About the Cluster
Constructing “Symbiosophy” – The Launching of the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster
Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts was officially established in 2014, and the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster began its enrollment in 2015, consisting of four master’s degree programs: Life Education, Community Revitalization, Social Enterprise and Innovation, and Environment and Development. Previously known as the Dharma Drum College of Humanities and Social Sciences (formally organized in 1993), the Institute has been in development for over two decades. Due to the rapid social changes in Taiwan, and in response to the global trends in higher education, as well as to break away from the traditional system of higher education that is based on a single body of knowledge, the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster adopts the concept of cross-disciplinary programs to establish multiple master’s degree programs, and to respond to the trend of university education that is oriented toward the cultivation of “research-oriented” scholars. Therefore, this cluster emphasizes the “public welfare and public interest” and the “unity of learning and application” with social concern, and realizes the ideal of “Enhancing the Quality of Human Beings and Cultivating a Pure Land on Earth” through practical experiences based on “knowledgeable and healthy living”.
In the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster, the Master’s Degree in Life Education is based on the dialogue between Eastern and Western cultures together with Buddhist thoughts, emphasizing the realization of the true wisdom of life and the creation of the value of life. The Master’s Degree in Community Revitalization focuses on exploring the vitality of the community and creating a new vision of the community from the perspective of a living community. The Master of Arts Program of Social Enterprise and Innovation focuses on the development of civil society and business management techniques, and aims to cultivate talents to promote social enterprise and innovation through forward-looking cross-disciplinary integration and comprehensive practical training. The Master’s Program in Environment and Development focuses on sustainable development, emphasizing the global context and local care, and reflecting on the relationship between people and the earth, in order to cultivate talents with a holistic vision and practical skills. Therefore, it is clear that these degree programs of the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster are focused on social stability, community co-prosperity, public welfare, and sustainable development, and have transcended the prevailing instrumentalist educational practices, and are characterized by a non-utilitarian public service mission.
Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts was originally designed as a university that is small but beautiful, compact but sophisticated. In the 2021-22 academic year, the Master of Arts Program of Community Revitalization and the Master of Arts Program of Environment and Development ceased enrollment, and were merged into the Master of Arts Program of Social Enterprise and Innovation, which is divided into the three streams namely, social enterprise, community revitalization, and environment and development. In the 2022-23 academic year, the doctoral program of the Department of Buddhist Studies added the “Buddhism and Social Practice Stream”, which combines the faculty members of the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster in order to cultivate leaders with professionalism in Buddhism and liberal arts education, and to fulfill the educational goals of caring for life and contributing to the international community. The following year, the Ministry of Education approved the addition of the In-service Master Program of Social Enterprise and Spiritual Environmental Protection and the Bachelor Program of Life Education to this cluster for the purpose of nurturing talents who can effectively meet the needs of today’s Taiwanese society.
The Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster emphasizes spiritual environmental protection as the core of education, and the beautiful scenery and spiritual atmosphere of the campus have made it the best place for “environmental education and cultivation”. The faculty members are of the highest caliber and have excellent academic qualifications and work experiences. Therefore, the cluster has become a new highlight among Taiwan’s higher education institutions and has attracted the attention of various sectors. The goals, programs, environment, and future development of the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster are summarized below:
- To build a “Pure Land on Earth” focusing on the power of kindness, public welfare, and social contributions
The purpose of university education is no longer exclusively the quest for academic excellence (pursuit for truth). In recent years, as the target audience of higher education has become more widespread, the function of higher education has also emphasized social contribution. Therefore, it is appropriate to change the meaning and method of talent cultivation or human quality enhancement. The power of kindness, public welfare, and social contributions are the main focus of this cluster, which is basically a response to this trend of transformation and development of higher education. Therefore, from life education, to community revitalization, to social enterprise and innovation, and then to environment and development, these four aspects do not only constitute a logical structure at the intellectual level (life-community-social enterprise-environment), but are also an expression of the four humanistic and social values of life, living, production, and ecosystem. This is exactly the origin of the power of kindness, and the “Pure Land on Earth” that Master Sheng Yen, the founder of Dharma Drum Mountain, had hoped for.
- To deepen and expand the development of cross-disciplinary programs with “spiritual environmental protection” as the core value
The curriculum structure of the Institute is based on spiritual environmental protection, and the hierarchical and outward circular planning reflects the current needs of the society and the trend of academic development. Master Sheng Yen pointed out the correct values of human beings in his philosophy of spiritual environmental protection: “The responsibility of life is to do one’s duty; the function of human beings is to grow from dedication; the significance of human beings is to dissipate the ego at any time and to be always satisfied and relaxed; and human beings are integrated into infinite time and space while transcending them.” Spiritual environmental protection emphasizes the elimination of self-centeredness and the transcendence of antagonisms between people or between people and their environments, aiming to serve the community and benefit all living beings as an essential mindset and a priority when living in the world. The four master’s degree programs also adopt a flexible and integrated degree program design with cross-disciplinary courses providing students with an innovative teaching and learning approach to develop their professional competence, which is very different from the design of other universities’ departments. The Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster not only features faculty members with diverse backgrounds to provide a wide range of curriculum choices, but also actively implements cross-disciplinary integration in its curriculum design, with a significant proportion of courses integrated between the Department of Buddhist Studies and the various degree programs within the cluster. For example, the “Lectures on Spiritual Environmental Protection”, a compulsory course for the whole institute, is a major means of cross-disciplinary integration. The topics of the lectures cover a wide range of important issues in the humanities, science and technology, economics, environmental protection, education, and religion, enabling students who specialize in a single field of study to come into contact with the viewpoints of other fields, broaden their horizons, and build up a humanistic mindset that cares for the world through diversified curricular content. In addition, the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster encourages cross-disciplinary learning by offering flexibility in the selection of cross-disciplinary courses with a total of 6 credits.
- To enhance the potential educational functions of the knowledgeable and healthy learning environment and the environmental learning campus
The Institute has adopted “Liberal Arts Education” as its guiding principle, emphasizing “erudition and profound knowledge” and “harmonious and healthy life”. As highlighted in liberal arts education, a university is not just a combination of students and faculty members engaged in the teaching and learning of different subjects, but rather an educational environment in which an atmosphere or conditions are created for the exchange of ideas, and in which students slowly shape their own habits of mind that will benefit them throughout their lives, which is the power of “intrinsic education”. Based on the principle of “small is beautiful”, the school provides a “fully residential and small class” living environment, which provides space for communication and interaction between teachers and students. In addition, the campus is located at the foot of Jinshan (Jin Mountain), coupled with the campus construction that emphasizes natural structures, the overall space presents an elegant and serene appearance that blends in with nature, with nature as the visual protagonist, allowing students to experience the “non-form” and friendly campus amidst the scenery of the mountains and clouds. The buildings belonging to this cluster are the award-winning masterpieces designed by renowned architect Kris Yao. This kind of external environment with mountains and forests as the setting for teaching and learning helps the students inside to reflect on themselves internally and externally on the modern life, just like the environmental education which emphasizes “education in the environment”, with the mother nature as the teacher.
- The research and development of the science of mind that enables the transformation of consciousness into wisdom
“Knowledge is not the only path that leads to truth” (Richard Rorty). Moreover, the constancy of knowledge is “impermanence”. If knowledge is not continuously criticized and reflected upon, it is likely to become an ideology, which could be one-sided and potentially dangerous. Therefore, Buddhism provides the wisdom of “change” and “constancy”, and it is a kind of introspection and exploration that goes straight to the heart. In recent years, research in brain science has gradually confirmed the significance and value of the existence of the science of mind. It is no longer the monopoly of material knowledge systems, but points to the possible connections to the mind. It breaks down the barriers between natural science and humanities, and is a kind of “wisdom” that integrates the existence of the mind. On the basis of Buddhist studies, the Institute has not only expanded the four systems of humanities and social sciences, namely, life, living, production, and ecosystem, but has also constructed a platform for the study of the science of mind. The cross-disciplinary cooperation among the four master’s programs and the nourishment of Buddhist wisdom will open up infinite possibilities for the development of the science of mind, which will surely make positive and substantial contributions to the future development of mankind in terms of academic research.
- The construction of a living circle based on “symbiosophy” – Jinshan Eco-town development
From the standpoint of “public welfare” or “public interest,” the Institute recognizes higher education as a public service to the community, and emphasizes its mission to promote social progress as a whole. Based on the fact that the cultivation of “talents that the future society is waiting for” requires the ability to cope with “changes” and the foundation of the mindset of mastering “constancy”, the former can be achieved through hands-on work and internship programs, which can foster students’ “self-directed learning” and “communication” abilities in the process of dealing with real-life problems, and strengthen their adaptability in problem solving in response to the ever-changing environment of the times. The latter relies on the curricula that emphasize both theory and practice in order to let students realize the essence of symbiosophy. Moreover, in light of the increasing marginalization of the humanities and social sciences, moving forward in the direction of “knowledge inquiry with practical concern” and “cross-disciplinary approach” should enable the public to feel the indispensability of humanities and social sciences knowledge that is closely related to their lives, thus enabling these departments and faculties to regain public support for their normal development and effectively take up the great responsibility of nurturing talents for the society. Therefore, the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster has formulated the “Jinshan Eco-town” as a medium- and long-term project of “spiritual environmental protection and compassion for Jinshan”. This project emphasizes the linkage between the Institute and local development, actively contributing to the local area, enabling coexistence and co-prosperity together with the local area, and learning from the local area. The “symbiosophy” developed from “locality” is based on ecological and sustainable development, and it starts from the local area and then gradually expands from the community to the society and then to the environment. For example, our “Lectures on Spiritual Environmental Protection” are designed to provide a platform for cross-disciplinary exchanges and learning in Buddhism, humanities and social sciences, as well as the planning of the “Campus Action Program for Spiritual Environmental Protection Education”. The current focus of the action program, “Environmental Learning Campus”, not only provides participants with hands-on learning opportunities and experiences in integrating theory and practice, but also opens up possibilities for further community/social involvement in the future. Secondly, “learning from the locality” is related to academic development, which involves launching local studies towards “glocalization”, learning from the unique social situations and historical experiences of the locality, taking action to address local concerns, and constructing new concepts and theories from them. For example, the four master’s degree programs and the Department of Buddhist Studies can work together on the “Jinshan Eco-town” project, in which the eco-town encompasses concerns regarding worldview, society, economy, and ecology, and echoes the life and Buddhism, living (community revitalization), production (social enterprises), and ecosystems (the environment) components of the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster. This collaboration is not only cross-disciplinary in nature, but its synergy also offers possibilities for academic breakthroughs. If a localized version of Taiwan’s eco-town model can be constructed, it will be beneficial to local communities, and students will be able to gain a wealth of learning outcomes, which will hopefully be extended to the wider region and the rest of the world.
As described above, the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster, guided by the Institute’s vision and core values of “Enhancing the Quality of Human Beings and Creating a Pure Land on Earth,” seeks to enlighten people with the light of “goodness,” leading to new possibilities and prospects for the academic research and development of the science of mind, while at the same time, contributing to the practice of “public welfare” and social concerns. It is hoped that all parties in the community will work together to accomplish this ambitious endeavor.
The Origin of the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster
Previously known as the Dharma Drum College of Humanities and Social Sciences (formally organized in 1993), the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster has been in development for nearly three decades. Due to the rapid social changes in Taiwan, and in response to the global trends in higher education, as well as to break away from the traditional system of higher education that is based on a single body of knowledge, the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster adopts the concept of cross-disciplinary programs to establish multiple master’s degree programs, and to respond to the trend of university education that is oriented toward the cultivation of “research-oriented” scholars. Therefore, this cluster emphasizes the “public welfare and public interest” and the “unity of learning and application” with social concern, and realizes the ideal of “Enhancing the Quality of Human Beings and Cultivating a Pure Land on Earth” through practical experiences based on “knowledgeable and healthy living”
In the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster, the Master’s Degree in Life Education is based on the dialogue between Eastern and Western cultures together with Buddhist thoughts, emphasizing the realization of the true wisdom of life and the creation of the value of life. The Master’s Degree in Community Revitalization focuses on exploring the vitality of the community and creating a new vision of the community from the perspective of a living community. The Master of Arts Program of Social Enterprise and Innovation focuses on the development of civil society and business management techniques, and aims to cultivate talents to promote social enterprise and innovation through forward-looking cross-disciplinary integration and comprehensive practical training. The Master’s Program in Environment and Development focuses on sustainable development, emphasizing the global context and local care, and reflecting on the relationship between people and the earth, in order to cultivate talents with a holistic vision and practical skills. Therefore, it is clear that these degree programs of the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster are focused on social stability, community co-prosperity, public welfare, and sustainable development, and have transcended the prevailing instrumentalist educational practices, and are characterized by a non-utilitarian public service mission.
The Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts was founded in August 2014 upon the approval of the Ministry of Education, and enrolled its first cohort of graduate students under the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster in August 2015, which consists of four master’s degree programs, namely, Master’s Program in Life Education, Master’s Program in Community Rehabilitation, Master of Arts Program of Social Enterprise and Innovation, and Master’s Program in Environment and Development. The annual enrollment quota for each program is 20 students, making a total up to 80 graduate students. In the 2021-22 academic year, the Master of Arts Program of Community Revitalization and the Master of Arts Program of Environment and Development ceased enrollment, and were merged into the Master of Arts Program of Social Enterprise and Innovation, which is divided into the three streams namely, social enterprise, community revitalization, and environment and development.
The Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts upholds the concept of spiritual environmental protection, and its educational system is based on the Chung-Hwa Institute of Buddhist Studies and the Dharma Drum Institute of Buddhist Studies, which set up the Department of Buddhist Studies at the Institute. The Master of Arts Program of Social Enterprise and Innovation (Social Enterprise, Community Revitalization, and Environment and Development streams) was added to the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster, extending from the individual (life), to the community (community revitalization), to the society (social enterprise), and to the whole world (environment).
Since its initial enrollment in 2015, the Institute has found that this structure of the Master’s Program in Life Education, by combining the concepts and methods of settling the body and mind in Buddhism and meditation, along with the integration of cross-disciplinary features of education, psychology, philosophy, and religion, has served to organize and internalize various life issues of people in the modern world. Such integration not only possesses the spirit and ability of Buddhist social practice, but also serves as an intrinsic foundation for other programs in the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster. As for the three streams of the Master of Arts Program of Social Enterprise and Innovation, through the core curriculum of spiritual environmental protection, coupled with the integration of the curriculum and conceptual construction of the streams, it allows for the systematic cultivation of talents who can devote themselves to social enterprises and public welfare undertakings.
Therefore, the curriculum of the Humanities and Social Sciences Cluster is characterized by the construction of a theoretical foundation for spiritual environmental protection, and emphasizes the integration of theories and practical applications, gradually moving towards the development of a small but beautiful liberal arts education institution, effectively bringing into play the spiritual environmental protection and the reflection on the personal life course, the social value and social impact of the community, the environment, and the social enterprise.
Organization of the Cluster
Core Competencies:
- An attitude of self-observation and introspection
- Exploration and construction of meaning in life
- Values and attitudes of empathy and equality
- Understanding the dynamic relationship between one’s own life and the social context
- The ability to settle oneself and others, and to participate in social affairs.
- The understanding of the localization of life care and cross-cultural interaction.
Teaching and Learning Objectives:
- To cultivate students with the ability to reflect on and observe life.
- To cultivate students with the ability to stabilize their own bodies and minds.
- To cultivate students with cross-cultural and diversified perspectives.
Bachelor’s Degree Program in Life Education
- Life education-related research is attracting attention both at home and abroad, and the integration of academic theory and practice of life education is becoming a trend.
- The Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts’ Bachelor’s Degree Program in Life Education emphasizes both school education and social care, and provides a system of Zen and mental health healing, counseling, and training in response to the burdens of modern-day life and stress, providing a variety of directions and opportunities for talent development.
The characteristics of our program are as follows:
- To reflect on the dilemmas and solutions for the implementation of life education in the modern world.
- To provide a more profound and comprehensive learning system for educators from different disciplines, within and outside the educational system.
- To provide professionals who can stabilize the society in the face of disasters and troubled times.
Social Enterprise and Innovation M.A. Program
Mission and Features of the Institute’s Programs
- With the Dharma Drum Mountain’s philosophy of spiritual environmental protection as the core, we are committed to cultivating a Pure Land on Earth.
- To develop professionals with expertise in cross-disciplinary social issues, sustainable development of the community and environment, and social entrepreneurship.
- Through self-reflection and self-understanding, the program aims to foster inner strengths, expand resource connections, and enhance people’s abilities to take action for the public good.
- The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of the community, with both theoretical knowledge and practical applications.
Teaching and Learning Objectives:
- To cultivate knowledgeable professionals in spiritual environmental protection.
- To cultivate cross-disciplinary talents in social innovation management and administration.
- To cultivate talents who are deeply engaged in community issue advocacy and public welfare practice.
- To cultivate talents who can contribute to the development of ecological literacy and environmental sustainability.
Social Enterprise and Spiritual Environment Protection M.A. Program
- To open up the spectrum of social enterprises
- To understand the common manifestation of ideals, philosophies, and aspirations.
- To realize self and altruistic care for the humanity.