Conference Report on the Third International Conference on the Chinese Buddhist Canon (English version)

Magnificent Y Mountain at BYU

 The following conference report is going to appear in the May issue of Association of Asian Studies Newsletter.

Conference Report: “The Buddhist Canon in Modern East Asia: the Third International Conference on the Chinese Buddhist Canon”

Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, April 9^th-10^th 2015

            Unexpectedly placed in Provo, Utah, the Third Buddhist Canon Conference was finalization of Prof. Jiang Wu’s claim of having three Buddhist Canon conferences during the first conference back in 2011.  With the splendid mountain scenery in the background, Brent L. Top, Dean of Religious Education at BYU, initiated the proceedings with a welcome address to all the scholars present who came from across the globe to speak about the Buddhist canon.  Being the final conference, the theme of the conference was appropriately the effect of the Buddhist canon on Modern East Asia, showing the timeless presence of the Buddhist canon and the effect of the Buddhist canon across all facets of human society.

            From a socio-political view, participants presented papers on how the Buddhist canon in modern times has acted as a means for social progress, legitimization of a new dynastic government, and value as an economic commodity. In the realm of foreign policy, the Buddhist canon was used as a diplomatic tool to solve disputes and foster cooperative international relations.  Through these diplomatic channels, we see the appearance of the first Chinese canon to reach Europe thanks to diplomatic efforts between Japan and Britain during the latter part of the 19^th century.  These explorations of the Buddhist canon commenced discussions on the Buddhist canon that goes beyond words that are simply written down and printed. 

            The scope of the canon is broadened even further as participants discussed how the canon inspired the creation of new modern forms of Buddhist texts and canons to suit the needs of growing Buddhist communities.  Starting off with discussions on new Buddhist canons, participants examined the formulation of early Zen and Pure Land Buddhist canons.  Moreover, the proliferation of new “Buddhist Bibles” and Korean woodblock rituals evidenced the canon’s reinvention to suit the needs of a modern world while maintaining a connection to pre-modern texts.  From this, the Buddhist canon no longer became a set of antiquated texts, but a living textual tradition that needs to be investigated to discover the canon’s connection to human society as well as a source of comparison with other canonical traditions.

            The conference could not have been so well conducted without the tedious efforts of the conference organizers Greg Wilkinson (Brigham Young University) and Jiang Wu (University of Arizona).  Furthermore, the conference is indebted to Robert M. Gimello (Notre Dame University), who acted as the discussant for the conference, and Lewis Lancaster (University of California at Berkeley), who provided his insight in response to Dr. Jiang Wu’s keynote speech.  Finally the conference would not have been possible without the written contributions of those who presented their academic insight: Gregory Adam Scott (University of Edinburgh), Jessica Xiaomin Zu (Princeton University), Darui Long (University of the West), Richard McBride (BYU Hawaii), Eun-Su Cho (Seoul National University), Charles B. Jones (Catholic University of America), Albert Welter (University of Arizona), Nicholas Frederick (BYU), Jerry Hirano (Buddhist Churches of America), and Tanya Storch (University of the Pacific).

            Lastly, conference organizers would like to thank the generous support from various sponsoring organizations: BYU Religious Education/Religious Studies Center/Office of Religious Outreach, University of Arizona Department of East Asian Studies, BYU Kennedy Center’s Asian Studies Program, BYU College of Humanities, BYU College of Family, Home, and Social Studies, BYU Richard L. Evans Chair of Religious Understanding, BYU Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages, and Su Wukang East Asian Research Fund (University of Arizona).

            Following the soon to be released volume of papers from previous conferences, Spreading Buddha’s Word in East Asia: The Formation and Transformation of the Chinese Buddhist Canon (Columbia University Press, 2016), a second volume is being planned to exhibit the proceedings of this most recent conference.  For further information, please visit http://rsc.byu.edu/bcc or contact buddhistcanonconference@gmail.com.

(Dustin Natte, Department of East Asian Studies, The University of Arizona)