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Title: A Religious Politics and/or a Political Religion: A
Case Study of
Humanistic Buddhism in China
Abstract: This paper is to investigate in what ways
Humanistic Buddhism in China can be a political religion and at the same time,
has its religious politics. On the one hand, the Chinese authorities consider
that Humanistic Buddhism is useful for Weiwen
(maintaining stability), for it has indigenous nature, no authority outside the
country, international diplomacy, potential for religious tourism and cultural
values. Humanistic Buddhism is the expression of the discourse of Weiwen. On the other hand, Chinese
Buddhism finds its active collaboration with the state can be more effectively
to push forward the Buddhist reformation initiated by Master Taixu, that is,
Humanistic Buddhism. The mutual benefit between the Chinese authorities and
Humanistic Buddhism has created a complex
relationship: a game in which each, in its own interests, must take account of
the other, and the interests of one sometimes require it first to work for the
interests of the other. Nevertheless, politics and religion are
different in nature, and therefore, tension is avoidable between them. In a reciprocal
relation, not negotiated relation, the goal of the more dependent actor, that
is, Humanistic Buddhism, is not to achieve the equal power in an unequal exchange
relation, but rather is to develop and sustain its religious politics as much
as it can. There are three concerns of religious politics of Humanistic Buddhism,
namely, autonomy, authenticity and inclusiveness. There are signs that Humanistic
Buddhism is still able and possible to enlarge its autonomy, maintain its
authenticity and extend its inclusiveness, but all these have to subject to the
discourse of stability. In the Chinese authorities’ usage, stability is a
subjective state of being and can thus be defined by the state whatever it
likes.