ANTHOLOGIZING BUDDHISTS: A STUDY OF AVADĀNA NARRATIVES AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT READ THEM IN EARLY MEDIEVAL CHINA A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Cornell University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Tyson Joseph Yost August 2013 © 2013 Tyson Joseph Yost ANTHOLOGIZING BUDDHISTS: A STUDY OF AVADĀNA NARRATIVES AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT READ THEM IN EARLY MEDIEVAL CHINA Tyson Joseph Yost, Ph.D. Cornell University 2013 This dissertation is a study of avadāna narratives found in two related anthologies, the Za piyu jing 雜譬喻經 and the Zhong jing xuan za piyu 眾經撰雜譬喻. It has two related goals: to investigate what the Chinese translations can tell us about the functions of avadāna literature in Buddhist practice; and to see what avadāna literature can tell us about the Buddhists who translated and compiled them. My central argument is that the translation and compilation of avadāna narratives into anthologies offers clues about the context in which such anthologies were created. This in turn highlights the different concerns of various Buddhist communities and reflects alternate idioms of Buddhism in early medieval China. I begin by investigating an avadāna narrative through the lens of Indian aesthetics of humor to illustrate the rhetorical function of the story. This approach shows that these narratives are carefully constructed literary productions that offer a window into both the world of the Indic society in which they were initially composed and the Chinese society which translated them. I then look at developments in literary theory to establish a framework that allows us to shift our focus from what is being read to who is doing the reading. I explore notions of the implied reader and the interpretive community as a means of understanding the kind of audience that is assumed in these narratives and the types of concerns the stories are seeking to address. Finally, I investigate the textual form in which the vast majority of avadāna narratives are found: the anthology. Since anthologies are the conscious collecting, ordering and editing of pre-existing narratives, I argue that they illuminate the social context and ideological orientation of the communities that compiled them. By analyzing the structure and themes of these two anthologies we find reflections of two different Buddhist communities: one monastic centered, the other lay oriented. Such an approach provides a means to flesh out and nuance our understanding of Buddhist communities in early medieval China. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Tyson Yost was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and raised in Rigby, Idaho. He received his Associate’s degree from Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho in International Studies in 1999. In 2004 he received a dual Bachelor’s degree in Comparative Literature and Asian Studies from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Tyson went on to study at the University of Chicago Divinity School and received his M.A. in Religious Studies in 2006. He was then accepted into Cornell University’s doctoral program in Asian Literature, Religion and Culture and received his Doctorate of Philosophy in 2013. He is currently a professor in the History department at Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho. Tyson married Lindsie Nichol in 2003 and together they are the parents of four wonderful daughters. iii For Lindsie and the girls iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation could not be completed without the support and encouragement of a number of people. While those who have aided in the process are too numerous to name, it is my privilege to acknowledge and thank those who have had a particularly important influence in the development of this study. Several professors during my undergraduate studies deserve special recognition for setting me on the path into the rarified world of Asian religion and literature. Scott Galer was the first to introduce me to the beauty of the Chinese language and literature; his support and friendship has continued for more than fifteen years now. David Honey served as a valued advisor and teacher of literary Chinese and was influential in my decision to pursue graduate studies in the field. Larry Peer taught me to both appreciate and critically investigate the influence of literature in society; it is from him that I began to first develop my interest in the relationship between literature and religion. During my time completing a Master’s degree at the University of Chicago both Guy Leavitt and Yigal Bronner were instrumental in teaching me the intricacies of Sanskrit grammar and sparking my interest in understanding the Indian world through its literature. My time at Cornell University has been eventful and fulfilling. The students, faculty and staff in the Asian Studies Department and the Kroch Library have been extremely understanding through the highs and lows that come with doctoral studies. Of particular mention are those who have served on my dissertation committee; if there is anything of value in this dissertation it is due to their diligence and advice. I would particularly like to thank Lawrence McCrea for his patience and his willingness to always take the time to read through various Sanskrit narratives despite a hectic schedule. I have greatly enjoyed our discussions on Indian poetics and literature. I owe a debt of gratitude to Jane Marie Law who has always been a constant support and voice of v reason and praise. I would like to thank her for taking the time to walk me through the myriad works of religious theory and hermeneutics; Gadamer and Eliade became infinitely more accessible after our discussions. Daniel Boucher has been the single most influential figure in my academic development. I could not have found a better advisor to meet my needs as a graduate student. He provided the perfect combination of generosity and academic rigor that spurred me to think more critically while always providing the support I needed to continue my studies. I count it a great privilege to call him both my mentor and my friend. I would like to thank my parents, Fred and Brenda Yost, for always supporting me in the pursuit of my goals, even when you might not have understood why I was pursuing them. I owe you more than I could ever say, but I hope that this can serve as a small token of my appreciation for all that you have done for me throughout my life. To my parents-in-law, Gordon and Wendy Nichol, for allowing me to marry your daughter and drag her across the country to live on a graduate student stipend with limited access to your grandchildren. I have always appreciated your support and kindness in welcoming me into your family. And finally, to the most important people in my life: my wife, Lindsie, and beautiful daughters, Elaiza, Elainor, Adelaide, and Annelaise. This dissertation is as much your accomplishment as it is mine. I could not have completed this without you. You make life worth living and give meaning to everything I do. Lindsie, thank you for all you have sacrificed and endured as I sat in a quiet, air conditioned library reading all day while you toiled away at home alone with four very rambunctious children. Your love means the world to me. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ......................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................................................................................. v LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................................... viii INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 1: DECEPTIVE APPEARANCES: BUDDHIST AVADĀNAS IN A SOCIAL CONTEXT .................................................................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER 2: UNCOVERING THE INTERPRETIVE COMMUNITY ..................................... 52 CHAPTER 3: THE ANTHOLOGY AND AVADĀNA LITERATURE ....................................... 85 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................... 149 APPENDIX ................................................................................................................................. 153 BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................................... 172 vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Avś Avadānaśataka (Speyer 1906-09) CSZJJ Chu san zang ji ji 出三藏記集 (T 2145) Divy Divyāvadāna. (Cowell and Neil 1886) LDJJ Liu du ji jing 六度集經 (T 152) SWF Xian yu jing 賢愚經 or Sutra of the Wise and the Fool (T 202) T Taishō shinshū daizōkyō (Takakusu and Watanabe 1924-1935); texts are referred to by serial number followed by volume, page, register, and line numbers. ZJXZPY Zhong jing xuan za piyu 眾經撰雜譬喻 (T 208) ZPYJ Za piyu jing 雜譬喻經 (T 207) viii INTRODUCTION Growing up I was an avid reader and was rarely without a book in hand. I consumed any story available, from the Fairytales of the Brothers Grimm to the old westerns of Lois L’Amour and the fantasy of J.R.R. Tolkien. But the stories I remember the most, the stories that influenced me more than any other, were the religious tales that infused every aspect of my upbringing. Being raised in a devout Mormon household, I was regaled with the tales from the Bible and Book of Mormon on a