日治時期佛教女眾道場的聯合行動：以《韻文釋迦傳》印製為例之探討=Joint Movements in Women-Only Buddhist Practitioner Sites during the Japanese Rule: exploring the publishing and printing of The Biography of Sakya in Verses as a case study
Fa Yun Temple, nestled against Guanyin Mountain in Miaoli’s Dahu, used to represent one of Taiwan’s four major dharma lineages during the Japanese rule. It was founded in 1913 by Master Jueli (AD.1881-1933) and his disciple, Master Miaoguo (AD.1884-1963). Master Jueli, who brought directly to Taiwan the Shouchang Caodong School of dharma lineage derived from Yongquan Ch’an Temple in Fujiang’s Gushan, was dedicated to spreading Buddhist disciplines and commandments throughout his life, and delivered to Taiwan the seven sessions of lectures on Bodhisattva Vows, as well as founding Fa Yun Buddhist School to educate monks. During his lifetime, he focused a great amount of attention on women-only Buddhist education. For instance, in 1925, he strove for Nanying Buddhist School to host women-only Buddhist lectures that lasted six months in Yishan Tang in Hsinchu’s Xiangshan, hence laying the foundation for the fruitful pre-war educational results where women-only Buddhist practitioner sites were plentiful and reverent Buddhist nuns were abundant all under the Fa Yun Temple lineage. Distinguished nuns that have stood out include Venerable Miaoqing, Venerable Miaoran, Venerable Miaoben, Venerable Dajin, Venerable Dachao, Venerable Xuanguan and Venerable Daxin. This paper intends to observe women-only Buddhist practitioner
sites by way of studying the book, The Biography of Sakya in Verses, written and published in 1939 (the 14th year of Showa, Japanese Emperor’s reign) in Houli’s Pilu Temple. Available as free copies to the general public, the book was published by joint donations from disciples raised by monks and nuns in such temples as Yuan Kung Temple in Zhongli, Haihui Temple in Shishan, Pilu Temple in Houli, Lingshan Temple in Wufeng, Jingxiu Temple in Xizhi, Yishan Temple in Xiangshan and Dajue Temple and Baoshan Temple in Taichung. My observations found that these practitioner’s sites are mostly under the Fa Yun Temple dharma lineage of the Caodong School, of which Lingshan Temple in Wufeng is under Keelung’s Lingquan Temple Yuemeishan lineage of the Caodong School. Such is the unique phenomenon of joint movements in cross-lineage women-only practitioners and their individual social influence in the region.
Further still, the book was published in Chinese during the “Japanization Campaign”, and words that implore readers to “Contribute to the Country with Religious Beliefs” appear on the copyright page:“May teachings of Buddhism be spread all over the society; may those who read the book come to believe that one reaps what they sow in Bodhi causes.” The fact that the book could be written and published in Chinese in a time when the use of Chinese was restricted is indeed unusual and precious and reflects the decisive impact that the development of the Fa Yun Temple lineage had during the Japanese rule.
