Tang Religion

Tang Religion  Intellectualism pluralism ＝religious pluralism  S.A.M. Adshead:  Major league: • • • • • • • • • Confucianism Daoism Buddhism Sinism  Minor league: Zoroastrianism Nestorianism Manichaeism Judaism Islam  Buddhism—institutional, devotional  Tiantai Buddhism  Huayan Buddhism  Chan (Ch’an) Buddhism  Pure Land faith  Daoism (Taoism)—talismanic, alchemical  Orthodox Unity (Zhengyi)  Mt. Mao (Maoshan)  Supreme Purity (Shangqing)  Numinous Treasure (Lingbao)  Popular Level—shamanic, magical, therapeutic, paramedical, ritualistic Heavenly Heart (Tianxin)  Thunder Magic (Leifa)  Chan Buddhism A genuine Chinese Buddhism, but whose advocates traced its origin back to the Mahakashapa as its first patriarch in India, and Bodhidharma as its first patriarch in China. Bodhidharma, Anonymous, date unknown, In Myoshinji, Kyoto Huike begged to be Bodhidharma‟s disciple Liang Kai, Southern Song Chan Teachings to have a long and unbroken tradition handed down by a succession of patriarchs, from the first to the sixth ► Recognized the theory of universal Buddhahood ► Advocated the direct apprehension of the Buddha nature that exists in the mind of each individual ► Claimed The First Patriarch by Muxi, Southern Song The Platform Sutra and the Sixth Patriarch  The Sixth Patriarch refers to Huineng (Huineng), who was established as the sixth leading master of the Chinese Chan tradition. He was regarded as the founder of the Southern School of Chan – Huineng’s sermons were compiled into a book titled The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch Methods of direct apprehension • Masters used provocative and sometimes violent language to inspire disciples • Master-disciple dialogues were used as contemplation objects • Reading and comprehending scripture gave way to intensive but non-restricted forms of meditation; • Scriptures were no longer sacred. • The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch emerged as a guiding text Huineng’s Notion of Merit • Emperor Wu of Liang‟s mind was depraved; he did not know the right Dharma. • Emperor Wu of Liang‟s understanding of merit: – Building temples and giving sanction to the Sangha – Practicing giving and arranging vegetarian feasts • Huineng: – Liang Wu‟s act is called „seeking blessings‟; Do not mistake blessings for merit and virtue. – Merit and virtue are in the Dharma body, not in the cultivation of blessings." Huineng‟s mummified body Huineng‟s image gilded With gold The Southern School of Chan • The Southern School of Chan split into five houses, each was named after its founder whose sayings were also compiled into book – The Linji (Lin-chi) lineage • The Recorded Sayings of Chan Master Linji Yixuan (Linchi I-hsuan) • Spread to Japan, called Rizai – The Caodong (Ts‟ao-tung) lineage • Spread to Japan, called Sōto – The Fayan, Kuiyang, and Yunmen flourished in early to mid-Song and declined later The Mind-to-mind Transmission of the Dharma • Chanists claimed that the Chan tradition was based on the understanding of : – A separate teaching outside of doctrines – No dependence on or establishment of letters – Transmission of the dharma [directly] from [master‟s] mind to [disciple‟s] mind – Seeing [one‟s inherent Buddha] nature and attain Buddhahood • The mind-to-mind transmission of the Dharma was conducted through master-disciple dialogues – Master‟s language used in the dialogue tended to be thoughtprovoking, illogical, paradoxical, and often time violent • Wisdom or insight resulted from dialogues and meditation led to ultimate enlightenment Tang Rulers and Religion • Tang rulers generally supported Buddhism and Daoism, even though they also tried to revitalize Confucianism – Some emperors wanted to curb the influence of Buddhism because it was too powerful – Others were devout patrons of Buddhism • Their piety found its expression in the reception of the bone of Buddha. – Han Yu‟s “Memorial on the Bone of Buddha” was a criticism of the overwhelming and unrestrained patronage of Buddhism, which he thought was equivalent to the cultic folk practice of the religion. • Most Tang emperors also favored Daoism. Emperor Xuanzong (Hsuan-tsung), or Emperor Illustrious August, was particularly fond of Daoism. – Wrote commentary on the Lao-tzu and canonized Daoist classics: the Daode jing (the Laozi) , the Nanhua jing (the Zhuangzi) – Built Daoist temples and consulted with Daoist priests • Daoist notion of immortality and immortals spread widely • Xuanzong called Daoist priest to conduct “spirit summoning ,” looking for Yang Guifei. – Bai Juyi‟s “A Song of Unending Sorrow” shows that the Daoist found the spirit of Yang Guifei Eight Daoist Immortals By Huang Shen, Qing Dynasty Taizhou Museum Daoist Temple, Yuxu guan, Anhui Buddhists and Daoists as Healers and Exorcists • Tang rulers, particularly Emperor Illustrious August, paid close attention to health care. – Established positions for professors of medicine in public schools • Medical students were trained in schools • Many Buddhist monks and Daoist priests were knowledgeable physicians • Daoist priests and Buddhist monks were also expert exorcists Popular Deities • Local deities – Originated from local cults, often regarded by Confucians, Buddhists, Taoists as illicit deities, not worthy of public worship • Confucian officials were busters of these deities • Local cults and their representative deities were suppressed • Deities worshiped were said to have attained the Way when they were living as mortals • Local cults often survived suppressions – Many new deities and cults were introduced in Tang • There were defined as “beneficent, clean, vegetarian” gods. • Kuan-yin (Guanin, Avalokitesvara), Ti-tsang (Dizang, Ksitigarbha) and the god of Mount Tai (T‟ai) The Cult of P‟i-sha-men (Pishamen, Vaisrvana) • One of four Buddhist Heavenly Kings from India – Often pictured carrying a halberd, money bag, or mongoose – Associated with walls and gates in India, Central Asia, and China • In China: protector of cities – Statue or image always appeared on wall towers, often in the northwest corner of city wall – Held a spear or trident in his right hand and a stupa in his left Monastic Guardians • Pishamen (P‟i-sha-men) in China – became monastic guardian and wall-and-moat god – Its popularity encouraged the spread of other monastic guardians and wall-and-moat gods • Other monastic guardians – Guan Yu (Guan Yu, Lord Guan) – Ku Yeh-wang (Hu Yewang) • Wall-and-moat gods (Ch‟eng-huang; Chenghuang): appeared all over China by the 8th and 9th centuries Four Deva-Kings: Guardians of the world. Each dwells on one side of Mount Meru. Their names are: (from right to left) east: Dhrtarastra, south: Virudhaka, west: Virupaksa, north: Vaisravana. Lord Guan, By Wu Daozi Tang