Introduction to the Sheng Yen Center for Chinese Buddhist Studies
The Sheng Yen Education Foundation established the Sheng Yen Center for Chinese Buddhist Studies (the “Institute”) to promote the development and integration of academic studies on Chinese Buddhism. A core tenet of the Institute is the study of Chinese Buddhism in view of its place in our global Buddhist heritage.
As used in this context, the term ‘Chinese Buddhism’ does not denote a type of Buddhism defined by a regional or national identity. Rather, it designates the broader Buddhist cultural sphere formed by the transmission of Buddhism through the vehicle of Chinese language texts. This sphere historically included Japanese Buddhism, Korean Buddhism, and Vietnamese Buddhism. Moreover, with roots in Indian Buddhism; and intimate ties to Tibetan Buddhism, this form of Buddhism is truly all encompassing.
The Institute aims to raise the bar of research on Chinese Buddhism in Taiwan by adopting measures including exploiting inter-disciplinary resources and cross-disciplinary approaches, driving cooperation between different fields, providing scholarships and nurturing talent, develop distinctive and pioneering research directions and projects, and promoting international collaboration and exchange.
The Institute’s Work
1. Hold academic conferences to create a platform for bringing together academic research and facilitate inter-disciplinary exchange.
* Modern Chinese Buddhism Forum
* Sheng Yen International Conference
2. Set up scholarships; and nurture talent
* Academic collaboration projects
* Grants for academic publications
* Grants for academic conferences
* Scholarships for Sheng Yen Chinese Buddhism Master theses and Ph. D. dissertations
* Awards for outstanding Sheng Yen Chinese Buddhism Ph. D. dissertations
* Workshop grants and assistance for conducting workshops
3. Develop distinctive and forward-looking research projects
* Chinese Buddhism and thoughts of Master Sheng Yen
* Interdisciplinary research blending Buddhism and social science
4. Carry out research work and recruit or bring together researchers
5. Facilitate international exchange and collaboration
6. Academic journals
* Sheng Yen studies
* Series on Modern Chinese Buddhism
7. Other
* Lecture series