This document provides an overview of Buddhism in Taiwan. It discusses key figures in Buddhism like Gautama Buddha and the concept of reincarnation. It outlines the spread of Buddhism from India to other parts of Asia. The document also examines syncretism between Buddhism and other religions in Taiwan like Taoism and local practices. Finally, it notes that over 60% of Taiwanese practice some form of Buddhism and outlines the role of major Buddhist temples and organizations in Taiwan society.

1. Buddhism
in
Taiwan
Anthropology
National Chi Nan University, Taiwan
Prof. Noel W. Schutz Jr.
Speaker:
Lawrenzo Hung-Chun Huang

2. Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama Argumentation:
563 BCE to 483 BCE
reincarnate Nirvana "Nibbāna" means "blowing out" —
that is, blowing out the fires of
涅盤
greed, hatred, and delusion
“reincarnate" is basic concept
of Brahma religion.
Buddha
Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama, also known as Śākyamuni or People entitle Siddhārtha
Shakyamuni ("sage of the Shakyas"), is the key figure
in Buddhism, and accounts of his life, discourses, and
A honorary title
monastic rules are believed by Buddhists to have been for
summarized after his death and memorized by his "awakened one" or
followers. Various collections of teachings attributed to "the enlightened one”
Gautama were passed down by oral tradition, and first
committed to writing about 400 years later. who
Find the way
out of reincarnate

3. Buddhism Road Map
Hinduism Brahma Buddhism
Gandhara was a jewel of Buddhist
The Jainism swastika Jainism civilization that stretched across
स्विस्तक what is now Afghanistan and
Pakistan. The Gandharans left us
a rich heritage of Buddhist art that
was threatened by the Taliban.
The Buddhism swastika
The swastika was the official emblem of
the Nazi Party, and is used sometimes by
modern Neo-Nazis

4. Worship icon figure?
Primitive No icon worship, merely the vehicle carry
Buddhism symbol of vehicle wheel whole wisdom
BCE.5
Mahāyāna (North Buddhism; Larger Vehicle Buddhism;
Buddhism Bodhisattvayana 菩提心)
Early Buddhist
Hīnayāna
School (South Buddhism; Smaller Vehicle Buddhism)
Buddhism
BCE.4~BCE.3
Local religion Buddhism
combination Idolizations
After BCE.3
Greek style Buddha China style Buddha
BCE.3~2 (Pakistan)
Polytheism
(Syncretism)
Icon Worship
(Add on local relegion)

5. A honorary title for a Buddhist monk:
“Tripiṭaka”
The Chinese form of Tripiṭaka, "SanZang" (三藏), was
sometimes used as an honorary title for a Buddhist monk who
has mastered all the Tripiṭaka canons, most notably in the case
case of the Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang, whose pilgrimage
to India to study and bring Buddhist text back to China was
portrayed in the novel Journey to the West as "Tang Sanzang".
Hsüan-tsang Sutra Knowing
[602/603? - 664 CE] was a famous
Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar,
traveler, and translator that brought
up the interaction between China
and India in the early Tang period.
sūtra
piṭaka
經藏
Public debate
Nirvana disciplinarian Certificate
vinaya abhidharma
piṭaka piṭaka
律藏 論藏
Mahayana Buddhism

6. Diffusion of Buddhism
4
5
3 6
2
1 2 5
2 3
4
4

7. Syncretism in China
Confucianism(儒) Buddhism(釋) Taoism(道)
Con Tsu Shakyamuni Lao Tsu
China Shaolin Monastery(少林寺)
Three religion combination(三教混元圖) Ming Dynasty
Look Careful ! There are three figure in there

8. Syncretism example
From Avalokiteśvara to Guan Yin Ming Dynasty
Taoism Goddess
Matsu
+
Lin, Mo-Niang
Amakawa(媽閣)
A tenderness
Macao mother
Guan Yin statue
Liao Dynasty
(A.D. 907-1125)
ninth century
CE, 801 CE - 900 CE. Ann Hung Kong, Tainan(台南 恩隍宮)
(Pakistan)

9. Distinguish the “Temple”
“Si (寺)” “Miao (廟)”
is ambassador resident is official building
in Tang dynasty. for worship ceremony.
However, Most Educational activity
in there.
Si refers
the Buddhist temple
Miao indicates
the Taoist and Confucianism temple

10. Buddhism Population
More than 90 percent of Taiwanese people practice three major religion
3.5%
724,500
61.5%
12,730,500
Confucian
principles,
local Taoism & others
practices Buddhism
and
Christianity
Taoist
tradition.
35%
7,245,000

11. Taiwan Buddhist system
淨土Jìngtǔ (Pure land)
Buddhist 정토종
禪Zen Buddhist
Japan system
Teaching東傳)
(Tong Teaching東傳)
Tibetan Buddhist
China system
Teaching漢傳)
(Han Teaching漢傳)
Tibet system
Teaching藏傳)
(Chang Teaching藏傳)

12. Buddhism Temple in Taiwan
North (Jinshan, Taipei): Master
Sheng-yen (聖嚴, d. 2009) of
Dharma Drum Mountain (法鼓山)
West (Nantou): Master Wei Chueh
(惟覺) of Chung Tai Shan (中台山)
East (Hualien): Master Cheng
Yen (證嚴) of the Tzu Chi
Foundation (慈濟基金會)
South (Dashu, Kaohsiung): Master
Hsing Yun (星雲) of Fo Guang Shan
(佛光山)

13. Buddhism Social Service in
Taiwan
Education FoGuang University (佛光大學)
NanHua University （南華大學）
HuaFan University （華梵大學）
TzuChi University （慈濟大學）
Dharma Drum Sanha University （法鼓山僧伽大學大學）
NPO Tzu Chi Foundation
Foundation Tzu Chi Hospital
Dharma Drum Sanha Foundation
….
Press DaAi Television
FoGuang Television
…
Columbarium Ci-Guang-Shan（慈光山）
…

14. Buddhism in Taiwan
Conclusion:
Buddhism provide Taiwan social stability,
from birth to death.