Research On "Fa Yuen Zhu Lin"

Focusing on the content arrangement of Collected Pearls in the Dharma Garden (Fayuan Zhulin), this paper explores several core problems in the process of collision between Buddhist culture and Chinese culture, and conversion and establishment of Buddhist culture, so as to interpret the process of collision and fusion between Buddhist culture and Chinese culture. These problems include Buddhism and sacrifice, the traditions of Buddhism and Chinese witchcraft, Buddhism and social ethics ruled by Confucianism, the transformation of the Karma theory in China under the influence of the Karma theory in Buddhism.Due to the importance of Chinese sacrificial practices and the original sacrificial form when it came to China at first, its propagation process had multiple connections with Chinese sacrifices. On the one hand, it had impacts on the national sacrifices by means of modified vegetarian sacrifice, national incense burning and politics in Hall (for meeting or sacrificing ritual); on the other hand, it converted the gods out of the Biblical canon to Buddhism and deeply engaged in folk ancestor worship ceremonies through the construction of the Obon festival. Since Buddhism is constantly adjusting its arguments in in-depth recognitions when it comes to the debates between the body and the spirit in intellectual circles, the impression of "Divinity" has never been changed. Collected Pearls in the Dharma Garden:Sacrifice helps readers better understand the respect for Buddha, states the principles of Buddhism and the ghosts and gods idea, and answers the existing problems in the holding of Obon in the Tang dynasty.There were a wide range of activities of praying for rain in China that were included into the system of rites. Their ideas included three factors of "witchcraft","morality" and "etiquette", but witchcraft was the main part. From the early stage to Esoteric Buddhism period, Buddhism also developed its own concept of "rain" and patterns of "feeling rain", thus realizing the unification of practice, incantation, dragon and rain. In consideration of the importance of rain praying in the Chinese agricultural society, Buddhism also joined in many rain praying rituals in the process of its spread. For example, there were a lot of varieties in Shramana prays for rain in the Jin and Tang dynasties, but in general, they built on the virtues of the triad of the Buddha, the dharma and the sangha and the virtues of practice, and involved in the "virtue" in the idea of Chinese rain praying, that is, to pray rain was for one’s own practice, for the local people, or for the request (or compel) of monarch. Buddhism brings rationalism to Chinese rain praying rituals, enriched the images of dragon and advanced its position, while in return rain praying cemented the status of Buddhism, and Buddhist ceremonies were therefore included into sacrificial rites of the state. Collected Pearls in the Dharma Garden:Pray for Rain focuses on the introduction of the concept of "rain" and tells the story of an eminent monk praying for rain to explain the interactions between Buddhism and rain and describe the role of Buddhism in rain praying. Dream, Divination, and Incantation in this scripture also convey the new theories that Buddhism can provide for these important witchcrafts in China.At first, there were some resources good for governance in Buddhist scriptures, which was criticized as "being no good for national governance" after their introduction to China. These resources constantly refined its significance in assisting politics in debates time and time again. It was deniable that emperor asked some eminent monks for political advices. Chakravartin, The Monarch and His Subjects and Accepting opinions in Collected Pearls in the Dharma Garden is to reflect various regulations of Buddhism on the responsibilities and virtues of emperor, as well as the political ideal of the unification of the highest morality and supreme governance. Examination, Deliberation, Frugality, Punishment, and Pacification in this book focus on the conjunction between Buddhism and Confucian gentlemen personality and communicate with it in the connotation of Buddhism. These key points as described in Collected Pearls in the Dharma Garden were attached with much importance by Neo-Confucianism in regard of self-cultivation of gentleman. As to "loyalty and filial piety" in the core ethics, Buddhism repeatedly suffered retort with challenging questions. Loyalty and Filial Piety in Collected Pearls in the Dharma Garden mainly expresses filial piety, respecting teacher and assisting the nation, while Unfilial Behavior reflects the punishment of Buddhist karma theory on unfilial behavior.When Buddhist karma theory came to China, the collisions between it and the Chinese retributive view belong to the in-depth collisions of two different systems of philosophy at all levels, the debates were about theism and non-theism, monarch and his subjects, and loyalty and filial piety. As it was proven by the applications of the Chinese retributive theory in debates, a mixed Karma theory with Chinese characteristics came into being. After long term debates within the intellectual circles and creation of folktales about Karma theory, the Karma theory in Buddhism and the ritual system formed a highly united mixture. The explanations of all social phenomena in China were labeled with "Karma" just like chemical reaction. At the same time, they highlight the punishment function which was endemic to the Karma theory. The "order" of China thus became more unshakable in virtue of "Karma" and gained more legitimacy. On the one hand, the relevant chapters of Collected Pearls in the Dharma Garden describes what the Karma theory in Buddhism really looks like; on the other hand, it announces the intention to explain the social phenomenon in China by the Karma theory and emphasizes the disciplining function of karma retribution on social order.The fusion of the Buddhist Cultures of the Jin and Tang dynasties promoted the establishment of Chinese Buddhism. Inherited from Indian Buddhism, it has distinctive Chinese characteristics and a new, exuberant vitality. The last two chapters make a primary study on its influences on cultural integration and narrating literature, and display its value in the studies related to the compilation of classified reference books about the chinization of Buddhist music.