On The Chinese Folk Transformation Of Indian Buddhism In Tang And Song Dynasties

The propagation of Indian Buddhism in China covers more than two thousand years, which exerts a great influence on the world history of civilization intercourse. From the perspective of receivers, Chinese believers of Buddhism consist of the folk people and elites; accordingly, the chinesization of Indian Buddhism is the interweaving processes made respectively by Chinese masses and elites, with different historical course but being closely related. Two different courses of introduction of Indian Buddhism to China lead to different processes of chinesization, while together, they successfully accomplish the great task of chinesization of Indian Buddhism.Under the influence of academic approaches, thinking habits and so on, most academic researches on the propagation of Indian Buddhism in China have focused on Chinese elites, such as eminent monks, men of letters, emperors and dignitaries, etc., with discussions on sutra translation and interpretation, construction and development of sectarian theory, the spread of Buddhist teaching, and Chinese philosophy, literature as well as arts under the impact of Buddhism. On the contrary, the researches on the process, features, types, as well as the far-reaching significance and influence of indigenization of Indian Buddhism in Chinese masses strata have been neglectedWith the guidance of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, unifying the logic and history, integrating the research methods of history, religion and folklore, taking a reference to the civilization intercourse theory of Peng Shuzhi, this dissertation reveals the entrance route of the Indian Buddhism into Chinese folk world during Tang and Song Dynasties, and the basic morphology and features developed during the process of indigenization in Chinese folk. What's more, the interactions of Indian Buddhism with Confucianism, Taoism, Manicheism and folk beliefs are studied to show the great influence of those co-existing religions exerted on Buddhism. All in all, this research provides a new field as well as some insight for the study of Buddhism history.This dissertation falls into three parts: introduction, body and conclusion.In the first part, the definition of and explanation on Indian Buddhism, the folk transformation of Indian Buddhism in China, elite Buddhism, folk Buddhism and other concepts involved in this thesis are given. Then, both the theoretical and practical significances of this research are shown. A literature review on domestic and overseas researches is made, also with a brief introduction to the major theme of my thesis. The body of the thesis covers from chapter two to chapter five, with the foci on routes, types, and characteristics of folk transformation of Indian Buddhism during Tang and Song Dynasties. In chapter two, a brief historical retrospect of the folk transformation of Indian Buddhism before Tang Dynasty is made. This period is further divided into two periods: one is the Eastern Han and three Kingdoms Period; the other is Wei-Jin and the Northern and Southern Dynasties Period. Then the history, features, and routes of the folk transformation of Indian Buddhism are revealed, as well as a discussion on the influences exerted by Indian Buddhism on Chinese folk culture. Chapters three to five deal with the folk transformation of Indian Buddhism in Tang and Song Dynasties, with foci on its routes, types and features. In chapter three, an analysis of the inside and outside route of penetration of Indian Buddhism into Chinese folk society is made, which includes the strategies of transmission and preachment employed by Indian Buddhism when adjusted itself to Chinese social life. The study is carried out mainly in the fields such as reading sutra in Chinese, preaching, thanks-giving rituals, Chinese Buddhist Apocrypha, folk customs, and theurgy, etc. In Chapter four, from the perspective of civilization intercourse, through a discussion on modality of Chinese folk Buddhism, the initiative interaction of Indian Buddhism with Confucianism, Taoism, Manicheism as well as folk faiths is revealed in details. Based on scriptures or sutras, organization, faiths, activities and so on, a comparison is also made among folk Buddhism, elite Buddhism and orthodoxy Buddhism. Chapter five demonstrates the basic features of the folk transformation of Indian Buddhism in Tang and Song Dynasties in the light of faiths, civilization intercourse, secularization and basic system in sequence.The last part, conclusion, summarizes and highlights the present research in the following four aspects: first, the relationship between Chinese folk transformation and the chinesization of Indian Buddhism in Tang and Song Dynasties, mainly revealing the differences in the process, manifestation as well as the influence of indigenization of Indian Buddhism in Chinese masses and mainstream society; second, the role and position of Buddhism in a Sino-Indian civilization intercourse in Tang and Song Dynasties, showing features of the openness, interactiveness, diversity, subjectivity, populace, secularity, and deviation; third, from the overall historical tendency of Sino-India intercourse, especially the macro-trend of Chinese Buddhism development, discussing the relationship between the chinesization of Indian Buddhism in folk society and the historical transition of Chinese Buddhism, analyzing the manifestation of folk Buddhism and differentiating several basic concepts involved in the chinesization of Indian Buddhism in folk society; fourth, revealing the relationship between the chinesization of Indian Buddhism in folk society and Chinese folk Buddhism.