I. Two Examples of Revisionist History
A. An Early Christian Community in China [by HKC]
Ban Chao dispatched his associate Gan Ying to visit Roman Empire (97 CE); Gan reached the Persian Gulf but was told by the Persians that it was too dangerous to cross the turbulent sea; therefore, he returned without getting to the Roman Empire
A. An Early Christian Community in China [by HKC]
Ban Chao dispatched his associate Gan Ying to visit Roman Empire (97 CE); Gan reached the Persian Gulf but was told by the Persians that it was too dangerous to cross the turbulent sea; therefore, he returned without getting to the Roman Empire
B. Reason for Zhang Qian’s Mission
Grotto Painting in Dunhuang done in 4th century
Depicting the scene of Zhang Qian departing China with Emperor Wu bidding him farewell
Han army captured a huge statue, “Golden Man”, from Xiongnu who worshipped it because it was a statue of Buddha from the West
Therefore Emperor Wu sent Zhang Qian to the West in order to learn more about Buddha
Since Buddhism was the dominant religion in Central Asia and India at the time of Zhang Qing’s mission and since Zhang Qian was inquisitive about the region, e.g., commerce between Bactria and India, it was possible that Zhang Qian learned about Buddhism and reported this to the Emperor; but this was not recorded in the official history on his mission
At any rate, Zhang Qian could only have learned of Buddhism after he arrived in the Western Region
Buddhists did not make or worship statues of Buddha until the Kushan Period which began more than 100 years after Zhang Qian’s death
II. Monks from the West to China
A. Parthamasiris (c. 100 CE)
Prince of Parthian Persia, lost to his uncle in the succession and took the throne of Armenia; when Romans conquered Armenia, they proposed Parthamasris to be King of Parthian Persia.
Objections from the Persians forced him to seek solace as a monk in Buddhism
He was an erudite man and able to achieve a high-level understanding and interpretation of Theraveda (Hinayana) Buddhism
Coming to China c. 140 CE, he mastered the Chinese language in just a few years
In charge of translating Theraveda scriptures for 23 years (148-171 CE) and starting a new style of Chinese prose
Taking refuge in southern China during the turmoil at the end of Han Dynasty and died there
B. Lokaksin
A Yue-chi, arriving in the Han capital toward the end of Han Dynasty
Translated scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism for over 10 years (178-189 CE)
Disappeared from public view after this work
C. Kumarajiva (344∼413 C.E.)
Father was an Indian noble, mother was a princess of Qiuci (Kucha)
Followed his mother to a nunery at age 7
Became learned at a young age; well versed in Theraveda Buddhism and gained a wide reputation not only in Central Asia but also in China
After he declined to come to Chang’an to serve a ruler at the time, he was forcibly taken to inside the Chinese border by the ruler’s army (382 CE) and stayed 18 years near the border even after the ruler himself was disposed
In 401 CE he was taken to Chang’an by a new ruler and provided with a team of 120 Chinese monks to assist him in translating the Mahayana Buddhist works
Over 600 volumes were completed during his time
He was credited for a new method of translation which is relevant even today
Founded a new school of Buddhist philosophy which resulted in a new sect
Admired as a genius, he was “ordered’ by the ruler to marry ten maidens so that his talent can be inherited
III. Chinese Monks to the West
A. Zhu Shiheng (c. 250 CE)
First Chinese monk to go west in search of true Buddhist scriptures
Confused about the Buddhist literature’s correctness and authenticity, went to Khotan (Yu-tian) to learn more
Obtained 90 volumes and sent them back to Luoyang after overcoming difficulties
Died in Khotan at age 80
B. Fa Hsian (Fa Xian)
Born in 334 and died in 420 C.E.
Decided to become a monk when his parents both died
First Chinese monk to go to India
He was 60 when he started his long journey in the company of 10 Chinese monks
Took 6 years to reach Central India, stayed there for 6 years to learn the language and the scriptures, 2 years in the south, including today’s Sri Lanka, and 1 year to return home by sea
Wrote “Buddist-Country Records” after his return, detailing his experiences
A compendium of Buddhist temples, practices, geography and history of Central Asia and Indian
C. Sung Yun
A native of Dunhuang, worked in the capital city of Luoyang in early 6th century
Was sent by the Empress Dowager of the ruling dynasty to the West to present gifts and seek better scriptures (518 CE)
Reached Khotan and the Pamirs by passing through many small states
IV. The Story of Xuan Zang
Born (602 CE) into a family of intellectuals and officials
Entered monastery at 13 and became a ordained monk at 21
Spending five years visiting many Buddhist scholars and learned major classical Buddhist works
Puzzled by differences in these works regarding the ways to reach nirvana, decided to seek truth from India despite the dangers and difficulties involved
Upon return he was offered a ministerial post but declined; was given resources by the Emperor to translate the books he brought back
His style was much more fluid and elegant than the previous translators
But he was far more than a translator of Buddhist scriptures
He compiled, with the help of his disciple, a book on the West at the request of the Tang Emperor and gave vivid and detailed accounts of some 138 states he had visited
He was also the founder of the new Buddhist school based on the new philosophy he had helped to form while in India
The Great Tang’s Records of the Western World (Ta-Tang-Si-Yu-Ki)
On Xuan Zang’s Return to Chang’an
Xuan Zang stated that he saw this and described its precise location
Archeological work was done in early 20 century to uncover it
Asoka’s Pillar near the birthplace of Buddha
Erected around 300BCE; excavated around 1910
V. Impact of Buddhism in China
Introduced into China in the turbulent times in Chinese history; gained acceptance and grew in influence during the 400 years of turmoil in northern China
Buddhism, along with Taoism, provided comfort and a hope of after-life to people who suffered
Many rulers of the northern regimes were non-Han; they needed a form of worship that was different from Confucianism and Taoism
As a result, Buddhism took Chinese a characteristic; Theraveda which focused more on the individual was overlooked, Mahayana which emphasized helping others to achieve nirvana become the standard Buddhism in China, hence, Korea, Japan and Vietnam
Buddhist and Chinese philosophy influenced each other, resulting in transformation of both; in terms of Buddhism, it was the Zen school of Buddhism
VI. Between Body and Soul
Biological being and social being
Instinctive being, intellectual being and emotive being
Religion of salvation and religion of transcendental meditation
For discussion: What motivated the early Buddhist monks and what gave them strength?
Depicting the scene of Zhang Qian departing China with Emperor Wu bidding him farewell
Han army captured a huge statue, “Golden Man”, from Xiongnu who worshipped it because it was a statue of Buddha from the West
Therefore Emperor Wu sent Zhang Qian to the West in order to learn more about Buddha
Since Buddhism was the dominant religion in Central Asia and India at the time of Zhang Qing’s mission and since Zhang Qian was inquisitive about the region, e.g., commerce between Bactria and India, it was possible that Zhang Qian learned about Buddhism and reported this to the Emperor; but this was not recorded in the official history on his mission
At any rate, Zhang Qian could only have learned of Buddhism after he arrived in the Western Region
Buddhists did not make or worship statues of Buddha until the Kushan Period which began more than 100 years after Zhang Qian’s death
II. Monks from the West to China
A. Parthamasiris (c. 100 CE)
Prince of Parthian Persia, lost to his uncle in the succession and took the throne of Armenia; when Romans conquered Armenia, they proposed Parthamasris to be King of Parthian Persia.
Objections from the Persians forced him to seek solace as a monk in Buddhism
He was an erudite man and able to achieve a high-level understanding and interpretation of Theraveda (Hinayana) Buddhism
Coming to China c. 140 CE, he mastered the Chinese language in just a few years
In charge of translating Theraveda scriptures for 23 years (148-171 CE) and starting a new style of Chinese prose
Taking refuge in southern China during the turmoil at the end of Han Dynasty and died there
B. Lokaksin
A Yue-chi, arriving in the Han capital toward the end of Han Dynasty
Translated scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism for over 10 years (178-189 CE)
Disappeared from public view after this work
C. Kumarajiva (344∼413 C.E.)
Father was an Indian noble, mother was a princess of Qiuci (Kucha)
Followed his mother to a nunery at age 7
Became learned at a young age; well versed in Theraveda Buddhism and gained a wide reputation not only in Central Asia but also in China
After he declined to come to Chang’an to serve a ruler at the time, he was forcibly taken to inside the Chinese border by the ruler’s army (382 CE) and stayed 18 years near the border even after the ruler himself was disposed
In 401 CE he was taken to Chang’an by a new ruler and provided with a team of 120 Chinese monks to assist him in translating the Mahayana Buddhist works
Over 600 volumes were completed during his time
He was credited for a new method of translation which is relevant even today
Founded a new school of Buddhist philosophy which resulted in a new sect
Admired as a genius, he was “ordered’ by the ruler to marry ten maidens so that his talent can be inherited
III. Chinese Monks to the West
A. Zhu Shiheng (c. 250 CE)
First Chinese monk to go west in search of true Buddhist scriptures
Confused about the Buddhist literature’s correctness and authenticity, went to Khotan (Yu-tian) to learn more
Obtained 90 volumes and sent them back to Luoyang after overcoming difficulties
Died in Khotan at age 80
B. Fa Hsian (Fa Xian)
Born in 334 and died in 420 C.E.
Decided to become a monk when his parents both died
First Chinese monk to go to India
He was 60 when he started his long journey in the company of 10 Chinese monks
Took 6 years to reach Central India, stayed there for 6 years to learn the language and the scriptures, 2 years in the south, including today’s Sri Lanka, and 1 year to return home by sea
Wrote “Buddist-Country Records” after his return, detailing his experiences
A compendium of Buddhist temples, practices, geography and history of Central Asia and Indian
C. Sung Yun
A native of Dunhuang, worked in the capital city of Luoyang in early 6th century
Was sent by the Empress Dowager of the ruling dynasty to the West to present gifts and seek better scriptures (518 CE)
Reached Khotan and the Pamirs by passing through many small states
IV. The Story of Xuan Zang
Born (602 CE) into a family of intellectuals and officials
Entered monastery at 13 and became a ordained monk at 21
Spending five years visiting many Buddhist scholars and learned major classical Buddhist works
Puzzled by differences in these works regarding the ways to reach nirvana, decided to seek truth from India despite the dangers and difficulties involved
Upon return he was offered a ministerial post but declined; was given resources by the Emperor to translate the books he brought back
His style was much more fluid and elegant than the previous translators
But he was far more than a translator of Buddhist scriptures
He compiled, with the help of his disciple, a book on the West at the request of the Tang Emperor and gave vivid and detailed accounts of some 138 states he had visited
He was also the founder of the new Buddhist school based on the new philosophy he had helped to form while in India
The Great Tang’s Records of the Western World (Ta-Tang-Si-Yu-Ki)
On Xuan Zang’s Return to Chang’an
Xuan Zang stated that he saw this and described its precise location
Archeological work was done in early 20 century to uncover it
Asoka’s Pillar near the birthplace of Buddha
Erected around 300BCE; excavated around 1910
V. Impact of Buddhism in China
Introduced into China in the turbulent times in Chinese history; gained acceptance and grew in influence during the 400 years of turmoil in northern China
Buddhism, along with Taoism, provided comfort and a hope of after-life to people who suffered
Many rulers of the northern regimes were non-Han; they needed a form of worship that was different from Confucianism and Taoism
As a result, Buddhism took Chinese a characteristic; Theraveda which focused more on the individual was overlooked, Mahayana which emphasized helping others to achieve nirvana become the standard Buddhism in China, hence, Korea, Japan and Vietnam
Buddhist and Chinese philosophy influenced each other, resulting in transformation of both; in terms of Buddhism, it was the Zen school of Buddhism
VI. Between Body and Soul
Biological being and social being
Instinctive being, intellectual being and emotive being
Religion of salvation and religion of transcendental meditation
For discussion: What motivated the early Buddhist monks and what gave them strength?
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