A Research Of Tu Long’s Buddhist Thoughts

Tu Long(1543-1605), named as Changqing, was born in Ningbo, Zhengjiang province. He got a Jinshi in Wanli five years(1577). He had severed as county magistrate in Yingshang and Qingpu, and then as the Ministry of Rites. Shortly, he was deposed and went back his hometown. As one of the five scholars of the late Ming dynasty, his literary works mainly referred to the aspects of poetry, essays, dramas and so on. His literature thoughts set up a claim to nature disposition and intelligence.He was inclined to the Zen in religion. While he didn’t abandon the Pure Land School and also called for the syncretism of the three religions. As well as indulging in pleasure, he advocated unworldly pursuits. He concerned unworldly pursuits of literati and officialdom, also he had the characteristic of self adapting and self exile. He was one of those men who were in behalf of wonderful features in late Ming dynasty.The first chapter mainly discusses Tu Long’s religious activities, analyzes how he and his friends stepped into religious life, and illuminates the process that he attached to Buddhism and Taoism from the perspectives of the relationship between space and time. This thesis explores that Tu Long started devoting himself to Buddhism and Taoism during the period that he was an official in Qingpu. At that time, he kept a close touch with Wang Shizhen and Wang Xijue, who were taking part in kinds of practice of Buddhism and Taoism. However, he hadn’t taken his full belief in Buddhism and Taoism, just followed with his friends. Tu Long did not contact Buddhism and Taoism in depth until he dismissed from office. Firstly, he touched the Taoism. He even once practiced Taoism with Jin for more than a month in Hangzhou. Later, he preferred Buddhism. He took part in daily religious activities, and also studied the doctrine of the Buddhism. And according to his opinion, the relationship of these three religions should be interlinked and harmonious rather than opposite.Chapter two discusses Tu Long’s acquaintance of Buddhism, analyzes and expounds Tu Long’s essential questions of Buddhism and his belief attitude towards the Zen and the Pure Land, which were popular at that period. The Buddhism thoughts of Tu Long basically reflected the Buddhism’s characteristic of that time. His Buddhist thoughts were based on the concept of Samsara karma. As for the theories about Buddhist characters and central theories of Buddhism:Buddhist doctrines are empty, he obtained his own understanding. However, he was affected by the whole Buddhism circumstances at that time. Although he realized the pure meaning of "Emptiness", he could not connect this meaning with other Buddhism theories. So he dropped into the Chinese understanding style. He could insist the thought that all livings are in possession of Buddhist character in his understanding of Buddhism characteristics. Due to the limitations of "emptiness", he failed in handling the connection of Buddhism and "Emptiness". Hence, he had the tendency to make Buddhism characters mythologize. He firmly believed the theories of the Zen’s pure inherent nature. And he praised highly on the Zen but maintained that one shouldn’t abandon the Pure Land School. His thoughts also talked about the mergence of the Zen and the Pure Land. On the practical theory, he preferred Zen’s practicing and relieving theories, emphasized the combination of the Sudden Realization and Gradual Realization, advocated practicing both Concentration and Wisdom and usage of Tranquility and Insight. As for the concept of pure land, he believed idealistic pure land and regarded the key point of pure land was the heart. Namely, purifying heart was equal to purifying land. Once your heart was relieved and then you reached the pure land. What’s more, he thought it can be achieved by praying to Buddha.The third chapter discusses Tu Long’s cognition of the relationship of the three religions. The relationship of the three religions is an serious topic at that period. Tu Long had his own opinion about the relationship. At first, he laid stress on the syncretism of the three religions. He thought the three religions owned theirs features and should be applied into different parts. Also, he claimed that the three religions originated in the One and the difference among them was the different application of nature law. Meanwhile, he also deemed that the three religions had theirs characteristic and were available in distinguishing parts. Confucian enters the society; while Buddhism and Taoism are unearthly. There are some essential difference among them. It’s true that Confucian has its ethical requirements, and both Buddhism and Taoism have reason to pursuit personal freedom. Hence Confucian should not fight against Buddhism and Taoism. At the same time, he admitted the differences which exist between Buddhism and Taoism. For instance, the aim of Buddhism was to be a Buddha while Taoism was to be immortals. However, there was some consistency in their inherent targets. And they could communicate with each other. Therefore, it was nonsense for them to attack each other. He had a delicate shift towards the three religions. During the period that he turned to Buddhism and Taoism, firstly, he was in contact with Taoist Priest, and naturally in favor of Taoism. While at his later years, he stressed on Buddhism. He not only spoke in defense of Buddhism, but also wrote a masterpiece:Dharma Jintang.The last chapter is additional discussion which mainly reconsiders the mentality of Tu Long. And it tries to make some new points basing on the interpretations models of predecessors. As a well-knowledged and successful Confucianism scholar, it was no doubt that the foundation of his thoughts was Confucian. It also could not be avoid that he adopted some Confucianism emotion such as saving people and saving the world. Actually, it always contradicts with the real society. Facing such contradiction, different people have different choices. Some will exist and find their personal world. The conflicts between "Exist" and "Non-exist" have already become one of the important Chinese cultural features in Chinese literary history."Exist" is the social pursuit and responsibility of Confucianism. And "Non-exist" is the existence of spiritual plane which refers to personal freedom. And this kind of spirit affects lots of literati and officialdom all the time. The conflicts between "Exist" and "Non-exist" appeared in Tulong’s life when he met frustrations. And it is those conflicts that made his attitude to change greatly. During his changing period, he took use of the resources of Buddhism and Taoism to get a balance by pursuing Buddhism and Taoism relief.