Andre Centric Feminist Theory; Feminist Research; Mai, Lai-man; 梅迺文
摘要
The ideal of pure land on earth is to bring the pure land of Buddhism into the human realm，to establish the ideal land in this world of human. However，this world is composed of women and men，without the full participation and support of either gender there will be no chance to accomplish the pure land on earth. The full participation requests equally participate in every aspect of life，such as religion，economy，education，society，politics, etc. This article attempts to discuss this issue from the perspective of feminist theory and foundation of woman's studies. It is not recommended to follow the tradition way to treat religion，which is merely from the Andre centric standpoint to consider the discourse of pure land on earth. With the full participation of women this ideal of pure land on earth will be possible to be succeeded.
Before the success of this ideal，there must be recognition that the pure land on earth is not fully accomplished at present. There are many ways we can work out to achieve the ideal and to change the present situation，such as to change the inequality of man and woman from cognition，attitude and actual social status, especially the gender issue in religion. Nevertheless, in the past twenty years the women's studied offer many help to improve this phenomenon of the real pure land on earth. When the disappear of discrimination and oppression of all kinds, the pure land on earth will be actualized on earth truly.
In any religion and society，any member of one gender thinks he or she is better or inferior to other merely because of one's gender，this way of thinking shows the discrimination and not the ideal situation in pure land. The worse is to use this excuse of being higher or lower to justify one's attitude and action. This is not the attitude one should expect if one practices Mahayana with a bodhisattva vow. To establish pure land on earth must start from a healthy personality，neither the oppressor nor the suppresser is the person we wish to be with in pure land. People with a distorted personality would not be able to establish a pure land on earth. Therefore this article attempts to discuss the important issue of the equality of gender in the establishment of pure land on earth from the perspective of feminism and woman's studies.
