Skip to main content

Juewei Shi

Nan Tien Institute, Applied Buddhist Studies, Faculty Member

Followers

72

Following

8

Public Views

Venerable Dr Juewei holds a Ph.D. in Religious Studies, a Master of Arts in Buddhist studies, a Master of Business Administration, and a Master of Science in Computer Science and Engineering. Juewei began her career as an applied R&D engineer in Artificial Intelligence systems in the 1980s, however made her decision to join the Fo Guang Shan order when she realised that she could be of the best service to humanity through promoting humanistic values in an increasingly divided world. Juewei is now Head of Program for Humanistic Buddhism, Director of the Humanistic Buddhism Centre, and Associate Professor at Nan Tien Institute in Australia, where she teaches subjects supported by her research.
Phone: 0404971188
Address: 231 Nolan Street, Unanderra, NSW 2526, Australia.

less

InterestsView All (8)

Uploads

Papers by Juewei Shi

Chan Buddhism during the Times of Yixuan and Hsing Yun : Applying Chinese Chan Principles to Contemporary Society

印度學佛教學研究, Mar 1, 2016

Chan Buddhism during the Times of Yixuan and Hsing Yun: Applying Chinese Chan Principles to Conte... more Chan Buddhism during the Times of Yixuan and Hsing Yun: Applying Chinese Chan Principles to Contemporary Society SHIJuewei Lirlji Yixuan uttaXil((d. 866) and Fo Guang Hsing Yun es)kZg:-i} (1927-), although separated by rnore than a millennium, innovatively applied Chan teachings to the societies in which they lived to help their devotees discover their humanity and transcend their existential conditions. Both religious leaders not only survived persecution, but brought their faiths to greater heights. This paper studies how these masters adapted Chan Buddhist teachings to the woes and conditions of their times. In particular, I shall review how yixuan and Hsing yun adapted the teachings of their predecessors, added value to the socio-political milieu of their times, and used familiar language to reconcile reality and their beliefs. Background These two Chan masters were selected because of the significance of their contributions. Lirlji Yixuan was not only the founder ofa popular Lirlji2) school in Chan Buddhism but was also posthumously awarded the title of Meditation Master of Wisdom Illumination (Huizhao Chanshi ue ,H", ma eM) (Sasaki and Kirchner 2oog, s2) by Emperor Yizong em7 of the Tang dynasty (r. 859-873). Hsing Yun, a very strong proponent ofHumanistic Buddhism, is currently the recipient of ls honorary doctorate degrees from universities around the world (Shi and Weng 2015). To have received such accolades, both Chan masters ought to have made momentous contribution to their societies. Although Yixuan and Hsing Yun had humble beginnings, they were well-grounded in Buddhist teachings. Yixuan was well-versed with Huayan ifca and Weishi mema teachings (Sasaki and Kirchner 2009, 66) while Hsing Yun received a comprehensive-1303-NII-Electionic

Buddhist merit in the West: a case study from Australia’s Nan Tien Temple

Studies in Chinese religions, Apr 3, 2019

The Buddhism that was introduced into China proposed that secular puṇya follows wholesome religio... more The Buddhism that was introduced into China proposed that secular puṇya follows wholesome religious deeds intended to achieve happiness and prosperity in the human world or rebirth in heavenly realms. Buddhism then assimilated the classical Chinese fude and emphasised the merit field and transfer of merit. With the popularity of Mahāyana Buddhism, the cultivation of fude reached new heights. In the West, the Buddhist concepts of puṇya and fude did not take off. This article explores the extent to which Buddhist merit may be accepted in the West, and the mechanism by which it can be presented for easy acceptance. Australia's largest Buddhist sanctuary, Fo Guang Shan Nan Tien Temple, hosts over 200,000 visitors and a public festival that attracts over 1,000 volunteers annually for more than 20 years. The studies in this article indicate that religious merit is attractive to those seeking blessings for a healthier, happier and more peaceful future as well as to those who wish to cultivate altruistic behaviour. Blessings and voluntarism may serve as skilful means to meet human needs in the short term as well as to introduce karmic merit and selfless bodhisattva aspiration in the long run.

National Recognition of a Religious Festival

Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies, 2015

Festivals make up a major feature of all religions i) and human societies.2) A festival means to ... more

Buddhist Economics: A Cultural Alternative

Creative economy, 2018

Buddhist and western economic paradigms are not necessarily conflicting. They propose different m... more Buddhist and western economic paradigms are not necessarily conflicting. They propose different measures and paths to help humanity be happier. Buddhists encourage minimising self-centred needs as the origin of economic relationships, but instead, opening up one’s heart to the needs and conditions of others.

Flows of Innovation in Fo Guang Shan Oceania: Transregional dynamics behind the Buddha’s Birthday Festival

Journal of Global Buddhism, Dec 8, 2022

Fo Guang Shan (Fóguāng shān 佛光山 FGS), a Buddhist movement in the Chinese Mahāyāna tradition, has ... more Fo Guang Shan (Fóguāng shān 佛光山 FGS), a Buddhist movement in the Chinese Mahāyāna tradition, has grown rapidly in the last fifty years to become a global network with nearly 180 branch temples. For almost thirty years, FGS Australia and New Zealand has invested heavily in the annual Buddha's Birthday Festival (BBF) in the form of weekend-long festivals in public spaces across the region. FGS Australia and New Zealand has served as an incubator, exporter, and importer of innovations to make Buddhism accessible to the public through these festivals. This article maps the flows of such innovations across the Pacific among the headquarters in Taiwan, the branches in Australia and New Zealand, and other regional headquarters. We argue that far from being a passive receiver, Buddhism in FGS Australia and New Zealand is an active participant in such flows. Low-risk, incremental innovations percolate through the branches, and are further developed or adapted as skillful means to popularise the Buddha's teachings according to local contexts. This article also examines some organisational and individual factors involved in balancing tradition and innovation in navigating the plural religious landscape of the region.

Chan Buddhism during the Times of Yixuan and Hsing Yun

Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies, 2016

Chan Buddhism during the Times of Yixuan and Hsing Yun: Applying Chinese Chan Principles to Conte... more Chan Buddhism during the Times of Yixuan and Hsing Yun: Applying Chinese Chan Principles to Contemporary Society SHIJuewei Lirlji Yixuan uttaXil((d. 866) and Fo Guang Hsing Yun es)kZg:-i} (1927-), although separated by rnore than a millennium, innovatively applied Chan teachings to the societies in which they lived to help their devotees discover their humanity and transcend their existential conditions. Both religious leaders not only survived persecution, but brought their faiths to greater heights. This paper studies how these masters adapted Chan Buddhist teachings to the woes and conditions of their times. In particular, I shall review how yixuan and Hsing yun adapted the teachings of their predecessors, added value to the socio-political milieu of their times, and used familiar language to reconcile reality and their beliefs. Background These two Chan masters were selected because of the significance of their contributions. Lirlji Yixuan was not only the founder ofa popular Lirlji2) school in Chan Buddhism but was also posthumously awarded the title of Meditation Master of Wisdom Illumination (Huizhao Chanshi ue ,H", ma eM) (Sasaki and Kirchner 2oog, s2) by Emperor Yizong em7 of the Tang dynasty (r. 859-873). Hsing Yun, a very strong proponent ofHumanistic Buddhism, is currently the recipient of ls honorary doctorate degrees from universities around the world (Shi and Weng 2015). To have received such accolades, both Chan masters ought to have made momentous contribution to their societies. Although Yixuan and Hsing Yun had humble beginnings, they were well-grounded in Buddhist teachings. Yixuan was well-versed with Huayan ifca and Weishi mema teachings (Sasaki and Kirchner 2009, 66) while Hsing Yun received a comprehensive-1303-NII-Electionic

Flows and Counterflows of Buddhism ‘South of the West’: Australia, New Zealand and Hawai‘i

Journal of Global Buddhism

Introduction to the JGB Special Focus section, "Flows and Counterflows of Buddhism ‘South of... more Introduction to the JGB Special Focus section, "Flows and Counterflows of Buddhism ‘South of the West’: Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaiʻi." In this special issue, we endeavour to explore horizontal flows and counter flows of Buddhism on ‘paths less travelled’ across the Pacific sea of islands, and ‘South of the West’ (Gibson 1992) rather than the usual ‘from Asia to Europe and the Americas’ story. As such, this special issue fits within the more recent scholarship on the globalisation of Buddhism that seeks to point to a more complex picture of historical and contemporary flows of Buddhist ideas, practices, objects and peoples across the globe.

format_quoteSimilarities were noted between early Buddhism in Hawaii and its presence in Australia's Far North, indicating historical connections.format_quote

Flows of Innovation in Fo Guang Shan Oceania: Transregional dynamics behind the Buddha’s Birthday Festival

Journal of Global Buddhism

Fo Guang Shan (FGS), a transnational Buddhist movement in the Chinese Mahāyāna tradition, has gro... more Fo Guang Shan (FGS), a transnational Buddhist movement in the Chinese Mahāyāna tradition, has grown rapidly in the last fifty years to become a global network of close to 180 branch temples. For almost thirty years, FGS Oceania has invested heavily in the Buddha’s Birthday Festival annually in the form of weekend-long festivals in public spaces across Australia and New Zealand, involving months of planning and thousands of volunteers to welcome tens of thousands of visitors. FGS Oceania served as an incubator, exporter, and importer of innovations to make the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha accessible to the public through these festivals. Here, we map the flows of such innovations among the headquarters in Taiwan, the Oceanic branches, and other regional headquarters to examine the dynamics of organisational learning that drive these innovations. Using a system of systems model, we argue that such flows were enabled by FGS’ culture of innovation and the independent yet collaborative nat...

Engaging and Managing Team Projects

A Thousand Hands: a guidebook to caring for your Buddhist community, 2016

This book chapter shares lessons learned in managing Buddhist projects. Buddhist projects manager... more This book chapter shares lessons learned in managing Buddhist projects. Buddhist projects managers make the inaccessible more accessible to team members as well as their target audience, train the self in selflessness, and use the project experience to turn practising the Dharma into a habit. In times when humanity faces enormous crises, volunteering in Buddhist projects can help individuals regain faith in one's intrinsic goodness.

Buddhist merit in the West: a case study from Australia’s Nan Tien Temple

Studies in Chinese Religions, 2019

The Buddhism that was introduced into China proposed that secular puṇya follows wholesome religio... more The Buddhism that was introduced into China proposed that secular puṇya follows wholesome religious deeds intended to achieve happiness and prosperity in the human world or rebirth in heavenly realms. Buddhism then assimilated the classical Chinese fude and emphasised the merit field and transfer of merit. With the popularity of Mahāyana Buddhism, the cultivation of fude reached new heights. In the West, the Buddhist concepts of puṇya and fude did not take off. This article explores the extent to which Buddhist merit may be accepted in the West, and the mechanism by which it can be presented for easy acceptance. Australia's largest Buddhist sanctuary, Fo Guang Shan Nan Tien Temple, hosts over 200,000 visitors and a public festival that attracts over 1,000 volunteers annually for more than 20 years. The studies in this article indicate that religious merit is attractive to those seeking blessings for a healthier, happier and more peaceful future as well as to those who wish to cultivate altruistic behaviour. Blessings and voluntarism may serve as skilful means to meet human needs in the short term as well as to introduce karmic merit and selfless bodhisattva aspiration in the long run.

Chan Buddhism during the Times of Yixuan and Hsing Yun

Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies (Indogaku Bukkyogaku Kenkyu), 2016

Chan Buddhism during the Times of Yixuan and Hsing Yun: Applying Chinese Chan Principles to Conte... more Chan Buddhism during the Times of Yixuan and Hsing Yun: Applying Chinese Chan Principles to Contemporary Society SHIJuewei Lirlji Yixuan uttaXil((d. 866) and Fo Guang Hsing Yun es)kZg:-i} (1927-), although separated by rnore than a millennium, innovatively applied Chan teachings to the societies in which they lived to help their devotees discover their humanity and transcend their existential conditions. Both religious leaders not only survived persecution, but brought their faiths to greater heights. This paper studies how these masters adapted Chan Buddhist teachings to the woes and conditions of their times. In particular, I shall review how yixuan and Hsing yun adapted the teachings of their predecessors, added value to the socio-political milieu of their times, and used familiar language to reconcile reality and their beliefs. Background These two Chan masters were selected because of the significance of their contributions. Lirlji Yixuan was not only the founder ofa popular Lirlji2) school in Chan Buddhism but was also posthumously awarded the title of Meditation Master of Wisdom Illumination (Huizhao Chanshi ue ,H", ma eM) (Sasaki and Kirchner 2oog, s2) by Emperor Yizong em7 of the Tang dynasty (r. 859-873). Hsing Yun, a very strong proponent ofHumanistic Buddhism, is currently the recipient of ls honorary doctorate degrees from universities around the world (Shi and Weng 2015). To have received such accolades, both Chan masters ought to have made momentous contribution to their societies. Although Yixuan and Hsing Yun had humble beginnings, they were well-grounded in Buddhist teachings. Yixuan was well-versed with Huayan ifca and Weishi mema teachings (Sasaki and Kirchner 2009, 66) while Hsing Yun received a comprehensive-1303-NII-Electionic

National Recognition of a Religious Festival : Comparing Buddha's Birthday Celebration Organized in Taipei to the Northern Wei Buddha's Birthday Parade

印度學佛教學研究, Mar 1, 2015

Buddha’s birthday is one of the most celebrated, if not the most celebrated, Buddhist occasion ar... more Buddha’s birthday is one of the most celebrated, if not the most celebrated, Buddhist occasion around the world. This paper studies how a foreign religion can be so well-accepted that its major festival gains national recognition. It does so by comparing a one-thousand carriage Buddha’s birthday image procession held in China about 1,500 years ago to a Buddha’s birthday celebration held outside the Office of the President in Taiwan in the 21st century. These two circumstances are significant because the heads of state are conspicuously present outside their symbols of power and the entire capital city observed the occasion. This paper identifies the factors critical to indigenous Chinese people accepting major festivals of a foreign religion. Through a careful analysis of both the supply of appropriately-skilled Buddhists and demand of government and public, the essential factors are acknowledged. This study will include social, cultural and political perspectives in promoting and justifying the importance of this Buddhist festival.

National Recognition of a Religious Festival

Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies (Indogaku Bukkyogaku Kenkyu), 2015

Festivals make up a major feature of all religions i) and human societies.2) A festival means to ... more

format_quoteAncient Buddha's birthday parades, organized by skilled Buddhists, showcased effective public staging and state satisfaction over time.format_quote

The Importance of the Buddha in the Sixteen Kingdoms

Buddhist Economics: A Cultural Alternative

This chapter surveys contemporary economic models and “experiments” that inject Buddhist principl... more This chapter surveys contemporary economic models and “experiments” that inject Buddhist principles into secular systems as well as economic exchanges in Buddhist sanctuaries. I shall explore the ongoing dialogues between these two apparently incompatible systems and study how Buddhist communities have engaged in a harmonious partnership that combines Buddhist values and wisdom with existing economic paradigms. The critical success factor for this paradigm shift lies in the Buddhist discovery of the truth of karma and pratītyasamutpāda (dependent co-origination).

Venerable Master Hsing Yun's Contribution to Vesak.pdf

Buddha’s Birthday (or Vesak) celebrations in Taiwan have come a long way. Fo Guang Shan played a ... more Buddha’s Birthday (or Vesak) celebrations in Taiwan have come a long way. Fo Guang Shan played a major role in promoting Buddha’s Birthday parades and other public events during this important Buddhist festival. Venerable Master Hsing Yun, founder of Fo Guang Shan, started citywide parade of the Buddha image in Yilan. Prior to his initiative, Buddha image parades during Vesak celebrations only travelled from temples to parks in Yilan. Hsing Yun was not satisfied with the inconvenience that devotees had to endure in order to celebrate their religious founder’s birthday and so, called for the government to establish Vesak as a national holiday in 1957. Since then, he had not spared any effort in promoting large-scale celebrations and advocating increased national status for this important Buddhist event throughout the island. This included combining the commemoration of Mother’s Day together with Vesak Day in public. In 1999, Buddha’s Birthday was finally recognised as a public holiday. This paper maps the path that Master Hsing Yun and Fo Guang Shan took to increase the profile of Buddha’s Birthday in the public’s eye. This study also compares this Taiwanese phenomenon to another unprecedented event in China during the Northern Wei Dynasty.

format_quoteBuddha's Birthday festival evolved from missionary efforts, establishing the identity of Buddhism's founder through celebratory practices.format_quote

National Recognition of a Religious Festival (Juewei).pdf

Engaging and Managing Team Projects

Teaching the Dharma is one of the most meaningful tasks to undertake, and it can be construed in ... more Teaching the Dharma is one of the most meaningful tasks to undertake, and it can be construed in a versatile manner. This paper documents how the Buddha's Birthday Education Project teaches Buddhism at two levels: the project team members who volunteer their time and expertise, as well as the audience who learn through the creative outputs of these teams. The project has become a shrine and classroom for all involved.

An Engaged and Engaging Postgraduate Education

The Importance of Promoting Buddhist Education, May 2014

The Millennium Development Goals offer both a call to arms for a better world as well as a challe... more The Millennium Development Goals offer both a call to arms for a better world as well as a challenge for Buddhist Studies. These goals require institutions of higher learning to devote themselves to encouraging inquiry with sensitivity to world issues, and cultivation to improve the society in which the students belong. The Nan Tien Institute (NTI) is Australia's first accredited university-level institution grounded in applied Buddhist wisdom. This paper explores the extent to which the Applied Buddhist Studies program in NTI engages and inspires students to think about the society-at-large, especially in the context of the opening paragraph of the Millennium Declaration to build a "more peaceful, prosperous and just world."

Chan Buddhism during the Times of Yixuan and Hsing Yun: Applying Chinese Chan Principles to Contemporary Society

Linji Yixuan 臨濟義玄 (d. 866) and Fo Guang Hsing Yun 佛光星雲 1) (1927–), although separated by more tha... more Linji Yixuan 臨濟義玄 (d. 866) and Fo Guang Hsing Yun 佛光星雲 1) (1927–), although separated by more than a millennium, innovatively applied Chan teachings to the societies in which they lived to help their devotees discover their humanity and transcend their existential conditions. Both religious leaders not only survived persecution, but brought their faiths to greater heights. This paper studies how these masters adapted Chan Buddhist teachings to the woes and conditions of their times. In particular, I shall review how Yixuan and Hsing Yun adapted the teachings of their predecessors, added value to the socio-political milieu of their times, and used familiar language to reconcile reality and their beliefs.

format_quoteLinji Yixuan's teachings emerged from the persecution era, urging acceptance of life’s facts to liberate practitioners from societal tensions.format_quote