从文化全球化看中国佛教对现代科学及基督宗教的回应

Chinese Buddhist Responses to Modern Science and Christianity: Viewed from the Perspective of Globalization of Culture

本文试探讨的是近现代中国的佛教学者如何响应由西方传入的现代科学,这与他们对基督宗教的响应又有何关系,而这些响应对于学界对文化全球化的讨论又有何意义。本文以章太炎及太虚法师为个案,指出前者基本上是中国视域为本位,而后者更倾向于采取全球的视角。本文认为文化上的全球化,不仅对个别的宗教传统构成挑战,也提供机遇让不同的宗教传统得以更新,这不仅有助不同传统的全球化,更可促进不同宗教间的交流以至多元文化的建立。

This article aims at studying the Chinese Buddhist responses to modern science, with special references to their relationship with their responses to Christianity and their significance for the academic discussion on globalization of culture. The author takes Zhang Tai-yan (18681936) and Ven. Taixu (1890-1947) as examples to illustrate that though both of them assumed the Buddhist position, Zhang’s perspective is predominantly China-centered whereas Taixu’s relatively more global. On the one hand, both of them emphasized the scientific character of Buddhism, the uniqueness of Buddhism, and the compatibility between Buddhism and science. On the other hand, both of them made use of modern science to criticize Christianity and to highlight the superiority of Buddhism. Based on these cases, this article attempts to suggest that the globalization of culture may bring forth not only challenges to individual religious traditions, but also opportunities for their renewals. These renewals might contribute to the globalization of different traditions and the establishment of pluralistic culture.