A Research On Inmates Correction About Buddhism In Fo Guang Shan

Religion plays the role of cultivation to criminals in prison,rooted in the idea of redemption of Christianity.The western countries were bound up to apply religious cultivation to the criminals since they built up the system of prison.There were historical records about the governor using Buddhist theory to correct prisoner in China in the Tang dynasty.Especially during the period of the Republic of China,affected by western countries' prison systems,there was a climax of the religious cultivation in china's prison,and this good tradition was carried forward by Taiwan authorities.This thesis will take Fo Guang Shan for instance,to analysis the vital function of Buddhism in the correction of prisoners,and to explore the opportunities and challenges of Chinese Buddhism in cultivating prisoners.There are five parts of this thesis.The first chapter is an introduction to the Western tradition of religious cultivation in prison.We will find that religious cultivation play a chief part after analyzed the feature of western countries' prison systems.It is the idea of "Original Sin" in Christianity makes the "Salvation" become the core of the philosophy of reforming prisoner.Chapter Two is an overview of persuasion education in prison in Chinese history.The penalty of ancient China presents dual personality that contains punishment and cultivation,which profoundly influenced by Confucianism.The idea of"Morality-primary,punishment-secondary" of Confucianism emphasizes the power of moral cultivation,and it claims to correct the prisoners imperceptibly,to inspire their Consciousness of Shame and then impel them to goodness.In chapter three,I try to describe the edification tradition of religions in Taiwan.During the period of the Republic of China,there was a climax of the religious cultivation in China's prison,and this good tradition was carried forward by Taiwan authorities.Take Buddhism for instance,after many celebrities in Buddhist circle migrated to Taiwan,such as Li Bingnan,Master Cihang and Master Hsing Yun,they promoted the religious cultivation in prison of Taiwan.In chapter four,we will specifically examines the characteristics of the religious cultivation in Fo Guang Shan,such as prolonged,fargoing and diversity.And the Humanistic Buddhism provides theory support to help Fo Guang Shan make a big achievement in religious cultivation.In the fifth chapter,we will turn back to the mainland of China,to see if the religious cultivation could be applied here.In the instance of Fo Guang Shan,we have already know that in order to achieve the aim of correcting criminals' behavior,it is necessary to combine the government,prison authorities,missionaries and the criminals.This is a good example for us to know how to apply the religious cultivation in the prisons of China.The academic exploration of this thesis have important contemporary relevance.According to the national conditions,Buddhism organizations' participation in prison's cultivation work is confronted with both opportunities and dire challenges,which reminds us to learn from Fo Guang Shan's experience and lessons.