The 2026 Fo Guang University Graduate Conference on Buddhist Studies was held on August 17 at Yunshui Hall, Room 109, Fo Guang University. Organized by the Graduate Student Association of the Department of Buddhist Studies and co-organized by the Center for Buddhist Studies, the conference featured five graduate research presentations and attracted more than 30 faculty members and students from both Fo Guang University and other institutions.

The conference highlighted a broad spectrum of research in Buddhist Studies, covering Buddhist institutions, Buddhist philosophy, Buddhist psychology, textual studies, and literature. The presentations demonstrated the diversity and depth of contemporary Buddhist scholarship while showcasing the academic achievements and research potential of emerging scholars. Drawing upon classical texts, historical analysis, and interdisciplinary approaches, the papers reflected both rigorous scholarship and contemporary relevance.

The presenters included Pan Hsiang-ling, a first-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Buddhist Studies at Fo Guang University; Shih Yu-li, a second-year Ph.D. student in the same department; Chiang Teng-yun, a third-year master's student; Venerable Bao-ding, a third-year master's student; and Lin Chieh-hsin, a second-year Ph.D. student in the Graduate Institute of Sinology at Ming Chuan University. Their research explored topics including the psychological transformation of suffering through the concept of self-realized noble wisdom in the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, narratives of bodily absence in the Āgamas, the collaborative compilation and institutional reconstruction reflected in the Zengxiu Jiaoyuan Qinggui, a textual study of editions of Jingang Zhishuo, and Buddhist interpretations of concepts such as suffering, karma, and compassion in Taiwanese literature.

To foster scholarly dialogue, the conference invited distinguished scholars to serve as discussants, including Associate Professor Wang Hui-wen (Department of Buddhist Arts, Huafan University), Associate Professor Deng Wei-ren (Department of Buddhist Studies, Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts), Associate Professor Li Chung-ta (Department of Chinese Literature, Tunghai University), Adjunct Assistant Professor Li Kuei-min (Department of History, National Cheng Kung University), and Associate Professor Hsu Sheng-ho (Department of History, Fo Guang University). Their insightful comments and constructive feedback stimulated in-depth discussions and encouraged further refinement of the presenters' research.

The morning sessions were chaired by Professor Kuo Chao-shun and Associate Professor Cheng Wei-yi of the Department of Buddhist Studies at Fo Guang University. Through their moderation, participants engaged in lively discussions on research methodology, textual interpretation, and theoretical perspectives, creating a productive academic atmosphere.

In the afternoon, the conference featured a keynote lecture by Associate Professor Kuramoto Naotoku of the Institute for Research in Humanities, Kyoto University. His lecture, titled "The Editorial Intentions Behind Daoxuan's Qihuan si tujing", introduced recent developments in the study of Chinese Buddhist texts and monastic history, broadening participants' perspectives on Buddhist manuscript and institutional studies.

Fo Guang University's Department of Buddhist Studies has long encouraged graduate students to present their research in academic forums as a means of developing their scholarly and professional skills. The annual graduate conference not only provides an important platform for academic exchange but also strengthens collaboration among scholars from different institutions, reflecting the University's continued commitment to advancing Buddhist Studies and cultivating the next generation of Buddhist scholars.