佛學數位資源的服務功能──以藏經目錄資料庫的建置為例

“Functionality of A Buddhist Digital Resource Service: Using the Construction of the Tripitaka Catalogues Database

This paper uses the construction of “The Tripitaka Catalogues database” as an example to explore the “service functionality” of modern Buddhist digital collection. It reflects on the difference between the functionality of digital documents versus traditional documents written by ancient people; what functional similarities and differences exist between the paper and digital forms. Also, it discusses where improvements might be made in the modern digital database in order to make breakthroughs in the current state of things and thus provide more innovative and comprehensive digital services.
This article is divided into three main sections: “The functional plan and digitalization of the Buddhist Tripitaka Catalogues,” “The function and special features of the digital Tripitaka Catalogues database” and “The multilingual scripture database structure and colophon.” Therein, the article introduces “Buddhist Studies” as a basic construct of the scripture content and operational process, along with the completed digital gains of “information technology.” After a synopsis of scriptural research and IT integration, it also provides the function of searching the scriptures via words, time, place, etc.
Finally, aside from evaluating incomplete work and sections that need improvement, it also raises the question of whether to expand the database to include Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan and other languages in which Buddhist writings exist and carry out a truly International Buddhist digital integrated research program. At the same time, in the future, we hope that we can have the opportunity to gain the user's perspective in order to improve and expand the retrieval system. Also, partner with the Dharma Drum Buddhist College's “Authority Databases” in order to standardize the names of the classics with the people names, place names, time and other standard terms. Experts and scholars can carry on the cooperation between Buddhist studies and IT toward the Web2.0 ideal of multiple user participation and interaction. This can be used as the basis for the development of future policies and achieves its goal of exploring the functions of digital services.