Korean Journal of Buddhist Studies ISSN:1598-0642(Print) 불교학연구

In the past 100 years, although Korea Buddhism and Taiwan Buddhism have been gone through similar processes that included domination by Japan for several decades, Kaiserism during the state of siege, anti-communism policy and pro- American domination as well as the historical scar of Buddhists’ Sufferings, nowadays totally different styles and features have presented between the Buddhist circles of the two countries.’ Over several decades of development and vicissitude Taiwanese Buddhism has completely self-innovated through self-examination of traditional Buddhism in that Terrestrial Buddhism has become the main trend which represents equality between man and woman, Buddhist and Layman. At the same time, Taiwanese Buddhism also focuses on academic education and the training of bright people. Because of this diversified, modern and international path, Buddhism has occupied the leading position among Taiwanese religious circles.Korean Buddhist circles realized the need for change in a globalized age, too late. Some illuminates appealed for equality between men and women, attached alms deeds, and called for open and progressive foresight to carry the modernizations of Korea Buddhism forward. However, most illuminates continue to preserve tradition and in two minds without of ensuring consciousness of subject but only worrying about ‘Religious ceremonies could not be succeed if not relying on the lord protector’. This subtle relation with politics made the masses dare not get to close to Buddhism. If Korean Buddhism wants to develop further and contribute to Korean society, the first thing to do is to thoroughly reform, eliminate the traditional mode, reflect on the past and get to the public and society; the next is to learn diversified Terrestrial Buddhism’s way of preaching moral principles and study modernization experiences from Taiwanese Buddhism to establish Buddhism’s system of alms deeds and welfare.