Domestic Exchanges

In order to promote academic exchanges and share research with various universities and Buddhist colleges in the country, the Institute co-sponsors conferences and symposiums on Buddhist Studies on a rotating basis with other universities and Buddhist colleges. The Institute also holds an annual conference for its full-time researchers, and organizes a summer camp managed by students from the Institute to provide an opportunity for university undergraduate students to participate in Buddhist Studies. Due to the tremendous success of this activity, we have made the camp into a research camp and seminar so that participants may delve more deeply into the subjects presented. 

Students from the Institute assited by the staff members, organize the summer camp, which are held in order to take full advantage of the summer vacation. During the camp, renunciants and lay scholars introduce contemporary research methods in Buddhist studies with the hope of stimulating young Buddhists into conducting their own research in Buddhism. The topics covered over the last few years include: “The Union of Ancient and Modern Buddhism", "The Interaction Between Academic Research and Religious Faith", "Where to Look for Chan", "Life with Precepts, Meditative Stabilization, and Wisdom."

Buddhist Studies Camp for University Undergraduates

Since 1995, the summer camps have been conducted as research camps and seminars. The topics for the first two years were respectively: "Buddhist Studies and Buddhist Practice", "The View on Liberation in Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism" and in the third year, the participants studied research papers compiled by associates of the Institute. In 1999, a seminar, which focused on the topic of “Buddhist Studies and Information Science," was held. In 2000, the Buddhist Studies camp was conducted under a conference style format, while in 2001, the topic for discussion was "Buddhism and Religious Phenomena in Taiwan."

Off-campus Instruction

In addition to it's regular classes, the Institute also conducts off-campus study group through which inter-school exchanges are arrenged. This kind of study has been shown to expand the students' view and allow them to contextualize what they have learned in the classroom as well as cemeat friendships. Some examples are as follows: In 1988, we visited Venerable Yin-shun in Nantou, Lingshan Chan Monastery, Jing-lu Monastery in Luku, and Jing-chuei Monastery in Miaoli. In 1989, the founder, Venrable Sheng-yen led us to visit the Tien Educational Center, Faculty of Theology at Fujen Catholic University. In 1990 we visited Yuan-Guang Buddhist College in Chung-li, Siang-guang Monastery in Jiayi, De-shan Monastery in Chushan, and Jing-lu Monastery in Nantou. In 1995 we visited Yuan-Guang Monastery on Mt. Shitou (Lion-head) in Hsinchu. In 1998, we paid a visit to Hsiuan-Chuang University, Fa-yuan Monastery, Yi-tong Monastery, and Fu-yen Buddhist College.