從佛陀紀念館的社教與休閒功能—探討人間佛教的理念與實踐=Social Education and Leisure Functions of Buddha Memorial Center: Perspectives from the Ideals and Practices of Humanistic Buddhism
The Buddha Memorial Center since the opening has become known internationally as a place of pilgrimage for many tourists. With more than 10 million tourist visits every year, it has become a heated topic for discussion and research about the Museum among Taiwanese. Under the trend of internationalization, the symbolism of a museum becoming a cultural index and a trademark in the town, the Buddha Memorial Center as a window of Taiwanese culture; concern about contemporary public issues, ecological environment as well as international relations. These are important aspects of a contemporary museum. With a main focus on “humans”, demonstrating the due services religion and museums ought to have for societies and responsibilities for social education. Bringing forth the beautiful side of human nature, becoming a place of learning “lifetime education” and “life education” for the visitors’ while they leisure, and satisfying knowledge and living needs, even more so uplifting their purified spirit so that their family, society and the nation will be influenced. One of the important reasons for why museums are attractive to visitors to flood in is the leisure function of the museum. The Buddha Memorial Center operating with the ideals of Humanistic Buddhism as its core, continuously advancing with times, depending on situation and opportunities - presenting the practices of the Bodhisattvas’ paths of “Benefit oneself and others” as its final goal. The results of this research, the Buddha Memorial Center has implemented Humanistic Buddhism within its organization protocol and the founder himself is a role model of ideals and practices, and so the Buddha Memorial Center has become one museum that differs from the others, especially being touched by the warmth, joy and hope. Using leisure and social education methods to meet the needs of people. In terms of promoting and developing leisure and social education, there are rooms for improvement. Not only that, to stand up for an image of Buddhism that is youthful, energetic, pro-active and open heart. Continue to innovate, as creativity will bring in big crowd, and apart from attracting their curiosity, the Buddha Memorial Center has basically been accepted by the public. Through the creativity, many have begun to understand Buddhism and overturn their stereotypes of Buddhist image, in concrete this have helped Buddhism as a whole. Hence, Buddha Memorial Center has become a “Lifetime Education” place for the residents to visit on a regular basis, through the strong promotion of “Leisure Education”, instigating all to develop the habit and attitudes of leisure, and elevating artistic living. Also through meeting the learning needs of all, integrating Humanistic Buddhis m in the world, such as public issues like eco-system environmental protection, plan for activities of special topics, outdoor education, series talks, exhibitions, and promoting our understanding and feelings about the environment. For those searching for inner peace and religious divinity, one may proactively promote cultivation activities as one of their leis
