Buddhism in the thought of Liang Shu-ming = Liang Shuming si xiang yu fo jiao

Abstract

Liang Shu-ming (1893–1988) is one of the most influential thinkers of contemporary China. Most studies on Liang Shu-ming focus on his Confucian thought and his role as the forerunner of the New Confucianism movement. However, Liang Shu-ming was a devoted Buddhist in his youth. He employed Buddhist concepts and terminology extensively in his works, and publicly declared himself a Buddhist in his old age. Hence there have been heated debates among scholars to determine whether Liang Shu-ming was a Buddhist or a Confucianist. The present thesis analyses in detail Liang Shu-ming’s central writings and teachings; with a view to highlighting the importance of Buddhism to his thought.

Liang Shu-ming grew up at a time when China was increasingly exposed to Western influences. When new style intellectuals were denouncing traditional knowledge, Liang Shu-ming chose to believe in Buddhism, and proclaimed in his early works that Buddhism was superior to Western philosophy. He argued that only Buddhism could provide the ultimate solution to the cardinal human problem of suffering, that Buddhist ideas were not as restrictive as Western philosophical concepts (e.g. idealism, materialism), that the supramundane absorption advocated by Buddhism was superior to secular intelligence.

Liang Shu-ming declared himself a Confucianist by the time he reached middle age, but his works continued to use a large number of Buddhist notions and terms. He constructed his epistemology around Yogācāra concepts, and evaluated culture mainly from the Buddhist standpoint. Especially significant for our purpose are his claim that Buddhism is the highest religion, and his prediction of the revival of Buddhism at the final stage of development of human civilization.

Buddhism occupied an even more important position in his late works, in which he, among other things, compared and contrasted the teachings of Buddhism with those of Confucianism and Daoism. He discussed in some depth the similarities and dissimilarities in their understanding of human nature, the purpose of life, the significance of bodily and spiritual cultivation, etc, with the aim of demonstrating that Buddhism will eventually become the main stream of world culture in the future.

The thesis also investigates the personal, social and historical factors contributing to Liang Shu-ming’s early belief in Buddhism, his shift from Buddhism to Confucianism in his middle years, and his return to Buddhist in his old age, so as to determine whether he was ultimately a Confucianist or a Buddhist.