which are get involved in the world,radicalism, compatibility, criticism and innovation.Yang Du’s Buddhist thought reformed the traditional Buddhist theory, provideda theoretical solution for the modern Buddhism reform. He, the representative ofmodern intellectuals Buddhism learner, provided a model for change of research intwentieth Century Chinese Buddhist thought and the cause of intellectuals to learnBuddhis. It has important historical and researchable values.