Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.63

v1.c7.63

Taixu introduced the revival of Chinese Buddhism to the Chinese in India. He pointed out that “Chinese Buddhism is on the way from decline to revival.” He urged the Indian Chinese to set up Buddhist organisations, with the belief that ”if they can set up Buddhist societies, this will, on the one hand, raise the morality of countrymen residing abroad and also advance even more their spirit of unity. On the other hand, because India is the homeland of Buddhism, even though there now are no monks and temples, Buddhist thought still fills the mind of everyone in India. Moreover, Sri Lanka and Myanmar all have their Buddhist organisations in India. We must also have matching organisations, set up Buddhist teams of Overseas Chinese and have Buddhist relations with Indians and with every country. It can strengthen us internationally. I hope you can set up divisions of Buddhist societies, in order to increase the well-being of all, to increase harmony between China and India and to internationally strengthen the power of our Chinese Republic!” Under the influence of Taixu, the Chinese in India set up organisations. They restored Chinese Buddhist temples in Kolkata, Bodh Gaya etc. The Chinese Buddhist temple of the Deer Park (Sarnath) was built through the contribution of an Overseas Chinese from Singapore, Li Juncheng. Furthermore, there were many Tibetan lamas living and studying in the different holy places in India and they built Tibetan temples. Taixu was a propagator of world culture. He sent his disciple, Fafang, to South Asia and to southeast Asia to study and to propagate Chinese Buddhism of the greater vehicle. Master Fafang took up a teaching post at the Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan in West Bengal, India. He thought that “when we understand the present, study the law of Buddha and propagate Buddha’s law, it is just not enough to take China as one’s object. Because we must save China, we have to save the world first. When the whole world knows peace and when humankind knows happiness, only then can China be saved. That is why one should take world Buddhism as one’s object when studying Buddha’s law now. When propagating Buddha’s law, one must have mankind in the whole world as one’s object.” He travelled to the Buddhist countries of Myanmar, India and Sri Lanka and engaged with the Buddhist scholars and believers in the different countries.He thus believed that he could really unite all Buddhists in the world and let Buddha’s light illuminate the whole world because "truly representing eastern culture, only Confucianism and Buddhism can do that. Buddhism basically aspires to save the world with kindness and compassion and to save all beings. The spirit of egolessness and of fearlessness can remedy the disadvantages of western technological civilisation." In order to strengthen Buddhist and cultural exchanges between China and India, Taixu specially sent five monks to India to study Buddhism. After completing their studies, these monks returned home and became famous Chinese scholars at the time. They made active contributions in the development of India-China Buddhist culture.