Humanistic Buddhism

Humanistic Buddhism (Chinese: 人間佛教; pinyin: rénjiān fójiào) is a modern Buddhist philosophy practiced mostly by Mahayana Buddhists. It is the integration of people's spiritual practice into all aspects of their daily lives. Buddhist monastics such as Taixu and Yinshun are seen as earlier pioneers of the movement, which was later migrated to Taiwanese Buddhism through other Buddhist leaders, such as Cheng Yen, Hsing Yun and Sheng Yen.

Humanistic Buddhism claims to encompass all of the Buddhist teachingsfrom the time of Gautama Buddha to the present. Its goal is to live the bodhisattva way, which means to be an energetic, enlightened, and endearing person who strives to help all sentient beings liberate themselves. It focuses on issues of the world rather than on how to leave the world behind; on caring for the living, rather than the dead; on benefiting others, rather than benefiting oneself and on universal salvation, rather than cultivation for only oneself.

This orientation reflects the fundamental spirit of the Lotus Sutra. Central to this philosophical stance is an essentially optimistic belief in the core dignity of humans, and their ability to transform themselves in a positive way.

Humanistic Buddhism is a based on the fundamental awareness of the interconnectedness of self and others, a state of enlightenment which overrides distinctions between human beings - and focuses on their core “oneness”, their humanity. The oneness of self and others is the background of altruism and of the aspiration to help others lead a life free from sufferings: “The Bodhisattva exemplifies the state of compassion, or altruistic life, and a person in this state aspires to help all people gain happiness, seeking in Nichiren’s words ‘to attain enlightenment only after having first saved others from sufferings’.”