HUAIGAN AND THE GROWTH OF PURE LAND BUDDHISM DURING THE TANG ERA By KENDALL R. MARCHMAN A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2015 © 2015 Kendall R. Marchman To my family ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This project would have not been possible were it not for the many loving family members, friends, and mentors who have supported me throughout my life. I would like to take a moment to highlight just a few of the many people and institutions who have helped me reach this goal. I would first like to thank all of the professors with whom I have studied during my time at Mercer, Vanderbilt, and the University of Florida. I also extend thanks to my new colleagues at Young Harris College for the encouragement and opportunity they have provided. I am very thankful to my dissertation committee, Mario Poceski, Jimmy Yu, Richard Wang, Guolong Lai, and Whitney Sanford for their patience, inspiration, and support. One day in class Jimmy Yu mentioned that Huaigan and the Qunyi lun needed further research, and I am thankful that he suggested them as the subjects of my dissertation. I am obliged to Dr. Poceski who took me in as a raw graduate student and has been essential in my process to become a better scholar, though this process is far from complete. Many thanks to Travis Smith who provided encouragement and advice throughout this process. I would also like to thank Richard King who encouraged my evolving interests in Asian religions while at Vanderbilt. It was a pleasure getting to know the faculty in the Department of Religion at the University of Florida, especially the ringleader of that circus, Annie Newman, who was essential in helping me negotiate the hurdles in this process. Many thanks as well to the Chung- Hwa Institute of Buddhist Studies for their financial support of my dissertation research. Now to the more personal notes of thanks. I am very lucky to have so many close friends throughout my life who have given me laughter, encouragement, and joy. I especially want to thank the friends made while at the University of Florida for being wonderful trench-mates. There could never be enough words and pages here to give 4 thanks for all that my family has done for me. Richard and Deborah Marchman, Elmer and Katherine Kendall, Jeff and Teeny Binion, and Jimbo and Margie Bryant have showered me with perpetual love and encouragement, and for that I am extremely thankful and always indebted. Lastly, I am most beholden to my wife, Darbie Bryant Marchman, for being an amazingly supportive and inspiring wife, travel partner, and best friend. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................. 4 ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 10 2 PURE LAND BUDDHISM BEFORE HUAIGAN ...................................................... 29 Pure Land Buddism Before China .......................................................................... 30 The Evolution of Mahāyāna and Pure Land ............................................................ 33 Buddha-Fields .................................................................................................. 34 The Origins of Amitābha and Sukhāvatī ........................................................... 39 Pure Land Scriptures ........................................................................................ 47 Early Chinese Examples of Pure Land Practice ..................................................... 56 The Maturation of Pure Land Buddhism in China ................................................... 59 The Many Representations of Shandao.................................................................. 64 Common Representations of Shandao ............................................................ 66 Differing Representations of Shandao .............................................................. 71 Concluding Remarks............................................................................................... 85 3 THE LIFE OF HUAIGAN ......................................................................................... 87 Biographical Sources .............................................................................................. 88 Buddhist Biographies ....................................................................................... 89 The Preface of the Qunyi lun ............................................................................ 97 Outside Resources ......................................................................................... 101 Huaigan’s Affiliations............................................................................................. 110 Yogācāra and Huaigan ................................................................................... 111 A Disciple of Shandao .................................................................................... 115 Friendship with Huaiyun ................................................................................. 123 Qianfu Monastery ........................................................................................... 127 Concluding Remarks............................................................................................. 129 4 THE SHI JINGTU QUNYI LUN ............................................................................. 132 Textual Overview .................................................................................................. 132 Format ............................................................................................................ 133 Pure Land Apologetics ................................................................................... 137 Manuscripts .................................................................................................... 143 Textual References ........................................................................................ 145 Major Themes in the Qunyi lun ............................................................................. 149 The Bodies of the Buddha and Their Corresponding Lands ........................... 149 6 The Nature of Sukhāvatī................................................................................. 155 The Inhabitants of Sukhāvatī .......................................................................... 164 The Process of Rebirth in Sukhāvatī .............................................................. 171 The Practice of Nianfo .................................................................................... 188 Concluding Remarks............................................................................................. 196 5 HUAIGAN’S TEACHINGS IN COMPARISON ...................................................... 199 Huaigan and the Pure Land Masters .................................................................... 200 Tanluan .......................................................................................................... 201 Daochuo ......................................................................................................... 208 Jingying Huiyuan and Jiacai ........................................................................... 215 Shandao and Huaigan – Master and Student ....................................................... 221 The Nature of Amitābha and His Pure Land ................................................... 222 Pure Land Practice ......................................................................................... 225 Defending Pure Land Belief and Practice ............................................................. 229 Against the Shelun ......................................................................................... 230 Against the Three Stages Sect ....................................................................... 232 Against Maitreya Worship ............................................................................... 235 Concluding Remarks............................................................................................. 240 6 HUAIGAN’S HISTORICAL STANDING AND HIS IMPACT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PURE LAND TRADITION ........................................... 242 Huaigan Beyond China ......................................................................................... 243 Remembering Huaigan ......................................................................................... 254 Huaigan and Faxiang Buddhism .................................................................... 254 Huaigan’s Acceptance of Pluralism ................................................................ 258 Concluding Remarks............................................................................................. 262 APPENDIX CHARACTER LIST .............................................................................................. 264 LIST OF REFERENCES ............................................................................................. 271 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .......................................................................................... 282 7 Abstract of Dissertation Presented to the Graduate School of the University of Florida in Partial