現代化語境下的宗教樣態有著以下類型的變遷：1.世俗化（宗教神聖性逐漸失去社會重要性；或者宗教從公共領域退出），2.宗教重返（經過自我現代化後的宗教重新進入社會或公共領域而成為重要的社會部門）3.宗教現代主義（教義、儀式、修行等的現代化與理性化/去魅造成宗教的神聖性與世俗性的融為一體）。聖嚴法師禪法教學的現代化一方面可以說讓佛教以接軌現代社會的樣貌「重返」，讓禪修進入一般普羅大眾的日常生活，使社會菁英有機會將禪修帶入其專業領域。另一方面聖嚴法師對於高階看話禪與默照禪的教學有著傳統的堅持，有別於其他佛教禪修的現代化，避免了落入「佛教現代主義」。基於這個觀察，本研究主要分析聖嚴法師的禪修教學與禪修理論，一、如何讓傳統的禪宗禪法與現代意識形態接軌，二、如何避免像現代「內觀禪修」或「正念修習」落入「佛教現代主義」。本研究除了分析聖嚴法師禪法教學相關的著作之外，同時也參考法鼓山資深的禪師或禪眾的禪修體驗。 有別於目前聖嚴法師禪修的相關研究——著重在法師禪法教學或理論的描述，本研究一方面帶入比較的視角（比較內觀禪修或正念修習等現代禪修），來區別聖嚴法師的禪修與其他現代禪修的現代化差異。另一方面帶入宗教重返與宗教現代主義的理論，來說明聖嚴法師的禪法在禪修實踐與其理論上如何超越這兩者的角力。 In the course of modernization, religion has undergone three major changes, namely, 1. secularization: religion loses its socio-political impact or withdraw from public fields; 2. resurging of religion: religion regains its socio-political impact; and 3. religious modernism: conflation of sacredness or otherworldliness with this-worldliness through modernization cum rationalization of religious doctrine and practice. This research finds that emerging from this context of modernization, Master Sheng Yen ’s promotion and teaching of Buddhism meditation is a form of religious resurging. As a result, meditation practice has an impact on commoners’ daily life as well as on various professional social sectors. On the other hand, Master Sheng Yen reformulate Buddhist meditation practice incorporating gradual practice of śamatha and vipaśyanā meditation as a basis and traditional Go’an and Silent Illumination meditation of the Chan School as a culmination of Buddhist soteriology. In so doing, Master Sheng yen’s teaching of meditation connecting Buddhist tradition with modernity yet avoiding the problematics of “Buddhist modernism” as addressed by the scholars in the case of “Mindfulness movement” or other form of “new meditation movement”.
