Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Peer Reviewed – International Journal Vol-5, Issue-1, 2019 (IJIR) ISSN: 2454-1362, https://www.onlinejournal.in The Life and Works of Khuong Tang Hoi Bui My Diem Loan Researcher, Department of Pali, Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda, Bihar, India Abstract: Buddhism entered in a small the writer would like to introduce about early country Vietnam and became a religion of the Buddhism in Vietnam in the middle of second nation. Back to its history in the third century century A.D. through the life and works of B.C., when numerous Buddhist missionaries Khuong Tang Hoi. were sent abroad by the Emperor Asoka to propagate Buddha’s Teachings in distant I. The Life of Khuong Tang Hoi lands such as West and Central Asia, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, (200?-280AD): Indonesia, and ‘Giao Chau’ (modern Bac Khuong Tang Hoi (Chinese simplified: Ninh Province, North Vietnam). As the 康 僧 会 , pinyin: Kang Seng Hui) was a harmony religion, Buddhism has companied earliest known Buddhist meditation master of with Vietnamese history that spans nearly Vietnam, a first Buddhist propagator in 2000 years in existence. southern China in 247 C.E., and a translator In the first and second centuries A.D., during the Three Kingdom period of ancient Giao Chau (the ancient name of the region China. He was born and trained in Giao Chi that encompassed present day - Bac Ninh, (Jiao-zhi: 交趾), modern-day Bac Ninh province of Northern Vietnam) was mostly province in Northern Vietnam, 300 years influenced by Indian culture. At that time, before the well-known Indian Zen master Giao Chau was also a province under Han Bodhidharma went to China. He is reversed Dynasty-Chinese domination. From India via as the first patriarch of the Vietnamese sea trade routes, the Buddhist scholars and meditation school. Studying his life and the monks continued to reach Giao Chau from works, we can understand the root of India, travelling along with traders. Khuong Buddhism in Vietnam and Southern China. Tang Hoi’s father was a Sogdian merchant who emigrated from North India and stayed The life and works of Khuong Tang in Giao Chau. Thus, historical evidences Hoi that we know from the two oldest indicate that Indian brought Buddhism to biographies. One is Seng You‟s Chu san zang Vietnam before it arrived from China. In this ji (出三藏记) (CBETA 2145, p.96a29-97a17), presentation, the writer would like to and the other is Hui Hao‟s Gao seng zhuan introduce the history of early Buddhism in ( 高僧傳) (CBETA 2059, p.325a13-326b13). Vietnam in the middle of second century A.D. Seng You wrote, „Khuong Tang Hoi’s through the life and works of Khuong Tang ancestor was Sogdian which had immigrated Hoi. to India for long time. His father was a merchant who moved to Giao Chau (Jiao- Key word: Missionary, Anapanasati Sutta, the zhou) for his business. Khuong Tang Hoi was Order, relic. over 10 years old, his parents passed away. After ordination, he studied very hard. He is well-mannered, knowledgeable in Confucism, Introduction well-known Tipitaka, good at astronomy, has Buddhism entered in a small country good speech and writing skills.‟ Vietnam and became a religion of the nation. Companion with the history of Vietnamese Hui Hao‟s copy is, actually, a copy country, Buddhism spans harmony nearly of Seng You‟s version with two additions. 2000 years in existence. This is the addition of Zhi Qian‟s biography Due to geographical position between at the beginning and the recording of the India and China, Vietnam has been influenced influence of Khuong Tang Hoi on Su Jun and immersed by both ancient civilizations. Sun Chuo at the end. The addition of Zhi Historical evidences indicate that Indian Qian‟s enormous stems from the history of brought Buddhism to Vietnam before it Chinese Buddhism. However, Zhi Qian was a arrived from China. Therefore, in this work, layman, and Gao seng zhuan itself is a record Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 28 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Peer Reviewed – International Journal Vol-5, Issue-1, 2019 (IJIR) ISSN: 2454-1362, https://www.onlinejournal.in on The High Monk, so that it should not able was not only expert in Buddhism, to set a separated item as Seng You wrote in Confucianism, and Taoism, but also in Chu san zang ji about Zhi Qian (CBETA 2145 astrology, geography. p.97b13-c18). About the addition of Su Jun In Luy Lau，metropolis of Giao Chau, and Sun Chuo, this indicates that Hui Hao has Khuong Tang Hoi established temples and consulted many other records, which Seng trained disciples. He translated the sutras at You may have ignored. Dien Ung temple, or Phap Van pagoda (present-day Dau temple). In the Preface of Gao seng zhuan In the tenth year of Chi-wu 赤乌 era (High Monks Stories), and also in two letters (247 CE), Khuong Tang Hoi went to Jian-ye about conversation between Wang Man Ying （建業）, the Dong Wu capital in Southern and Hui Hao (CBETA 2059, p.418b35- China. In the beginning, he received 423a10), Hui Hao informed that his works threatening treatment from the ruler. Tang regarding to more than ten historians‟ works Hoi preached to Wu Sun Quan 吴孙权- King on Jin, Zhao, Yan, Liang dynasties. They are of Dong Wu on Karma and Rebirth by such as: Fa Ji, Fa An, Seng Bao, Fa Jin, Seng causing the appearance of miraculous relic of Yu, Seng You, Zhou Jun Tai, Wang Jin, Shao the Buddha. As we know when Emperor Jing Ling Wang, etc… Asoka (269-232 BC) converted to Buddhism, he erected numerous Stupas throughout India In addition to above two and kept small portions of relics division biographies, the later books namely Fa Jing‟s from the original eight Stupas that contained Zhong jing mu lu, Fei Zhang Fang‟s Li da san the Buddha‟s relics apparently after his bao ji, Dao Xuan‟s Da tang nei dian lu, Zhi cremation (Karel Weimar,2008). The miracle Sheng‟s Kai kuan shi jiao lu, etc… more or story of obtaining relic stresses the early less mentioned about Khuong Tang Hoi. transmission of the Stupa or pagoda worship Since they mainly summarized on above two in China. The fact that magical power was books, they did not add anything new to the regarded as a quite important quality of the study of the life and works of Khuong Tang Buddhist monks (Mariko Namba Walter, Hoi. Therefore, they are only used as 2009). references when needed. To conduct the study, On completion of Khuong Tang Hoi‟s we should take the two works Chu san zang ji twenty-one days sincere prayer, the miracle of Seng You and Gao seng zhuan of Hui Hao of the appearance of the Buddha‟s five-colour as the basis. relic helped him to win the trust of Wu Sun Quan 吴孙权. The King admired and In the first and second centuries AD, respected Khuong Tang Hoi and Buddhism by Giao Chau (the ancient name of the region building the first temple namely Jian Chu si that encompassed present day - Bac Ninh, 建初寺 in Jianye for Khuong Tang Hoi. The province of Northern Vietnam) was mostly area where this temple was built was called influenced by Indian culture. At that time, the Buddhist Holy Place. Giao Chau was also a province under Han Khuong Tang Hoi taught and Dynasty-Chinese domination. From India via ordained to the villagers who became monks. sea trade routes, the Buddhist scholars and His establishment of the first Buddhist the monks continued to reach Giao Chau from Sangha in Southern China was significant. It India, travelling along with traders. In fact, marked a remarkable period when the Indian merchants often invited the monks to Buddhist Sangha began to establish its accompany with them for being safe in long foundation to train young monks to lead the journey. Buddhism for lay people in the area. Tang As mentioned in Chu-zan-zang-ji and Hoi translated the Sutras and trained the Gao-seng-zhuan above, Khuong Tang Hoi‟s young generation to take in charge of father was a Sogdian merchant who emigrated propagating Buddhism in the area of Jiang- from North India and stayed in Giao Chau. zuo 江左 (Jiang-zuo or Jiang-Dong 江东 is an area According to his biography in Gao Sheng on the Southern of Yang-tze 江子 River). Zhuan (高僧傳), Khuong Tang Hoi‟s parents In the first year of Tai-kang 太康 era died when he was only ten years old age. (280CE) of Dong-jin 东晋, Khuong Tang Hoi Soon after, he entered the Buddhist Order in passed away. Thus, Khuong Tang Hoi is very young age. Khuong Tang Hoi studied, considered a renowned translator during the well versed in Han, and Sanskrit scripts. He Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 29 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Peer Reviewed – International Journal Vol-5, Issue-1, 2019 (IJIR) ISSN: 2454-1362, https://www.onlinejournal.in Three Kingdoms (Wei 魏-Su 肃-Wu 吴) period Chan Yuan 百子同产缘 in the Zhuan Ji Bai of ancient China. Yuan Jing and the story of Putra in the Avadanasataka with story number twenty- II- The Works of Khuong Tang Hoi three of the Liudu Jijing, we could recognize in Vietnam and China: the effort of the documentary compilers to Regarding to Khuong Tang Hoi‟s assimilate the Indian accounts into that translated works and commentaries, several Vietnamese.