會議地點：越南胡志明市；時間：2009.12.18 - 2010.01.03；大會主題：傑出的女性修行者與典範=Eminent Buddhist Women
摘要
This paper explores Bhiksuni Zhengyan’s vision of Buddhist ecology in contemporary Taiwan. The charismatic nun Zhengyan (1937– ) founded the Buddhist humanitarian aid organization known as Tzu Chi (Ciji), or Compassion Relief, in 1966. From its humble beginnings as a charity group of local Buddhist women and nuns in Hualian, the poverty-stricken eastern region of Taiwan, Ciji rapidly transformed into a major socio-economic power with branch centers all over the island. Recently it has also expanded to become an international foundation that provides Buddhist outreach and global aid.
In recent decades, Zhengyan has also emerged as one of the most important voices for protecting ecology and observing environmentalism in Taiwan. Among the services Ciji local centers provide across the island are recycling facilities, which their volunteers take turns operating. Ciji followers are expected to live by a code of simplicity that requires them to carry their own meal utensils with them as a daily ecological practice. In addition, all Ciji architecture, whether for religious or secular use, always conform to practical environmental principles. In short, it is not an overstatement to conclude that Ciji really is at the forefront of Taiwanese environmental efforts.
