(英文版) 悟吧！在世界佛教村 Global Buddhist Awakening

Master Sheng Yen （1930?2009A.D.）was born in 1930 and became a monk in 1943. He conducted a six-year solitary retreat, after which he went to Japan for further study and obtained a doctorate in Buddhist literature at Rissho University. In 1975, he began sharing the Dharma in the US, and in 1989, founded the Dharma Drum Mountain organization. In 2005, he established the Dharma Drum Lineage of Chan Buddhism, as an effort to reinvent Chinese Buddhism.

He authored more than 100 publications in Chinese, English, and Japanese, and received the Sun Yat-sen Art and Literary Award, the Sun Yat-sen Academic Award, and the Presidential Cultural Award, among other honorary awards.

He proposed the vision of "uplifting the character of humanity and building a pure land on earth,"and founded the Chung-Hwa Institute of Buddhist Studies, Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts, and Dharma Drum Sangha University. Experienced in Chan with correct approaches, he guided practice in both the West and East. Popularizing the Dharma in modern language, the Master initiated movements including Protecting the Spiritual Environment, Four Kinds of Environmentalism, the Fivefold Spiritual Renaissance Campaign, and the Six Ethics of the Mind. He shared the Dharma globally with a broadminded perspective, winning him worldwide recognition.

Given at the Murray Bergtraum High School, New York, December 10, 1994

As we approach the millennium, I'm going to share with you some ideas about what Buddhism will be like in the 21st century. What will Buddhists be doing, and what should they be doing in the 21st century? First, I want to make clear that this talk is not meant to be a prediction of the future; it's not that I can foresee what the 21st century will be like. Instead, I intend to look at the possible future scenarios based on where we are today, which I will discuss in seven aspects.

Religion Will Prosper

(1) Many are predicting that religion will play a more significant role in our lives as we enter the 21st century. In modern times materialistic progress has led to an imbalance of the ecology; we can't wait long enough to conquer and control nature through technology and human interference. But in fact, it is destructive actions by human beings that results in the imbalance of the ecology, endangering our living environment.

(2) People today live in a stressful uneasy environment, especially in industrial and commercial societies. Within the family, at work, or at leisure, sleeping or waking, life is stressful and busy. Religion on the other hand, gives us a sense of stability and security, bringing peace and calm into our stressful, hectic lives.

(3) Some people believe that philosophy can explore and solve problems, and that science can bring well-being to society and humanity. But in fact, most people find these lofty ideas hard to understand, and as advanced as modern science is, people aren't living happier, more peaceful, and more secure lives. Through religious belief and spiritual practice, especially that of Buddhism, we can experience and realize that though the environment can be harsh and hostile, our inner world can be full of wisdom and compassion to be uncovered and developed. The concepts and methods of Buddhism can help us develop a universally embracing and tolerating mind to accept all people and all things; this acceptance and tolerance can enable us to have a safe and secure sense of belonging under any circumstances.

(4) Today people are busy with living, enjoying material abundance, and pursuing careers, but neglect those around them whom they think are irrelevant. So we should use religious and ethical principles to help us rebuild humanity and morality. The Buddha's teachings stress generosity and upholding moral precepts, which together can help us create extensive karmic affinities with others, thus greatly improving social relations.