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A Short History of the Twelve Japanese Buddhist Sects - Bunyiu Nanjio, 1886 - Complete Book

English

In 703 A. D, Chi-ho and Chi-ran went to China, and so did Gen- boin 716 A. D. They all transmitted the doctrine of XXX INTRODUCTION. the Hosso sect. Thus there are four different dates of this tranS3Dission. In 73^ A. D., a Chinese priest named Do-sen came to Japan and establislied the Ke- gon sect (chap. 6). In 754 A. J)., another Chinese priest named Gan-jin arrived in Japan and became the founder of the Ritsu sect (chap. 3). The above may be called the ancient sects, being called the six sects of the Nan-to or Southern Capital, i. e. Kara, where they were established in the earliest period. They are generally enumerated in the order of Ku-sha, Jo-jitsUj Eitsu, Hosso, San-ron and Ke- gon. 2. The mediaeval sects are twO; namely, the Ten- dai (chap. 7) and the Shin-go n (chap. 8). These are called the two sects of Kyo-to. lu 804 A. D., Sai- cho and Kti-kai went to China. Having returned to Japan, the former established the Ten-dai sect on Mount Hi-ei; and the latter founded the Shingon sect on mount Ko-ya. In these sects there have been many eminent priests. 3. The modern sects are the remaining four. In 1174 (or 1175) A. D, Gen-ku founded the Jo-do-shu (chap. 9). In 1191 A. D., Ei-sai established the Zen- shtl (chap 10). In 1224 A. D., Shin-ran founded the Shin-shu (chap. 11). In 1253 A. D., Nichi-ren founded the Nichi-ren-shti (chap. 12). It seems to me that as the ancient sects were flourishing in the ancient period only, so were those INTRODUCTION. XXXI of the Middle Ages and of modern times in their respective periods. If we want to restore the oldsr sects to their flourishing state]and also to increase the power of the later ones, we must rely on the activity of the determined scholars of all the sects. Is it not true that nations in ancient times were as far from each other as the utmost verge of the heavens or the ends of the earth ; so that it was almost impossible to go to and fro? But nations in the present time are not so, as it is very easy to travel through all different countries in a short time, as if the world had become small comparatively. It is said m the Jo-do-ron, or ^Pure Land /S'astra: ^ In any world where there is not known The Law of Buddha, which is the pearl of good qualities, There I pray that all (Bodhisattvas) shall be born And show (the people) the Law of Buddha, just like Buddha himself.' Must the determined scholars and the men of virtue not examine themselves on this point and become ardent in the pursuit of promulgating the Law? A SHORT HISTORY OF THE TWELVE JAPANESE . BUDDHIST SECTS. CHAPTER I. The Ku-slia-sliii. or Abhidliarma-kosa-stistra-sect. 1. A liistory of the sect. The term Kii-sha is a transliteration of the San- shrit word Kosa or ' store/ in the title of the prin- cipal book of this sect or school, tlie Abhidharma- kosa-sastra,' ^ or the ' Book of the treasury of meta- physics.' It was composed by Vasubandhu (Se-shin), who lived in India about nine centuries after Buddha. The /S'astra is divided into nine chapters, in wliicli tlie author refers not only to the principal books of the Sarvastivadins, one of eio'hteen schools of tlie Hinayana doctrincT but also makes a selection of different views of other schools. The composition is so excellent that it is said to have been praised in India as an ' Intelligence-making /Sastra ' (So-mei- ron). ■ — — ^ No. 12G7 in the Min-zo-moku-roku, or Catalogue of the Chinese Translation of the Buddhist Tripi/aka, by Bunyiu Nanjio, Oxford, 1883. Similar numbers hereafter refer to those in the Siime Catalogue. 2 KU-SHA-SHU. Although tlie names of eighteen schools of the Hinayana are mentioned in the sactred boolvF, yet the doctrines of two of them only are handed down to us at present as subjects of study. These two schools are the Sautrantikas (Kyo-bu) and the Sai;vastivadins (U-bu\ The former is somewhat approximated to by the jo-jit su-shii, and the latter is represented by the Ku-sha-shu. The character of the Abhidharma- kosa-sastra is, however, very impartial, including the best of all the doctrinal views of the other schools. The doctrine of this /S'astra is free from inclination to either tlie peculiar views of the Sarvastivadius or those of the Sautrantikas. The Sarvastivadius have many books which be- long to the Abhidharma-pi^aka (Ron-zo), the last division of the Tripi^aka, or the three collections of the sacred books. A mono; them there are' one chief and six secondary works in the following order : — 1. (x?7ana-prasthana-sasfra (Hot-chi-rony by Katyayana. This is the chief book, and the follow- ing six works are called the Sha^pada or the ^six feet' of the* chief book. 2. Dharma-skandha-pada (Ho-un-soku-ron),^ by Mahamaudgalyayana. 3. Samgiti-paryaya-sastra (Shu-i-mou-soku-ron\'* by /Sari p lit ra. 4. Vi<7ana-kaya-]^ada (Shiki-shin-soku-ron),'^ by ^ No, 1275. " No. 1296. ' No, 1276. '~ KU-SHA-SHU. S Devasarman. 5. Pra^/zZapti-padi (Shi-setsu-soku-ron)/* ])y Ma- hamaiidgalyayana. G. Pralvaia?ia-pada (Hon-mi-soku-rony by Vasu- mitra. 7. Dhatu-kaya-pada (Kai-shin-soku-ron),^ by the samo as before. Besides these, there is a work entitled IMaha-viblia- sha-sastra (Dai-bi-ba-sha-ron),^ which was compiled by five hundred Arhats, and is a commentary on Katyayana's 6^y7ana-prasthana-sastra. In 563 A. D. an Indian named Paramartha (Shln- dai) translated Vasiibandhn's /Sastra into Cliinese (A-bi-datsu-ma-ku-sha-shaku-ron),^" Afterwards, in 654 A. D. under the To ( C'ang) dynasty, Gen-jo (known as Hiouen-thsang in Europe), made another and better translation (A-bi-datsu-ma-ku-sha-ron).'V His disciples Fu-ko and Ho-ho each compiled a com- mentary on the /S'astra. Besides them, Jin-dai and En-ki also compiled a commentary. In 658 A. D., two Japanese priest?, Chi-tsu and Chi-tatsu, went to China, became discijdes of Gen-jo, and brought his new translation of the Kosa or Ku- sha over to Japan. Thus this /STisfcra was first known in the Empire. Though they did in fact never form an independent scot, being themselves members of ' No. 1281. ' No. 1317. ' No. 1277. '^ No. 1282. ' No. 1263. '' No. 1269. '' No. 1267. 4 KU-SHA-SHU. the Hosso sect, the doctrine taught in the /STistra has always been studied by the learners of all the Bud- dhist sects in Japan till the present day. If. The doctrine of the sect. In the Abhidharma-ko5a-sastra, there are many technical terms, such as the five Skandhas (Un) or ' collections,' the twelve Ayatanas (she) or ^ places/ the eighteen Dhatus (Kai) or ^elements/ and the seventy-five Dharmas (Ho) or Uhings.' All these terms are used for ex])laining things, both f^iimskritn. (U-i) or 'compounded,' and Asamsknta (Mu-i) or ^im- material.' There are also the terms of the four Satj^as (Tai) or truths/ and the twelve Pratitya- samutpadas (En-gi) or ' chains of causation/ and so forth. Now, let us s-^e what the seventy-five Dharmas are, and how they are gr()U[)ed together. 1. Samskr/ta-dharmas (LJ-i-ho) or 'compounded things.' "J-'hese are the first seventy-two, the remain- ing three being Asa??zskr'/ta (Mu-i) or ' immaterial.' The 72 compounded things are groupel under the following four heads. ( 1 ) Rupas (Shikij or ' forms,' eleven in number, viz ; 1. iTakshus (Gen) or the ' eye,' that sees ; 2. /S'rotra (Ni) or the ' ear,' that hears ; 3. Ghrawa (Bi) or the ' nose/ that smells ; 4. 6^ihva (Zetsu) or the ^tongue/ that tastes; and KU-SHA-SHU. 5 5. Kaya (Shin) or tlio M)Ocly/ tliat touches ohjects. These five are the Indrlyas (Koa) or ^ organs of sense/ which have an eminent and vigorous actions 6. Kupa (Shiki) or ' form,' 7. /Sabda (Sho) or ' sound/ S. Gandha (Ko) or ^ smell,' 9. Kasa (Mi) or ' taste,' and 10. Sparsa (Soku) or ' touch/ These five are called the Vishayas (Kyo) or ' objects of sense,' on which the organs of sense act. 11. Avi(//7apti-rupa (Mu-hyo-shiki) or ' un- apparent form.' This is a peculiar one. Though it is in reality formless, yet it is called form ; because its character has some reference, to speech and deed, but not to though t. When an action either good or bad is apparent, something will follow it within the actor, wh'ch is nevertheless quite unap- parent. Hence this object is made distinct. (2) Jfitta (Shin) or ^ mind/ also cilled Manas (I) or ' thought' and Vi^/i'ana (Shiki) or ' knowledge.' The Manas is explained by comparison to tiie pith of a tree, which unites all the branches, leaves, flowers and fruits in one body.