Chinese Studies Symposium(Vol.47 No.2)

The CCS, as part of its Global Chinese Studies Lecture Series, invited visiting foreign scholar Professor Ester Bianchi from the Department of Philosophy at University of Perugia in Italy to speak on the “Significance of Jielü/ Vinaya within the Buddhist Revivals in Modern China.” Vinaya is the regulations for monks in original Buddhism. It is the foundation of the Dharma. The work in circulation today, Vinaya-piṭaka, is believed to be the original vinaya created by Sakyamuni Buddha. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, a gradual increase in Buddhism in the West brought about the interaction between and reform of many Buddhist sects. This also altered the view of Chinese Buddhism towards vinaya. Professor Bianchi believes that the contemporary revival in Chinese Buddhism is the same as the first half of the 20th century- the leaders of the monasteries revived the vinaya with the aim of creating authority. In this way, the monasteries will be respected by the lay believers, who are the key role in Buddhism.