Con弛renceReport
The随うven血lntemationa1LottlsSutraSeminar,l`;Fingt)o,China:
Thel一刀tusSutraandLayBuddhistMovements ̄PastandPIesent
DanielFI・祐drich
TheEleventhlntemationalLotusSutraSeminarwasheldinNingbo,Chinafrom June26throughJune29,2006.Thethemeofthisyear sconferencewas The LotusSutraandLayBuddhistMovementsPastandPresent. TheLotusSutra,asit iswellknown,hashadanincrediblyvastinnuenceuponBuddhisminEastAsiaand thepaPerspresentedandtheensuingconversationrenectedthegreatnumberof waystheLotusSutrahasbeenunderstoodinEastAsia.Giventhistremendous diversityanextendedoverviewofthepaperanddiscussionwouldbeideal. However,asthereisnotenoughspacetooflゼrsuchareviewinthefollowing paragraPhslseektobrienyintroducethepaPersandasmallportionofthe discussionthatfollowed.lwillconcludewithashortsummaryofthetrip conferenceparti(2ipantstooktoMountTiarltai,thebirthplaceofTiantaiBuddhism. ScholarsfromChina,Japan,andtheunitedStateswereallrepresentedatthis yearsconference.PresentingatthecQnferencewere,DanielAGetz,Bradley university,DanielStevenson,UniversityofKansas,JenniferEichman,SetonHall university,Jiangxvu,UniversityofArizona,HaiyanShen,LizhuFan,Fudan university,ChunfangYu,Columbiauniversity,CharlesBJones,TheCatholic universityofAmerica,ZhiruNg,PonomaCollege,5;usumuShimazono,Tokyo university,MichioShinozaki,RisshoKoseiKaiGakurinSeminary,andMatsudo Yukio,Hidelberguniversity.GeneReeves,RisshoKose1kai,andtheChuo AcademicResearchlnstituteservedasconferencecoordinator. GeneReevesexplainedthethemeofthisyearsseminarwasinsPiredbythe questionofwhatitmeanstobealayBuddhistmovement.Reevesexplainedthat fromitsverybeginningRisshoKoseikaiwasalayBuddhistmovementalthougha numberofPriestswerecountedasmembersofthemovement.Reevescontinuedby pointingout,hil;toricallyBuddhistlaymovementsinbothChinaandJapanhave bothindudedandbeenf1)undedbypriests.lnotherwords,beingchal・acterizedasa 130layBuddhistmovementdoesnotnecc5ssarilyexcludemonasticsfromparticipatingor havingleadershiProleswithinthemovement.Thusraisingtwoquestionsthat participantswouldretumtooftenintheensuingconvelsations:(1)ぺvhatdowe meanwhenwetalkaboutamovementasbeingLayorMonastic;and(2)Xvho were/arethepeoPletakingPartinlayBuddhistmovements? FOIlowingReevesintroductionDanielGetzpresentedhisPaper Rebirthinthe 乙θΓ心:Zongxiao s77ど7/7μaxμの7y加呂/μanditsLayTypology. lnhispaper,Getz e・)cPloreda(Jllectionofbiolgl`aphieswrittenbytheTiantaimonkZongxiao(1151 1214)withaParticularfocusonZongxiao sb沁lgraphyofthelayscholarLiu Chengztli(354410)whohad・;tudiedatMt.Luandlaterwasalbundingmemberof thexvhiteLotusSociety,agroupdevotedtoseekingrebirthinAmidaBuddhasPure Land.GetzconcludesthatZongxiaoinhiswritingofLiuChengzhisbiographyand theprominentplaceitisaccordedwithintheentirec()11ectionofbiographies,that ZongxiaowaspromotingLiuChenghiastheideallayBuddhistinSongChina. Furthersti11GetzPointsoutthatfromthesebiograPhiesweseetheLotusSutrawas understoodasthepathtothePureLand,andtheimportanceofmonasticleadershiP withinlaysocieties. RespondingtoGetz spaPerJiangぺvurenectedonthetensionsurroundingthe mediationbetweenmonasticandlaity.Thisrenectionshapedthefollowing discussionasconferenceParticiPantsnotedthatwithinthecategoriesoflayand monasticthereareanumberofdivisionsaswell.LiuChenghi,asGetzpointedout, wasamemberofthenteratiandthuswouldhavehadadi汀erentlevelofaccessto monasticsasevidencedbythetimehespentstudyingatMt.Lu. ContinuinginthisvainDanielB.Stevensonpresentedon ProductionofManuals fortheRitesoftheTiantaiFourSanladhis:inLaterChina:TheCaseforanlnter TextualClericalandLayRitualDiscourse. Stevensonexplainedthatatissueinhis paperishowwethinkaboutlayversus(2kricalBuddhism.Stevensonnotedthatwe typicallythinkofritualasbelongingtothelealmofthemonastic.Throughouthis paper,Stevensonprovidedevidenceoftheconvergenceofritualplacticeintothelife ofthelaity.Furthermore,Stevensonnotedthatthelinebetweenmonasticandlaity isoftentimesnotclearandthatritesandritualsoftenthoughtofasbeingmonastic inactualityrenectedtheneedsofthelargerBuddhistCommunityincludinglay Patronsandlocalpublic.Moreover,certainritesandritualswereoftenMreamlined andpcうIfon!ledpublidyoreveninoneshome.BasedonthisStevensonconcludes thatbothlaityandmonasticswereengagedinritualsthatwereoftenatleastinthe caseofrep(うntanceritualsmoresimilarthandissimilar。 131
中 央 学 術 研 究 所 紀 要 第 3 5 号 Thefollowingmoming,JenniferEichmanpresentedherpaPeronrele21s;inglife sodetiesinMingChina.EichmanexplainedthatinlateMingChinasaxvariseina numberofprivatesocietiesincludingHterary,religiouscharitable,and柚tellectual. Eichmand5cribedthesesocietiesasbeingaplacewheremonks,1ayBuddhistsand evennonBuddhistsilltermingled.ThediscussionthatfollowedEichmanspaper focusedonanumberofissuesincludingwhatdenneslayBuddhistactivities? ChungfangYuPointedoutthatthedefinitionoflayBuddhistactivityisdependant uponwhateraisbeingdiscussed.Furthermore,Shenotedthatwithinreleasingof lifesodetiestherelationshipbetweenthemonasticcommunityandthelaityvaried withsomegroupsbeingquiteclosetothemonasticcommunitywellothersrqjecting theirauthority. FOIlowingEichmanwasJiangぺvupresentedhisresearchconceminglay commentariesoftheLotusSutra.ぺvuexplainedthattherewerefewlay commentarieswrittenbylaypeople.Describingthequalityofthesecommentaries, へvunoted,theywereusuallypoorinqualityandoftentimesappendedto commentarieswrittenbymonks.Thisdoesnotmeanthatlaypeoplehadlittleorno interestintheLotusSutra.ltonlypointstothefactthatothers;utras,suchasthe Sμ/ど7μgα刑aS町ra,andthatlaypeoplehavemostoftenbeen泊telestedintheLotus Sutraasadevotionaltext. HaiyanShencontinuingthediscussionoftheLotusSutraandtheimpactithas hadonChineseBuddhismPresentedherpaper, A11haveattainedtheBuddhaぺvay Thebsl)irationoftheLotusSutrainChineseLayBuddhism. Shebeganwitha briefoverviewtoshowhowthroughoutChineseBuddhisthistorytheeroleoflay peoplehasbeenasourceoftension.Asanexample,Shenexplainedhowthe sanghahasattimesbeeninterpretedinnarrowtermsasleferringonlytomonksand nuns.How(うverバhishasbeen(;ontestedParticularlyinthe19111and20111(;enturyby layBuddhistssuchasYangRenshanandOuyangJian.RegardinghowtheLotus Sutrahasbeenused,ShennotedtheinnuenceoftheChapteronSkillfulmeans. ShennotedthatinNingbo,thesiteforthisyear sseminarwefindoneofthemost implessivelayBuddhistorganizations.ShenreportedthattheNingboLayBuddhist Gatheringisactivelyinvolvedinca汀yingoutthebodhisattvapathby:makingguest speakersavailablesothatallhearthedharma;providingaplaceforsutrarecitation; activeinvolvementincharitablework;andrunninganonprofithouseforthe elderly.ShensPaperf;osteredalivelydiscussioninwhichparticiPantssoughtto learnmoreaboutlayBuddhista(;tivitiesinplesentdayChina.ThetimingofShens PaPerwasalsoquiteapproF)riateinthatfollowinglunchcon弛renceparticipants 132
enjoyedvisitstotheNingboLayBuddhistGatheringandtheSevenPagoda s Temple. Rc?freshedfromwonderfulvisitsintheaftemoon,conferenceparticipantsgathered intheeveningtodiscussLizhuFan spaper TheLayBuddhistinShenzhen: vegetarianRestaurantsasNewCommuna1Settings. AsFanwasunabletoattend theconferenceGeneReevesPresentedonherbehalf.Fanspresentedadescriptive llc;countofBuddhistgatheringsthatoccurinvelgetarianre5;t£1urantsinShenzen.0f pal゛ticularnoteisthefactthatthesere5;t£1urantsarenotformallyaffiliatedwith Temples,althoughonoccasionmonksornunsn!aybeinvitedtosPeakatthese gatherings.Moreover,Fanreportsthatparticipantschoosewhichgrouptobe involvedwithandatwhatlevelofcommitment.Motivesforjoiningthesegroups seemtobealongingforasenseofcommunityandahungerlう()I・religiousexperience toaidinunderstandinglifesdailystruggles.Discussionthispaper,1:)articipants questionedtowhatextentwecan(2()njderthese£1ctivatestobeBuddhistora man汀estationofnewageculture.Pro扮ssorShennotedthatparticipantsdonottake thethreerefuges,whileReevesnotedsimHalTitieswithPOPularreligioninHong Kong・ ThefollowingmomingChunfangYupresentedherpaperentitled Lay Buddhists,CollegeStudentsSodetiesfortheStudyofBuddhismandtheRevivalof BuddhisminTaiwan. Yuexplainedthatthisresearchbeganwiththequestionof whywomenbecomenuns.Yufoundthatanumberofnunsbecameite17estedin BuddhismthroughparticipationinlayBuddhistsodetieswhileincollege.0f palticulal]nterest,herewasthefactthattheseso(jetiesinadditiontostudyingthe teachingso汀BuddhismalsostudiedthoseofConfucianismandDaoismaswel1. Thesesodetiesalsoprovidedadiversearrayofsociala(うtivitiesflormemberstotake partinaswe11.Thus,thesesodetiespromotedaholisticwellbeingofindividual members.Yunotedthattheso(2ietieswerenotfundedwithagoalofpropagating teachingsorevenincreasingthemonasticcommunity.Yet,thisisexactlywhathas haPpenedasthenumberofnunsinTaiwanhasin(;reased. Yuspaperselicitedanumberofresponses,CharlesB.Jonesnotedthatincreased educationaloPportunitiesforwomenhasseenthemonasticcommunityofTaiwan become柚(;reasinglyeducated.Yurenlindedpal・ticipantsthatthewomenwho choosetobecomenunsdonotexplicitlycitetheuniversitycu❹culumbutratherthe extracu町icularsodetiesthattheywerepartof.Jonesnotedthatincreasingly educatedlaypopulationsareoftenseenasachallengebythemonasticcommunity・ ZhiruNgalsonotedanotherchallengefacedbythemonasticcommunityis 133
中 央 学 術 研 究 所 紀 要 第 3 5 号 Christianity,whichhasforcedBuddhiststobecomein(2reasinglyevangelical. Throughouttheconference,itwasoftenquitesurPrisinghowsmoothlydiscussion ofonepaPerwouldnowintoanother.FollowingYu,CharlesBJones,presentedhis paper TheBuddhistCompassionReliefTzuchiAssociation:LayBuddhismin 入/lodemTaiwan. JonesspaperfocusedlargelyonthevenerableZhengyan(1937) thecharismaticfoundingfigureoftheBuddhistComPassionReliefAssociation (hel afterlJeferredtoasCiji).JonesanalyzedCりiasaBuddhistl゛5p()nseto modemityinTaiwan.JonesnotesthatC小hasbeenatransitionalorganizationwith aconstantlyevolvingmission.CijibeganaslocalgroupofthirtywomenwhoPut asideafewcentseverydaytohelpthePoorobtainmedicalcare,towhatisat presentafoundationwithasta汀ofover500people,claiming500membersand providingaidtopeopleinneedtheentireworldover.JonestracedCijisuccessasa resultofthedevotionthatfollowersofZhengyanwhobelievehertobea man汀estationofthebodhisattvaGuanyin/Kannon.JonesconcludedthatZhengyans su(2cess,asrepresentedbyCijiisintheldnterPretationoftraditionalism,thatis Buddhistvaluesjnlightofmodemity・ lmmediatelyafterdiscussionofJonespaperZhiruNgPresentedanotherviewof ZhengyanandC示.Ng spaper, visualizingtheLotusべvorld:Ciji sHaHofStill ThoughtsandTaiwaneseReimaginationofLayCenteredBuddhism, examinedhow ZhengyanleinterpretedBuddhistdoctrinesinordertopromoteakruism.lntheHaII ofStillthoughts,Ngreports,ZhengyanvisuallydepictsthemissionofC吊andthe worldaspresentedbytheLotusSutra.NgexplainedthattheLotusSutralends itselftovisualdepictions,whichinthecaseofCijibecomethemeansbywhich l4e?1igiousidealscanbe(刀11veyedtoallpeople.Ngspaperledtoalミascinating (mclムlssionbyparticiPants(MI!cemingthefunctionofartworkinleうligiousplactice andasan!eanstoconveyreligiousteachings.Attheconclusionofthisdiscussion, participantsenjoyedanaftemoontriptoTiantongTemple. ThateveningconcludedwithShimazonoSusumupresentinghisPaper, Bosatsu gyoandModemityoftheNewReligionsofHokkeNichirenSchool:Conceptof lntegrationBasedonHorizontalSOHdarity. Shimazono spaperbeganby (:luestioningwhyNewReligiousN/lovernentsaresosuc(2cうssfulinmodemJaPan.By (・)(1)loringtheBuddhist0141(・ntatedNewRe・HgiousMov(・ment・;(NRMs)oftheHokke NichirenSchoo1,0fwhichRishoKoseiKaiisapartof,Shimazonodelineatedthree chlllacteristicsthataccountfortheirsuc(;ess:(1)Conceptofintegrationthrough llorizontal・;olidarity;(2)I)c,(:)Ples5;elfしIciliancePrillcipal;and(3)Thisworld (消entation.By(;onceptofi姚qrationthroughhorizontalsolidarity,Shinlazonois 134
referringtothefactthatNRMsonenattemPttohelpeachpersonleammoreabout oneselfbutalsotodeveloprelationshipswithotherindividuals.PeoPlesSel作 rdiancePrincipalencouragespeopletobeactiveinpmcticingtheBodhisattvapath, ThisworldorientationdescribesthefactthatmenlbersofNormsareencouragedto nndsalvationinthisworld.DuetosPaceandtimelimits,Shimazonowasf(:)rcedto limithisanalysistothefirstofthesethreePrincipals,althoughacknowledgingthat thethreel)I・irlcipalsareinterrelated.Shinlazonoconcludedbyarguingthatthe (;(:)nceptofilltegrationthroughhol`izontaholidarityallowsforthe(2ontinualev()lution oftheHokkeNichrenSchoolinG4dertomeettheneedsofmodemsociety. ThefourthandfinaldayoftheconferencePortionoftheseminarhadtwoPapers scheduled,freetimefortheparticipantstoexploreNingbo,andapresentationby representativesofRishoKosei ̄kai.ThefirstpaPerofthedaywasl)resentedby Shinozakilx/lichio,whoexplored TheproblemofothersintheLotusSutra丿 BeginningwiththestatementthattheLotusSutraunderstandsaHlivingbeingshave thepotentialtobeBuddhasandthattheawakeningofonesselfdependsuPonthe awakeningofothers.Thus,ShinozakiconcludestheLotussutraPo5;tulatesatwo foldrelationshipwhereBuddhaisonewholeadsindividualstobelikeBuddhaand sentientbeingsarelikewiseentrustedtoleadothersbyteachingtheDharma. Thennalpaperoftheconferencewasl〕resentedbyMatsudoYukio,whoexplored theroleoftheLotusSutraasbeingthebasisofSokaGakisl・dormativemovement. MatsudoarguedthattheLotusSutrahasprovidedthe柚s;pirationforanumberof 2formmovernentsthroughoutJaPanbeginningwithNichirenandcontinuinguntil thel)1esent.lnarguingthisMatsudochallengesthebeliefthatBuddhistref1)rm movementscanbeunde5rstoodasanaloguestoChristianProtestantMovementsas wellasshowingtheBuddhistMo虚うmismhasFlapl)enedindePendentofChl柚tianity. Rather,thenlodemaspectofSokaGaki,£1c(201゛dingtoMatsudoisclerivedfromthe egalitarianteachingsoftheLotusSutra. Xviththis,thecomPletionoffourdaysofdiscussingtheLotusSutrasrelationto LayBuddhismended.Participantsinthisconferencenodoubtcameawayfromit withagreaterunderstandingoftheLotusSutraitself,andthevariedwaysinwhich laitythroughouthistoryhaveunderstoodandputintopracticetheteachingsofthe LotusSutra.FOHowingtheconclusionoftheformalpartoftheconference, ParticiPantswereinvitedtotraveltoMountTiantai.XvhileatMountTiantai, particiPantsvisitedanumberoftemplesandshrines,andhadtheopportunitytomeet withMonksandlaypeoPlealikeengagedinavarietypl゛actices.Attheconclusion oftheconferenceandvisittoMountTiantaiitwasdearthatthisconferencehad 135
中 央 学 術 研 究 所 紀 要 第 3 5 号
beensuc(2e5ssfulonanumberoffTr()nts:Parti(2ipantsallcameawaywithal;17eater
understandingoftheco❹el・encetheme,oldfriendshipswerelcうstored;newones madeandaplethoraideasandqucうstionsforl゛urtherleうs;earchwereraised.