Exchanges Between Prisoners and Buddhists: A Study of the Interaction Between Criminals in Yunlin Second Prison and the Tou Liu Temple of Foguang Shan

• Main Authors: Cheng-chang Lo, 駱政昌
• Other Authors: Meei-hwa Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/18350542951477432783

碩士 === 南華大學 === 宗教學研究所 === 94 === 　　The main purpose of this article is to demonstrate Marcel Mauss’s (1872-1950) exchange theory, which can serve to discuss moral education in prison. I will use exchange theory to explain the relationship between members of a religious group and criminals in prison, by interacting and interviewing criminals in prison and religious group members. I hope to show how religious groups enforce moral instruction. The subject matter will point to the similarities in the ways in which law-breakers serve their terms of imprisonment and how members of religious groups accept or deny the moral instruction of their religion 　 　　　The article includes interviews with nine prison in-mates, who have undergone moral instruction from the clergy of the Juridical Person Compassion Foudation of Foguan Shan in the area of Tou Liu. The interviews comply with the administration’s procedure, so that the cases conform to the terms followed by Yulin Second Prison: The interviewees broke the law by the age of 18. The interviewees never attended religious activities or received Buddhist moral instruction. The interviewees are currently serving prison sentences. When conducting the interviews I have steered away from anticipating the criminal’s psyche and criminal actions as being in some way morbid or counter to social mores. I have also avoiding determinations of the criminals’ views of the particular religious group’s program of moral instruction. 　 　　The main content of this article has three parts and five chapters. First, I will discuss the moral instruction of religion and interpret the history of religious moral instruction at Foguan Shan. Second, I will discuss the program of rehabilitation provided by Foguan Shan. Last, through analyses of the in-depth interviews with criminals, I will offer valid suggestions concerning the application of social resources to religious groups and to the government.