Volume five of Studies on Humanistic Buddhism contains eight articles translated from Chinese, one article that was written in English, and four student papers. The theme of the articles is Humanistic Chan Buddhism, particularly Fo Guang Chan as developed by Venerable Master Hsing Yun. The articles in this volume give us a taste of the flavor of Chan. We see that Chan is both prosaic and profound. Chan emphasizes the cultivation of wisdom through practice in everyday life.
In today’s Buddhist sphere, numerous claims have been made on what the Buddha has taught. However, were these teachings truly spoken by the Buddha? The Buddha-Dharma: Pure and Simple series is an exploration of over 300 topics, where Venerable Master Hsing Yun clarifies the Buddha’s teachings in a way that is accessible and relevant to modern readers. Erroneous Buddhist views should be corrected, the true meaning of the Buddha must be preserved to hold true to the original intents of the Buddha. All Buddhist practice begins with right view, for it is the compass that points toward the true path of cultivation. This fifth installment continues laying the groundwork of this foundation by addressing age-old misconceptions. Covering a wide range of social issues from the perspective of the Buddha-Dharma, Venerable Master offers readers a practical but profound approach to Buddhist practice in daily life.
