From the Sūtra in Forty-two Sections to Humanistic Buddhism--the impact of Indian literature on Chinese civilization
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Author
Guruge, Ananda W. P. See all items with this value
Date
2002
Volume
3
Pages
276-305
ISSN
1530-4108 See all items with this value
Abstract
The hypothesis to be examined in this presentation is that the development of Chinese Buddhism as a significant element of Chinese civilization depended basically on how and in what form Indian Buddhist literature was introduced and popularized in China. The discussion leads to the literary background of Humanistic Buddhism as interpreted by Venerable Grand Master Hsing Yun of Fo Guang Shan Order. He relies on the widest textual basis to be adopted by any Chinese exponent of Buddhism in that the entire Buddhist literature of all three major traditions is being utilized by him to evolve a practical and pragmatic approach to presenting Buddhism as an effective promoter of social well-being here and now. His comprehensive use of the Pali Canon with equal emphasis on the Mahayana Sutras renews the impact which Indian literature had exerted on Chinese Buddhism and eventually Chinese civilization.
The Sutra in Forty-two Sections was most likely the first sample of Indian literature to reach China. Its structure and contents suggest an anthology of verses and passages from popular Buddhist Canonical works which monastics usually committed to memory as readily usable themes for discourse and discussion. The need for such a text must have been felt by early missionaries to China because both Confucianism and Daoism had their foundation in books. The Indian Buddhist attitude of relying on texts to a minimum and concentrating on practice (cf. Dhammapada verses 19-20; 100-102) might have been the reason for the brevity of this anthology, which, though called a Sutra, does not resemble any other Buddhist Sutra.
What is further examined is whether this same attitude contributed to the specifically Chinese character of developing Schools of Buddhism each relying for the most part on a very limited quantity of textual material; e.g. Three Treatise, Four Treatise, Abhidharma (Pi-tan), Lotus, Ear Ornament, and Mind-only Schools. The role of translators from India and Central Asia as well as Chinese pilgrims who traveled to India and Sri Lanka is also subjected to scrutiny.
The Sutra in Forty-two Sections was most likely the first sample of Indian literature to reach China. Its structure and contents suggest an anthology of verses and passages from popular Buddhist Canonical works which monastics usually committed to memory as readily usable themes for discourse and discussion. The need for such a text must have been felt by early missionaries to China because both Confucianism and Daoism had their foundation in books. The Indian Buddhist attitude of relying on texts to a minimum and concentrating on practice (cf. Dhammapada verses 19-20; 100-102) might have been the reason for the brevity of this anthology, which, though called a Sutra, does not resemble any other Buddhist Sutra.
What is further examined is whether this same attitude contributed to the specifically Chinese character of developing Schools of Buddhism each relying for the most part on a very limited quantity of textual material; e.g. Three Treatise, Four Treatise, Abhidharma (Pi-tan), Lotus, Ear Ornament, and Mind-only Schools. The role of translators from India and Central Asia as well as Chinese pilgrims who traveled to India and Sri Lanka is also subjected to scrutiny.