台湾佛教直到纪元1895年前后，与往常一样经由受戒，纯受闽南佛教特别是鼓山涌泉寺的影响。但在纪元1917年以后，台湾佛教有了独自传戒的能力，也象征着台湾佛教能独立自主了。寺院的功能也从只是从事祭典追求现世利益而转向教理的研究，在如此的成长时空中，台湾佛教与闽南佛教仍然维系着相当良好的关系，除了上文中提到的人物如太虚、会泉、慧云、良达外，尚有圆瑛师等，另一方面与日本传入台湾的各宗派所谓八宗十四派的接触交流，自是当然的趋势。特别是与曹洞宗、临济宗的关系，比较其它宗派都来得密切，主要原因是台湾佛教都以禅宗自居的缘故，如基隆的灵泉寺和新竹的法云寺是曹洞宗的末寺，而台北的凌云禅寺和台南开元寺则是临济宗的联络寺院，在当时堪称是台湾佛教的这四大道场，除了开元寺是明郑时代就有的[73][73] 之外，其余的三座寺院都是日本统治时代才出现的道场。[74][74] 这四大道场的子孙，都受了来自日本佛教的影响而留学于日本，但与闽南的关系也没中断，这从其子孙有留学于闽南佛学院的情况，即可证明，只是限于篇幅，笔者将留在日后发表之。
在此值得注目的，是在如此的留学风潮中，尼众也不落人后，不过她们留学的地方都是日本的名古屋关西尼学林，再由此转入东京驹泽大学者。[75][75] 由于教育程度的提升，独立自主的能力也应随之增长，尼僧在台湾自然有其存在的空间，上述如学师就是一个例子。除她之外，如出身大岗山龙湖庵、嘉义半天岩寺、高雄兴隆寺故住持天乙师也是一位值得敬仰的尼师。其门下有位叫悟因尼师，目前她所住持的嘉义竹崎香光寺，是座拥有八十多名比丘尼的道场，又其在高雄的紫竹林精舍，常年所举办的成年佛学教育相当成功，颇有口碑，[76][76] 又如证严尼师的慈济功德会及其所属的事业；慈济医院、慈济大学；还有晓云尼师的华梵大学，都是尼僧在台湾所做的教育文化救济的具体事迹，如此尼众在台湾能拥有一片天地来发挥，其因素很多，但不能忽视日治时代以来一般民众教育水平的提升；当时台湾四大道场僧侣人材的培育，尤其是法云寺派的尼众子孙，加上台湾社会能提供如此的环境；当然尼僧的自我努力，弘法护教的热忱，具有洞察社会演变的智慧眼，更是不可或缺的条件。尼僧在台湾所缔造出的成果，值得介绍的当然还有，篇幅所限，只有留待来日再做探讨。（纪元1998年7月30日完稿）
The Development of the Nuns Order in Taiwan:An Overview from the Perspective ofTaiwanese-Hokkien-Japanese Buddhist InteractionVen. Huey-yenAssociate Researcher,Chung-Hwa Institute of Buddhist StudiesSummary
By the end of the 20th Century the female Sangha in Taiwan have had brilliant achievements in the areas of education, charity, and environmental protection. This is attributed to the fact that the level and quality of education within the female Sangha can stand up to society’s standards. However, even though this achievement has been built on Taiwan’s extensive contemporary education, the historical background of the local Taiwanese Sangha should not be ignored. Even though Buddhism now has a 400-year history in Taiwan, no great Buddhist master emerged there until the Japanese occupation in 1895, probably because the island’s environment at that time did not necessitate one. But it should also be taken into account that Buddhist institutions in Taiwan at that time did not have any qualified Sangha to give precepts and, as a result, the cleric had to travel to Kushan Mountain in Fujian in order to receive precepts and ordination. The despondent mood of the Chinese Buddhist environment was also a factor.
After the Japanese occupation, however, efforts were made in the area of education. The Taiwan Buddhist Middle School and the Nan Yin Buddhist Association were established in the 6th and 10th year of the emperor Taisho’s reign respectively, with the objective of cultivating Buddhist Sangha and alms donors. Local monasteries also began to have independent preceptors. From the above-mentioned perspective, this research paper analyses Buddhist interaction in Taiwan and Hokkien; the ordination of Taiwanese Sangha in Kushan Mountain and, after the 42nd year of Meiji’s reign, in local Taiwanese monasteries; the emergence of the Bikkhuni in the 8th year of Taisho’s reign; the establishment of three major nunneries; and developments within the general populace.
Key words: 1. unordained monks/nuns 2. ordained monks/nuns 3. the first appearance of Buddhist nuns in Taiwan 4. ordination in Taiwan 5. the three major nunneries
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