A Preliminary Study of the Development Characteristics of Chinese Buddhist Education in Malaysia

Abstract

The development of Buddhist education includes three aspects: Sangha education, Believer education and social education advocated by Buddhism. Since Chinese Buddhist monks came to Malaya and preached in Malaya, Malaysia has had the earliest relatively single Chinese Buddhist education appeared. After more than half a century of gradual development, the current Chinese Buddhist education in Malaysia has made great progress in the aspects of Sangha education, Believer education, and social education advocated by Buddhism, showing several characteristics of development and evolution. In the aspect of Sangha education, the Buddhist Institute of Malaysia is the main carrier, which has achieved an important breakthrough in Sangha educational institutions from scratch. As far as Believer education is concerned, it is mainly presented from the aspects of educational organizers, educational objects, educational forms and educational content. In terms of social education in Buddhism, the Chinese Buddhist community in Malaysia has established institutionalized early childhood education and primary and secondary education institutions, although in terms of higher education, there has not been a Buddhist organization applying for comprehensive higher education in Malaysia. There are precedents for the success of educational institutions, but the University also has Buddhist research institutions. Therefore, on the whole, the Malaysian Chinese Buddhist community has formed a relatively sound Buddhist education system.