English
1300: “‘This is not the teaching of Buddha.” The first time Tripitaka was printed in China in 972 under Tai-shii, one hundred and thirty thousand wooden blocks were used. With this in mind it is not strange that one can still find in old monasteries enormous rooms stacked with wooden blocks. These have now only a historic interest, for, as in the Hardoon edition, modern printing is now used. A Chinese physician in Shanghai, Dr. Ting Fu-pao, has in late years printed handy modern editions of some of the most important scriptures. He has also issued a quantity of Buddhist tracts. , In the monasteries, the scriptures are kept in enormous bookcases fitted with solid carved copper- studded doors. There are, as a rule, ten such cases in the library hall (Ts‘ang-ching-lou, #& #% #, or Ts‘ang- shu-lou, }%##%). The library is usually on the second floor in order to prevent moisture and mildew from affecting the books. It is generally a very dignified room with special altars and statues usually of Vairocana, Kuan-yin, Amitabha or Sakyamuni Buddha. Solemn adorations take place there if the room is in a special degree holy. The books, carefully catalogued, lie in the cases and only the responsible functionaries may take them out. On certain days of the month, other monks and novices are allowed to ‘‘dust” and “inspect” a part of this rich literary [213] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM treasury (fan ching, % #). This all takes place with great veneration and precision. The monks in their own rooms also treat the scriptures with a touching veneration. They are often put away carefully wrapped in a piece of red- embroidered cloth under the image of Amitabha. This is specially the case with the scripture which is used in the daily devotional exercises. The other scriptures which happen to be in the monk’s cell lie in a little bookcase. In a.D. 544 a pious Chinese layman among the Buddhists, named Fu-hi, happened on the idea, that if one could construct a little house for the scriptures, a house which would swing round on its axis in such a way that the collection of scriptures was set in motion, it would be a meritorious act. This ought, he thought, to be equivalent to reading it all through and considerably easier. He had such a small octagonal swinging house constructed and fitted up with shelves. Its chief merit was that a single person could set it all in motion with one lever. Formerly these swinging houses were much in use in China, but now they are hardly to be seen. They are, on the other hand, extremely common in Japan. In these days one finds such technical helps for study as dictionaries and encyclopedias. The re- cently published encyclopedia, “‘Fu-hstieh 'Tz‘u-tien”’ (i 2 HF Jt), ought here to be mentioned. It is quite an extensive work, and is probably based largely on the big Japanese edition. It has been published and printed by Dr. Ting in Shanghai. v3 [214] _ BUDDHIST LITERATURE IN CHINA Finally we shall give a little survey of the most commonly used scriptures in the Buddhist society in China at present, beginning with the large and famous ““Hua-yen Ching” (3% f% #) (Sanskrit: Buddhava- tamska-mahavaipuliya Sutra). This appears in eighty- one large sections and in three great divisions. It isan enormous work to read through, but is none the less interesting, for it gives in a detailed way the whole development of thought from primitive Buddhism up to the complete program of Mahayana, opening up as it were a previously closed world full of religious mysticism.,? In the first division (shang, ) the development of Sakyamuni Buddha and the calling of his disciples are described. The second division (chung, 'F) gives an analysis of human nature. The third (hsia, F) points to the true road of redemption, the doctrine of Emptiness. The importance of this book may be understood from the fact that an abbreviation of it has been made in China. This is, in a way, an “Introduction to Hua- yen Ching”’ or “The Theology of the Hua-yen Ching,”’ the Chinese name being “Hua-yen MHsiian-t‘an”’ (38 fi W wR). Another writing which is greatly esteemed in China is the “ Leng-yen Ching” (#7 i ), the so-called “Su- raangama Sutra,” dealing with the great gathering on Ling Shan, the mountain of the spirits, where Ananda comes forth and asks many questions of 1Cf. the often-used expression “Hua-ts‘ang miao-mén” (3 jx wb FY) ‘The door into the secrets of the Hua-yen Scriptures.” [215] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM Buddha; and where the “‘ World-Honoured One” gives many profound explanations about the different religions in the universe. Parts of this sutra are used every day during the morning mass in the temples. Often long sections are quoted in a phonetic transcription of the Sanskrit texts. These parts are said to be of the greatest importance in order to cleanse the heart for the new day. They work almost like a magic formula. Here the Mahayana ideas are fully expressed. Next in importance is the “ Lii-tsung’s Law-Book,”’ where the commandments and rules already mentioned are to be found with explanations and summaries. The law-book of Mahayana (“Fan-wang Ching,” 3 #3 EK), Brahma’s net, and also “The Scripture of the Patriarchs,” or “The Book of the Six Patriarchs’’ (Chinese: ‘‘Liu-tsu-t‘an Ching,” > jill #2 €), have been included among Mahayana’s commonly used literature. We have already dealt. with the books which have the greatest importance for Mahayana in general and the “Pure Land” School in particular, namely “The Greater and the Smaller Sukhavati Vyuha” and the “Amita Yurdhyana Sutra.”’ The Chinese name for “The Great Sukhavati Vyuha” is “ Wu-liang-shou Ching” (4 & #8 &), “The Great Scripture of the Endless Life,’ and for the small “Fu-shuo O-mi-t‘o Ching” (i it Fl FH th &), “The Sayings of Buddha About Amitabha.” Both are used very commonly in private worship and meditation as well as in the great masses for the dead. The latter work especially, which is really only an extract from the former, [216] BUDDHIST LITERATURE IN CHINA is used very much in the temples during the evening mass. Here we read: **In the great gathering in the She-wei kingdom (@ #% B)) in the garden called Ch‘i-shu-chi-ku-tu Yiian (ii Bt Hx BS 4H fal), Buddha reveals the gospel of the saving mercy of Amitabha. Heaven and earth, hades, and all the depths resound with joy when they hear about the solemn vows, which will make it possible for the whole creation to be released from sin, sorrow, punishment, and suffering, and to be born into the ‘Western Paradise,” Sukhavati (Chinese: Hsi-fang Chi-lo Shih Chieh, py 7 fiz $8 tt FF).” In very flowery language the “‘ Western Paradise”’ is described with imagery which strongly reminds one of the Apocalypse, chapters twenty-one and twenty-two. It is, of course, an Oriental heaven filled with shining jewels and treasures, dotted with beautiful groves, and fragrant trees where the birds sing their songs. Every place is adorned with lotus flowers, All sin, strife, and pain have disappeared and while the most wonderful music fills the ears, one can rest in peace in the shadow of the trees by the quietly flowing rivers. In this book we also get the common explanation of Amitabha’s origin: before becoming a Buddha he was a bodhisattva named ‘“‘ Dharmakara.” Through his vow to save all living creatures he gained so much merit that he became the “Buddha of unlimited life and light.” It is as such that he continues his great work of salvation by drawing the whole creation to himself in the “Western Paradise,” where he now lives and reigns. [217] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM The next important scripture on which the “Pure Land” School bases its doctrine is the famous “Amita Yurdhyana Sutra,” which in Chinese has the name of “ Kuan-wu-liang-shou Ching” (#1 4 & # & ®&): “‘Reflections on the Boundless (Eternal) Life.” This is, in general, much like the two former books, except that the references to the bodhisattvas, espe- cially Kuan-yin and Ta-shih-chih are a more prominent feature. All these writings can now be had in English in “The Sacred Books of the East” series, Volume XLIX. We must add about the last-named “Kuan- wu-liang-shou Ching,” that it gives one a unique opportunity penetrating into the fundamental mys- ticism of the “‘ Pure Land” School; but trained minds and appreciative hearts are needed in order fully to grasp the fine things in it. Time and again one has met in the monasteries religiously minded Confucianists who were absorbed in this scripture and who have spoken about it with much enthusiasm. The other great work, “Fa-hua Ching” (#: 3¢ #), or “Miao-fa Lien-hua Ching” (gb %: 3 38 €): “The Lotus Scripture of the Mysterious Law’ (Sanskrit: Saddharma Pundarika Sutra’), has been spoken of before. A number of Mahayana sects regard it as the most important scripture and is in many respects unique. No other Buddhist writing contains so many great thoughts, and it is therefore quite natural that it has moved and still moves countless hearts in the East to a holy affection. It was translated by Dharmarak- cha into Chinese for the first time about a.p. 310, [218] BUDDHIST LITERATURE IN CHINA Later it was translated by Kumarajiva and still later, in A.D. 610, by other “fathers.”’ It is now to be had bound as a book in foreign style and is used as a pocket Bible by great numbers of people. It is about as big as the four Gospels and the Acts, and contains twenty-eight chapters. It should be noted that some of the translations now to be found in Japan, Korea, and China, differ very much from the Sanskrit form, translated into English by Kern.