The Buddhist Interpretation Of Confucianism

"The doctrine of the mean" is an important thought of Confucianism, it is not only a moral principle advocated by the Confucianism, but also the highest ethical standard and the state of Confucianism. The doctrine of the mean until now did not receive enough attention from the Han Dynasty to Tang Dynasty,from the middle of the Tang Dynasty Han Yu and Li Ao begin to analysis" the doctrine of the mean". To the Song Dynasty "the doctrine of the mean’ has become an important topic in the circle of thought. The first to make a theoretical interpretation of "the doctrine of the mean thought" is not Confucian, but two monks from Buddhism--Zhi Yuan and Qi Song. In order to maximize the space of Buddhism development, Zhi Yuan, Qi Song who are in the Northern Song Dynasty era study of Confucian classics and attach great importance to the study of Confucian thought. In the Northern Song Dynasty there is a thought of exclusion of Buddhism and Taoism. Zhi Yuan and Qi Song stand in the position of Buddhism. They advocate that Buddhism and Confucianism has the same thought, though speaking the different words. So they give special attention to the Confucian doctrine of the mean thought. They put the thought of Confucianism and Buddhism together and find their same point. They put forward "the doctrine of the mean is the mean of Buddhism ","the doctrine of the mean" is "natural character ","the doctrine of the mean" is " sincerity " and other Buddhist insight. These not only shortened the distance between Confucianism and Buddhism, gave response to various anti-Buddhist thought and maintain the development of Buddhism, but also laid solid foundation of the better integration of Confucianism and Buddhism thought and produced effects which can not be ignored on the formation and development of Neo-Confucianism in Song Dynasty.