Based on ＂That's What I Have Said＂, the novel name of Dongnian (Shun-Hsien Chen, 1950-, Yilan), this study explores how he integrated his Buddhist interpretation in the stories of his three novels, The Ksitigarbha-Pranidhana Temple (1994), That's What I Have Said (1996), and Return of Buddha (2015), while reflecting society, humanity, and ethics. These stories reveal the common issues of religious organizations in Taiwan and convey his thoughts on human relations, life and death, magical power, the power of prayer, and original Buddhism. In these three novels, although he significantly translated the allusions in the classics of Buddhism, he did not simply explore the process to Paradise. He revealed his care for earthen life and the criticism on history and society. This study aims to first explore The Ksitigarbha-Pranidhana Temple and Return of Buddha, which were published 20 years apart, and observe the extensive thoughts. It will also discuss Dongnian's selection of materials in the new version of Buddhism and the implied meanings to elaborate on the significance of his writing in the religious literature of Taiwan.
