English
The [199] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM second corresponds to the glorified Christ and the third to the historic Jesus. There is no counterpart either to God the Father or to the Holy Spirit.” The conception of the trinity which Dr. Hodous has here mentioned is derived from the well-known fact that the Mahayana Buddhists, in their thinking and scrip- tures, constantly return to the conception of the ‘“‘essence-body” or Dharmakaya (Chinese: fa-shén, 7 &), the impersonal power from whom all the different forms of living beings emanate. The second ‘‘person”’ is the Sambhogakaya (Chinese: pao-shén, #2 5). This is the heavenly emanation, full of bliss and splendour, giving exact expression to the secret characteristics of the everlasting dharma (fa, #). The third is the Nirmanakaya (Chinese: hua-shén, 4t, &), the earthly reflection of the pao-shén, taking innumerable forms according to the nature of the ever- rotating wheel of dharma, drawing all beings into the deep unity of creation. Hence comes the mystical saying, “Fa-lun miao chuan” (%: Hy %b #4), “the mysterious rotation of the dharma wheel.”’ This abstract conception of the trinity idea receives its concrete manifestation in the three well-known sentences in the daily ritual: Nan-mo ch‘ing-ching fa-shén, P‘i-lu-ché-na Fu. Nan-mo yiian-man, pao-shén, Lu-shé-na Fu. : Nan-mo ch‘ien-pai-i, hua-shén, Shih-chia-mou-ni Fu. if ORY RE BEB US AS Ge 14 4G Dia 2h 3 Lt AB 4G TO fit te 3 Fe Sn PE Bb “T take my refuge in the lucid and pure body of the law, Vairocana, [200] THE BUDDHIST PANTHEON IN CHINA Y take my refuge in the perfect body of the celestial revealer, Loshana. I take my refuge in him, who through innumerable ages appears bodily on earth, Sakyamuni.” There is in the Mahayana philosophy another expression of the trinity idea, which undoubtedly comes much nearer to the Christian conception than the trinity given above. Although it is more abstract, it nevertheless points to the great spiritual realities, commonly felt and expressed in all higher religions. This is the saying in the “Ch Hsin Lun” (x ff iz) that behind the universe which can be seen, three different manifestations of spiritual power are in action. The one is the underlying essence, called “ti” (##). The second is the tmage, or hsiang (4H), the different manifestations of that essence. The third is the yung (Fil), the essence in action, the energy working through the universe. Here is a real resemblance to the Christian idea of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In the “Pure Land” School there is a classical trinity group, consisting of Amitabha in the middle, Kuan-yin on the left, and Ta-shih-chih on the right. All are represented standing. Outside the main hall, in the “ Pure Land” temples, occasionally groups may be found consisting of Mi-lo Fu, Kuan-yin, and Yao-shih Fu. In the more legalistic schools, one often sees Buddha as the central figure and the great bodhisattvas Wén- shu and P‘u-hsien, respectively, on the left and right sides. They ride on their favourite animals, the lion [201] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM and the elephant. Wisdom and mercy are supposed to be represented in this combination: the heavenly Buddha looks down upon this “world of sorrow,” full of wisdom and grace (Wén-shu representing wisdom, and P‘u-hsien, grace). Besides the statues above-mentioned, a great number of images may be found of local figures that have gained merit and fame for themselves in some special locality. [202] CHAPTER VII BUDDHIST LITERATURE IN CHINA Owing to the fact that Buddhism in China has taken a typical Mahayana form, our subject might be called “‘The Mahayana Literature of China.” We cannot, of course, attempt to give here any exhaustive description of this literature. It is far too extensive. We must limit ourselves to general sum- maries, for, as is commonly known, there is no religion which has a “ Bible” so extensive as that of Buddhism. It may be stated on a conservative estimate that the Buddhist Tripitaka itself is seven hundred times larger than the Christian Bible. In addition to this there are the immense collections of classic commentaries and essays, only a small fraction of which have been properly examined and translated into any European language. Asa large part of the Hinayana writings has also been included in the Mahayana collection, it will be seen that China, Japan, and Korea at present have thelargest literary treasury in Eastern Buddhism. Quite naturally a new section has been added to the original collection of scriptures, so that in connection with the Chinese Tripitaka (literally translated into Chinese, “‘San-ts‘ang,” = 3%, Three Baskets) there is a section which might be called the fourth basket and is termed “tsa”? (#), i. e., miscellaneous works. The first three “baskets” (sections) are called in Chinese (1) ching (#), the scriptures; (2) li (ft), the law; and (3) lun (#), dissertations or essays; these [203] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM correspond to the well-known Sanskrit terms, (1) dharma, or the sutras proper; (2) Vinaya; and (3) Abhidharma. Only a few of the scriptures of the Chinese Tripitaka have been translated from the Pali texts. The great mass came, as might be expected, from the north where Sanskrit was the undisputed religious language. Not only translations, however, are to be found in the old monastery libraries of China. Original Sanskrit texts have also been discovered. Even Chinese Turkestan has yielded valuable documents. According to the spirit of Mahayana the most varied systems of salvation (fa-mén, #: P}) are recognized, For this reason there has been no desire to change the texts, even though they pointed in an entirely different direction from Mahayana itself.! In most of the monasteries of China as things have developed Hinayana has come to be described as the first order to which a man is ordained, after which he enters the higher orders. It is therefore difficult to find anything more heterogeneous or more complex than the Mahayana collection of scriptures. This is the case in the first place with regard to form, as it contains religious rules, doctrinal books and treatises, as well as commentaries, catalogue lists, and poems from earlier Chinese poets (as Han-Shan-Tse’s collec- tion of poems). It is also the case with regard to the substance, the most atheistic views being expressed side by side with pronounced theistic and polytheistic systems of thought. 1Cf. Chih-k‘ai’s original theory of harmonizing the systems, [204] BUDDHIST LITERATURE IN CHINA For this reason the collection gives a complete presentation of the ways of salvation which are preached and practised in modern Buddhism: Bhakti (surrender in faith), Inana (knowledge), Yoga (meditation), and Karman (holiness through works). All roads are open. It has already been mentioned that Gobharana and Matanga, the first two priests who came to China from India, began very soon after their arrival to translate the Indian sutras. The life of Gotama Buddha is probably the most important among these early translations. The book ‘Buddha Charita Kavya” (“‘ Fu-pén-sing Ching,” {i A 47 #), which is ascribed to Asvaghosha, was translated quite early on. Another life much more extensive and also much more leg- endary in character, appeared in India during the first period of Mahayana and was soon brought to China. This is the well-known “Lalita Vistara.” The new views of Mahayana here colour everything. Buddha, by his own power, after a long preparation of the uni- verse for this great event, permits himself to be born. He enters his mother’s womb as a white elephant, and later emerges from her side. His long life of strife and victory, goodness and purity, is described in the most sublime and dramatic style. In the modern editions which are now used in China (‘Shih-chia Ju-lai ying- hua Shih-chi,” # ji an Ae RE 1t Sf BG), “The History of Tataghata Sakyamuni,” there are many illustrations which show the great man’s “ Leben und Treiben.”’ Another book which has been extremely important, i. e., Mahayana, “‘Sukhavati Vyuha Sutra’’ (the great and the little), was already translated into Chinese in [205] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM A.D. 147-148. Some scholars have thought that this translation is the work of the Parthian prince Arsaces and the Indian monk Lokaraksha. (The prince’s name in Chinese is Anshikao. Anshi is the Chinese for Parthia, so this name may be a corruption of Arsaces, the founder of the dynasty of the Arsacide.)~ Unfortunately this old translation has been lost, but as the book was extremely important, it has been repeatedly retranslated, first by Samghapala and later under the famous Kumarajiva, who has enriched China with so many excellent translations. The book received through him the name “Fu-shuo O-mi-t‘o Ching” (fh wt PY WH PE €X), “The Sayings of Buddha About Amitabha.”’ A well-known Chinese pilgrim, Hstian-chuang, also made a translation directly from Sanskrit with the title: “Ch‘éng-tsan Chingt‘u Fu Shé-shou Ching,” (FE BE TF + Oh GE SE BS), “The Book of Praise of That Buddha in the Pure Land Who Saves and Protects.” The pilgrims already mentioned, both Indian and Chinese, expended enormous efforts both in securing the Mahayana scriptures, and transporting them long distances to China, and later in translating them there. Few can fully realize the enormous labour which has - been expended on this work, both in Loyang, the old capital, and in the monasteries throughout the country. Diligent monks and highly gifted literati co-operated in the most harmonious way to make the style as clear, dignified, and noble as possible.