The Theory Of Shi-Xiang Of Early Chinese Buddhism

Shi-Xiang is a central concept of Mahayana Buddhism.It represents the truth of things and phenomena in the world.And it corresponds to the concept of truth.From Wei,Jin,Southern and Northern Dynasty to early Sui Dynasty,this was the early stage of the development of Chinese Buddhism.During this time,the Chinese monks especially Sengzhao,Daosheng and Zhiyi continuously promoted the construction and improvement of the theory of Shi-Xiang by focusing on the discrimination and interpretation of the concept of ShiXiang.At the same time,they had contributed to the rooting and self-support of Buddhism in the localization,inspired the creation of Chinese Buddhism and Chinese philosophy,and expanded the thinking of Chinese people.In Indian Buddhism,Shi-Xiang appeared as the basis of things and phenomena.If you can realize Shi-Xiang,you can be free.In China,Shi-Xiang was grasped in the translation of Buddhist scriptures.And Shi-Xiang was continuously understood and interpreted in the context of Chinses culture.Therefore,the historical evolution of the interpretation of Shi-Xiang presented the course of the Sinicization of Buddhism.In the other words,the interpretations of the Shi-Xiang presented and advanced the interaction of the Indian Buddhism and Chinese culture.This paper argues that,Senzhao,Daoshen and Zhiyi,they continued to interpret Shi-Xiang in the context of Chinese culture,and in these dimensions of the basis of all dharmas,the subjectivity of people and the realistic existence of the world,their interpretations bridged the ideological gap between Chinese culture and Indian Buddhism.It was not until Zhiyi that a harmonious system of Shi-Xiang thought was established.In the first chapter,we focused on defining and analyzing the concept of Shi-Xiang.In addition,we sorted out the problematic awareness and core concerns of the concept of Shi-Xiang in the development of Indian Buddhism.And we summarized the overall qualities and ideological appeals of the Chinese culture.Combining with the connotation of the concept of Shi-Xiang,we summarized three dimensions of the interpretation of Shi-Xiang:the basis of the existence of all dharmas,the subjectivity of people and the realistic existence of the world,which were the main points of convergence between Chinese culture and Indian thought.In the second chapter,we mainly examined the interpretation and theoretical construction of Sengzhao.He interpreted Shi-Xiang as Emptiness.Under the influence of Metaphysics,Emptiness had a tendency to be ontologized,but the deconstructive nature of Mesoscopic Study was still strong.Untrue consciousness and the subjective intuition became the main path of liberation.And the subjectivity of people was not manifestation of interiority but a search for objectivity,which required a high degree of intellect and discernment.While all dharmas existed in the form of untruth,the order and reality of the world tended to be diluted and dissolved.In Chapter three,we further examined Daosheng’s interpretation of Shi-Xiang and the theoretical advancement.Daosheng’s thought was extremely pioneering.In order to establish a theoretical system of Shi-Xiang,Daosheng fully absorbed the thinking patterns and ideological resources of Chinese culture.Daosheng’s ontology of Shi-Xiang consisted of three dimensions which were LI,Buddha-nature and Nirvana.At the same time,Daosheng created a path of liberation which enlighted our inner purity Buddha-nature by grabing the Li.Thus the path of transcendental liberation was initiated.In terms of subjectivity and reality,Daosheng’s interpretation of Shi-Xiang was obviously more in line with the Chinese way of thinking.This was a great advancement in the Sinicization of Buddhism.However,Daosheng’s interpretation of Shi-Xiang still leaved many problems,such as the separation of Li and Xin,the fragmentation of the inner mind,the obscurity of the theory and the practice,the neglect of the existence of reality.In Chapter four,we discussed Zhiyi’s interpretation of Shi-Xiang.Zhiyi was not only a pioneer,but also a master.He interpreted the Shi-Xiang as Yi-Xin.And Yi-Xin was our mind.Under this interpretation,reality acquired the value of independent existence.Shi-Xiang was no longer a universal empty truth,which divorced from concrete existence.Yi-Xin becomed the basis of existence.Good and evil became different manifestations of our mind.The evil of reality became our starting point for change.So our mind gained initiative and autonomy.At the same time,the practical method he putting forward was operable.Based on this,Zhiyi’s interpretation of Shi-Xiang became complete.Through daily life and work people could be liberation.The Ritual system and good social order were maintained.So that,the gap between the Indian Buddhism and Chinese culture was bridged to the greatest extent possible.And on this basis,the process of the Sinicization of Buddhism had been deepened.