Centre for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Organizer
Centre for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Fo Guang Shan Institute of Humanistic Buddhism

Co-organizer
The Mirror Post, Buddhist Door

Origin
When the time Buddhism was becoming established, India was in the first urbanization period. Merchants gradually flourished. At that time, the Buddha aimed at the traditional Brahmin’s monopoly on the ethics of offering sacrifices to the gods, and advocated the life ethics of “equality, autonomy” and “self-reliance”, which made the emerging social class a broad audience. These emerging classes are mainly engaged in a variety of commercial activities. According to the Sajyuktāgama Sūtra: “the businessmen of livelihoods, farm merchants, cattle and sheep grazing, and housing for profit.” As long as they can profit from their capital, they are diligent and earn money. Whether it is agricultural and animal husbandry harvests, or business and trade, business operations, investment income, etc., they are all economic activities recognized by Buddhism.

Buddhists who engage in business activities must emphasize the principle of “a gentleman loves money and obtains the right way.” According to the teachings of Buddhism, this “doctrine (dao)” should conform to right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration (āryāṣṭāṅgo-mārgo). The “Eight Enlightenment Paths (Skt.: āryāstāvgika-mārga)” can turn Buddhist “doctrine (dao)” into a commercial “doctrine (dao)”, allowing Buddhist merchants to follow when they are engaged in business transactions. Any enterprise must pay attention to profit and maximize efficiency. Therefore, in the pursuit of profit, Buddhists must have Buddhism beyond utilitarianism as the basis to follow, convert the profits obtained into social welfare, and achieve the maximum of the enterprise. Buddhism, which has a history of more than two thousand years, provides abundant resources for the business world. Moreover, Buddhism has organized, systematic, and procedural education, culture, charity, and spiritual practice, which not only continues the Buddha’s wisdom and mission, but also promotes social harmony and progress. Thus, the entrepreneurial spirit of Buddhism, as well as the essence of education and culture, are indeed a great treasure of mankind.

With the continuous progress and diffusion of corporate civilization and commercial culture, Buddhism is also facing a new situation of survival and propagation. Is traditional reciprocal generosity sustainable? What impact is the modern business model having on the operation of the Buddhist Sangha? These are the issues that “Humanistic Buddhism” must confront. Centre for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Fo Guang Shan Institute of Humanistic Buddhism, The Mirror Post and Buddhist Door, sincerely invite the eminent monks who manage the monastery, the foreign academic elites, and the Buddhist celebrities of the business community to gather together in a round table forum for the development of “Economic and Cultural Management of Human Buddhism”. In order to explore the relationship between the development of Buddhism and business activities, how Buddhism can benefit business activities, how Buddhism can help people in business, how Sangha community benefit from business management experience, and so on.

Theme
The Economic and Management Culture of Humanistic Buddhism

Topic

1. The Management Culture of the Temple Economy
2. Buddhist Ethics and Business Management
3. The Inspiration of Buddhism on Business Management
4. Dharma’s Inspiration for University Management
5. Buddhism and Taoism and Corporate Social Responsibility

Conference Details
Date
26 – 27 August 2017 (Sat & Sun)

Time
26 August 2017: 9:30~17:00
27 August 2017: 9:30~16:00

Venue
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Registration and Departure
Registration: 25 August 2017
Visit: 28 August 2017 (Visit to Hong Kong monasteries and historical sites)
Departure: 29 August 2017

Paper abstract or talk topic

1. Scholars please submit abstracts before 15 June 2017
2. University presidents, monastery abbots, and corporate patriarchs, please submit your conversation topics before 15 June 2017

Speech or Paper

1. Scholars are kindly requested to give a complete paper before 1 August 2017, for the forum organizing committee to prepare relevant seminar materials and compile the collection of papers.
2. University presidents, monastery abbots, and corporate householders do not need to submit papers. They only need to provide a brief talk before 1 August 2017 for inclusion in the collection of papers.

Programme
PDF

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