Bhikkhu Chang Sui
Assistant to the Office of Male Monastics Academic Affairs
Dharma Drum Sangha University
Abstract： Practicing what they have learned of Dharma， dissolving ego and then finding the way to liberation， is the purpose of the monastic。 Also， by actively dedicating themselves and applying what they have learned of Dharma to establish a “pure land on earth”， the monastic will foster merits and virtues for attaining the Buddhahood； Meanwhile， the Sangha is a provider for complete monastic education and training， a community to help its monastic members grow and transform， and a ground for them to make vows to reach out and accomplish the Buddhahood。 This essay is trying to provide an outline of modern sangha education， via reviewing and discussing the education system from the perspective of Vinaya and ancient Chan precepts to depict what is proceeding in the Dharma Drum Mountain World Center for Buddhist Education。
Key words：The Gate of Nondualism Vimalakīrti Sūtra purity education system the incorporated system of study and practice。
The term－“The Gate of Nondualism”－ is presented in the Vimalakīrti Sūtra （S。 vimalakīrti－nirde？a； Wéimójié suǒshuō jīng維摩詰所說經） and renowned in the tradition of the Chinese Buddhism （including Taiwan， China， Japan， Korea， Vietnam）。 The term－ “Nondualism”－ implies that things appear distinct yet inseparable from each other。 More， the function of “The Gate of Nondualism” is to break through the obstacle of “Duality” that is imbedded in people’s thoughts and behaviors， including notions such as self/other， mind/body， male/female， good/evil， active/passive， increasing/decreasing， born/destroyed， pure/impure， existence/nonexistence…etc。 In this respect of duality， it is totally wrong to conceive that the two extremes of “conventional existence” and “ultimate reality” have discrete reality or “being” in and of themselves。 The verse－“form is not other than emptiness； emptiness precisely is form”－ show us the same idea of “Nonduality” perfectly， addressed in the Heart Sūtra。 They are interfused and identical， one and the same。 It is with this real and lively experience of enlightenment — “emptiness” no longer a proposition but a realization — that Chan itself is identified。 Therefore， the Platform Sutra states that seeking enlightenment apart from the phenomenal world is like looking for horns on a rabbit。
Indeed， in the teaching of “The Gate of Nondualism”， the Vimalakīrti Sūtra offers many inspiring passages throughout the context。 There is a strong relationship between the claim of “When the mind is pure， the Buddha land is pure。” depicted in the Vimalakīrti Sūtra and the claim of “A pure land on earth” in contemporary world。 Based on this concept， Dharma Drum Mountain is established and advocates this vision with two verses “Uplift the character of humanity， and build a pure land on earth”， which means： Practicing what they have learned of Dharma， dissolving ego and then finding the way to liberation， is the purpose of the monastic。 Also， by actively dedicating themselves and applying what they have learned of Dharma to establish a “pure land on earth”， the monastic will foster merits and virtues for attaining the Buddhahood。； Meanwhile， the Sangha is a provider for complete monastic education and training， a community to help its monastic members grow and transform， and a ground for them to make vows to reach out and accomplish the Buddhahood。
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作者：
释常随
编辑：
栓子
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