Hermeneutics has been an important momentum behind traditions of East Asian culture and thoughts. Throughout millennia, from India to China, one of the important way for thoughts to evolve is to unfold via different commentaries. The complex content in Buddhist hermeneutics calls for new discussion. As a famous modern erudite monk, Master Sheng Yen had some unique interpretation on Buddhist texts. He employs modern concepts in historiography to study Buddhism and Buddhist thoughts. At the same time, he inherits methodology from Confucianists with a modern touch. This paper takes Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra as an example to illustrate his characteristics and contribution on Buddhism. I will put Master Sheng Yen’s exposition on Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra under the context of all commentaries on Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra and modern Buddhist hermeneutics. I will approach Master Sheng Yen’s profound thoughts from three aspects: historic, textual, and societal. There are three major sections in this paper. 1. Analysis of history of hermeneutics on Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra in Chinese Buddhism. 2. New direction in modern Buddhism on Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra. 3. Master Sheng Yen’s interpretation on Buddhist texts and the unique significance of his Six Commentaries on the Vimalakirti Sutra.
