When it comes to the vinaya, the Chinese Buddhist communityis polarized. On one hand you find a pedantic adherence to the most trifling details of the rules, on the other a more than freewheeling attitude which professes only interest in the individual's understanding.
Focusing on personal experience in researching，teaching，and writing on the vinaya, the present author gives an overview of Ven. Yin-shun's idea of "studying buddhadharma through buddhadharma"，a historical method which tallies with the principles of impermanence and selflessness, the traditional sectarian approach as exemplified by Master Hung-i，anthropology for which the sangha is the object of field research, and a multi-pronged approach utilizing ethics, political science，law，sociology as well as psychology. Already published papers by the present writer are adduced as much as possible to serve as examples in order to explain the actual implementation of these methods. A comparison of the crucial differences between the traditional sectarian approach and master Yin-shun's historical method is offered.
Any science can be developed in limitless aspects. Thus even all the methods mentioned above do not include every possibility.
When studying the vinaya, it is by no means important to label oneself proudly an outsider. Insiders do not only have a broader view，but discover also more interesting topics. It is not a question of whether the insider is in a position to do academic research or not. The real question is whether the insider is able to identify problems and has a critical attitude. If he or she is able to identify problems, then material for academic research is offering itself everywhere; if the attitude is a critical one，then every comment will be right to the point，because some hidden but important facts are only visible to the insider.
