Buddhist Monks Research Articles

Senior Mental Health Scenarios in Thai Buddhist Contexts: A Qualitative Study

This study delves into the global mental health challenges confronting the elderly within Thailand’s Buddhist context. It explores seniors’ perspectives on mental health distress, factors, and interventions, alongside monks’ viewpoints on traditional Buddhist approaches and their role in addressing these challenges. Our thematic analysis of qualitative research engaged 36 participants, comprising health volunteer monks and seniors from Northern Thailand, to identify primary themes and sub-themes. The perspectives on senior mental health scenarios highlight seniors’ experiences of stress, anxiety, sadness, and loneliness, influenced by factors like age, health, family, finances, and social isolation. Interventions encompass health care, religious practices, and community support. Monks advocate for integrating Buddhism into daily life, encouraging active participation, and addressing senior mental health issues, emphasizing their pivotal role, the embodiment of monastic ideals, and the challenges hindering their involvement. The research highlights the significance of empowering monastic involvement, acknowledging monks as representatives of monastic principles, even in the face of obstacles limiting their participation. This study uncovers a trend in Thai Buddhist communities where physical health and religious aspects take precedence over the mental well-being of seniors. It advocates for a comprehensive approach that integrates religious and mental health strategies, highlighting Buddhism’s impact on seniors’ mental wellness. The implications span spirituality, religious studies, mental health, and elderly care policy, emphasizing the crucial role of Buddhist practices and monks in enhancing the mental well-being of the elderly.

한국서예사에서 왕희지 집자비의 출현과 전개

This paper is to look into the appearance and development of the stele written in the characters of Wang Xizhi(王羲之 集字碑, Wang Xizhi jipjabi), the famous calligrapher of the Eastern Jin in China. I compared the characters of Wang Xizhi jipjabi of the Unified Silla(統一新羅) and Goryeo(高麗) dynasties in Korea with those of the T’ang(唐) dynasty in China. As a result, I found out the characteristics of the writing of Wang Xizhi jipjabi of Korean through the similarity and difference.
 Wang Xizhi jipjabi was first built in the late 7th century in T’ang dynasty. To that effect, it was first built in the 8th century in the Unified Silla dynasty. The first of the Unified Silla is Hwangboksa Stele(皇福寺碑), the second Mujangsa Stele(鍪藏寺碑) built in 801, the last Sarimsa Stele(沙林寺碑) built in 886. Of the three, the last is the only one identified by the writing of the stele. Wang Xizhi jipjabi of Goryeo in existence is Ingaksa Stele(麟角寺碑) built in 1295.
 In China, most emperors since Taizong(太宗) were fond of Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy. Accordingly, Wang Xizhi jipjabi was mostly built by the imperial order, and collecting characters was mainly performed by the Buddhist monk. The typical ones are Jizi Shengjiaoxu(集字聖敎序) in the reign of Gaojong(高宗), Xingfusi Stele(興福寺碑) in the period of Xuanjong(玄宗), and Diamond Sutra(金剛經) in the time of Wenjong(文宗). Following the tradition of China, in Korea, monk collected Wang’s characters by the king’s order as well.
 The characters of Hwangboksa Stele of the Unified Silla resemble those of Jizi Shengjiaoxu of T’ang. The characters and description form of the head sentence of Mujangsa Stele are similar to those of Jizi Shengjiaoxu, so Mujangsa Stele can be considered as Wang Xizhi jipjabi. There is a strong possibility that a monk collected the characters of Mujangsa Stele like Jizi Shengjiaoxu and Xingfusi Stele. Especially, he would be the monk of Hwangryongsa(皇龍寺) because the character ‘皇龍寺’ was engraved on the end of the first line. The name of compiler Kim Yukjin(金陸珍) is written above ‘皇龍寺’.
 In general, the first the name of compiler and next that of writer were recorded in the sentence on the stele. As Wen Fanggang(翁方綱) of Qing(淸) mentioned in the record of Kim Jeonghi on the left side of Mujangsa Stele, the three strokes on the upper part of the character ‘崇’ on the stele is identical to those of Lantingxu(蘭亭序) Wang wrote in 353. It is one of the evidences that Mujangsa Stele is Wang Xizhi jipjabi.
 And the point that the space between character is regular although only vertical lines were drawn, that the writing includes the bush stroke of the regular script, and that the characters carry personal characteristics rather resemble to those of Ingaksa Stele of Goryeo. Therefore, it is highly possible that monk Jukje(竹虛) who collected Wang’s characters for the writing of Ingaksa Stele copied the writing of Mujangsa Stele.
 The form of characters is similar to that of T’ang stelae because Wang Xizhi jipjabi of Korea is based on those of China. But the the style of writing is different each other. The writings of T’ang are flowing due to the brush strokes of the running script, but those of the Unified Silla and Goryeo is stiff due to those of the regular script. In addition, a few characteristic characters on the stelae of the Unified Silla and Goryeo resemble each other. It means that monk Jukhe would see the writing of Wang Xizhi jipjabi of the Unified Silla, following those of T’ang. Therefore, it can be said that Wang Xizhi jipjabi of the Unified Silla influenced on that of Goryeo.
 Meanwhile, the writing of Wang Xizhi jipjabi of Goryeo influenced by the Unified Silla is better than that of the Unified Silla that influenced on Goryeo. The reason is that the running and grass scripts were prevalent in the Goryeo society due to

한국서예사에서 왕희지 집자비의 출현과 전개

This paper is to look into the appearance and development of the stele written in the characters of Wang Xizhi(王羲之 集字碑, Wang Xizhi jipjabi), the famous calligrapher of the Eastern Jin in China. I compared the characters of Wang Xizhi jipjabi of the Unified Silla(統一新羅) and Goryeo(高麗) dynasties in Korea with those of the T’ang(唐) dynasty in China. As a result, I found out the characteristics of the writing of Wang Xizhi jipjabi of Korean through the similarity and difference.
 Wang Xizhi jipjabi was first built in the late 7th century in T’ang dynasty. To that effect, it was first built in the 8th century in the Unified Silla dynasty. The first of the Unified Silla is Hwangboksa Stele(皇福寺碑), the second Mujangsa Stele(鍪藏寺碑) built in 801, the last Sarimsa Stele(沙林寺碑) built in 886. Of the three, the last is the only one identified by the writing of the stele. Wang Xizhi jipjabi of Goryeo in existence is Ingaksa Stele(麟角寺碑) built in 1295.
 In China, most emperors since Taizong(太宗) were fond of Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy. Accordingly, Wang Xizhi jipjabi was mostly built by the imperial order, and collecting characters was mainly performed by the Buddhist monk. The typical ones are Jizi Shengjiaoxu(集字聖敎序) in the reign of Gaojong(高宗), Xingfusi Stele(興福寺碑) in the period of Xuanjong(玄宗), and Diamond Sutra(金剛經) in the time of Wenjong(文宗). Following the tradition of China, in Korea, monk collected Wang’s characters by the king’s order as well.
 The characters of Hwangboksa Stele of the Unified Silla resemble those of Jizi Shengjiaoxu of T’ang. The characters and description form of the head sentence of Mujangsa Stele are similar to those of Jizi Shengjiaoxu, so Mujangsa Stele can be considered as Wang Xizhi jipjabi. There is a strong possibility that a monk collected the characters of Mujangsa Stele like Jizi Shengjiaoxu and Xingfusi Stele. Especially, he would be the monk of Hwangryongsa(皇龍寺) because the character ‘皇龍寺’ was engraved on the end of the first line. The name of compiler Kim Yukjin(金陸珍) is written above ‘皇龍寺’.
 In general, the first the name of compiler and next that of writer were recorded in the sentence on the stele. As Wen Fanggang(翁方綱) of Qing(淸) mentioned in the record of Kim Jeonghi on the left side of Mujangsa Stele, the three strokes on the upper part of the character ‘崇’ on the stele is identical to those of Lantingxu(蘭亭序) Wang wrote in 353. It is one of the evidences that Mujangsa Stele is Wang Xizhi jipjabi.
 And the point that the space between character is regular although only vertical lines were drawn, that the writing includes the bush stroke of the regular script, and that the characters carry personal characteristics rather resemble to those of Ingaksa Stele of Goryeo. Therefore, it is highly possible that monk Jukje(竹虛) who collected Wang’s characters for the writing of Ingaksa Stele copied the writing of Mujangsa Stele.
 The form of characters is similar to that of T’ang stelae because Wang Xizhi jipjabi of Korea is based on those of China. But the the style of writing is different each other. The writings of T’ang are flowing due to the brush strokes of the running script, but those of the Unified Silla and Goryeo is stiff due to those of the regular script. In addition, a few characteristic characters on the stelae of the Unified Silla and Goryeo resemble each other. It means that monk Jukhe would see the writing of Wang Xizhi jipjabi of the Unified Silla, following those of T’ang. Therefore, it can be said that Wang Xizhi jipjabi of the Unified Silla influenced on that of Goryeo.
 Meanwhile, the writing of Wang Xizhi jipjabi of Goryeo influenced by the Unified Silla is better than that of the Unified Silla that influenced on Goryeo. The reason is that the running and grass scripts were prevalent in the Goryeo society due to

Collaborative or Independent? Buddhist Monks’ Perceptions of Nonconflict Between Religion and Science

AbstractFew studies have explored religious professionals’ interactions with scientific authority in work settings. Fewer still examine professionals outside Western contexts. We analyze the science‐religion interface as it exists in Shaolin Temple—an ancient Chan Buddhist temple with a worldwide reputation for Shaolin Kungfu. Drawing on a near‐exhaustive survey within Shaolin monastery and 23 interviews with Shaolin monks, we discern and differentiate two modes of nonconflict operating in monks’ psychic lives. One group understands Buddhism and science as comprising independent realms—nonconflictual by virtue of their noninteractivity. Another views science and religion as being interpenetrative and nonconflictual in the sense of being mutually constitutive. These differing orientations, which reflect established categories of “transcendentalist” versus “immanentist” religion, further correlate with different facets of religiosity: Monks with high religious knowledge tend to view Buddhism and science as independent, while monks with high levels of piety tend to see them as collaborative or mutually constitutive.

Online Task-Based Language Learning to Enhance Thai Monks’ Speaking Performance

This research aimed to achieve two main objectives: (1) to assess the learning achievements in online task-based language learning, and (2) to evaluate satisfaction with the utilization of the online task-based language learning model. The study’s population comprised Buddhist monk students from four provinces in Thailand: Chiang Rai, Phrae, Phayao, and Nan. A total of 80 participants took part in a 30-hour English language training program that focused on task-based language teaching (TBLT) implemented through online technology to enhance Thai monks’ speaking performance. Zoom and free online tools such as Pronunciation Checker App were integrated into the TBL learning cycle to deliver this online training. The research process can be summarized four stages consisting of orientation stage, pre-practicing stage, practicing stage, and post-practicing stage. The comparison of learning outcomes before and after the implementation of the instructional model for monks revealed a significant difference in the average scores. The overall score before training was 38.78 (S.D. = 5.85), while the post-training learning outcomes had a higher average score of 47.34 (S.D. = 4.99). The assessment of satisfaction was divided into four dimensions: (1) content and language usage; (2) English instructional activities for monks; (3) teaching and learning process; and (4) development of English-speaking skills. Overall, participants expressed high levels of satisfaction across all four dimensions of the instructional design approach, with a mean rating of 4.49 and a standard deviation of 0.56.

A Forgotten Eminent Buddhist Monk and His Social Network for Constructing Buddhist Statues in Qionglai 邛崍: A Study Based on the Statue Construction Account in 798

By transcribing, punctuating, and analyzing the Statue Construction Account undertaken in 798, this article attempts a refreshed study of the construction background of the Buddhist statues and niches at Huazhi Temple 花置寺 in Qionglai. The aim of this article is twofold. Firstly, it brings to light an eminent monk named Sengcai, who has been forgotten in both secular and monastic histories. Secondly, it tries to clarify the social network formed by various figures recorded in the Statue Construction Account by tracing their roles and relationships in the course of constructing the Buddhist niches. The analysis of this article expounds that in the process of the statue construction project, Sengcai made full use of his social network to support this project and to seek protection for Huazhi Temple. The construction activities of the Buddhist niches at Huazhi Temple not only brought people of different identities together through politics, Buddhism, economics or kinship, but also connected Qiongzhou (in Sichuan) and the capital of Chang’an to the formation of a multi-identity and cross-regional network of power in which emperor, officials, monks, military generals, craftsmen, literati, and so on, participated and interacted with each other. The whole social network can be divided into two sub-networks in Chang’an and Qiongzhou, with Sengcai as the central figure connecting these two sub-networks. Although the Buddhist niches of Huazhi Temple were carved in Qiongzhou, both the decisive preparatory work and the composition of the Statue Construction Account took place in Chang’an. Hence, the power of the Chang’an sub-network was greater than that of the one based in Qiongzhou. This means that the Buddhist niches at Huazhi Temple from Sengcai’s project were not merely a local project, but one that was strongly connected with the capital Chang’an in 798. Lastly, the Statue Construction Account in 798 at Huazhi Temple indicated mutual aid and support between Sichuan Buddhism and Chang’an Buddhism.

Syncretism in Exegesis: The Integration of Confucian Texts in Chengguan’s Huayan Commentary

Commentarial literature constitutes a cornerstone in the edifice of Chinese Buddhism, providing critical exegesis of Indian Buddhist texts. This paper examines the pivotal role of Chengguan (738–839), the fourth patriarch of the Huayan school, revered for his extensive commentarial work on the Chinese translations of the Buddhāvataṃsaka-sūtra. Chengguan not only composed a written commentary but also engaged in discourses with the monastic and lay communities at Wutaishan, prompting the creation of a sub-commentary derived from these oral elucidations. The study posits that the composition of Chengguan’s audiences, comprising Confucian-educated scholars and Buddhist monks, necessitated a pedagogical strategy that integrated Chinese intellectual traditions into the Buddhist narrative to enhance comprehension. This analysis focuses on Chengguan’s citations of the Analects, showcasing how he interweaves Confucian maxims into the fabric of his commentary to illuminate Buddhist doctrines. The research articulates the method he employed to make the Buddhist texts resonate with a Chinese audience.

The art of jieyuan: ethical affinity and the cultivation of Chinese Buddhist spirituality in Tanzania

AbstractEthical encounters in cross‐cultural contexts have been a major concern in the anthropology of morality and religion, yet the dominant view assumes that processes of ethical transformation and conversion emphasize the centrality of texts and beliefs. These discussions are influenced by epistemological frameworks associated with Christian theology and practice. Yet studies of other religions have brought about challenges by either doubting whether ‘belief’ still serves as a fruitful analytical tool or stressing the diversity of non‐text‐driven and multimedia forms of conversion. Based on fieldwork in a Chinese Buddhist monastery in Tanzania, this essay examines how Buddhist monks from China seek to cultivate Buddhist spirituality among Tanzanian locals in an embodied and allegorical way. By ethnographically teasing out the Chinese Buddhist notion of jieyuan, it provides a way of understanding religious suasion not just as a rational and intellectual conversation, but also as a process of embodied illumination that induces gradual, inductive, sympathetic changes in others.

Vietnamese Buddhist encounters with South Asia in the 1950s

AbstractThis article presents a comparison of two Vietnamese Buddhist monks who travelled to and spent time in South Asia in the 1950s. The first, Thích Tố Liên (1903–1977), travelled to Calcutta and then on to Sri Lanka in May 1950 to participate in the First General Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists. Though his encounter was relatively brief, it left a lasting impression. Tố Liên returned as an ardent advocate for the World Fellowship and for an internationalist view of Buddhism more generally. The second, Thích Minh Chàu (1918–2012), had a very different encounter with Sri Lanka and India. He spent most of the 1950s studying Pali manuscripts and earning his doctoral degree from the Nalanda Institute (then a part of the University of Bihar, now Nalanda University). During this time, he became an important popularizer of contemporary Indian ideas. While in South Asia, he contributed many articles to Buddhist journals back in Vietnam. He recounted his pilgrimage to major Buddhist sites, considered the contemporary influence of Buddhism in India, and analysed the works of everyone from Tagore to the Dalai Lama. This article will compare the South Asian experiences of these two Vietnamese Buddhist monks and analyse their impact on Buddhist unification and the Vietnamese Buddhist movement in the 1960s.

Mindfulness meditation styles differently modulate source-level MEG microstate dynamics and complexity.

The investigation of mindfulness meditation practice, classically divided into focused attention meditation (FAM), and open monitoring meditation (OMM) styles, has seen a long tradition of theoretical, affective, neurophysiological and clinical studies. In particular, the high temporal resolution of magnetoencephalography (MEG) or electroencephalography (EEG) has been exploited to fill the gap between the personal experience of meditation practice and its neural correlates. Mounting evidence, in fact, shows that human brain activity is highly dynamic, transiting between different brain states (microstates). In this study, we aimed at exploring MEG microstates at source-level during FAM, OMM and in the resting state, as well as the complexity and criticality of dynamic transitions between microstates. Ten right-handed Theravada Buddhist monks with a meditative expertise of minimum 2,265 h participated in the experiment. MEG data were acquired during a randomized block design task (6 min FAM, 6 min OMM, with each meditative block preceded and followed by 3 min resting state). Source reconstruction was performed using eLORETA on individual cortical space, and then parcellated according to the Human Connect Project atlas. Microstate analysis was then applied to parcel level signals in order to derive microstate topographies and indices. In addition, from microstate sequences, the Hurst exponent and the Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC) were computed. Our results show that the coverage and occurrence of specific microstates are modulated either by being in a meditative state or by performing a specific meditation style. Hurst exponent values in both meditation conditions are reduced with respect to the value observed during rest, LZC shows significant differences between OMM, FAM, and REST, with a progressive increase from REST to FAM to OMM. Importantly, we report changes in brain criticality indices during meditation and between meditation styles, in line with a state-like effect of meditation on cognitive performance. In line with previous reports, we suggest that the change in cognitive state experienced in meditation is paralleled by a shift with respect to critical points in brain dynamics.

Experience in field research and collecting work in the Sinhalese environment in the 21st century

The Sinhalese people, the main population of Sri Lanka, have a rich and original culture, the study of which remains an interesting and urgent task. The author focuses on the experience of her field research in the Sinhalese milieu in the 1970s–80s and, in more detail, in the 21st century, when she made three expedition trips to Sri Lanka (in 2009, 2013 and 2014). Most interesting for her it seemed to uncover the possible innovations in everyday life, in material culture, in people’s mood. In addition, the author (partly in collaboration with colleagues from the Russian Ethnographic Museum and the State Hermitage) achieved some specific goals. In 2013, it was the search for the latest data on the status of the Veddas, the descendants of the island’s autochthons; in 2014 — a thorough acquaintance with the Sinhalese traditional handicraft production. This task was facilitated by the appearance in Sri Lanka of certain novelties interesting for the ethnographer — special original locations for studying and popularizing the Sinhalese folk culture and life, in particular, in the form of the “Ape Gama” Museum (Our village) and the ecological and ethnographic center “Gama Gedara” (Village House). The author also notes the significant assistance of her scholarly Sinhalese colleagues (historians, archaeologists, philologists) and some Buddhist monks. In the final part of the article, she shows how traditions and innovations coexist in the modern Sinhala craft (as visualized in the exhibits donated by her to the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera) RAS).

조선시대 야담에 등장하는 스님들의 교육 방법

This research adopts the perspective that Buddhist counseling, similar to utilizing literary works in literary therapy, can employ literature as a medium to facilitate human transformation. Given Buddhism's inherently narrative-friendly tradition of disseminating teachings through stories, there is a strong connection between literary therapy and Buddhism. The study is conducted with the anticipation that the relationship between Buddhist counseling and literary therapy will become more closely intertwined in the future. This research introduces literary narratives from Joseon Dynasty compilations, specifically Yadam, depicting Buddhist monks educating laypeople. The analysis focuses on how monks diagnose the subjects, design and implement educational strategies, and evaluate the outcomes in order to educate laypeople. Among these narratives, some depict monks diagnosing individuals' qualities and promptly offering assistance, while others portray monks abandoning education based on diagnostic results. Additionally, certain narratives showcase monks devising and executing tailored educational methods. The results indicate that monks in the Joseon Dynasty, as depicted in Yadam, evaluate the earnest pursuit of wisdom, direction, qualities, and a resilient spirit over outward appearances and reputations when selectively diagnosing educational targets. Furthermore, during the actual educational process, monks intricately employ well-crafted expedient means based on the level and characteristics of the educational target. This demonstrates the implementation of customized education, applying diverse means flexibly according to the individual's level and characteristics.

A Portrait of State Preceptor Xibi Baoyuan: Case Study of Identification

This article is a case study of the engraving in the Tangut Buddhist text Xibi State Preceptor's Compendium of Admonitions to the World 推旃随鬱翩饒毒 written by the Buddhist monk of high rank, State Preceptor Xibi Baoyuan. For a long period of time left and right parts of this illustration existed separately in two editions of this book. For this reason, this text’s author in the illustration was identified incorrectly. The study of this engraving’s fragments allowed to join two engraving parts in their original form and helped to identify the genuine portrait of Xibi.

P97: Can Death Cafés contribute to the creation of a “death-inclusive society” that will be the ground for the Advance care planning?

Objective:The aim of this study was to examine the potential contribution of Death Cafés to the creation of a society that is inclusive of death, which is necessary for ACP, through an analysis of the motivations and orientations of Death Cafés hosts to run Death Cafés.Methods:Interviews were conducted with 16 host of Death Cafés. Interview transcripts were segmented, coded and categorized, focusing on motivations and orientations for running Death Cafés.Results:Motivation for running Death Cafés were categorized into four categories: “The bereavement experience of the host”, “The identity crisis of the host”, “Dissatisfaction with a society in which death is taboo”, and “Unlocking new possibilities for Buddhist temples”The orientation of Death Cafés was categorized into two categories. Namely, “Personal growth” and “Community development”.Attitudes towards the attendees with grief were categorized in two categories. “Not mentioned” and ” Welcome participation/refer to more appropriate projects “.The characteristics of the host and venue were categorized as “Buddhist monk and/or Buddhist temple” and “Other”.The relationship between these four factors was examined. When the host's bereavement experience was the motivation for starting the Death Cafés, they tended to regard death as an overwhelming experience and to run an individually oriented Death Cafés with the intention of personal growth. When the motivation for starting the Death Cafés was dissatisfaction with a society that considered death a taboo subject, attitudes towards death tended to be neutral and the café tended to be socially oriented with the intention of community development. Where the motivation for starting the Death Cafés was to expand the possibilities of the Buddhist temple, which was one of the subcategories of “Community development”, attitudes towards death were neutral and café tended to be both individual and socially oriented.Conclusion:Death Cafés held in Buddhist temples may have the potential to contribute to the creation of a death-inclusive society in Japan and could be an ACP implementation strategy.

Engaging with the Other

AbstractThe World Council of Churches (WCC) has recently stated that we live in a “poly‐crisis” world. This context raises questions about finding common ground with people of other faiths or no faith for the common good. How do Christians practise ecumenical diakonia in the public sphere and offer transformative diaconal services in their contexts? To explore these questions, I reflect on the essence of faith in Korean Sŏn Buddhist monk Chinul (知訥, 1158–1210) and that of the contemporary Canadian theologian Douglas John Hall to identify implications for the practice of ecumenical diakonia and its commitment to interreligious dialogue. Chinul and Hall agree that faith encourages reaching out to others. Buddhists and Christians can be companions on the journey of working together across differences for the common good of the world.

The politics of glyphosate regulation: lessons from Sri Lanka’s short-lived ban

BackgroundGlyphosate is the world’s most used herbicide and a central component of modern industrial agriculture. It has also been linked to a variety of negative health and environmental effects. For instance, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans” in 2015. This has motivated widespread political demands for stricter glyphosate regulation but so far few governments have followed through.MethodsWe conduct a case study of Sri Lanka, which in 2015 became the first and so far only country in the world to adopt and implement a complete glyphosate ban. But this ban proved to be short-lived, as it was partially reversed in 2018 (and later fully revoked in 2022). To explain the political causes of Sri Lanka’s pioneering glyphosate ban and its subsequent reversal, we employ process tracing methods drawing on publicly available documents. Our analysis is theoretically guided by the multiple streams framework and the concept of self-undermining policy feedback.ResultsGlyphosate regulation rose to the top of the Sri Lankan political agenda in 2014 when a local scientist linked glyphosate exposure to an epidemic of Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Origin (CKDu). A glyphosate ban was eventually adopted in June 2015 by the newly elected government of Maithripala Sirisena. The ban was a political commitment made to the Buddhist monk Rathana Thero and his party, which had supported Sirisena during his presidential campaign. The ban’s partial reversal in 2018, implemented through sectoral exceptions, was the result of continued lobbying by export-oriented plantation industries and increased political concerns about potential negative effects on the large and structurally powerful tea sector. The reversal was further aided by the scientific community’s failure to corroborate the hypothesized link between glyphosate and CKDu.ConclusionsThe case of Sri Lanka suggests that strict glyphosate regulation becomes more likely when coupled with locally salient health risks and when decision-making authority is de-delegated from regulatory agencies back to the political executive. Meanwhile, the short-lived nature of the Sri Lankan ban suggests that strict glyphosate regulation faces political sustainability threats, as the apparent lack of cost-effective alternative herbicides motivates persistent business lobbying for regulatory reversal.

The Philosophical Proposition “A Piercing Glance Elevates the Mind” and the Buddhist Thought in Zong Bing's “Preface to the Painting of Landscape”

“A Piercing Glance Elevates the Mind” is a philosophical proposition offered by Zhou Yong (?–493) in his debate with Zhang Rong (444–497) over the similarities and differences between Daoism and Buddhism. The appearance of this previously unknown proposition shows that as early as the Liu-Song dynasty (420–479) writers already went beyond the limitations of the native Chinese conception of “image” (xiang) and consciously applied Buddhist concepts to come to new understandings of the objects, methods, and effects of the visual sense and to probe their transcendental religious significance. Utilizing this proposition as a framework of analysis, this article rereads Zong Bing's (375–443) “Preface to the Painting of Landscape” in terms of the visual sense, to show how the terms, concepts, propositions, and discourse of the text's five sections form a logically coherent, fully systematic Buddhist exposition on painting. Support for the validity of Buddhist interpretations of all its terms and concepts is provided by intertextual readings of Zong Bing's “Elucidating Buddhism” and the poetry and prose by the Buddhist monks of Mt. Lu. We also demonstrate how Zong's consistently Buddhist theory of painting served as a firm foundation over which the Tang poet Wang Changling (698–757) built his Buddhist theory of the world of physical objects (wujing shuo).

Reconsidering the “Popular View” (俗覧 zokuran): Tracing Vernacular Precedents in a Modern Illustrated Hagiography of Kakuban 覺鑁 (1095–1143)

As a supplement to sermonizing, the use of images has been crucial to growing the lay Buddhist following in Japan since at least the tenth century. While it may be the case that Buddhist images, much more so than texts, have historically been better able to draw in popular audiences through their accessible means of communication, the emergence of contemporary literate audiences meant new modes of accessibility. This article explores both the textual and illustrative histories of a modern illustrated hagiography on the medieval Shingon Buddhist monk Kakuban 覺鑁 (1095–1143). By tracing earlier vernacular approaches to Kakuban’s narrative that emerged throughout the evolution of this hagiography, it becomes clear that images were merely auxiliary in their appeal to modern Japanese readers and that such an appeal had been a consideration for generations of Buddhist compilers. This example draws attention to the mutually constitutive relationship between otherwise traditionally distinct functions of text and image in Japanese Buddhist hagiography, but also common conceptual divisions between lay and monastic experiences and popular and elite reading practices.

The Influence of Wartime Turmoil on Buddhist Monasteries and Monks in the Jiangnan Region during the Yuan-Ming Transition

This study explores the transformation of Buddhist culture in the Jiangnan region (present-day southern Jiangsu and northern Zhejiang), driven by wartime disruptions during the transition from the Yuan Dynasty to the Ming. The Yuan Dynasty witnessed the flourishing of Buddhism, and in Jiangnan, the thriving Zen tradition carried on the legacy of the Southern Song Dynasty. Buddhism found many adherents among the affluent gentry class in Jiangnan, fostering a culture of generous charity that sustained and expanded Buddhism in the region. However, the conflicts toward the end of the Yuan Dynasty inflicted considerable damage on the temples, causing monks to flee. Temples, recognizable landmarks during conflicts, were susceptible to military occupation. Visiting Goryeo monks Muhak Jacho and Naong Hyegeun, and Japanese monks Mumon Gensen and Ginan, were forced to abandon their travels and return to their respective homelands, disrupting the once-thriving Buddhist exchange between Jiangnan and broader East Asia. The chaotic environment also fostered alliances between influential monks and regional powers, providing refuge for monks and an opportunity for both sides to forge beneficial connections. Anti-Yuan factions strategically protected revered monks, leveraging their influence to attract literati and intellectuals, who shared common ethical and spiritual values. This dynamic showcased the mutual benefits derived from such collaboration. Through an exploration of the interplay between politics, social forces, and Buddhism, this paper examines the impact of wartime turmoil on the development of Buddhism in the Jiangnan region.

지눌의 『진심직설』에 관한 분석심리학적 고찰

This paper examines the Korean Buddhist monk Chinul's Chinsim chiksul (眞心直說) from the perspective of Carl Jung's analytic psychology. In the Chinsim chiksul(眞心直說) Chinul defines True Mind(眞心) and emphasizes what to do in order to realize True Mind(眞心). I began the discussion by noting that Chinul's concept of True Mind(眞心) is the same as the das Selbst (自己) in Jungian analytical psychology. Jung's unconscious Selbst is the same as Chinul's True Mind(眞心), which emphasizes human nature. The True Mind(眞心) is divided into the thing(体) and its functions(用), and the two have the principle of harmony, which is neither the same nor different. On the other hand, Jung's unconscious and conscious selves also have a duality that is neither the same nor different. In order to realize True Mind (眞心), Chinul suggests a number of practices, which I compare with Jungian psychology. I analyzed Chinul's practice of contemplation(覺察) and pause (休歇) from the perspective of psychology. Jungian active meditation is a type of practice that attains wholeness: while Chinul sought enlightenment through contemplation(覺察) and pause(休歇), Jung sought self-realization, through the consciousization of the unconscious and active meditation. At the end of the article, I compared and contrasted Chinul's path to enlightenment with Jung's path to self-realization. This paper shows that despite the differences between the Eastern and Western schools of thought, Chinul and Jungianism have the same perspective on human beings.