The Study Of The Categories For The Continued Biographies Of Eminent Monks

Xu gaoseng zhuan 续高僧传(hereafter XGSZ)(The Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks),one of the main three biographies of eminent monks,inherites the classification pattern from Gaoseng zhuan高僧传(hereafter GSZ)(Biographies of Eminent Monks)and is inherited by Song gaoseng zhuan宋高僧传((Biographies of Eminent Monks Written in Song Dynasty)The study consists of four parts:a introduction,six chapters,a overall concern and two appendixes.The introduction is divided into three sections.The first section talks about the reason of choosing XGSZ as the research object.Some important research achievements about XGSZ especially since 2012 are combed in the second section.Appropriate explanations for some questions related to this paper are gived in the third section.The main part of the thesis consists of six chapters.The first chapter pays attention to the "yijing"(sutra translation)(“译经”科/译经)and the "yijie"(sutra interpretation)(“义解”科/义解).Both XGSZ and GSZ have put forward that the objective difference between Sanskrit and Chinese is a major obstacle in translations.This obstacle may easily lead to the emergence of the phenomenon of over-reliance on translators.Both XGSZ and GSZ emphasize that it is difficult for translators to grasp the meaning of Buddhist scriptures accurately.Besides this,they also stress that frequent changes of the interpreter in turbulent times are more likely to cause errors in translation.Among those monks who are good at interpreting of Buddhist Sutra,some are closely related to the secular world.XGSZ accepts this phenomenon more than GSZ.XGSZ emphasizes that interpretation should be strictly in accordance with the Buddhist Sutra.A buddhist directory completed in the Zhenguan years in Tang Dynasty has been cited four times in XGSZ.What exactly is this buddhist directory?This issue is also discussed in the first chapter.The second chapter focuses on the "xichan"(to practice meditation)(“习禅”科/习禅)and the"xingfu"(to bring about good fortune for oneself or other)(“兴福”科/兴社).In this chapter,both XGSZ and GSZ identify that all sorts of supernatural phenomena appeared in the meditation are used to prove and verify the ability of monks.Meditation places recorded in GSZ are mostly forest and valley,which are differently in XGSZ.Pay attention to "xingfu",two main ways recored in both XGSZ and GSZ are the same:building temples and carving Buddha statues.Besides this two main ways,XGSZ recoreds other ways including melted Buddhist statue and bell casting.GSZ emphasizes the blesser when it recorded ways of "xingfu",while XGSZ emphasizes the blessed.The thrid chapter is about the "minglv"(to understand and keep the buddhist discipline)(“明律”科/明律)and "hufa"(to protect or maintain the Buddha-truth)(“护法”科/护法).Position of "minglv" has actually improved in XGSZ for the reason that people in the past did not pay enough attention to this and this is the need to promoting vinaya.This chapter emphasizes that there is an inseparable relationship between "minglv" and "hufa".XGSZ pioneered the category named "hufa".Think about the doubtful authenticity of some contents in "hufa",the paper emphasizes that those materials are still good materials when discussing the purpose or significance of the writer.This chapter points out that the support of kingship plays an important role in the success of "minglv" and "hufa".Ways mentioned in XGSZ reflected the strong awareness about "hufa" of the writer.The forth chapter mainly discusses about the "gantong"(to feel miraculous phenomenon)(“感通”科/感通).The category named "gantong" in XGSZ corresponds to the category called "shenyi"(miraculous phenomenon)(“神异”科)in GSZ.The conditions of these supernatural phenomena,such as method or time or place,are emphasized in XGSZ.This chapter concluds that The author’s intention for emphasizing those conditions is to meet the needs of different identity readers.The fifth chapter focuses on the "yishen"(to abandon the body)(“遗身”科/遗身).The aim for yishen which is not mentioned in GSZ but in XGSZ is to protect or maintain the Buddha-truth.Ways of yishen for improving personal abilities and helping others are recorded in both XGSZ and GSZ,while the paper points out that ways of yishen in order to help others mainly from Jataka.People of different ages have different reactions to yishen.Focus on the phenomenon that the body completely dissipated,people’s reaction recorded in XGSZ seems more reallity.The sixth chapter is about two categories named "dusong"(oral reading of the scriptures)(“读诵”科)and "zakeshengde"(mainly means to preach to people and lead them to conversion)(“杂科声德”科).The category named "dusong" emphasizes the unremitting attitude of the monks when they read the Scripture.Supernatural phenomenas written in this category are used to prove the ability for reading in GSZ,while for attractting readers in XGSZ.GSZ points out that the objective difference between Sanskrit and Chinese is a major reason for the decline of "zakeshengde",while XGSZ considers that this is the result of people’s subjective choice.XGSZ emphasizes that in order to enhance the ability to preach to people,the key factor is to vary from person to personThe overall concern about XGSZ discusses four questions.Firstly,which monk can be elected?The standard of choice is not whether the person is virtuous or not,but Whether he have influence at different classes.Secondly,the question that those selected monks are classified into which section is a reflection of the writer’s choice.Thirdly,supernatural phenomena in XGSZ is only a tool,a tool for promoting ideas and attracting readers.Lastly,some shortcomings in XGSZ should be mentioned,for example,a few monks belong to the wrong groups and it is difficult to confirm the number of monks elected in XGSZ.