中国佛教在北美道场的建立及其影响研究

A Study of the Establishment of Chinese Buddhist Bodhimandalas in North America and Their Significance(to be continued)

中国佛教在北美部分道场的建立过程及其影响:美国西海岸最早佛庙的建立、檀香山“观音庙”与“虚云禅寺”的建立、纽约法王寺与慈航精舍等道场的建立、旧金山金山圣寺与万佛圣城等佛庙的建立,揭示了中国佛教寺庙从最初在孤独无援的异国他乡,作为乡人集会、互助、祈福的场所,到中国移民主动邀请中国法师去美国教授佛法以自利,再到中国法师和信众竭尽全力弘扬佛法,不仅利益本国移民,还想方设法服务当地政府和本土民众以及他国移民,用实际行动使佛教自利利他的思想深入人心,有利于世界对中国佛教及中国佛教文化的了解与接受。

This paper explored the establishing process of a few Chinese Buddhist bodhimandalas in North America and their significance.The establishment of the earliest Buddhist temples in the west coast of America,“Guan Yin Temple”and“Xu Yun Chan Temple”in Hawaii,“Fawang Temple”and“Ci Hang Jing She”in New York,Jinshan Saint Temple and Ten-thousand-Buddha City in San Francisco,revealed the three stages of Chinese Buddhist bodhimandalas’development,first from an early place for countrymen’s meeting together,helping,comforting each other,and praying together,to the Chinese immigrants’invitation of the Buddhist teachers to America to teach Buddhism for their own benefit,finally to the Buddhist teachers’and Buddhists’whole devotion to spreading Buddhism to benefit not only themselves,but also the American government and the local people,even the immigrants from other countries,making people deeply impressed with actions by the Buddhist thought of benefiting oneself and meanwhile benefiting others,very much helpful for the world to understand and accept Chinese Buddhism and Chinese Buddhist culture.