「佛教與暴力」之研究評述與方法省思

A Review of Research and Methodological Reflection on Buddhism and Violence

“Buddhism and violence” has become a popular topic in Buddhist studies since World War II, and has developed a certain problematics and its own research paradigm. This paper attempts to review and reflect on some recent researches in order to explore the best way to discuss the issue of “Buddhism and violence.” This review points out the limitations of text-centered approach and its construction of “Pure Buddhism.” It also suggests to move from a substantive approach to a functionalist approach, and explores polyphonic hermeneutical paths in the context of Chinese and Western philosophies. Finally, I went back to the Chinese historical context. Although Buddhist violence in the emergence of the modern nation-state has its own unique context, it is nothing new, but rather has a much earlier origin. Through examining the involvement of Buddhist monasteries and monks in violent conflicts and wars during the Medieval China will not only help gain a better understanding of the characteristics and social functions of Chinese Buddhism, but also provide an important reference in dealing with “Buddhism and violence” in the modern era. This paper reviews the recent researches and reflects on their methods. It also explores the best ways to study it in the context of the established Buddhist academic discourse.