1999年4月25日發(fā)生了震驚中外的萬余法輪功信眾聚集中南海事件，這一事件受到社會各界的普遍關(guān)注，尤其引起了黨中央和政府的高度重視。黨中央終于在7月份決定將“法輪功”定性為非法組織，政府有關(guān)部門對“法輪功”組織采取了果斷的取締措施，各界人士和新聞媒體自7月22日開始對李洪志及其“法輪功”進行了聲勢浩大的揭露、批判行動，這實在是一件大快人心的事。我們佛教界對黨中央取締“法輪功”非法組織的英明決定是堅決擁護的。
其實從1996年開始，佛教界就率先對“法輪功”進行了深入有力的揭露批判?！胺ㄝ喒Α弊?992年出籠以來，發(fā)展迅速。李洪志以“最高佛法”相標(biāo)榜，利用辦班傳功，在社會上談神論道，大肆宣揚封建迷信。他肆意歪曲、誣篾、利用佛教，很早就引起了佛教界的注意和強烈不滿。
浙江臺州佛協(xié)主辦的《臺州佛教》月刊1996年率先刊出了數(shù)篇批判“法輪功”的文章，如智覺的《＜轉(zhuǎn)法輪＞——毀人慧命的邪魔典籍》（載1996年第5期），劉繼漢的《＜轉(zhuǎn)法輪＞是何等書？——兼評李洪志其人》（載第6期）；張秉全的《＜轉(zhuǎn)法輪＞是一冊毀謗佛法的壞書》、盧守中的《轉(zhuǎn)正法輪》（載第7期）；金剛劍的《“法輪功”是披著佛家外衣的邪教魔功》、常州天寧寺佛學(xué)院的《“法輪”怎么轉(zhuǎn)到雷鋒的頭上》、長春市悟心等的《“法輪功”不是佛家功》（載第8期）；王文輝的《評李洪志的兩面派手法》（載第12期）等。與此同時，一些佛教界人士也通過各種途徑向政府有關(guān)部門反映“法輪功”問題，表達佛教界對“法輪功”歪曲、利用佛教的義憤，如妙華法師、鄭頌英老居士、陳星橋居士等。
時任哈爾濱市佛協(xié)副秘書長的陳星橋居士于1994年曾到哈爾濱冰球館聽過李洪志宣講的“法輪大法”歪理邪說，發(fā)現(xiàn)他標(biāo)榜“法輪功”是最高佛法，暗示自己比釋迦牟尼佛等一切圣賢功夫還高，然而卻根本不懂佛法，連佛教的基本常識都弄錯。如將佛和如來當(dāng)作兩種不同的覺悟?qū)哟?；將佛教的三界（欲界、色界、無色界）說成是天界、地界、人界（薩滿教的說法）；妄稱自己有無數(shù)的法身（佛教中法身無多少之別）等等；渲染“地球爆炸”等荒謬論調(diào)；說什么信“法輪功”的沒有病。然而當(dāng)時就有一位專門從遼寧錦州趕來聽法的約50多歲的練功者因聽信其說帶病聽課，后竟當(dāng)場死在會場外，臨死前其女兒請李洪志治療，李洪志卻說自己一般不治病，何況送來晚了。李洪志在哈爾濱的演講，門票每張53元，聽眾約4000余人，斂財達20多萬元。面對李洪志這種愚弄群眾、不負(fù)責(zé)任、騙錢斂財?shù)男袕?，陳星橋居士十分氣憤，專門買了一套李洪志的書籍進行研究，于1996年撰寫了長篇批判文章《還“法輪功”本來面目－－一種新型的民間宗教》， 這篇文章通過分析“法輪功”與氣功、佛教、科學(xué)以及民間宗教的關(guān)系，深刻揭示了李洪志及其“法輪功”打著氣功旗號破壞氣功搞歪門邪道，打著佛法旗號歪曲、詆毀佛教，打著科學(xué)旗號反對科學(xué)的兩面手法，認(rèn)為”法輪功“實際上是一種新型的民間宗教，對佛教來說是一種邪教。該文深入分析了“法輪功”形成的原因及其危害，希望國家有關(guān)部門對“法輪功”這樣的邪教能引起重視，采取堅決的措施。
中國佛教協(xié)會趙樸初會長看到此文后，批示同意發(fā)表，還要求配發(fā)一篇真實反映佛教“氣功”的文章。于是該文在中國佛教協(xié)會《研究動態(tài)》1997年第2期上發(fā)表，引起了佛教界和有關(guān)方面的重視；與此同時，陳星橋居士又撰寫了《佛教“氣功”概論》一文，從正面闡述“佛家功”的真義。該文在《法音》1997年第4至第7期上連載，受到讀者歡迎。
1997年以后，《上海佛教》、《廣東佛教》等地方佛教刊物都先后發(fā)表過批判“法輪功”的文章。上海佛教界還收集有關(guān)正面介紹佛教“氣功”和揭露、批判“法輪功”的文章匯編成《摧邪顯正集》在教內(nèi)流通。1998年元月，中國佛教協(xié)會專門召開了一次針對“法輪功”問題的座談會，與會的佛協(xié)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)、專家學(xué)者對“法輪功”進行了比較深刻的分析、揭露，認(rèn)為它是相似佛法、附佛外道，從佛教角度來說純屬邪教?！稌h紀(jì)要》經(jīng)整理后發(fā)表于中國佛協(xié)《會務(wù)通訊》上；同時中國佛教協(xié)會將有關(guān)揭露“法輪功”的材料送交政府有關(guān)部門，起到了穩(wěn)定佛教人心、協(xié)助政府了解“法輪功”真相的積極作用。
1998年，《法音》在第3、4期刊出了陳星橋居士撰寫的《“法輪功”－－一種具有民間宗教特點的附佛外道》一文，在教內(nèi)外引起了極大的反響，各地佛教刊物紛紛轉(zhuǎn)載?！‰S后，陳星橋居士將有關(guān)正面介紹佛教”氣功“和揭露、批判“法輪功”的文章匯編成《佛教“氣功”與“法輪功”》書稿，交由宗教文化出版社出版，中國佛教文化研究所吳立民所長為該書作序。這是“法輪功”被取締前惟一一本公開出版的揭露批判“法輪功”的書籍，從它1998年6月面世以來，即受到佛教界和有關(guān)方面的普遍歡迎。為了改變“法輪功”在國際互聯(lián)網(wǎng)上一統(tǒng)天下的局面，一些居士將該書輸入因特網(wǎng)，尤其是”法輪功“在中南海聚集之后該書文章被海內(nèi)外網(wǎng)站紛紛轉(zhuǎn)貼，從而為人們認(rèn)清“法輪功”的邪惡本質(zhì)、抑制其惡性發(fā)展發(fā)揮了積極的作用。而“法輪功”組織對此則十分恐慌，他們一方面在內(nèi)部傳達，說市場上出現(xiàn)了一本“誣蔑”“法輪功”的書籍，不許買不許看，某地“法輪功”輔導(dǎo)站甚至想在信眾中募款要大量購買該書予以銷毀；另一方面則組織人員給全國政協(xié)主席李瑞環(huán)和中國佛教協(xié)會趙樸初會長及有關(guān)部門寫信，要求懲治中國佛協(xié)、《法音》雜志社有關(guān)人員，還組織人員到宗教文化出版社、法音雜志社去反映情況。據(jù)統(tǒng)計，宗教文化出版社和中國佛協(xié)分別收到上告信300封左右。事實證明，在“法輪功”最為猖獗的時刻，《法音》揭批“法輪功”文章的刊出以及《佛教“氣功”與“法輪功”》一書的出版發(fā)行，起到了揭露“法輪功”邪惡本質(zhì)、反映宗教界以及社會正直人士心聲、抑制“法輪功”惡性發(fā)展的積極作用。
現(xiàn)在黨中央將“法輪功”定性為非法組織予以取締，非常必要，非常及時，真是大快人心，廣大宗教界人士對此無不堅決支持和擁護。今年7月22日，全國各宗教團體負(fù)責(zé)人在京座談，對“法輪功”歪曲、詆毀和利用宗教，欺騙愚弄廣大群眾甚至聚眾沖擊新聞單位、黨政機關(guān)的罪惡行徑表示了極大的義憤，并進行了徹底揭露，一致表示堅決擁護黨中央關(guān)于處理“法輪功”問題的英明決策。
中國佛教協(xié)會趙樸初會長一向支持佛教界對“法輪功”的揭露批判。當(dāng)他聽說黨中央將“法輪功”定性為非法組織予以取締時非常高興。雖然身患疾病，他仍于8月1日在醫(yī)院就“法輪功”問題發(fā)表談話時，表示堅決擁護中共中央關(guān)于處理“法輪功”非法組織的決定，認(rèn)為這個決定是十分必要、非常及時、完全正確的，這是一件大快人心的大好事，它為人民消除了一個大禍害，為國家清除了一個大隱患，為社會割掉了一個大毒瘤，為科學(xué)掃除了一個大障礙，也為佛教清除了一個最大最毒的附佛外道。這是我們黨和國家在思想政治戰(zhàn)線上的一個偉大勝利。
趙樸老說，對“法輪功”問題，中國佛教協(xié)會早有覺察，因為它打著佛法的幌子，竊用佛教的一些名詞術(shù)語，欺騙社會，蒙蔽群眾。對佛教來說，它是一種邪教，一種魔道。“法輪功”不是佛法，它與佛教是根本對立的，是和宗教界根本對立的，同黨和國家的宗教信仰自由政策也是根本對立的。對這種歪理邪說，我們宗教界要特別提高警惕，絕不能讓它們興妖作怪。
8月2日，佛教界揭露批判“法輪功”座談會在京舉行。會議由中國佛教協(xié)會副會長凈慧法師主持，全國政協(xié)常委、中國佛教協(xié)會副會長圣輝法師，上海佛教協(xié)會副會長覺醒法師，北京市佛教協(xié)會會長傳印法師，北京雍和宮管家嘉木樣·寧吉喇嘛，廣濟寺監(jiān)院演覺法師，法音雜志社編輯部主任陳星橋居士等先后發(fā)言，堅決擁護黨中央取締“法輪功”非法組織的決定，同時深刻揭露了李洪志歪理邪說的荒謬性及其危害性，認(rèn)為“法輪功”組織是一個帶有邪教性質(zhì)的非法組織。表示要加強佛教界自身建設(shè)，不斷提高佛教徒的整體素質(zhì)，自覺抵制象“法輪功”這樣的邪教和非法組織，從而堅定地走與社會主義社會相適應(yīng)的道路?！∪珖舜蟪Ｎ瘯蔽瘑T長帕巴拉·格列朗杰，全國人大常委、中國佛教協(xié)會副會長嘉木樣·洛桑久美·圖丹卻吉尼瑪作了書面發(fā)言。
從以上介紹不難看出，佛教界是受“法輪功”歪曲、利用、破壞最嚴(yán)重的領(lǐng)域。因此在對待“法輪功”的問題上，佛教界一直是旗幟鮮明的，是揭批“法輪功”最早和最有力的。
Falun Gong has long been denounced in the Buddhist circle
By: Chen Xingqiao
On April 25, 1999, the gathering of over 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners outside Zhongnanhai shocked the world. It aroused the attention of all walks of life in the society, and particularly that of the Party Central Committee and the government. In July, the nature of Falun Gong was finally determined by the Central Government as an illegal organization, and relevant government departments took firm measures in cracking down Falun Gong organizations. Since July 22, people from all trades and the medias started a high-powered movement of exposing and criticizing Li Hongzhi and Falun Gong. All these were to the great satisfaction of the people. And our Buddhist circle is resolutely support the wise decision of the Central Government on cracking down the illegal organization Falun Gong.
Actually, as early as in 1996, the Buddhist circle in China took the lead in the in-depth and firm exposure and criticism of Falun Gong. Since its establishment in 1992, Falun Gong developed rapidly. By holding up the "highest Buddhadharma", Li Hongzhi taught his "Gong" through training sessions, boasting about mysteries and immortality and trumpeting feudal superstitions. His willful distortion, defamation and utilization of Buddhism caused the attention as well as great dissatisfaction of the Buddhist circle long before.
In 1996, several articles criticizing Falun Gong were first published in "Taizhou Buddhism", a monthly publication sponsored by the Buddhist Association of Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, such as "Turning the Falun - an Evil Scripture destroying People's Life of Wisdom" by Zhi Jue (5th issue 1996), "What Kind of Book is Turning Falun(the wheel of law) - Commenting on Li Hongzhi as well" by Liu Jihan (6th issue 1996), "Turning Falun is a Bad Book Slandering Buddhadharma" by Zhang Bingquan and "Turning Falun in the Proper Way" by Lu Shouzhong (7th issue 1996), "Falun Gong is an Evil Cult in the Disguise of Buddhism" by Jin Gangjian, "How did Falun Turn on the head of Lei Feng" by the Buddhist College of Tianning Temple of Changzhou, and "Falun Gong is no Buddhism" by Wu Xin etc. of Changchun (8th issue 1996), and "On the Double faces of Li Hongzhi" by Wang Wenhui (12th issue 1996), etc. At the same time, some people in the Buddhist circle, including Master Miao Hua, Kulapati Zheng Songying, and Kulapati Chen Xingqiao, also reported the Falun Gong issue to relevant government departments through various ways, expressing the rage in the Buddhist circle toward the distortion and utilization of Buddhism by Falun Gong.
Kulapati Chen Xingqiao, vice secretary-general of the Buddhist Association of Harbin at the time, once listened to the preaching of Li Hongzhi about the fallacies and absurdities of "Falun Dafa" at the ice hockey stadium of Harbin in 1994. He discovered that, while declaring that Falun Gong was the highest Buddhadharma and indicating that his power was superior to Sakyamuni and all other sages, Li Hongzhi was totally ignorant of Buddhadharma and made mistakes about the basic knowledge of Buddhism. For instance, Li took Buddha and Tathagata as two different levels of enlightenment; he interpreted the three realms in Buddhism (the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm) as the heavenly realm, the earthly realm, and the humanly realm (which is a theory of Shamanism); he arrogated to have innumerable dharmakayas (according to Buddhism dharmakaya is not differentiated by number); he gave color to ridiculous arguments such as the "explosion of the earth"; and he claimed that those who believed in Falun Gong would never become ill. However, just at that time, a practitioner over 50, who specially came from Jinzhou, Liaoning Province to listen to his preach, was taken in and attended his class while being sick, and later died just outside the meeting place. Before his death, his daughter pleaded to Li Hongzhi to save him, but Li Hongzhi said he usually did not treat patients, and in any case, the man was there too late. Li Hongzhi charged 53 Yuan for each ticket of his speech in Harbin. With an audience of about 4000, he earned over 200,000 Yuan. Kulapati Chen Xingqiao was very angry with the irresponsible and deceptive acts of Li Hongzhi intended to fool the public. He specially bought a set of books of Li Hongzhi, studied them thoroughly, and wrote a lengthy criticizing article, "Discovering the True Colors of Falun Gong - a New Folk Religion" in 1996. This article, by analyzing the relationship between Falun Gong and Qigong, Buddhism, science, and folk religions, revealed in depth the double trick of Li Hongzhi in destroying Qigong and practicing crooked means in the disguise of Qigong, distorting and defaming Buddhism in the disguise of Buddhadharma, and opposing science in the disguise of science, and concluded that Falun Gong was in fact a new type of folk religion, and was a cult as against Buddhism. The article thoroughly analyzed the causes of the formation of Falun Gong and its harms, with the hope that the relevant state departments would pay more attention to the Falun Gong cult and take firm actions.
Zhao Puchu, president of the Buddhist Association of China, agreed to publish this article after reading it, and asked to publish another article about true Buddhist "Qigong". So the article was published in the 2nd issue of 1997 of "Research Update" of the Buddhist Association of China, causing the attention of the Buddhist circle and relevant parties. At the same time, Kulapati Chen Xingqiao also wrote another article entitled "Introduction to Buddhist Qigong", explaining the true nature of "Buddhist Qigong" from a positive aspect. It was serialized on the "Voice of Dharma" from the fourth to seventh issues in 1997 and was welcomed by the readers.
Since 1997, articles criticizing Falun Gong were published on local Buddhist publications including Shanghai Buddhism and Guangdong Buddhism etc. Moreover, among the Buddhist circle of Shanghai, articles positively introducing Buddhist "Qigong" and those revealing and criticizing Falun Gong were compiled into "A Collection of Destroying Evil and Exhibiting Orthodoxy" to be circulated within the Buddhist circle. In January 1998, a special forum was held by the Buddhist Association of China on the Falun Gong issue. After making rather in-depth analysis and revelation, leaders of the Buddhist Association and experts and scholars attending the forum concluded that Falun Gong was imitating Buddhism in some way and was a heathendom attaching itself to Buddhadharma. It was a pure cult from the point of view of Buddhism. The minutes of the forum was sorted out and published on "News and Information" of the Buddhist Association of China. At the same time, the Association submitted the materials exposing Falun Gong to relevant government departments, thus both stabilizing the Buddhists and helping the government understand the truth of Falun Gong.
In 1998, in the 3rd and 4th issues of the "Voice of Dharma", an article written by Kulapati Chen Xingqiao, "Falun Gong-- a Heathendom attaching to Buddhism with the characteristics of folk religion", was published, which received great feedback in and outside the Buddhist circle. The article was re-published on many local Buddhist publications. After that, Kulapati Chen Xingqiao compiled the articles that positively introducing Buddhist "Qigong" as well as those revealing and criticizing Falun Gong into a book, "Buddhist Qigong and Falun Gong". The book was published by Religion and Culture Publishing House, and Wu Limin, head of China Research Institute of Buddhist Culture, prefaced the book. This was the only openly published book that revealed and criticized Falun Gong before Falun Gong was cracked down by the government. Since its publication in June 1998, it was welcomed by the Buddhist circle as well as by other relevant parties. In order to break through the domination of Falun Gong" on the Internet, some Kulapatis uploaded the book onto the Internet, and, particularly, articles in the book were republished by websites at home and abroad after the gathering of Falun Gong practitioners outside Zhongnanhai. The book played a very positive role in helping people see through the evil nature of Falun Gong and inhibiting its evil development. However, Falun Gong organization was panicked. On the one hand, they conveyed secret messages that there appeared a book "slandering" Falun Gong, and no one was allowed to buy it or read it; a Falun Gong station in certain place even tried to raise fund among the practitioners for mass purchase of the books and burn them. On the other hand, they arranged people to write to Li Ruihuan, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Zhao Puchu, president of the Buddhist Association of China, and other departments, asking to punish people responsible in the Buddhist Association of China and the Voice of Dharma Press, and also organized some people to report problems with Religion and Culture Publishing House and the Voice of Dharma Press. Statistics showed that Religion and Culture Publishing House and the Buddhist Association of China received about 300 letters of accusation respectively. The publishing of articles criticizing Falun Gong in the Voice of Dharma and the publishing of the book "Buddhist Qigong and Falun Gong" proved to have played a positive role when Falun Gong was most rampant in the country in revealing the evil nature of Falun Gong, reflecting the aspirations of the religious circle and honest people, and inhibiting the evil development of Falun Gong.
Now the Central Government has defined Falun Gong" as an illegal organization and cracked it down. Such is very necessary and just in time. It is to the great satisfaction of the people and the Buddhist circle cannot be more ready to support and uphold this decision. On July 22, people in charge of different religious groups in China held a forum in Beijing, expressing their rage and thoroughly exposing the evil acts of Falun Gong in distorting, slandering, and utilizing religions, cheating and fooling the public, and illegal gathering and attacking news media and party and government organizations. They also expressed their unanimous support for the wise decision concerning the Falun Gong issue made by the Central Government.
Zhao Puchu, president of the Buddhist Association of China, has always been supportive of the revelation and criticism of Falun Gong in the Buddhist circle. He was very pleased to hear that the Central Government defined Falun Gong as an illegal organization and decided to crack it down. Though diseased, he still made a speech about Falun Gong issue at hospital on August 1, declaring his definite support for the decision of the Central Government to deal with Falun Gong the illegal organization. He said that this decision is very necessary, very timely, and definitely correct. This is a great deed that satisfies the people, eliminating a big disaster for the people, erasing a big trouble for the country, cutting off a big cancer for the society, cleaning off a big obstacle for science, and clearing off the biggest and most harmful attaching heathendom for Buddhism. This is a great success in the front of politics and ideology of our party and our country.
According to Master Zhao, the Buddhist Association of China had become aware of the problem of Falun Gong long ago, for in the disguise of Buddhadharma, it cheated the society and fooled the public by stealing Buddhist terms. To Buddhism, it is a cult, or an evil practice. Falun Gong is no Buddhadharma. It is completely adverse to Buddhism, to the religious circle, and to the state policy of freedom in religious belief. We the religious circle should be specifically vigilant to this kind of fallacies and absurdities, leaving it no opportunity to stirring up troubles.
On August 2, a forum for exposing and criticizing Falun Gong by the Buddhist circle was held in Beijing. The meeting was chaired by Master Jing Hui, vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, and Master Sheng Hui, member of the Standing Committee of CPPCC and vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, Master Jue Xing, vice president of the Buddhist Association of Shanghai, Master Chuan Yin, president of the Buddhist Association of Beijing, Lama Jamyang Nyngyai, majordomo of Beijing Yonghegong Lamasery, Master Yan Jue, supervisor of Guang Ji Temple, and Kulapati Chen Xingqiao, director of the editorial office of the Voice of Dharma, made speeches one after another, firmly supporting the decision of the Central Government and the Party Central Committee to crack down the illegal organization Falun Gong while thoroughly exposing the absurdity and harms of the fallacies of Li Hongzhi, regarding it as an illegal organization with the characteristics of a cult. They said that the development of the Buddhist circle itself should be strengthened and the general makings of the Buddhists should be improved to consciously fighting cults and illegal organizations such as Falun Gong, thus firmly taking a road that is adapted to the socialist society. Pagbalha Geleg Namgyai, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of National People's Congress, and Jamyang Lobsang Gyurme Tubdain Qoggyi Nyima, vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, made written speeches.
From the above introduction, it is not difficult to see that the Buddhist circle was the most seriously distorted, utilized, and undermined field by Falun Gong. Therefore, with regard to the question of Falun Gong, the Buddhist circle had always taken a clear-cut stand and was the earliest and most powerful in revealing and criticizing it.
(World of Buddhism, May 29, 2008)