第一本關於明代佛教與雲棲袾宏的英文著作,出版後即引起學術界巨大的迴響。中文版首度面世、40週年紀念版在美上市。雲棲袾宏深信自己生於末法時期,但他並不感到遺憾,在他眼中,人生在世並不是短暫、虛妄和苦痛,而是體悟實相的最佳機會。一個人應該珍惜此生,善加利用,以證得覺悟,不應該以憂畏厭惡之心看待人生。人際關係和社會義務並非了生脫死的障礙,反而是達到解脫的一種方便。欲求解脫,不必遁世離群,世俗活動中即可得之。在僧團衰微、居士佛教盛行之時,他主張禪淨雙修和念佛法門,進行僧團改革,他的雲棲寺被尊為淨土修行和嚴守戒律的模範。本書取材自袾宏的著作與書信外,更遍及明史、僧傳、善書、小說等,內容豐富精采,嚴謹流暢,推薦給對傳記、佛教史、念佛、以及律制有興趣的讀者閱讀。
------
作者簡介:于君方(Chün-fang Yü)臺灣東海大學畢業,哥倫比亞大學博士學位。哥倫比亞大學宗教系榮譽退休教授,現為中央研究院院士。多年從事漢傳佛教的研究,包括漢傳佛教思想、制度、儀軌,佛教與社會諸課題,對佛教的漢化、佛教與釋道之間的互動、佛教與性別特別有興趣。主要著作包括 The Renewal of Buddhism in China: Chu-hung and the Late Ming Synthesis(《漢傳佛教復興——雲棲袾宏及明末融合》);The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 8, “The Ming Dynasty, 1368–1644”(《劍橋中國明代史1368-1644(下卷)》第十四章〈明代佛教〉);合編Pilgrims and Sacred Sitesin China(《中國進香與朝聖之地》);Kuan-yin: The Chinese Transformation of Avalokiteśvara(《觀音——菩薩中國化的演變》,臺灣,2009;北京,2014);Passing the Light: The Incense Light Community and Buddhist Nuns in Contemporary Taiwan(《傳光——香光尼僧團與當代臺灣比丘尼 》);“Guanyin and Dizang: The Creation of a Buddhist Pantheon”(〈觀音與地藏——漢傳佛教創立的造像〉,收錄於Asiatische Studien - Études Asiatiques,Vol. 70 Issue 3〔《亞洲研究》70卷3期〕);以及Chinese Buddhism: A Thematic History(《漢傳佛教專題史》)。譯者簡介:方怡蓉國立臺灣師範大學英語研究所碩士,法鼓山中華佛學研究所畢業。現任法鼓山僧伽大學兼任講師。譯有《橘子禪》、《經王法華經》、《佛陀之心》、《南瓜法師西遊記》、《放下禪》、《放輕鬆》、《中觀》、Knocking Gently on the Door of Chan等書。
Taiwan went through an intense period of social change in 1949. The island's politics, economy, ethnicity …… had undergone considerable change. In response this period of tumultuous change, Master Dong Chu founded the "Humanity" magazine to help people cope.
Seventy years later, "Humanity" had weathered being shelved, relaunched and redesigned. It still continues to publish topics that help people cope with the changes in today's world monthly. As "Humanity" approaches its 70th anniversary, it is encountering a different kind of changing world. 27 June 2018, with the aim of sharing the diversity of spiritual practices, we invited dharma masters from different traditions to share the compassion and wisdom of Buddhadharma. The full texts of the keynote speeches and panels are included in this special issue of " Awakening in the Global Buddhist Village".
"Humanity's" guiding teacher, Master Sheng Yen, dedicated his life to bringing Chinese Chan Buddhism to the West. Many Westerners who became his students twenty to thirty years ago continue to follow his footsteps, engage in self cultivation and teaching, establish centers and transmit the lineage. How did they discover Chan Buddhism and how did they find their teacher, Master Sheng Yen? These stories of the teacher and the student are very inspirational.
In the twenty first century, on this 70th anniversary of "Humanity" magazine, Buddhism has spread around the world resembling a global Buddhist village. From the United States of America, Bhikkhu Bodhi described his process of transformation from a traditional monastic to that of a social advocator because he witnessed the oppression of human beings caused by the current social systems; to Italy's Bhikkhun? Dhammadinn? who shared about her journey of how she went from learning dancing to engaging in Buddhist research and ultimately to becoming a female monastic.
Contributing to the world in our capacity of Chinese Chan Buddhism, "Humanity"70 along with the Buddhist Dharma family all over the world and our friends on the same path, let us "Awaken in the Global Buddhist Village"!
About the Humanity magazine
Founded in 1949, Humanity magazine was the first Buddhist magazine published and released in Taiwan. Founded by Ven. Dong Chu and later continued by his disciple Master Sheng Yen, it has been one of the most influential magazines in Taiwan’s Buddhist circles.
Humanity magazine concerns itself about contemporary development of Buddhism, and puts an emphasis on the uplifting of people’s minds and spiritual lives. Each month’s topic not only touches upon various social phenomena, but also explores from Buddhist concepts to worldly studies, to encourage readers to search their inner beings and incorporate Buddhist practice into their daily lives. For cover and layout design, the magazine has invited outstanding illustrators to help render an elegant yet fun style, thus through pages allowing readers to slow down and find a space for spiritual relaxation, self-transformation, and the enjoyment of purity and freedom by applying the Dharma in life.
The magazine had been discontinued for a while due to Master Sheng Yen’s solitary retreat practice. When it was reissued in 1982, as an encouragement, he wrote:
Seek progress in the ordinary life and see the glory of life in hardship.
Seek development in harmony and see the hope in the hard work.
Seek abundance in peace and calm and see the solemness in the training.
Seek wisdom in silence and see the compassionate aspiration in the proactive commitment.
In the future, the Humanity magazine will continue to uphold Master Sheng Yen’s encouragements and expectations, to keep on sharing Buddhist wisdom and compassion, to help bring brightness and hope to the world.