Puti xuehui 菩提學會

Current revision as of 00:31, 15 January 2011

There were at least two lay groups called the Bodhi Study Society 菩提學會 during this period; both were dedicated to spreading Tibetan esoteric Buddhism 西密. These groups often hosted traveling lamas. (It is unclear if the names of these groups are related to the Mahā Bodhi Society 摩訶菩提學會 founded by Anagarika Dharmapala.)

Shànghǎi Bodhi Study Society: Shànghǎi pútí xuéhuì 上海菩提學會

• Active 1935^[1] - 1937
• Location(s): Meditation Hall 靜室 at Enlightenment Garden 覺園, Shànghǎi 上海
• Members: Duàn Qíruì 段祺瑞, Qū Yìngguāng 屈映光, Tāng Zhùxīn 湯住心, Wáng Yītíng 王一亭, Zhào Héngtì 趙恒惕

This lay Buddhist group was dedicated to the purpose of translating Tibetan Buddhist texts into Chinese, and toward the general propagation of Buddhism. Chísōng 持松 was the guiding teacher of the group until 1936. ^[2]

This group was politically active. In March 1936, at their request, the National Military Council issued an order that soldiers do their best to protect Buddhist artifacts.

Běijīng Bodhi Study Society: Běijīng pútí xuéhuì 北京菩提學會

• Active: mid 1920s - at least until the mid 1950s
• Location: Běijīng 北京

Along with the growing presence of Tibetan lamas in China, Chinese people were becoming interested in the Rénwáng hùguó jīng 仁王護國經. Tàixū 太虛 lectured on this in Běijīng in 1925. This society was formed around this time.

In 1936 the society published the periodical Subtle Voice 微妙聲.

Fǎzūn 法尊 lectured here in the 1950s, and this organization published many of his works. For example, this society published a Chinese translation of Tsongkhapa's 密宗道次第廣論 in 1942.^[3]

Notes

1. ↑ There is some uncertainty regarding the exact founding of this society. In once place Shì writes that this group was started in 1935 (p. 513), but elsewhere he says it was started in 1934 (p. 543). Welch says that it was started on the earlier date, (p. 179) but was not "formally inaugurated" until November 1935 (p. 337n.45).
2. ↑ Welch says the president of the group was the Panchen Lama 班禪. Welch, 179.
3. ↑ Shì, 2.994.

References

• Shànghǎi Bodhi Study Society 上海菩提學會
  • Shì Dōngchū 釋東初. Zhōngguó Fójiào jìndài shǐ 中國佛教近代史 (A History of Early Contemporary Chinese Buddhism), in Dōngchū lǎorén quánjí 東初老人全集 (Complete Collection of Old Man Dongchu), vols. 1-2. Taipei: Dongchu, 1974 Pp. 1.513, 542-544.
  • Welch, Holmes. The Buddhist Revival in China. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1968. Pp. 179, 329n.47, 337n.45.
• Běijīng Bodhi Study Society 北京菩提學會
  • Welch, Holmes. The Buddhist Revival in China. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1968. P. 179.