明末佛教界瀰漫著一股末法思想，許多僧侶都感覺到法難即將昇起，此種對法難將起的危機感，影響到許多寺院和僧侶的作為。此特別反映在他們的經濟行為、寺院財務收入與支出和寺院經濟型態上。促使明末佛教再度興盛之雲棲袾宏、湛然圓澄和密雲圓悟等三位法師，他們住持的寺院：雲棲寺、顯聖寺和天童寺，都不主張以經懺和法會等方式來募化錢財，其寺院都以寺田的收入、檀越的自由佈施，為寺院的經濟收入來源，儘量避免寺眾，為了生活而耽於佛事，希望僧侶勤加修行，以救度末法。 然而，為救度末法，避免法難再起，各寺院都有其相應的作為，此些挽救末法，濟度眾生的行為，乃屬於僧侶圓滿修行的一部分，因為有不同的作為，寺院亦呈現不同的經濟型態。雲棲袾宏為處於末法時期的眾生，提供求生淨土的修行法門，欲求生淨土必須有放生的功德助之，故雲棲寺的經濟型態便以放生為主；圓澄希望造像建塘以扶法，期望眾人見佛像而生信佛之心。為人民建石塘，致使眾人心中，對佛教有好的印象，所以顯聖寺的經濟型態，就以造像扶法為重；密雲圓悟復興天童寺，期望以天童的復興續佛慧命，於是天童寺則以募化建寺，為其寺院經濟之訴求。各位法師因為有不同的作法，舉辦不同的活動，寺院便呈現不同的經濟型態。

The Buddhist society8 was pervaded by the mo-fa(末法) thought during the Late Ming dynasty. Many monks left that the fa-nna(法離)would turn up again. A lot of monasteries and monks were affected by the crisis. It is unusual that the crisis could be reflected on their economical behaviors、financial incomes and outgoings or monasteries’ economical condition. Therefore, Yün-ch’i Ssu、Yün-man Xian-sheng Ssu and T’ien-t’ung Ssu didn’t collect alms alms by the ching-ch’an (經懺) and the fa-hui (法會). The fields’ incomes and adherent’s giving donations were the monasteries’ economical sources. The monasteries avoided that the monks were addicted to the economical sources. The monasteries avoided that the monks were addicted to the fo-shi(佛事). They hoped that the monks could be diligent in learning as far as possible. By diligent in learning, the monks could rescue people during the mo-fa period. However, the monks hoped that they could rescue all living creatures during the mo-fa period. They must adopt their various actions for the mo-fa period. Their various actions were part of monk’s diligent in learning. Because of their various actions, the monasteries showed various economical forms. Yün-ch’I Chu-hung provided a method to seek the pure land. Seeking the pure land must do the fang-sheng (放生). Consequently, Yün-ch’I Ssu’s economical form was to do the fang-sheng actions. Chan-jan Yün-cheng hoped that making the Buddhist image could help the Buddhism during the mo-fa period. So, Yün-man Xian-sheng Ssu’s economical form was to make the Buddhist image. Mi-yüan-wu revived the T’ien-t’ung Ssu. He hoped that reviving the T’ien-t’ung Ssu could help the Buddhism during the mo-fa period. T’ien-t’ ung Ssu’s economical form was to revive the T’ien-t’ung Ssu. To sum up, the three monasteries took various actions as the principal thing during the Late Ming dynasty. Because of various actions, various monasteries had various economical forms.