The intention of this papers is to show how Humanistic Buddhism developed over 2500 years ago and has “re-become” in today’s world due in large part to the determined and steadfast efforts of Grand Master Hsing Yun of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order which has its main temple in southern Taiwan. From its beginnings in northern India by Sakyamuni Gautama to its currnt renaissance, Buddhism has gone through many transformations and developments. Grand Master Hsing Yun has attempted to capture the original essence of the Buddha’s teachings, especially those related to application in today’s world, as well as to developing new interpretations appropriate to current needs. He has built his belief as well as actions not only on the original teachings of the Buddha but also on the experiences and insights of previous masters such as sixth Patriarch of Chan, Ven. Hui Neng, and Ven. Tai Xu. The Buddha taught ways for transcending earthly suffering as well as how to deal with day-to-day issues in this lifetime. He advocated equality if every human, the interconnectedness of all sentient beings, the sanctity of life and created principles related to developing positive living. In building upon these humanistic ideals, the Grand Master promotes intergrating into daily life for the benefit of both self and others. He has created a world-wide network of temples and chapters which work to bring Buddhism to every corner of this planet. It is his hope that through this process a Pure Land can be developed here so that all sentient beings can positively live their lives in order to move on to the heigher levels of existence such as Bodhisattvahood, Buddhahood and Nivan. This paper show how the Grand Mater emerged out of th chaos of 1940s China to create the system of Fo Guang Shan which is substantially influencing many cultures through his writings , teachings and social actions. Finally, the future of Humanistic Buddhism is explored through studying the current structure of Fo Guang Shan and obtaining viewpoints from many members within it including the Grand Master himself.
