Abstract: This paper focuses on the Buddhist reform and social thought of the famous modern monk Taixu in the 1920s-1940s, analyzing how Taixu reconstructed social reform plans by drawing on Buddhist teachings and responding to various social currents at that time. In addition, this study discusses the interdependent relationships between Buddhism, social ideas and social transformation. On the one hand, Taixu put forward the ultimate "freedom" of the mind as a value guide in the Historical View of Freedom in order to solve the authoritarian consequences brought about by the introduction of Western social progressivism. On the other hand, Taixu interpreted the "gradual" teaching that was not emphasized in the Mahayana Buddhist system previously as a way to guide human society from individual worldly perfection to the complete enlightenment of the "Bodhisattva path", making the construction of society a practice of the "Bodhisattva path". In addition, Taixu, who had experiences of studying abroad, recognized the drawbacks of Western postwar social group organizations and saw that the Chinese society based on "families" was becoming more "individualized". Therefore, how to restrain "selfishness" had become the basic principle in Taixu's envision of the modern China social organization. His plan was to integrate the "altruistic" perspective of the "Bodhisattva path" into civic morality, using the Buddhist concept of "dependent origination" to build a basic social relationship in which people were equal to each other. This study explores the creative adaptation and transformation of Buddhist civilization in the face of modern society. In his active engagement with the world, Taixu inadvertently started a dialogue with Weber's comparative sociology of religion, particularly regarding his discussions on Mahayana Buddhism's worldly mentality and life motivation. Finally, this study attempts to extract the social theoretical value of Taixu's concepts of "skillful means" and "ultimate reality", providing new perspectives for the study of the Sinicization of Buddhism.

Key words: Taixu, social transformation, Chineseization of Buddhism