Page 33 - 加拿大佛教会湛山精舍杂志季刊第46期

在美國快速傳播。品道法師及其領導的美國佛 spread fast in America. Under the leadership of Mas-
教聯合會為漢傳佛教在美國的弘揚作出了積極 ter Pindao, the Buddhist Association of the United

貢獻。如今美國佛教徒占全國總人口的比例超 States made a positive contribution in promoting Han
過了1%，越來越多的美國本土人士皈依佛教， Chinese Buddhism.
佛教美國化程度不斷提高，形成了重視禪修、 Today, over one percent of US citizens are Bud-

重視參與社會、重視宗教對話的鮮明特色。佛 dhists. With more and more Americans converting to
教對現代美國人精神世界的塑造產生了重要影 Buddhism, its Americanization increases – forming

響，對美國多元文化與多元宗教和諧共存作出 its own distinctive characteristics in valuing medita-
了十分重要的貢獻。 tion, social participation and religious dialogue. Bud-
The earliest Buddhism in the United States was dhism has played an important role in shaping the
also introduced by Chinese labourers. At the end of spiritual world of modern Americans, and has made

the nineteenth century, the US government abolished a significant contribution to harmonious coexistence
the ‘Chinese Exclusion Act’, ushering in a new dawn between American multiculturalism and religious

for the development of Chinese Buddhism there. In pluralism.
1929, Grand Master Taixu arrived to give speeches 回顧歷史，我們不難發現，佛教弘傳北美，
and promote Dharma teachings, propagating Han 沒有堅船利炮開道，沒有強大資本支持，靠的是

Chinese Buddhism in the United States. After World 佛教慈悲智慧的精神，靠的是一代代佛弟子為法
War II, especially in the nineteen fifties and sixties, 忘軀、勇猛精進的廣大願行，靠的是居士信眾的

Buddhism and Chan (Zen) provided an important 至誠發心與虔心護持。這充分說明一切眾生皆有
spiritual reference and ideological resource for gen- 佛性，充分彰顯了佛教跨越時空、種族、民族、
erations of young Americans rebelling against social 國家、文化界限的精神魅力與永恆價值，充分展

norms. It reflected the culture of the time, helping 現了佛教彌合心靈鴻溝、促進不同文明和諧共
people contemplate the value of life as they explored 存、維護世界和平的積極作用和寶貴價值。
their inner minds. Under such karmic affinity, emi- Looking back into history, it isn’t difficult to see

nent and virtuous monks of Han Chinese Buddhism that the expansion of Buddhism in North America has
from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan came not relied on powerful ships and cannons to clear its
to the US one after another, to establish organiza- way, nor has there been support from powerful capi-

tions and places for Dharma practice. They actively tals. It has depended solely upon Buddhism’s spirit of
engaged in the cause of promoting Dharma, which compassionate wisdom, as well as the selfless sacri-

resulted in great achievements in the development fice of generations of Buddhist disciples for Dharma.
of Chinese Buddhism in the USA. At the same time, It has also relied on their grand aspirations and ex-
Tibetan Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism also tensive practices during their courageous advance-

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