DOCSLIB.ORG

Hsing Yun's Ch'an Talk

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Hsing Yun's Ch'an Talk Buddha’s Light Newsletter 佛 光 世 紀 August 2009 Issue 24 Hsing Yun’s Ch’an Talk Sugar Cookie A monk went to study with Ch’an Master Tao-ming. Master Tao-ming continued, “What do you call it?” The Master asked the monk, “What kind of The novice replied, ‘A sugar cookie.” Buddhist teachings have you read?” Master Tao-ming laughed heartily and said, “You The monk replied, “I have read the Yogacara can also lecture on the teachings of Yogacara!” teaching.” The method and direction of studying Yogacara The Master asked, “Can you lecture on this differ from that of studying Ch’an. Yogacara’s subject?” idealism emphasizes understanding and analysis, The monk declared, “I dare not.” whereas Ch’an does not. A Ch’an adept aims directly at the mind, attaining Buddhahood by seeing one’s own nature. Ch’an masters use humor in their speech and treat people with kindness. They do not like to present a stern face. Sometimes, when they talk about east, they are actually pointing west. Sometimes, when they strike or scold a student, they are actually expressing their loving kindness. Whereas a scholar of Yogacara employs ample verbal explanation to expound on the doctrine of Master Tao-ming picked up a sugar cookie, broke it idealism, a Ch’an practitioner only has to say ‘A in two, and asked, “The three worlds are nothing sugar cookie,” and the underlying implications but the mind’s manifestation; the ten thousand are conveyed. This alone is sufficient to express dharmas all arise from consciousness. What do you the meaning of “The three worlds are nothing say to that?” but the mind’s manifestation; the ten thousand The monk was dumbfounded. dharmas all arise from consciousness.” Tao-ming persisted, “Should this be called a sugar cookie, or should it not be called a sugar cookie?” The monk was perspiring now and answered nervously, “It should be called a sugar cookie.” The Master then asked a novice who was standing nearby, “A sugar cookie has been broken into two pieces – what do you have to say about it?” The novice answered without hesitation, “The two pieces remain in one mind.” I.B.P.S. at Chicago / 佛光山芝加哥禪淨中心 1 www.ibpschicago.org 9S043 State Route 53, Naperville, IL 60565 Email : [email protected] TEL: 630-910-1243 FAX: 630-910-1244 Buddha’s Light Newsletter 佛 光 世 紀 August 2009 Issue 24 The Unique Characteristics of Buddhism ~ By Venerable Master Hsing Yun (continued from last issue) between cause and effect is a very complicated one, but it works in a very orderly and precise manner. Karma can also be categorized according to the time at which There are two reasons why the fruit of karma will it ripens. There are three such ripen at different times. One reason is the strength of categories: karma that ripens in the cause; it will determine the time when the effect this life, karma that ripens in appears. For example, if a melon seed and a peach the next life and karma that seed are planted at the same time, the melon seed will ripens in future lives. Karma grow and produce fruit in the same year; however, it that ripens in this life means that the fruit of the action will take several years before the peach tree that grew done in this life will ripen in this very life; karma that from a seed can produce fruit. The second reason why ripens in the next life means that the fruit of the action the fruit of karma may ripen at different times is done in this life will ripen in the immediate next life; because the strength of the conditions can be either and karma that ripens in future lives means that the fruit strong or weak. If all necessary conditions are present, of present actions will ripen after two or more lives. the fruit will ripen earlier, whereas if the necessary This indicates that from the viewpoint of time, whether conditions are not present, the ripening will take it is the past, present or future, the effect of any action longer. Either way, there is a saying in Buddhism, will not be lost. The fruit will ripen according to the “Good begets good; bad begets bad. All causes will karma performed. give rise to results; it is just a matter of time.” Good begets good and bad begets bad. No one is The Law of Cause and Effect is certain. A particular exempt from the Law of Cause and Effect. Those who cause will inevitably give rise to a particular effect are familiar with agriculture know that some plants can and no mistakes will ever be made. The reason why a be harvested in just one year, some in two years and good person suffers in this life is because the others in several years. unwholesome seeds that he has planted in the past are ripening now. Therefore, he must suffer at this time. There are those who do not fully understand the Law of Although he may have done many wholesome deeds Cause and Effect. They see that some people who have in this life, the power of the seeds of these wholesome been kind and have done wholesome deeds experience deeds may be too weak to ripen during this life. He much suffering and misfortune. On the other hand, they may have to wait until his next or future lives to enjoy observe other people who have committed the effects of these wholesome deeds. In contrast, a unwholesome deeds but nonetheless lead a comfortable bad person may have done many unwholesome deeds and free life. So they conclude that the Law of Cause in this life, yet he is enjoying a good life. This is and Effect does not apply at all. Some even say, “This because the wholesome seeds that he has planted in is the twentieth century. Why still believe in his previous life or lives are ripening, so he is superstitions like cause and effect?” enjoying the fruit of his prior good deeds. The unwholesome seeds that he has planted during this However, they do not realize that the existence of life will ripen in his future lives. everything in this world arises from, and is dependent on, the Law of Cause and Effect. The relationship (to be continued…) I.B.P.S. at Chicago / 佛光山芝加哥禪淨中心 2 www.ibpschicago.org 9S043 State Route 53, Naperville, IL 60565 Email : [email protected] TEL: 630-910-1243 FAX: 630-910-1244 Buddha’s Light Newsletter 佛 光 世 紀 August 2009 Issue 24 LETTER FROM OUR SUPPORTERS Dear Venerable Manpou, I was kindly asked to share my experience during the Dharma talk by Venerable Hsin Ting on July 3, 2009. I was deeply touched by the talk. Very recently before the Dharma talk my husband was told that he has an illness which is not extremely serious thankfully but still has upset my husband and myself. He was having a difficult time and I was very attached to his upset feelings and his illness. It was such a heavy burden for me to be attached to these things. Also I felt very attached to hurts I have experienced during my childhood and had a hard time getting past them so I could live a full life. I felt in my life I was attached to many things and tried to control many things. This caused me to worry quite a lot. When Venerable Hsin Ting began talking about non attachment I could feel such love from him and his words and I could really feel how he truly lives what he is talking about. Feeling his love and truth about non attachment helped me to very deeply and fully realize how I am attached to so many things and how very painful these attachments are for me. I felt the pain of my attachments so deeply and at the same time could feel how beautiful and free Venerable Hsin Ting is from attachment. This caused me to see what it could be like for me if I could learn to let go of my attachments. This realization caused me to be quite emotional but I am beginning to see and feel things in a different way. I am noticing my attachments more in my daily life and I am learning to let them go slowly but in a way I could never do before. I am also praying and meditating to strengthen my mind. If I would not have experienced the Dharma talk I feel I would not be at this new level of understanding and commitment to change. Also I believe that everything I have experienced at the Temple has helped me to reach this new understanding. I sincerely thank with all of my heart Venerable Hsin Ting for his Dharma talk and also Venerable Manpou and Venerable Miaotsan for all of the Sunday Services and everything they do which makes such a difference in my life. Sincerely, Lisa Cook I.B.P.S. at Chicago / 佛光山芝加哥禪淨中心 3 www.ibpschicago.org 9S043 State Route 53, Naperville, IL 60565 Email : [email protected] TEL: 630-910-1243 FAX: 630-910-1244 Buddha’s Light Newsletter 佛 光 世 紀 August 2009 Issue 24 Venerable Hsin Ting’s Dharma Talk on Love and Desires July 3rd 2009 I am happy to be here today Here is a story of a dying to have a talk of Dharma. man with staring eyes.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Venerable Master Hsing Yun's 2014 Letter to Dharma Protectors And
    Issue No.33 January 2014 Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s 2014 Letter to Dharma Protectors and Friends Abbot and Dharma Transmission Ceremony for the 49th Generation of the Linji School was held with Ven. Hsin Bao as the new Head Abbot, and with Ven. Hui Chuan, Ven Hui Lun, Ven. Hui Kai, Ven. Hui Zhao, and Ven. Hui Feng as Deputy Abbots. It brings me much assurance and comfort to see the new leader of the Fo Guang Shan Order elected by system. My words for them were that Fo Guang Shan is humanistic, is open, is about team effort, and depends on a heritage. It is the entire order’s duty to create a new future, build a new milestone, and disseminate Humanistic Buddhism in every part of the world. On the same day, 72 monastics from all Five Continents including Ven. Ming Guang, Director of the Buddhist Association of Taipei, and Ven. Jing Yao, Director of the China International Offering Ceremony to All Buddhas became the Dharma Descendants. Last year, after I completed Buddhist Affinities Across One Hundred Years under the invitation of Academia Historica, I continued my narrations and published a new edition in April. The new Dear Dharma Protectors and Friends, book set consists of 160 million characters in Chinese, a total of 16 volumes that come with a Auspicious greetings! collection of 1,600 pictures. The book launch took place at the National Taiwan Library in Taipei. As we celebrate Fo Guang Shan’s 48th anniversary, I Later in October, the Simplified Chinese edition myself would also be turning 88 years old.
    [Show full text]
  • A Letter to Dharma Protectors and Friends in 2018
    《 》學報 ‧ 藝文│第十三期 A Letter to Dharma Protectors and Friends in 2018 Dear Dharma Protectors and Friends: Auspicious greetings! Spring flowers, autumn moon, winter goes, and spring arrives once again. As the seasons follow their order of time, we welcome 2018. Venerable Master Hsing Yun gives his blessings and encouragement to all through his spring couplet, “A Family of Loyalty and Honor.” Loyalty and honor are most important in life. We must remain loyal and righteous towards people. We must stay loyal in our relationships, responsibilities, friendships, and towards our leaders. We must show sensibility towards human relationships, remain righteous towards the world, have benevolence for society, and sense our connection with the whole universe. It is essential to understand, be grateful for, realize, and keep as family legacy the spirits of loyalty and honor. We are thankful to all our devotees, Dharma friends, and the general public for your loyalty and honor in supporting Fo Guang Shan’s propagation of Humanistic Buddhism. I would like to report to you all on what we have accomplished this past year through the collaboration of both monastics and laity. Firstly, good news: the Complete Works of Venerable Master Hsing Yun has been published! On May 16, the last day of Fo Guang Shan’s 50th anniversary, we launched the Complete Works at FGS Sutra Repository. The Complete Works, an embodiment of Venerable Master’s lifelong principles and actualization of Humanistic Buddhism, is an encyclopedia of Humanistic 142 A Letter to Dharma Protectors and Friends in 2018 The Complete Works of Venerable Master Hsing Yun, 365 volumes in total.
    [Show full text]
  • TABLE of CONTENTS Social Conduct
    ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ............................................................................................. 31 TABLE OF CONTENTS Social Conduct .................................................................................................................................. 31 Academic Integrity Policy .................................................................................................................. 31 Full-Time and Part-Time Students...................................................................................................... 32 Catalogue .......................................................................................................................................... 33 President’s Message .........................................................................................................................05 Satisfactory Academic Progress........................................................................................................ 33 Academic Calendar ........................................................................................................................... 06 Academic Probation .......................................................................................................................... 33 Academic Dismissal .......................................................................................................................... 33 INTRODUCING UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST ........................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • A Comparative Analysis of the Biographies Found in the Chinese Tripitaka
    GUNAVARMAN (367-431) A Comparative Analysis of the Biographies found in the Chinese Tripitaka Valentina Stache-Rosen Scholars have taken an interest in Gunavannan for several rea­ sons: he belonged to the roya1 house of Kashmir,l his biography con­ tains an early reference to the island of Java2 and to the spread of Buddhism there,3 and Gunavarman's name is connected with the establishment of the order of Buddhist nuns in South China.4 He also deserves notice for his remarkable ability to adopt his teaching to the religious beliefs of his hearers, whether Hindu or Confucian. In the present paper, the biography of Gunavannan in Hui­ Chiao's "Lives <?!Eminent Monks" (T 2059 Kao Seng Chuan) will be used as the basis for comparison. This biography has been translated into French by E. Chavannes5 and by Robert Shih.6 It has also been used by P.C. Bagchi in his summary of Gunavannan's life in "Le Canon BouMhique en Chine"7. Other texts used for the analyds are;8 -(- A T 2145 Chu San Tsang Chi Chi, by Seng Yu, A.D. SI S B T 2064 Shen Seng Chuan, by an unknown author with a preface dated 1417 A.D. C T 2I 22 Fa Yuan Chu Lin, by Tao Shih, 668 A.D. -1- D T 21St Ku Yin I Ching T'u Chi, by Tsing Mai, 664 A.D. -1- E T 2IS4 Kai Yuan Che Chiao Lu, by Tsche Ching, 730 A.D. -1- F T 2157 Cheng Yuan Hsin Ting Che Chiao Mu Lu, by Y~n Chao, 7th century -1- G T 2034 Li Tai San Pao Chi, by Fei Chang-fang, S97 A.D.
    [Show full text]
  • A Letter to Dharma Protectors and Friends in 2018 the Merit Times  2018 年 1 月 1 日 星期一 a Letter to Dharma Protectors and Friends in 2018
    A Letter to Dharma Protectors and Friends in 2018 The Merit Times 2018 年 1 月 1 日 星期一 A Letter to Dharma Protectors and Friends in 2018 Dear Dharma Protectors and Friends, University College of Chinese Language and Literature, exchanges. singing competition. In May, the Vienna Fo Guang enhancing the Dharma connection of Venerable Master and Wuhan University Institute for Chinese Religious In terms of cultural publishings, Venerable Man Youth Symphony Orchestra performed Buddhist music, in Malaysia and Singapore. In November, Tainan’s Ta Auspicious greetings! Literature and Scriptures jointly conducted a seminar Chien, Venerable Ru Chang, Venerable Miao Shiang, songs from Sounds of the Human World, European Hsien Temple held an inauguration ceremony for its Spring flowers, autumn moon, winter goes, and on Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s philosophy on and Dr. Yang Wei led a delegation from Fo Guang Shan music as well as famous songs from China and Taiwan newly constructed Main Shrine and Buddha statues. On spring arrives once again. As the seasons follow their Humanistic Buddhism from literature to theory. and the Buddha Museum in donating the Fo Guang at the Musikverein, one of five world-renowned behalf of FGS, I was present at the event. In November, order of time, we welcome 2018. Venerable Master The Centre for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism, Buddhist Canon, Chinese and English editions of the concert halls. In June, at Fo Guang Shan’s Ancestral Famen Temple in Shanxi celebrated the 30th anniversary Hsing Yun gives his blessings and encouragement to jointly founded by FGS Cultural and Education Encyclopedia of Buddhist Art, and the Fo Guang Monastery, Dajue Temple in Yixing, Venerable Miao of the rediscovery of the Buddha’s finger bone relic and all through his spring couplet,“A Family of Loyalty Foundation and Chinese University of Hong Kong, Buddhist Dictionary to the Great British Library, Shi joined the Yixing Dancers Association in holding also for the temple alliance signing ceremony.
    [Show full text]
  • A Letter to Dharma Protectors and Friends in 2021
    A Letter to Dharma Protectors and Friends in 2021 Dear Dharma protectors and friends, Auspicious greetings! “A man’s lifetime diligence brings a lush land of green; an ox’s ever-trodding hooves turn over million acres of gold.” In the Year of Ox, I, Hsin Bau, on behalf of the Fo Guang Shan Board of Directors and worldwide Fo Guang Shan Sangha, wish for everyone to “Cultivate a Heart that Blooms in All Seasons.” May we practice diligently for the blooming of wisdom all year round. In the early days of Fo Guang Shan, the founder Venerable Master Hsing Yun built a pathway over a valley—the Treasure Bridge—for visitors to reach Tsung-Lin University and the Great Compassion Shrine on the other side. In recent years, however, Venerable Master noticed that the flight of stairs leading to the bridge was not easily accessible by elderly devotees. As such, he instructed for the construction of a “new” Treasure Bridge to connect the Main Shrine directly to the Great Compassion Shrine. Upon its completion, Venerable Master joyfully said, “Though it is a very short bridge, it is a boundless pathway in life.” This exemplifies the bodhisattva spirit of giving as advocated by Humanistic Buddhism. In light of the COVID-19 global pandemic, showing us how insignificant human beings are in the face of nature, we humbly initiated the efforts of monastics and laity worldwide to collectively chant the Heart Sutra as a prayer for a swift end to the pandemic. Accumulating over 25 million recitations, all merits were dedicated to those affected.
    [Show full text]
  • Dear Dharma Protectors and Friends, Auspicious Blessings to You All
    Dear Dharma Protectors and Friends, Auspicious blessings to you all! Time has passed quickly; as another year draws to a close, I would like to send my prayers to all our benefactors for a peaceful new spring. As the river of time flows, this world continues to be filled with both joy and sorrow. Just like the previous years, I have not stopped traveling in 2009, in order to follow Buddha’s example in covering the world with his footsteps and teachings. The only difference is that having dedicated most of my time to Buddhism, not much had been spared to care for my physical health. Despite the continued degradation of my vision, my mind tells me that I cannot disappoint the devotees for their dedication and support. Therefore my footsteps have only sped up for Dharma propagation. Somehow, this has enabled me to find a brighter and clearer mind, which can be considered a type of unexpected benefit. An overview of 2009 reveals both exciting developments in history, as well as heart-breaking tragedies. On August 8th, Typhoon Morakot struck Taiwan and caused the most devastating damages in fifty years. In only three days’ time, dozens of towns and villages in Southern Taiwan were washed out by the flood that dislocated thousands of families and took countless lives. “Heaven and earth are so ruthless that human lives are regarded as livestock.” How can the world bear to see this? Being abroad when I received the news, I knew that disaster relief cannot wait, and called Fo Guang Shan immediately to establish the Fo Guang Shan Emergency Relief Center.
    [Show full text]
  • The Heart Sutra: a Chinese Apocryphal Text? by Jan Nattier 153
    THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BUDDHIST STUDIES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Roger Jackson Dept. of Religion Carleton College Northfield, MN 55057 USA EDITORS Peter N. Gregory Ernst Steinkellner University of Illinois University of Vienna Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA Wien, Austria Alexander W. Macdonald Jikido Takasaki University de Paris X University of Tokyo Nanterre, France Tokyo, Japan Steven Collins Robert Thurman University of Chicago Columbia University Chicago, Illinois, USA New York, New York, USA Volume 15 1992 Number 2 CONTENTS I. ARTICLES 1. The Heart Sutra: A Chinese Apocryphal Text? by Jan Nattier 153 2. Indian Altruism: A Study of the Terms bodhicitta and bodhicittotpada, by Gareth Sparham 224 II. TRANSLATION 1. A Twelfth-century Tibetan Classic of Mahamudra: The Path of Ultimate Profundity: The Great Seal Instructions of Zhang, by Dan Martin 243 III. BOOK REVIEWS 1. Mind Only: A Philosophical and Doctrinal Analysis of the Vijnanavada, by Thomas E. Wood (Paul J. Griffiths) 320 2. Yuktisastika-vrtti: Commentaire k la soixante sur le raisonnement ou Du vrai enseignement de la causalit6 par le Maitre indien Candrakirti, by Cristina Anna Scherer-Schaub (Jose* Ignacio Cabez6n) 325 IV. I.A.B.S. MEMBERSHIP LIST 328 The Heart Sutra: A Chinese Apocryphal Text? by Jan Nattier Introduction The Heart Sutra1 is surely one of the best loved Buddhist scriptures in all of East Asia. Esteemed both as a concise summary of some of the key doctrines of Mahayana Buddhism and as a dharam of immense supernatural power, it has been revered by lay people and clerics alike as one of the pinnacles of Buddhist teaching.
    [Show full text]
  • The Voyabe of Buddhist Jllissions to South-East Asia and the Far East*
    The VoyaBe of Buddhist Jllissions To South-East Asia and The Far East* HE position of Central Asia that stretches from the North-Western boundaries of China to the northern territories of ancient India T (including modern Afghanistan) was considered as the life-line of international trade and cultural exchange. It was also known 3S the silk- route through which silk, spice and other commodities were offered lor commercial exchange with countries in the West. We arc not sure of the actual date when this international route first came to be used. The earliest historical record written in Chinese indicates that as early as the second century B.C. textile and bamboo products manufactured in China were sold in the market of Bactriana in the Oxus valley. This W3S personally seen by Chang Ch'ien, the envoy sent by Emperor W u-ti of the Hau Dynasty in 129 B.C. to negotiate with the Yiieh Chi rulers in Bactriana in order to form a military alliance. Further he was reported to have said that these commodities were brought to Bactriana via lndia.' This presupposes the existence of this international route between China and Central Asian countries including India. Therefore it appc3rs to be vcry natural that most of the Indian and Central Asian Buddhist teachers, who proceeded to China, followed the trail of this caravan route through Central Asia or modern Chinese Turkestan. This particular route served a useful purpose for over 1,000 years from the beginning of the Jrd. century H.C. In addition to the missionary zeal shown by the Indian teachers, the Chinese Buddhist pilgrims like Fa-hsicn and Hsiian-rsang took the same route to go to India.
    [Show full text]
  • Wu Chin Tsang Fa Lüeh Shuo Abridged Explanation of the Dharma of the Inexhaustible Storehouse
    B. Wu chin tsang fa lüeh shuo Abridged Explanation of the Dharma of the Inexhaustible Storehouse The Wu chin tsang fa lüeh shuo [¦áÀF‰ is in the Stein collec- tion (Stein No. 190, Giles No. 6617), and a fragment of the last part of this text is also found on the same scroll as the Hsin-hsing i wen, another impor- tant San-chieh text. Similarly titled texts found in the sutra catalogues include the Ta sheng wu chin tsang fa Ø/[¦áÀ in one chüan listed among Hsin-hsing’s works in the Ta chou k’an ting chung ching mu lu,1 and a Ming ta sheng wu chin tsang gØ/[¦á recorded in the K’ai yüan lu,2 the Chen yüan hsin ting shih chiao mu lu,3 and the Jen chi lu tu mu.4 The latter two cat- alogs add the information “four pages” and “six pages” respectively, and the ³rst three catalogs attribute the work to Hsin-hsing. As it is partially con- tained on the same scroll as the Hsin-hsing i wen and both texts contain the same list of “sixteen eternal, joyous, self, and pure practices of the Inexhaustible Storehouse,” we can assume that it belongs to the early strata of San-chieh literature, if Hsin-hsing did not himself actually compose this text. Although originally comprised of eleven sections, because the ³rst part of the text is damaged only six of eleven sections are preserved (sections six through eleven). The ³rst ³ve sections are preserved, however, in a commentary to this work, the Ta sheng fa chieh wu chin tsang fa shih Ø/Àƒ[¦áÀt (translated below), and together with the Hsin-hsing i wen we are thus able to get a good picture of this important practice of the Inexhaustible Storehouse.
    [Show full text]
  • Handing Down the Light
    Venerable Master Hsing Yun, 1991. A historical meeting between two religions—the Master greeted by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II at Vatican City. Taking a look at the world’s largest copy of the Koran inside the Roman Mosque in Italy, 1997. Hsing Yun extends a warm welcome to the Dalai Lama, 1989. The abbot of the Dhammakaya Foundation in Thailand escorts Hsing Yun for a tour of the grounds, 1994. Ordains the first-ever Buddhist monastics in Africa, 1994. Venerable Master Hsing Yun leading disciples in walking meditation. Venerable Master Hsing Yun A group photo with delegates of the World Fellowship of Buddhists Conference at Nan Tien Temple, Australia. Leading the opening ceremony of the International Outstanding Buddhist Women Conference at Fo Guang Shan, Taiwan. A family portrait with his mother and siblings. Buddha’s Light Publishing exhibits books in languages other than Chinese at the Taipei International Book Exhibition held at Taipei World Trade Center (February 1, 2002). A noted calligraphist, 1993 (Courtesy of Chen Chih-min). Presiding over the International Triple Platform Full Ordination Ceremony in Bodhgaya, India, (February 15, 1998). The Master leading a sea of B.L.I.A. members in the campaign for universal compassion and loving-kindness toward all, in Taipei. The Master leading the welcoming ceremony to receive the Buddha’s Tooth Relic, originating from Tibet, in a joint Sutric and Tantric Dharma Service held in Taiwan. Master of Chinese Painting Chang Ta-Chien [Zhang Daqian] visited Fo Guang Shan and presented his work “One flower, one world, one leaf, one Buddha” as a gift to Venerable Master, (March 14, 1978).
    [Show full text]
  • An Examination of Kumārajīva's Translation
    Thich Hang Dat, 1 A REAPPRAISAL OF KUMĀRAJĪVA’S ROLE IN MEDIEVAL CHINESE BUDDHISM: AN EXAMINATION OF KUMĀRAJĪVA’S TRANSLATION TEXT ON “THE ESSENTIAL EXPLANATION OF THE METHOD OF DHYANA” A THESIS PRESENTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST Abstract For many centuries, Buddhologists have considered Kumārajīva as a strong advocate of Mahāyāna Buddhism and an equally strong opponent of Hīnayāna Buddhism. However, this assumption is debatable. My thesis addresses this assumption to determine its validity. Hence, I have reappraised his life, his role and contribution to Medieval Chinese Buddhism, as well as the cultural and social environments prior and contemporary to him. I especially paid attention to the translation of the meditation texts such as The Essential Explanation of The Method of Dhyāna, to find evidence that either supports or disputes the assumption that Kumārajīva was an advocate of Mahāyāna only. It is my conclusion that Kumārajīva not only advocated Mahāyāna, but also Hīnayāna Buddhism throughout his life and works. Thich Hang Dat, 2 Table of Contents Acknowledgement Table of Contents Part I. Analysis 1. Introduction 2. Background of Chinese Buddhism prior to Kumārajīva‘s arrival in Chang‘an 3. Translators that preceded Kumārajīva 4. Kumārajīva‘s biography 5. His prolific translation works 6. His fame as an advocator of Chinese Mahāyāna and the founder of Mādhyamika 7. Cultural and social influences of Sarvāstivādin Hīnayāna a. Central Asian Buddhist community b. Chang‘an center c. His collaborators of translation works d. His disciples‘ request of translation the meditation texts e.
    [Show full text]