Das FWF-NFN “The Cultural History of the Western Himalaya from the 8th century” und das Institut für Kultur- und Geistesgeschichte Asiens (Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften) freuen sich, Sie zu folgendem Vortrag einzuladen: Prof. Toru Funayama (Universität Kyoto) Buddhism in Kashmir during the 8th century, as seen from Chinese sources Mittwoch, 22. Mai, 16:00 Institut für Kultur- und Geistesgeschichte Asiens Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Seminarraum 2 (Erdgeschoß) Apostelgasse 23, 1030 Wien The eighth century is a unique period logico-epistemological tradition of Bud- in the sense that it was the fi nal period dhism (or pramāṇa-Buddhism) started Chinese sources minutely record about to become signifi cant and eminent Buddhism in Kashmir. As is well Buddhist thinkers such as Arcaṭa and known, after the renowned activity of Dharmottara subsequently appeared in Xuanzang (d. 664) who left the most Kashmir. This line of tradition made an extensive Chinese records of Kashmir, immeasurable infl uence on not only the two pilgrims provide us with Kashmiri development of Buddhism in the same Buddhism in the eighth century: one is area but also the formation of scholastic Huichao (or Hyecho from Silla) who Buddhism in Tibet. visited Kashmir around 725; and the other is Wukong who went to Kashmir In this talk, Prof. Funayama will pay and received full ordination in 759. special attention to some historical de- There are also several remarkable ac- scriptions available in Chinese sources counts of diplomatic activities between and attempt to explore basic characteris- China and Kashmir especially during tics of Kashmiri Buddhism in the eighth the Kaiyuan era (713–741). It is note- century, as the period prior to the begin- worthy that Indian monks who went to ning of the Kashmiri pramāṇa school. China around this period were more or Especially, examining some important less connected with Esoteric Buddhism biographies of Indian monks who and some of them are recorded to have brought Tantric Buddhist texts to China, had the origin in Kashmir. For some he wants to propose the hypothesis that, reason, however, China started to lose contrary to our common assumption, a close relationship with this land in Tantric Buddhism did not prevail in the latter half of the eighth century and Kashmir at least in a clear form during Chinese records of Kashmir suddenly the eighth century. Prof. Funayama will became poor regarding the religious also introduce an interesting account situations in the 9th century and later. which shows an earlier phase of politi- On the other hand, it was around the cal relation between Kashmir and Tibet mid 8th century that what is called in 724 CE. FWF/NFN cultural history of the western himalaya FWF S9805-G21 Philosophie.