(Question about things) Why did Maitreya Buddha come to China to become a “cloth-bag monk” with a smile?
China News Service, Hangzhou, September 20th, title: Why did Maitreya Buddha come to China to become a laughing “cloth monk”?
——Interview with Chen Yongge, Director of Zhejiang Religious Research Center
China News Service reporter Chai Yanfei Zhao Yejiao Guo Qiyu
After Buddhism was introduced to China in the Western Han Dynasty, it has continuously adapted to China’s political, economic, and cultural needs for thousands of years, and has embarked on a path of sinicization and integrated with traditional Chinese culture. At the same time, Chinese Buddhism was spread to other countries and regions in the world, affecting the local Buddhist culture.
Chen Yongge, director and researcher of the Institute of Philosophy, Zhejiang Academy of Social Sciences, and director of the Zhejiang Research Center for Religious Studies, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Agency “Dongxi Questions”. The inner value of ideology and how to dialogue with different civilizations.
Data map: Lingyin Temple is a famous temple of Chinese Buddhism, located in the northwest of West Lake in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province.
The summary of the interview record is as follows:
China News Agency reporter: What are the connotations and essentials of the Sinicization of Buddhism?
Chen Yongge:Buddhism came from a foreign land. “Buddhism Sinicization” has different manifestations in different periods. In general, Buddhism Sinicization has three connotations.
The first is the connotation of “Buddhism”. The historical Buddhist texts are summarized as the “Dizangjing” with “Sutra Theory” as the main body, but the Buddhism recorded in it and what we now call Buddhism, along with the long-term changes of historical circumstances, For some of these contents, there are different interpretations. For example, the interpretation of “Jing Lv Lun” that is Buddhism in the world is an example. In the course of more than a thousand years of the Sinicization of Buddhism, the concept of “Buddhism” must be interpreted in a specific historical context.
The second is the connotation of “China”, which is different in different periods. For example, the Southern and Northern Dynasties were the key period when Buddhism was introduced into China. Buddhism gradually took root through the integration of ethnic groups. During this period, Buddhism became the third force outside the country and the nation, and it could effectively integrate the social, national and regional atmosphere.
The third is the connotation of “transformation”. Between “Buddhism in China” and “Buddhism in China”, there is a subtle relationship between you and me and you. Many foreign thoughts introduced into China eventually disappeared because they couldn’t be Chineseized. From a deeper level, it was Chinese society, culture, and people that changed Buddhism. Although the Sinicization of Buddhism is a simple expression, the process behind it is complicated and even magnificent.
The picture shows the cloth bag Maitreya in the Feilai Peak Scenic Area, Hangzhou.Strictly
China News Agency reporter: What is the development process of the Sinicization of Buddhism? How does Buddhism blend with Chinese traditional culture?
Chen Yongge:For thousands of years, the overall result of the Sinicization of Buddhism has been the formation of the three major systems of Buddhism in the world: Southern Buddhism, Northern Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism.
In my opinion, when the Sinicization of Buddhism was not completed, today its connotations are constantly being adjusted and enriched. For example, the image of Maitreya Buddha in Buddhism has evolved several times, and in the end, the statue of Maitreya with a big belly is the most deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, which is very different from the Maitreya image originally spread from India. It can be seen from the big belly Maitreya Buddha statue in Cave 68 of Feilaifeng, Hangzhou that its shape, clothing, accessories, bracelets, cloth bags, etc. are all integrated with the Chinese image and clothing habits. The image of “smiles always open” represents tolerance, optimism, and optimism. The free and enterprising spirit, this image is the materialization of Chinese thoughts, concepts, and psychology, and the manifestation of the sinicization and secularization of Buddhism.
How does Buddhism adjust itself to blend with Chinese traditional culture? There are at least four “transformations”.
One is culture and education. Many Buddhist temples are local cultural dissemination centers, and Buddhist centers built by the state. For example, in the period of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, hundreds of people translated Buddhist scriptures. This is a cultural and educational tradition. The emergence of numerous Buddhist ancestral temples in Xi’an is a typical result of the sinicization of Buddhism.
The second is institutionalization. For example, the most influential monastic system in Buddhism, as well as the monastic system and the practice of precepts, monks must wear monk clothes, be celibate, and be a vegetarian. The success of the Sinicization of Buddhism lies in the establishment and implementation of the Buddhist system.
The third is popularization. The most fundamental tradition of the sinicization of Buddhism is to protect the country and the people. It is accepted by the court and the people, and then it has its roots. The Sixth Patriarch Huineng promoted the integration of Buddhism and Chinese society through innovation, and made Buddhism stand on and serve the real society. This idea of advocating that Buddhism should be implemented in the world is of great significance to Chinese Buddhism.
The fourth is modernization. With the continuous progress of the times, Buddhism must also adjust to social development. For example, nowadays, civilization is advocated. This is the reform of Buddhism’s activities to adapt to the modern system. The important motive behind it is that Buddhism should be more and more integrated into the civilization process of the times.
Data map: Wutai Mountain, the Buddhist holy land after the snow, with red walls, gray tiles, white snow, and green pine all complementing each other, making it extraordinarily holy and quiet.Photo by Liu Yongping
China News Agency reporter: After Buddhism was introduced into China, it blended and developed with Chinese culture. Together with Confucian and Taoist culture, it has become an important part of Chinese traditional culture. What do you think of the blending of civilizations in the sinicization of Buddhism?
Chen Yongge:There are two perspectives to analyze this problem. The first is from a spatial perspective. The three religions of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism all exist in China. The second is from the perspective of time. Each dynasty in Chinese history has different interpretations of the three religions of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. In general, the three religions are in a state of dynamic equilibrium.
The three schools of thought coexist in Chinese society and provide different services to Chinese society. Confucianism serves intellectuals and scholar-officials; Buddhism serves both ordinary people and the national court. In a nutshell, Confucianism is governing the world; Buddhism is governing the mind; Taoism is governing the body. Of course, Strictly speaking, Buddhism does not “rule the mind”. Confucianism’s “self-preservation” and Taoist “sitting and forgetting the mind” all involve “ruling the mind.”
Therefore, the three religions of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism all revolve around people’s status, value, and pursuit in heaven and earth, and provide their own answers, which are universal. Today, we must put Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism in a global perspective, in a dialogue with world civilization, to explore whether the solutions provided are part of world civilization.
China News Agency reporter: After Buddhism was introduced and integrated with Chinese culture and developed, has Chinese Buddhism been spread out to affect other countries and regions in the world?
Chen Yongge:The first issue that needs to be clarified is, does Chinese Buddhism “go out” or “please go out”?
Although it is a word difference, it has different meanings. For example, for East (South) Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam, Buddhism is “invited out” from China. This “invite” is not only a kind of learning, but also a kind of cultural dissemination and exchange. We are not emphasizing the advanced and excellent Chinese Buddhist culture, but it is a valuable and meaningful culture that is worth learning. The Buddhist scriptures, monks, temple systems, and event ceremonies in Japan, South Korea and other countries all share the same roots with Chinese Buddhism.
As a result, Chinese Buddhist culture was “invited to go out” and was “remained” and “passed down” by different countries and regions, combining with local culture. More importantly, Chinese Buddhist culture has become an important part of the East Asian cultural circle. This historical phenomenon tells us that Buddhism is an important component of Chinese culture, and it has had a significant impact on the historical construction of the East Asian cultural circle.
Chinese Buddhism is “invited to go out”, and it is also related to its content, ways and methods.
Taking Zhejiang Buddhism as an example, the things that were “invited out” were Tiantai Sect, Huayan Sect, Buddhist system, and Buddhist monks. This benefited from Zhejiang Buddhism’s “ocean consciousness”. Zhejiang Buddhism is the Buddhism of the whole region. It includes Buddhism in mountains and rivers, Buddhism in mountains and seas, and Buddhism in mountains and forests. The Buddhist cultural exchanges with Japan and South Korea have a long history and far-reaching influence. From Song, Yuan, Ming to modern times, Zhejiang has always been the golden link of East Asian Buddhism exchanges.
Reporter from China News Service: Buddhism emphasizes compassion, tolerance, equality, and harmony. Has this affected the formation of the Chinese people’s character that loves peace and does not like expansion?
Chen Yongge:In the Buddhist ideological structure, compassion, equality, and tolerance are prominent, and there is unconditional and unlimited respect for all beings. This kind of thinking affects many Chinese people.
Generally speaking, the true meaning of Buddhism compassion has two aspects: one is the individual, daily ridiculousness and happiness (getting out of the sea of suffering and giving joy, peace and care), which contains a kind of altruistic virtue. The second is as a life attitude or choice. The most fundamental concern (belief) of Buddhism is “enlightenment”, which in the final analysis is “Buddha’s original meaning”, that is, self-consciousness, enlightenment, and consummation.
In short, I believe that Buddhist wisdom is a practical and shareable action wisdom that can guide people to serve, contribute, and altruistically. This process is not unrelated to the formation of a compassionate, tolerant, and equal character among Chinese people.
Data map: Quanzhou Kaiyuan Temple was the largest Buddhist temple in Quanzhou during the Song and Yuan Dynasties and the most prominent official status.Photo by Wang Dongming
Reporter from China News Service: In China for more than two thousand years, Buddhism has taken a path of sinicization. In your opinion, in the future, how can Chinese Buddhist culture speak its voice better and tell Chinese stories well in the dialogue with different civilizations?
Chen Yongge:Telling the story of the Sinicization of Buddhism is an organic aspect of telling the story of China. In a sense, communication itself is culture and civilization.
To tell the Chinese story of Buddhism well, I think we should pay attention to three dimensions:
One is to emphasize the sinicization of Buddhism. Buddhism is an important part of Chinese traditional culture. If this point is not emphasized, the confidence will be insufficient. It is necessary to explain clearly the belief, religious, cultural, and artistic forms of Chinese Buddhism strategically.
The second is to convey more information by telling stories about Chinese Buddhism. Those contents that are public, open, tolerant, and in line with the trend of modern civilization should be talked more about. It is necessary to dig out one’s own cultural genes and form a cultural identity. This is an action strategy.
The third is to “not forget the original intention” when telling the Chinese Buddhism story well. Without departing from the original meaning and feelings of Buddhism, from the resonance of Chinese Buddhism and Buddhism civilization in the world, promote mutual respect, and jointly create a beautiful vision of Buddhism to be kind to people, to be kind to the times, and to be kind to the world. (over)
About the Author:
Chen Yongge is currently the director and researcher of the Institute of Philosophy, Zhejiang Academy of Social Sciences, and the director of the Zhejiang Religious Research Center. In 2007, he was a foreign researcher in Indian Buddhism at the Faculty of Letters, University of Tokyo, Japan. Research fields include Buddhist thought in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, sectarian Buddhism, Chinese philosophy and religion, etc. He is the author of “Renaissance and Dilemma of Buddhism in Late Ming Dynasty”, “Buddha Walking in the World: Buddhist Social View”, “Modern Chinese Buddhist Thought History” and so on.
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