從「信徒的社會階層」探討人間佛教道場的發展 — 以佛光山台北道場為例=The Social Classes and the Development of Humanistical Buddhism --- the Case Study of the Devotees in Fo Guang Shan Taipei Vihara
Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism written by sociologist Max Weber mentioned that majority of the Protestants come from middle class. While humanistic Buddhism also promote the union of leaving and joining the secular life, do the devotees also come from middle class? Bearing this motive in mind, this study employs a questionnaire as the major means of investigation and literature analysis to aid in the research. We use Fo Guang Shan Taipei Vihara as the subject of research to study and analyze the social classes of humanistic Buddhists and the influence of humanistic Buddhism to their devotees and integrating the findings of the research, we predict the social trends, analyze the resources of humanistic Buddhist monasteries and state suggestions for the future development of humanistic Buddhist monasteries. The findings, the social status of humanistic Buddhist devotees pertains to female, white collar, high-school and above education and aged between 41 and 60. There are nine effects of humanistic Buddhist preaching by the temple to their devotees: firstly, a transition of Taiwanese Buddhists’ knowledge of Buddhism from traditional outback Buddhism to multidimensional humanistic Buddhism. Secondly, there is a high sense of cohesion among devotees and stability of activity attendance. Thirdly, more than twenty five percent of the surveyed individuals are involved in volunteering work. Fourth, certain degree of influence exerted upon the devotee’s optimism towards life. Fifth, individuals with high educational status tend to enter the Buddhist organization via community education center and those with lower educational status pertains to chanting and meditation. Sixth, for devotees under the age of twenty accepted Buddhist chanting, bowing and worshipping poorly and tend to be in high agreement with their values of life through volunteering work. Seventh, knowledge acquisition pertains to scripture reading or learning dharma from various activities, rather than ch’an and pure land practice. Eighth, housewives and blue-collar are in higher agreement of the statement “joining volunteering work can improve the value of life” than white-collar. Lastly, the longer and more frequently of surveyed individuals participated in the activities of the temple, the higher coherence and greater degree of agreement they show to the statements: “dharma propagation is more efficacious through classes, Buddhist chanting, television and newspaper”, “learning Buddhism changes view on life and interpersonal relationships”, “study camps and volunteering work can raise the value of life”, “worshipping to the Buddha, sutra chanting and chanting Buddha’s name helps in experiencing Buddhist practice and is willing to arrange for time to practice.” Resources of a humanistic Buddhist monastery using Fo Guang Shan Taipei Vihara as an example including the flexible us
