1999年4月25日发生了震惊中外的万余法轮功信众聚集中南海事件，这一事件受到社会各界的普遍关注，尤其引起了党中央和政府的高度重视。党中央终于在7月份决定将“法轮功”定性为非法组织，政府有关部门对“法轮功”组织采取了果断的取缔措施，各界人士和新闻媒体自7月22日开始对李洪志及其“法轮功”进行了声势浩大的揭露、批判行动，这实在是一件大快人心的事。我们佛教界对党中央取缔“法轮功”非法组织的英明决定是坚决拥护的。
其实从1996年开始，佛教界就率先对“法轮功”进行了深入有力的揭露批判。“法轮功”自1992年出笼以来，发展迅速。李洪志以“最高佛法”相标榜，利用办班传功，在社会上谈神论道，大肆宣扬封建迷信。他肆意歪曲、诬篾、利用佛教，很早就引起了佛教界的注意和强烈不满。
浙江台州佛协主办的《台州佛教》月刊1996年率先刊出了数篇批判“法轮功”的文章，如智觉的《＜转法轮＞——毁人慧命的邪魔典籍》（载1996年第5期），刘继汉的《＜转法轮＞是何等书？——兼评李洪志其人》（载第6期）；张秉全的《＜转法轮＞是一册毁谤佛法的坏书》、卢守中的《转正法轮》（载第7期）；金刚剑的《“法轮功”是披着佛家外衣的邪教魔功》、常州天宁寺佛学院的《“法轮”怎么转到雷锋的头上》、长春市悟心等的《“法轮功”不是佛家功》（载第8期）；王文辉的《评李洪志的两面派手法》（载第12期）等。与此同时，一些佛教界人士也通过各种途径向政府有关部门反映“法轮功”问题，表达佛教界对“法轮功”歪曲、利用佛教的义愤，如妙华法师、郑颂英老居士、陈星桥居士等。
时任哈尔滨市佛协副秘书长的陈星桥居士于1994年曾到哈尔滨冰球馆听过李洪志宣讲的“法轮大法”歪理邪说，发现他标榜“法轮功”是最高佛法，暗示自己比释迦牟尼佛等一切圣贤功夫还高，然而却根本不懂佛法，连佛教的基本常识都弄错。如将佛和如来当作两种不同的觉悟层次；将佛教的三界（欲界、色界、无色界）说成是天界、地界、人界（萨满教的说法）；妄称自己有无数的法身（佛教中法身无多少之别）等等；渲染“地球爆炸”等荒谬论调；说什么信“法轮功”的没有病。然而当时就有一位专门从辽宁锦州赶来听法的约50多岁的练功者因听信其说带病听课，后竟当场死在会场外，临死前其女儿请李洪志治疗，李洪志却说自己一般不治病，何况送来晚了。李洪志在哈尔滨的演讲，门票每张53元，听众约4000余人，敛财达20多万元。面对李洪志这种愚弄群众、不负责任、骗钱敛财的行径，陈星桥居士十分气愤，专门买了一套李洪志的书籍进行研究，于1996年撰写了长篇批判文章《还“法轮功”本来面目－－一种新型的民间宗教》， 这篇文章通过分析“法轮功”与气功、佛教、科学以及民间宗教的关系，深刻揭示了李洪志及其“法轮功”打着气功旗号破坏气功搞歪门邪道，打着佛法旗号歪曲、诋毁佛教，打着科学旗号反对科学的两面手法，认为”法轮功“实际上是一种新型的民间宗教，对佛教来说是一种邪教。该文深入分析了“法轮功”形成的原因及其危害，希望国家有关部门对“法轮功”这样的邪教能引起重视，采取坚决的措施。
中国佛教协会赵朴初会长看到此文后，批示同意发表，还要求配发一篇真实反映佛教“气功”的文章。于是该文在中国佛教协会《研究动态》1997年第2期上发表，引起了佛教界和有关方面的重视；与此同时，陈星桥居士又撰写了《佛教“气功”概论》一文，从正面阐述“佛家功”的真义。该文在《法音》1997年第4至第7期上连载，受到读者欢迎。
1997年以后，《上海佛教》、《广东佛教》等地方佛教刊物都先后发表过批判“法轮功”的文章。上海佛教界还收集有关正面介绍佛教“气功”和揭露、批判“法轮功”的文章汇编成《摧邪显正集》在教内流通。1998年元月，中国佛教协会专门召开了一次针对“法轮功”问题的座谈会，与会的佛协领导、专家学者对“法轮功”进行了比较深刻的分析、揭露，认为它是相似佛法、附佛外道，从佛教角度来说纯属邪教。《会议纪要》经整理后发表于中国佛协《会务通讯》上；同时中国佛教协会将有关揭露“法轮功”的材料送交政府有关部门，起到了稳定佛教人心、协助政府了解“法轮功”真相的积极作用。
1998年，《法音》在第3、4期刊出了陈星桥居士撰写的《“法轮功”－－一种具有民间宗教特点的附佛外道》一文，在教内外引起了极大的反响，各地佛教刊物纷纷转载。 随后，陈星桥居士将有关正面介绍佛教”气功“和揭露、批判“法轮功”的文章汇编成《佛教“气功”与“法轮功”》书稿，交由宗教文化出版社出版，中国佛教文化研究所吴立民所长为该书作序。这是“法轮功”被取缔前惟一一本公开出版的揭露批判“法轮功”的书籍，从它1998年6月面世以来，即受到佛教界和有关方面的普遍欢迎。为了改变“法轮功”在国际互联网上一统天下的局面，一些居士将该书输入因特网，尤其是”法轮功“在中南海聚集之后该书文章被海内外网站纷纷转贴，从而为人们认清“法轮功”的邪恶本质、抑制其恶性发展发挥了积极的作用。而“法轮功”组织对此则十分恐慌，他们一方面在内部传达，说市场上出现了一本“诬蔑”“法轮功”的书籍，不许买不许看，某地“法轮功”辅导站甚至想在信众中募款要大量购买该书予以销毁；另一方面则组织人员给全国政协主席李瑞环和中国佛教协会赵朴初会长及有关部门写信，要求惩治中国佛协、《法音》杂志社有关人员，还组织人员到宗教文化出版社、法音杂志社去反映情况。据统计，宗教文化出版社和中国佛协分别收到上告信300封左右。事实证明，在“法轮功”最为猖獗的时刻，《法音》揭批“法轮功”文章的刊出以及《佛教“气功”与“法轮功”》一书的出版发行，起到了揭露“法轮功”邪恶本质、反映宗教界以及社会正直人士心声、抑制“法轮功”恶性发展的积极作用。
现在党中央将“法轮功”定性为非法组织予以取缔，非常必要，非常及时，真是大快人心，广大宗教界人士对此无不坚决支持和拥护。今年7月22日，全国各宗教团体负责人在京座谈，对“法轮功”歪曲、诋毁和利用宗教，欺骗愚弄广大群众甚至聚众冲击新闻单位、党政机关的罪恶行径表示了极大的义愤，并进行了彻底揭露，一致表示坚决拥护党中央关于处理“法轮功”问题的英明决策。
中国佛教协会赵朴初会长一向支持佛教界对“法轮功”的揭露批判。当他听说党中央将“法轮功”定性为非法组织予以取缔时非常高兴。虽然身患疾病，他仍于8月1日在医院就“法轮功”问题发表谈话时，表示坚决拥护中共中央关于处理“法轮功”非法组织的决定，认为这个决定是十分必要、非常及时、完全正确的，这是一件大快人心的大好事，它为人民消除了一个大祸害，为国家清除了一个大隐患，为社会割掉了一个大毒瘤，为科学扫除了一个大障碍，也为佛教清除了一个最大最毒的附佛外道。这是我们党和国家在思想政治战线上的一个伟大胜利。
赵朴老说，对“法轮功”问题，中国佛教协会早有觉察，因为它打着佛法的幌子，窃用佛教的一些名词术语，欺骗社会，蒙蔽群众。对佛教来说，它是一种邪教，一种魔道。“法轮功”不是佛法，它与佛教是根本对立的，是和宗教界根本对立的，同党和国家的宗教信仰自由政策也是根本对立的。对这种歪理邪说，我们宗教界要特别提高警惕，绝不能让它们兴妖作怪。
8月2日，佛教界揭露批判“法轮功”座谈会在京举行。会议由中国佛教协会副会长净慧法师主持，全国政协常委、中国佛教协会副会长圣辉法师，上海佛教协会副会长觉醒法师，北京市佛教协会会长传印法师，北京雍和宫管家嘉木样·宁吉喇嘛，广济寺监院演觉法师，法音杂志社编辑部主任陈星桥居士等先后发言，坚决拥护党中央取缔“法轮功”非法组织的决定，同时深刻揭露了李洪志歪理邪说的荒谬性及其危害性，认为“法轮功”组织是一个带有邪教性质的非法组织。表示要加强佛教界自身建设，不断提高佛教徒的整体素质，自觉抵制象“法轮功”这样的邪教和非法组织，从而坚定地走与社会主义社会相适应的道路。 全国人大常委会副委员长帕巴拉·格列朗杰，全国人大常委、中国佛教协会副会长嘉木样·洛桑久美·图丹却吉尼玛作了书面发言。
从以上介绍不难看出，佛教界是受“法轮功”歪曲、利用、破坏最严重的领域。因此在对待“法轮功”的问题上，佛教界一直是旗帜鲜明的，是揭批“法轮功”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)