A Study On Avalokitesvara Belief In Dun Huang During The Occupation Of Accient Tibet

Avalokitesvara Belief is the most popular belief modality of Mahayana Buddhism, and it occupied important position and had profound influences to the theoretical system and practical system of Buddhism. Dun Huang, which is located in Northwest China, had Avalokitesvara Belief very early. During the occupation of Ancient Tibet, Avalokitesvara Belief underwent great changes in contents and style. And these changes made a necessary preparation for the later development of Tibetan Buddhism and Avalokitesvara Belief in Dun Huang.Effected by the dual influenceing factors of the Han and Tibet, Avalokitesvara Belief in Dun Huang during the occupation still belonged to Han Buddhism, and the main contents of it is still salvage, national protection and rebirth; however, the highlighting of Esoteric Buddhism style was increasingly outstanding. The Avalokitesvara Belief canon which was introduced from Dun Huang promoted the six-syllable mantra prayer to prevail in Tibetan area. After the occupation of Ancient Tibet, Mizuke Guan-yin and Guiding-Buddha, of which had both Esoteric Buddhism style and the pure land style, the status of them in Dun Huang people's mind became more and more outstanding. The Avalokitesvara Belief became more secularized.This paper takes plenty of Dun Huang Chinese and Tibetan manuscript, Dun Huang silk painting and fresco, Chinese and Tibetan history books as basic material, and makes an overall discussion on the Avalokitesvara Belief in Dun Huang during the occupation logically in three part of the paper. In the first part, the background of the Avalokitesvara Belief in Dun Huang during the occupation is discussed; in the second part, the contents and characteristics of it is investigated; and in the third part, the impacts of it is analyzed.