Religious education for Buddhists and general education run by Buddhist organizations : focused on examples in the Chinese world
Item abstract only
Author
Hengyucius See all items with this value
Date
2003
Volume
4
Pages
151-170
ISSN
1530-4108 See all items with this value
Abstract
Religious education for Buddhists has a history of more than 2500 years; however, general education run by Buddhist organizations in the whole world just began in 20th century. Based on the distinction of "religious education for Buddhists" and "general education run by Buddhist organizations" in an academic sense, this paper mainly discusses four problems pertaining to current religious education for Buddhists and another four problems relating to current general education run by Buddhist organizations, as well as the potential practical approaches of promoting the effectiveness of such education in the context of globalization.
Academically, it is not the aim but the essential basis of this paper to find where the current problems of religious education for Buddhists and general education run by Buddhist organizations are. As a result, this paper especially emphasizes that Buddhist and related educators should try their best to reform their institutional structures and reconstruct their educational conceptions to make a comprehensive progress of their humanistic education whilst respecting and succeeding the values of Buddhist traditions.
The formal education relating to Buddhism should be further modernized, enlarged, standardized and globalized. Otherwise, Buddhism will remain in a difficult situation to develop itself in a steady way. Also, it will be difficult for Buddhism to attain a broad acceptance by the general public, and to better contribute to the world peace and human happiness.
Academically, it is not the aim but the essential basis of this paper to find where the current problems of religious education for Buddhists and general education run by Buddhist organizations are. As a result, this paper especially emphasizes that Buddhist and related educators should try their best to reform their institutional structures and reconstruct their educational conceptions to make a comprehensive progress of their humanistic education whilst respecting and succeeding the values of Buddhist traditions.
The formal education relating to Buddhism should be further modernized, enlarged, standardized and globalized. Otherwise, Buddhism will remain in a difficult situation to develop itself in a steady way. Also, it will be difficult for Buddhism to attain a broad acceptance by the general public, and to better contribute to the world peace and human happiness.