本文嘗試以法國年鑑學派的布洛克、英國史家卡耳和中國錢穆對以人為中心來歷史研究的論述，來架構一個可能的理論基礎，以探討太虛大師的生平，其「人生佛教」思想的可能內涵，以及此思想的可能源流三方面，來褣一步討論個人與思想、歷史和宗教的關係，也對源流或起源取向的研究之所以受學界的重視作一探討，並就此人生佛教/人間佛教的傳統，對佛教歷史(學)研究，提出個人的一些看法，期盼能夠借由本文的一個嘗試，對佛教研究的現在與未來，達到投石問路之效，進而引發佛教學術研究的新企圖與新內涵。
This paper adapts the "man"-oriented historical discourses of Marc Bloch (France, 1886~1944), Edward H. Carr (Britain, 1892~1982), and Mu Qian (China, 1895~1990) to a theoretical framework useful in examining the life of Shi Yinshun (China, 1906), his concept of "humanistic Buddhism/human-realm Buddhism" (renjian fojiao), and its origins. Furthermore, I discuss the interrelationships of the individual and his/her thoughts, history, and religion. At the same time, I discuss different viewpoints in historical studies of Taiwanese Buddhism rooted in the tradition of humanistic Buddhism, and conclude with an effort to engage new approaches to Buddhist academic research.
