The Center for Buddhist Studies of National Taiwan University aims to promote global Buddhist academic research and cultivate talents. Specifically, the center focuses on the promotion of Buddhist studies courses, including both on-campus talent development and external promotion. Additionally, it actively engages in academic research and exchanges, including the publication of the journal "臺大佛學研究" (Research in Buddhist Studies at National Taiwan University). Currently, the center aspires to collaborate with various departments such as the Department of Philosophy, Department of History, Department of Chinese, Department of Anthropology, and the Institute of Art History for interdisciplinary research. Depending on the research outcomes, the center plans to expand its research activities and collaborate with external and international Buddhist scholars.
Course Promotion
Internal Talent Development
As of now, members of the center have successively offered various Buddhist-related courses, such as "Exploration of Life in Buddhism," "Introduction to Buddhist Studies," "Sanskrit," "Philosophical Studies in Buddhism," "Special Topics in Madhyamaka Philosophy," "Reading Buddhist Texts," and "Special Topics in Buddhist Studies and the Application of Digital Resources." In the future, as a mid-term goal, we also plan to establish a program system. The center aims to have professors from various fields (such as literature, history, philosophy, arts, and library and information science) offer interdisciplinary Buddhist-related programs for four to five years. The ultimate goal is to establish a Department of Buddhist Studies at National Taiwan University in the future, achieving the long-term objective of cultivating master's and doctoral talents in-depth.
Resource Integration
The Center for Buddhist Studies of National Taiwan University extends its reach beyond the campus by collaborating with external academic institutions, breaking through institutional barriers, and providing learning opportunities for the general public. In 2001, in collaboration with the Dalai Lama Foundation for Tibetan Religion, the center invited Samdhong Rinpoche to give a lecture. Weekend workshops on the use of "Buddhist Studies Topics and Digital Resources" have been held off-campus, and lectures on "Modern Digitalization of Buddhist Studies: A Case Study of the NTU Buddhist Studies Digital Library and Museum Project" have been conducted at other universities. The center aims to promote "Buddhist Education" on a long-term basis, adopting a semester-based approach with workshop formats, reaching out to the community and benefiting the wider society. The goal is to facilitate comprehensive cooperation among Buddhist studies institutions domestically and internationally, while simultaneously promoting the achievements of the center, with the ultimate aim of achieving a remote goal of global collaborative use and resource sharing.
Promotion of Courses
The value of academic research lies in the discovery of truth, and the outcomes of academic research must be returned to society and life to fully achieve their worth and significance. Buddhist studies are inherently the study of life and constitute a treasure for all sentient beings. Since 2010, the center's professors have successively offered courses such as "Buddhist Thought and Life," "Introduction to Buddhist Scriptures," and "Reading Buddhist Classics – Zen Studies" at the NTU Extension Division. Building on a solid foundation of academic research, these courses provide accessible guidance through Buddhist scriptures, making Buddhist studies more than an ivory tower discipline. The goal is to genuinely apply Buddhist wisdom to life, expanding the wisdom of life and infusing the mind with refreshing clarity.
In the future, the center will continue its efforts towards globalization based on the existing foundation of academic research. In terms of international academic exchange in Buddhist studies, the center hopes to establish academic relationships with Northeast Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea. Both parties can sign cooperation agreements, involving annual visits, lectures, seminars, faculty exchanges, and more. In the medium term, the center aims to deepen its engagement with Southeast Asia, establishing academic cooperation with research institutions of various schools and sects in the Greater East Asia region before forming alliances with academic units in Europe and the Americas. This strategic approach aims to solidify its global academic standing in the long run.