The "Localization" of Buddhism in China and a humble monk's journey: A discourse on the propagation of Fo Guang Shan Humanistic Buddhism

The "Localization" of Buddhism in China and a humble monk's journey: A discourse on the propagation of Fo Guang Shan Humanistic Buddhism

Submitted to:

Buddhism and “The Belt and Road Initiative”

International Sangha Youth Forum Nanshan Temple, Zhangzhou, China

Submitted by:

Dhiraj Kumar

Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University BA-Buddhist Studies

July 2019

Abstract

Buddhism underwent a process of localization just like how it spread to China from India to other countries. Looking back into the history of Buddhism, one of the events that is considered relevant, is on how pilgrims, missionaries, and travelers on the silk road were able to introduce and spread Buddhist traditions in China- which in contemporary era made China to have created its own identity which most people referred to as "Chinese Buddhism". Its ancient Buddhist tradition created various sects and schools that differ in tradition and practices through merging in some folk religions and other beliefs which is a big factor in localization. In connection to this, one of the objectives of this research is to discuss the root of Chinese Buddhism, and how it reached and was localized in

China. One of the aforementioned kinds of Buddhism that developed in China is the “Humanistic Buddhism” which began in the early 20th century. Today, it is still being practiced and propagated by Fo Guang Shan, a monastic order that was founded by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, a Buddhist monk from China who brought Humanistic Buddhism to Taiwan and spread it worldwide. In relation to this, the research also aims to discuss the journey of a humble monk, Venerable Master Hsing Yun in propagating the Dharma and to study how Fo Guang Shan uses "localization" in propagating Humanistic Buddhism. Additionally, this research will also study the benefits and the challenges encountered by the Sangha community in localizing Humanistic Buddhism. Lastly, the role of the Sangha youth in the future development of Buddhism will also be discussed.

Definition of Terms: Localization, Chinese Buddhism, Humanistic Buddhism, Venerable Master Hsing Yun

Introduction

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy that began in India 2500 years ago. It was then considered as the dominant religion in the East that was based and developed from the teachings of the Buddha, a teacher and an enlightened being who has achieved liberation from suffering and has awakened from the truth of ignorance. After he attained Nirvana, the Buddha’s teachings were preserved and was transmitted by the Sangha (monastic community) into many places which made Buddhism a common faith in most Asian Countries. The simplicity of how the laypeople preached the teachings on compassion in Pali language is said to have helped in the spread of Buddhism and that they have filled the gap between the understanding of common people by simplifying the teachings of the noble conduct.

The extensive spread of Buddhism are also because of some reasons including the rich history of spiritual and intellectual innovation in india and its political and economic stability. Buddhism, as a faith that originated in India, was greatly accepted and adapted by many neighboring Asian countries. The teachings on middle way have also provided equity on the renunciation to the society emphasizing the equality among the intellectual class and the masses. Another factor that is linked to the spread of Buddhism is the emphasis of Buddhism on ethics or living a life with good moral. In Asian countries, the Buddhist teachings on

compassion has also been an image of success as it was treated as an ethical revolution. Moreover, the Sangha community and Buddhist practitioners also have a great part on the spreading and propagation of Buddhism through socializing the spiritual practices and teachings of the Buddha.Due to this, the monastics were able to receive support from the society. Likewise, Emperor Ashoka of India supported the Sangha and propagated Buddhism by sending missionaries all over Asia and converted vast regions to Buddhism. Lastly, there was also a universal acceptance on Buddhism as the principles are all applicable and is accepting any people of different backgrounds which greatly helped Buddhism to spread easily in Asian countries. It has underwent a process of localization just like how it spread to China from India to other countries.

The Silk road- root of Chinese Mahayana Buddhism and how Buddhism spread from India to China. Locating in each country by the culture of the Dynasty.

It is not certain when Buddhism reached China, but with the Silk Road opened in the second century BC, missionaries and pilgrims began to travel between China, Central Asia and India. The record described that Chang Ch'ien, on his return from Ta-hsia (Ferghana) in the 2nd century BC, heard of a country named Tien-chu (India) and their Buddhist teaching. This is probably the first time a Chinese heard about Buddhism. A century later, a Buddhist community is recorded at the court of a Han prince. However the most famous story is the Han emperor Mingdi's dream about Buddha. In 68 AD, Mingdi sent his official Cai Yin to Central Asia to learn more about Buddhism after a vision of a golden figure appeared to him in a dream. The next morning he asked his ministers what the dream meant and was told that he had seen

the Buddha - the god of the West. Cai Yin returned after 3 years in India and brought back with him not only the images of Buddha and Buddhist scriptures but also two Buddhist monks named She-mo-teng and Chu-fa-lan to preach in China. This was the first time that China had Buddhist monks and their ways of worship. A few years later, a Buddhist community was established in Loyang, the capital, itself. From then on, the Buddhist community grew continuously. They introduced the sacred books, texts and most importantly the examples of Buddhist art, never before seen in China. In 148 AD, a Parthian missionary, An Shih-kao arrived China.

He set up a Buddhist temple at Loyang and began the long work of the translation of the Buddhist scriptures into the Chinese language. The work of scripture translation continued until the 8th century when access to Central Asia and India by land was cut off by the Arabs. In 166 AD Han Emperor Huan formally announced Buddhism by having Taoist and Buddhist ceremonies performed in the palace. The unrest situation in China at the end of the Han dynasty was such that people were in a receptive mood for the coming of a new religion.

During the 4th century, Kumarajiva, a Buddhist from Central Asia organized the first translation bureau better than anything that had existed before in China. He and his team translated some 98 works from many languages into Chinese, of which 52 survive and are included in the Buddhist canon. By around 514, there were 2 million Buddhists in China. Marvelous monasteries and temples were built and the work of translating the scriptures into Chinese was undertaken with great industry.

Buddhism in China reached its apogee during the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907). Popular forms of Buddhism percolated down to the ordinary folk. A fully sinicized Buddhist religion and art. (Figure on the right: Buddha preaching to his disciples. Silk banner from the Dunhuang cave, 8th century) emerged and spread into Korea, and thence into Japan by the end of the sixth century. However in 845 a persecution of Buddhists in China had 4600 temples destroyed and 260,500 monks and nuns defrocked; this was a severe setback Buddhism.

While numerous pilgrims arrived in China from the West, Chinese Buddhist pilgrims were sent to India during different times and the accounts which some of them have left of their travels in the Silk Road provide valuable evidence of the state of Buddhism in Central Asia and India from the 4th to the 7th centuries. Some of the more famous Chinese pilgrims were Fa-hsien (399 to 414), Xuan-zang (629-645), and I-tsing (671-695).

We do not know precisely when Buddhism first reached China, but we do know that Buddhist missionaries and pilgrims traveled along the Silk Road between India, Central Asia, and China during the second century BC.

The Silk Road was a vital route not just for physical goods but ideas as well, and it had a significant impact on the spread of Buddhism through Central Asia. The cradle of Buddhism is to be found in Iron Age India. Around the middle of the 1st millennium BC, this region went through a socio-cultural change known as the second urbanisation; an era marked by intellectual ferment, the composition of the Upanishads and the emergence of Sramanic traditions. Out of this, Buddhism formed between the 6th and 4th centuries BC.

The spread of Buddhism was slow until the time of the time of Emperor Ashoka the Great, who rules most of the Indian subcontinent from circa 268 to 232 BC. He supported the spread of Buddhism, as did his descendants, and mighty efforts were put into the construction of religious memorials and the spread of Buddhism throughout Central Asia and south into Sri Lanka. The Central Asia effort is what eventually brought Buddhism to China, while the Sri Lankan mission helped spread the religion to the coastal lands of Southeast Asia. Ashoka sent out emissaries to many of the lands west of India, reaching Hellenistic countries in Central and West Asia, and even the Meditteranean and some evidence indicates that these emissaries were accompanied by Buddhist missionaries.

Buddhist Localization from China to other countries.

‘Localization’. According to Collins online dictionary, the word ‘localize’ means, “To make or become local in attitude, behavior, etc.”14 Therefore, for this thesis, ‘Localization’ means, “the becoming of local in attitude, behavior and so on.” "Buddhist localization (bĕntŭhuà 本土化) is the process of taking Buddhist teachings and transplanting, having them take root, their growth, flowering and bearing fruit in a new cultural environment."

During the Buddha's time, there have been various changes and adaptations in the Vinaya (Monastic Discipline Code) to go along with the culture in environments where they are preaching and propagating the Dharma. Buddhism has reached its peak of globalization on the twentieth century and along with this, is the birth of the three different main traditions such as Theravada, Mahayana, Tibetan, and Vajrayana Buddhism. Theravada spread in South Asia, Mahayana in East Asia, Tibetan around the Himalayan and Vajrayana Buddhism that spread in Europe, America and.other places. This resulted in the existence of other Buddhist sects, especially in Central Asia.

The twentieth century was a crucial time for the globalization of Buddhism, as it spread from various Asian cultures—South Asian Theravāda, East Asian Mahāyāna, and Tibetan-Himalayan Vajrayāna traditions of Buddhism—to first Europe, then the Americas, and finally Australasian / Oceania and Africa. The development of the Fo Guang Shan monastic tradition, the best representative of modern Chinese Humanistic Buddhism, is an excellent case study of this process, as it established temples and Saṅgha communities in North America, Australasia, South America, Europe and Africa from the 1980s into the start of the 21st century. The FGS monastics who were assigned from Taiwan to be based at these temples thus found themselves at the front line of this remarkable event in the long history of humanity’s cultural and religious exchange.

The Silk Road and the localization of Buddhism in China

Silk Road opened in the second century BC, missionaries and pilgrims began to travel between India, Central Asia and China. Along with the spread of Buddhism it the birth of the three different main traditions such as Theravada, Tibetan, and Mahayana Buddhism which later resulted to the existence of other Buddhist sects, especially in Asia. Looking back into the history of Buddhism, one of the events that are considered relevant, is on how pilgrims, missionaries, and travellers on the silk road were able to introduce and spread Buddhist traditions in China- which in contemporary era made China to have created its own identity which most people referred to as "Chinese Buddhism".

The silk road refers to an ancient route for the trade of Silk and other goods during the Han Dynasty. The routes are used by the Chinese travellers in trading from China to other ancient regions between 130 BCE-1453 CE. Aside from the silk and other goods, silk road was also considered as a route for ideas, which is very significant in the spread of Buddhism in Central Asia.

There was no certain date when Buddhism reached China but along with the opening of the silk road on second century BC, is the start of travel of the Buddhist missionaries and pilgrims along the interconnecting places along the silk road which includes India, China and Central Asia. It was recorded that Buddhism was first heard in China during the 2nd century, when Chang Chi'en returned to Ferghana (capital of Eastern uzbekistan) and has brought the Buddhist teachings from India. Moreover, there was a famous tale from China that the

Emperor Mingdi of Han Dynasty dreamed about the Buddha and thus, decided to send a missionary (Cai Yin) to Central Asia to learn about Buddhism. After three years, Cai Yin returned to China from India and has brought Buddhist figures and scriptures, and two Buddhist monks (She-mo-teng and Chu-fa-lan)with him to preach the dharma in China. It was the first encounter of China with Buddhist monks and later they have established their Buddhist community in Loyang, and they grew in number as the years passed.

Buddhist art, texts and scriptures were also introduced to China. Another missionary named An Shih Kao arrived in China and has built Buddhist temple in Loyang and began the translations of original Buddhist scriptures into Chinese Language. Buddhism was openly accepted by the Chinese people and many more Buddhist travellers have come to spread Buddhism in China. Including Kumarajiva who have organized the translation of Buddhist texts to Chinese and which most are collected and included in the Buddhist canon. Buddhism in China was popular during the Tang dynasty wherein Buddhism have reached out to the ordinary folk. The Buddhist arts and religion kare

sinicized and some evidences are still reflected in the Buddhist images carved and painted in the DunHuang cave. However, there was a setback in Buddhism when Buddhists are persecuted in China and many temples are destroyed which causes the monastic community to defrock. The valuable evidence of the existence of Buddhism in India and Central Asia from 4th to 7th century were found and retrieved. These are the evidence that were left by the Buddhist pilgrims that travels along the silk road, weather from the West to China or from China to India. Some of these Chinese pilgrims were Fa-hsien, Xuan-Zang, and I-tsing and they were known for their great contribution to the history of Buddhism.

In China, Buddhism was localized through the sinicization or transforming Buddhism into something that is relatable to Chinese culture. Buddhism has traveled along the silk road, and through its long years of moving from India to Central Asia and China, Buddhism in China has become a native form. Buddhism gradually changes into a form of Buddhism that suits with the Chinese perspectives and way of life. The rapid spread of Buddhism in northern China broke the cultural barriers between society and elite ruling families. However, the aristocrats and the royal family from southern China secured their monopoly on power. The ancestral faith and worship of India that are related to filial piety are adopted by Buddhism in China as part of the core belief systems. When Buddhism from India reached the East, the Indian monks put emphasis on the translations of the Buddhist scriptures. On the other hand, the

Chinese monks are all engaged in building monasteries. This event is very significant for the existence of Chinese Buddhism. Various significant records of how Buddhism(as a foreign religion) was localized in China and has preserved and established its own cultural identity in East Asia even before Confucian (Rújiā 儒家) and Daoist teachings (Daòjiaò 道教) and Philosophy (Daòjiā 道家; Laŏ-Zhuāng 老莊) become dominant in China.

Humanistic Buddhism and A Humble Monk’s journey: Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s story of bringing Humanistic Buddhism to Taiwan

"Humanistic Buddhism is a new lotus blossom rising out of the mud and opening up to the world." (Venerable Master Hsing Yun)

Humanistic Buddhism was not created by Fo Guang Shan nor by Venerable Master Hsing Yun. Thus, it is rooted in the idea of Master Taixu, on (人生佛教 – Buddhism of Human Life). Master Taixu was considered as "the most prominent Buddhist Modern activist during the era of the Republic" and for him, Buddhism of Human Life is a Buddhism that focuses not only on theory but also putting it into practice. For him, people have a great capability and position to cultivate wisdom and gain merits for them to be enlightened, and thus Buddhists should focus and these capabilities for themselves and for the fellows. He also advocated to reform and renew the Chinese Buddhism by calling it (人生佛教 – Buddhism of Human Life)

The first two characters, "human" and "life", indicating his criticism of several aspects of late Qing dynasty and early Republican Chinese Buddhism that he wished to correct namely an emphasis on spirits and ghosts ("human") and funeral services and rites ("life"). His disciples continued this emphasis.

According to Venerable Yin Shun, the disciple of Master Taixu, Humanistic Buddhism is about emphasizing the active participation in the society and not just on the living. He defined Humanistic Buddhism as what the Buddha have transmitted to the people for the Buddha himself have once lived with the people. Moreover, Humanistic Buddhism was based and originated from the Buddha for he was born and raised as a human and have cultivated himself until he attained enlightenment and vowed to liberate all sentient beings in the human world. Hence, the enlightenment of human is the main purpose and focus of Humanistic Buddhism. According to Venerable Master Hsing Yun, Humanistic Buddhism refers to “Whatever was spoken by the Buddha and needed by the people; all that is pure, good and beautiful; any teachings that can help in increasing human happiness.”

He also said that if Buddhism should be humanistic and life-oriented so that it will be able to reach out to society and the human heart as well as to build cooperation and oneness in life. Once it is reached, then Buddhism becomes what the people need. Dr. Ananda W.P. Guruge stated that Buddhism should always be grounded in monastic and lay communities that emphasize Buddhist teachings and practices and are engaged in giving service to everyone.

According to Richard Kimball(2000), Venerable Master Hsing Yun have come up with the idea on Humanistic Buddhism through capturing the essential teachings of the Buddha and the teachings of some famous buBuddhisteachers like Master HuiNeng and Master Taixu. These teachings are soon developed into a kind of Buddhism that can be applied in today's era. Through developing the teachings of the buddha and putting his own interpretations, Humanistic Buddhism have become something that is suitable to what the people need in their lives. Buddhism has to reach out to the society, only by this that people would know and accept its relevance to their lives.

The Buddha taught ways for transcending earthly suffering as well as how to deal with day-to-day issues in this lifetime. He advocated equality of every human, the interconnectedness of all sentient beings, the sanctity of life and created principles related to developing positive living. In building upon these humanistic ideals, the Grand Master promotes integrating the Buddha's teachings of kindness, compassion, joyfulness and equanimity into daily life for the benefit of both self and others. He has created a world-wide network of temples and chapters which work to bring Buddhism to every corner of this planet. It is his hope that through this process a Pure Land can be developed here so that all sentient beings can positively live their lives in order to move on to the higher levels of existence such as Bodhisattva Hood, Buddhahood and Nirvana.

Venerable Master Hsing Yun and the "Localization" of Fo Guang Shan’s Humanistic Buddhism

"When we actualize altruism, joyfulness, and universality, we are practicing the fundamental concepts of Humanistic Buddhism. When we give faith, hope, joy, and service, we are helping all beings, as well as ourselves." (Venerable Master Hsing Yun) Venerable Master Hsing Yun was born in Jiangsu Province, China in 1927. At age twelve, he entered the monastery at twelve under the

supervision of Venerable Master Zhi Kai. He became a novice monk at Qixia Vinaya College and was fully ordained in 1941. He is the Patriarch of the 48th patriarch of the Linchi (Rinzai) Ch'an school. Due to the civil war in China in the year 1949,he went to Taiwan. There, he began revitalizing the Chinese Mahayana Buddhism and propagate Humanistic Buddhism. He fulfill his dream of

propagating the Dharma by building Lei Yin temple in Yilan and started forming chanting groups, students and youth groups and other organizations. In 1967,.he founded the Fo Guang Shan International Buddhist order in Taiwan which is now considered as the headquarters. He then built more than three hundred other branch temples around the world. For more than fifty years, Venerable Master Hsing Yun devotes himself to put efforts in transforming the world through the teachings and practice of Humanistic Buddhism.

While in Taiwan, he has always been spending his full effort in reaching out to the people in the community. His Dharma lectured are full of insights and sincerity which have captured the attention and the hearts of his audiences. In these dharma lectures, he always remind the people that they can transform the world into a better one by working together as one in transcending and every individual in the most possible and complete way. Venerable Master Hsing Yun promotes Humanistic Buddhism by emphasizing that Enlightenment can be found anywhere. Additionally, he stated that the true nature could be found at the present moment (here and now) just within the cycle of human birth and the world. Thus, he vows to propagate Humanistic Buddhism to be part of the spiritual practice of the society in their daily living.

To propagate the message of the Dharma, Venerable Master Hsing Yun have created the Four Objectives of Fo Guang Shan which are; (1)To propagate Buddhist teachings through cultural activities, (2)To nurture talents through education, (3) To benefit society through charitable programs, and (4) To purify human hearts and minds through Buddhist practices.

(1)To propagate Buddhist teachings through cultural activities

Buddhism reached and was propagated in China more than two thousand years ago. Localization was visible through the unification of both the religious beliefs of the people and their way of daily living. Through centuries, Buddhism from India have become "Chinese Buddhism" because of the merging influences in Chinese literature, dance, music, visual arts, tea ceremony, architectural structures and even the Chinese language. These influences have become an essential part of the Chinese Buddhists' culture,

education and philosophy and these have been preserved and recognized through various artistic representations. In connection to this, Fo Guang Shan propagates the Dharma and promotes Humanistic Buddhism through literary and media publications, culture-related activities, as well as music and arts works and creations.

(2)To nurture talents through education "Eminent monastics in the past have made the same vows: To build temples for the monastics and propagate the Dharma for the liberation of all." The founder of Fo Guang Shan, Venerable Master Hsing Yun, arrived in Taiwan in the midst of chaotic times. Upon seeing the declination of true Buddhism, he deeply felt the importance of education, and comprehended the need for talented people to teach the Buddha’s teachings, organize events, and initiate Buddhist enterprises so that the true Dharma could be preserved.

Venerable Master Hsing Yun, together with his disciples, has established more than 40 Buddhist colleges, systematized rules and regulations, proactively built schools, fostered talented monastics, and constructed the image of monastics. These resulted in many benefits being brought about in society from the works of education and propagation of the Dharma; also bringing many devotees together to support and protect the monasteries and preserve Buddhism. In the future, Fo Guang Shan will actualize the works of education through the 16 Buddhist colleges, four universities, many primary and secondary schools, kindergartens, as well as branch temples in Taiwan and overseas.

Fo Guang Shan emphasizes education and service through building and operating University consortium schools (Fo Guang University, Nanhua University, University of the West, Guang Ming College, Nantien Institute), Buddhist colleges, Buddhist Art galleries, children's home, high school, retirement home, tea houses, free mobile medical clinics, mobile libraries and television station. They also built a Buddhist organization called the "Buddha's Light International Association", which also has active chapters and branches around the world.

"By providing and supporting educational and leadership opportunities, he has worked to improve the status of women in Taiwan. He has held full ordination ceremonies for women of the Mahayana, Theravada, and Vajrayana traditions."

One method that Venerable Master Hsing Yun use in promoting Humanistic Buddhism is by annually organizing several conferences that bring together other Buddhist schools that tackles about discourse on religious topics, especially about the Buddhist community and other major religious groups. He is also a great writer and have written more than a hundred books. These books were translated into many languages and have garnered

awards. Some of his famous works are the Life of Shakyamuni Buddha and the sixteen-volume Fo Guang Buddhist Dictionary that have both won Taiwan's highest humanitarian awards. His biography Handing Down the Light, Hsing Yun's Ch'an Talks, The Lion's Roar, The Hundred Sayings Series, and The Humanistic Buddhism Series are published in Taiwan and are in English. Being Good: A Guide to Buddhist Ethics, Only a Great Rain, Lotus in a Stream, Where is Your Buddha Nature: Stories to Instruct and Inspire are published by American publishers and are in English.

(3) To benefit society through charitable programs

Buddhism began two thousand five hundred years ago, when Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment under the bodhi tree and became the Buddha. He has realized about the liberation from any form of suffering and so he spoke about ways and practice in giving relief and acquiring happiness. In connection to this, Buddhists in ancient times practice the Buddha's teaching on compassion by being engaged in charitable acts that is helpful for the peaceful and healthy body and mind. In the hope of realizing the pure land on earth,

they are helping the people to attain happiness by trying to lessen their suffering and by distributing medicines for physical illnesses. Likewise, Fo Guang Shan are doing charitable works that are long lasting and can continuously benefit humanity. This has become possible because of the support from people coming from around the world. For Venerable Master Hsing Yun, charity is one way of cultivating oneness and loving-kindness. Wherever he goes, he encourages people to unite both the local and global community into a world of complete equality, joyfulness, and perfect peace.

(4) To purify human hearts and minds through Buddhist practices.

Fo Guang Shan has been propagating Humanistic Buddhism for over fifty years. And they have built over three hundred branch temples around the world. This is to provide places of cultivation and to reach out to both buddhists and the non-ddhists society. On behalf of Buddhism, Fo Guang Shan has been contributing in purifying the minds of people by actively giving the Buddhists practices of meditation, Sutra transcription, Dharma Chanting etc. This has been proven to have created a rippling positive effect on people’s lives.

Based on a sense of gratitude towards the Buddha, the country, the parents, and all living beings, resident monastics and many lay devotees at Fo Guang Shan get up at 5:30 am daily to conduct and participate in the morning services of chanting and prostration. In addition, one-day, three-day or seven-day retreats are held frequently at meditation centres affiliated with Fo Guang Shan for both monastics and laity.

Throughout the year there are regular, scheduled and special ceremonies that include, but not limited to, services involving Amitabha, Bhaisajya-guru, Shakyamuni Buddha's Birthday, Great Compassion Chanting, and the Peaceful Lantern Festival. The programs of sutra recitation and lectures associated with these various ceremonies assist the attendants in their diligent practice of Buddhism, the cultivation of self-imposed attitude, the establishment of roots of benevolence and the generation of wisdom. Also there are often organized pilgrimages to Fo Guang Shan from all over the world. During these visits devotees will receive Dharma lectures and classes in Buddhism in the hope of achieving an inner spiritual transformation.

The role of the Sangha Youth community in the localization of Buddhism. Sangha is a Pali word which means association or assembly, who come under the triple gems. And cultivating to Young generation towards Buddha path and right path.However, in the early years of Buddhism, it refers to the community of lay and ordained Buddhists. They were also called "fourfold assembly" referring to monks, nuns, laywomen, laymen.

The Sangha was originally established by Gautama Buddha . After becoming Buddha, the starting sangha from five monk in the fifth century BCE in order . Who were detected and highly disciplined way. Free from the restrictions and responsibilities of household life. But the function of Sangha preserving the Buddha's original teaching to support from family to family and to Buddhist lay community. On the concept of family by a monk\nun that for cultivating self toward buddha's teaching and let the every generation of people to the deep teachings of the buddha that they can use it in daily life , as we already discussed about humanistic Buddhism . Everyone whoever come and

meet that is the other reason of course and effect. And relationship form previous life.so meet in this life. Ordained women and men have many opportunities available to them within the sangha, however, among which are the chance to continue their education and the chance to teach and engage in a variety of social services. Bhikshu and bhikshuni have the same opportunities and responsibilities. Bhikshuni are becoming quite influential to Taiwanese society as their numbers increase and as they expand their activities in society. Among the best known and most revered clerics in contemporary Taiwan are nuns such as Venerable Bhikshuni Cheng-yen who founded the Buddhist welfare society Tzu-chi, the largest charitable organization in Taiwan, and Vener- able Bhikshuni Hiu Wan who is a respected scholar, teacher, artist, and Chan Buddhist master.

There are many communities in all Buddhist sects that have their own communities to let the generation of Buddhism grow more and more in this way development IP and revivling of Buddhism have a big role youth monk, to let Buddhism spreading more and more, for each and every buddhism people. youth are like back born of Buddhism, who are holding Buddhism not only the monk communities but also the communities of lay people. The community monks, particularly the younger generation, became more aware of their strength and responsibility for the country. In Myanmar, most independent activity is suppressed or under the strict control of the state. The monkhood, in contrast, enjoys a high level of immunity and freedom, for instance, with regard to freedom of movement (within the country and abroad)3 or various

social activities, mostly in the local area. The recent events showed that their role in society is not limited to the preservation of religion and rituals. Although there is a developed administration, the dependence of an ordinary monk on the administrative hierarchy is minimal. The Sangha State Committee, the highest administrative body of the Burmese, is regarded by the new generation of monks rather as a care-taker of the government’s religious activities and maintenance of its , than as the body of moral authority for ordinary monks. Most of the members of the Committee are elderly, traditional monks enjoying high privileges and material welfare. They have no real power on community matters because this lies in the hands of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Conclusion

Buddhism underwent a process of localization just like how it spread to China from India to other countries. The Silk Road is considered as the root of this spread of Buddhism.This opened in the second century BC where missionaries and pilgrims began to travel between India, Central Asia and China. In the long-running history of Buddhism, there have been innovations in promoting the Buddha’s teachings and definitely become influential. Along with the spread of Buddhism it the birth of the three different main traditions such as Theravada, Tibetan, and Mahayana Buddhism which later resulted to the existence of other Buddhist sects, especially in Asia.The spread Buddhist traditions in China- led to the creation of today's "Chinese Buddhism". The merging in some folk

religions and other beliefs are the big factors in localization in China. The initiatives of the Buddhist travellers are reflected with the responsibilities of the Buddha to propagate his teachings. In the 20th century, a kind of Buddhism that developed in China is the “Humanistic Buddhism”. Today, Humanistic Buddhism is still being practiced and propagated by Fo Guang Shan, a monastic order that was founded by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, a Buddhist monk from China who have spread Humanistic Buddhism in Taiwan and other countries worldwide through localization. Fo Guang Shan uses "localization" in propagating Humanistic Buddhism and it is reflected in their four main objectives such as (1) propagating Buddhist teachings through cultural activities, (2)nurturing talents through

education, (3) benefiting society through charitable programs, and (4) purifying human hearts and minds through Buddhist practices. In the lens of Mahayana Chinese Buddhism and Modern Chinese Humanistic Buddhism, Fo Guang Shan is considered as the best representative for most developed and influential. Their Sangha community from Taiwan, North and South America, Africa and Europe and other countries have become remarkable in having created many events related to cultural and religious exchanges. Though localization have contributed in Buddhism, there are many challenges that Sangha community encountered. Buddhism today is considered dominant in Asia and is famous in the West, and the Sangha youth community have a great responsibility to maintain and secure the future development of Buddhism.

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Who was the first Chinese traveller to India?byManohar AM, Presently retired from services and living contentedly. https://www.quora.com/Who-was-the-first-Chinese-traveller-to-India/answer/Manohar-AM

Xuanzang (Hsüan-tsang) (602—664)Author Information, Der Huey Lee ,Email: leederhuey@hotmail.com, Peking University, China .https://www.iep.utm.edu/xuanzang/#SH4a https://www.travelchinaguide.com/silk-road/history/traveler-xuanzang.htm

A history of Indian Buddhism: from Sakyamuni to Early Mahayana / Hirakawa Akira ; translated and edited by Paul Groner. p. em. - (Asian studies at Hawaii; no. 36) Translation of: Indo Bukky6 shi. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 0-8248-1203-4http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/A%20History%20of%20Indian% 20Buddhism_From%20Sakyamuni%20to%20Early%20Mahayana_Akira.pdf

Anniversary of the Bhikkhunī Sangha & 30th Anniversary of the First Contemporary Theravāda Sāmanerị̄ Pabbajjās,The 1988 International Bhikkhunī Ordinations at Hsi Lai Temple, Hacienda Heights, Southern California http://present.bhikkhuni.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Honoring-those-Worthy-of-Honor.p df

The Sangha is the third of the Three Jewels in Buddhism. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangha

Buddhism: Origin, Spread and Decline, Pankaj Jain, Contributor, Associate Professor of Indic Studies https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_939679,

Making Saints in Modern China,David Ownby, Vincent Goossaert, Zhe Ji - Buddhism - 2016 - 528 pages https://books.google.co.th/books?id=yQo1DQAAQBAJ&dq=about++the+story+between%E4 %BA%BA%E9%97%B4%E4%BD%9B%E6%95%99+%E4%BA%BA%E7%94%9F%E4% BD%9B%E6%95%99+in+English&sitesec=reviews

The Role of Monkhood in Contemporary Myanmar Society By Sylwia Gil, Specialist on South East Asia and Theravada Buddhism, Warsaw, Poland, September 2008. https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/05699.pdf

The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism edited by Michael Jerryson. https://books.google.co.th/books?id=1MljDQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_vp t_reviews#v=onepage&q&f=false

Engaged Buddhism: Buddhist Liberation Movements in Asia: Christopher S. Queen, Sallie B. King SUNY Press, Jan 1, 2539 BE - Religion - 446 pages https://books.google.co.th/books/about/Engaged_Buddhism.html?id=I5-tjMKJ1ykC&r edir_esc=y