Passing the light : the Incense Light community and Buddhist nuns in contemporary Taiwan / Chün-fang Yü.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Yü, Chün-fang, 1938- author.

Series:

Topics in contemporary Buddhism

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Buddhist nuns--Taiwan.

Buddhist nuns.

Buddhist sanghas--Taiwan.

Buddhist sanghas.

Buddhist monasticism and religious orders for women--Taiwan.

Buddhist monasticism and religious orders for women.

Wuyin, Shi.

Wuyin.

Taiwan.

Physical Description:

xi, 243 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

Honolulu : University of Hawaiʻi Press, 2013.

Summary:

The term "revival" has been used to describe the resurgent vitality of Buddhism in Taiwan. Particularly impressive is the quality and size of the nuns' order. Passing the Light is the first in-depth case study of the Incense Light community, a small but influential order of highly educated nuns who dedicate themselves to teaching Buddhism to lay adults. The work begins with a historical survey of Buddhist nuns in China, followed by discussions on the early history of the Incense Light community; the life of one of its most prominent leaders; and the crucial role played by Buddhist studies societies on college campuses, where many nuns were first introduced to Incense Light. Later chapters look at the curriculum and innovative teaching methods at the Incense Light seminary and the nuns' efforts to teach Buddhism to adults. The work ends with portraits of individual nuns, providing details on their backgrounds, motivations for becoming nuns, and the problems or setbacks they have encountered both within and without the Incense Light community. This engaging study enriches the literature on the history of Buddhist nuns, seminaries, and education, and will find an appreciative audience among scholars and students of Chinese religion, especially Buddhism, as well as those interested in questions of religion and modernity and women and religion. Book jacket.

Contents:

Introduction: why study nuns?

The beginning of the Incense Light community

Wuyin, the guiding light of the community

College Buddhist studies societies

Incense Light Buddhist Seminary for nuns

Buddhist adult classes

Profiles of individual nuns.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 225-235) and index.

ISBN:

9780824836580

0824836588

9780824838126

0824838122

OCLC:

805655111