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Professor Chen Jian: Chinese-style speech in the "Platform Sutra" - also as a new interpretation of "Chinese Buddhism"

Beginner knowledge 2023-08-18

Professor Chen Jian: Chinese-style speech in the "Platform Sutra" - also as a new interpretation of "Chinese Buddhism"

introduction

“People on the way said that Zen Buddhism is a Chinese Buddhism, but where the sinicization of Zen Buddhism is reflected, people do not seem to be disdainful of empirical investigations and analysis. Instead, a "hindsight" "big talk" view is generally popular, that is, if Zen Buddhism is not a Chinese Buddhism, it would not be so prosperous in China, such as "Zhong Zen" (It should be a pseudonym )explain:

The essence of Buddhism is to lie in the essence of "sudden enlightenment" of "no birth Dharma patience", not in the superficial form, and any dissemination of foreign cultures cannot be separated from the traditional characteristics of the acceptance region, otherwise it will not take root and cannot be organically integrated.We must seek development in the context of the local ethnic cultural customs at that time and gain local characteristics in seeking common ground while reserving differences.If it is inconsistent with local folk customs and adopting a dogmatic attitude, there is a lack of room for expansion, and the same has been proven to be true.It is unrealistic to completely get out of local culture and folk background, and it is difficult to integrate into the deep blood of national culture, but Zen has done this.Buddhism talks about dependent origination. The existence of original national culture, including Confucianism and Taoism, itself constitutes the condition for the development of Buddhism. Therefore, Zen... is originally a product of the development of Chinese culture, the nobleness and glory of Chinese culture, and the flowers bloomed by the Chinese nation after absorbing and digesting Indian culture.

The "Zhong Zen" who signed his signature also intends to express that "Zen Buddhism is Chinese Buddhism" is using a counter-proof method of "practice to test the truth" to prove that "Zen Buddhism is Chinese Buddhism". Of course, his views are not wrong, but because he is not analyzing the inner thoughts and methods of Zen itself, but only about Zen. To judge the external relationship with Chinese local culture, his judgment is destined to be a general discussion that can only be scratched and has to be programmed.

In short, people have always lacked an empirical examination of the sinicization characteristics of Zen, although it is an indisputable fact that Zen is a sinicized Buddhism.This article attempts to analyze the Chinese-style speech in the "Platform Sutra" as the source text of Zen, in order to provide an empirical perspective for the sinicization of Zen.

《There are several versions of the Platform Sutra, and four are common in my country. The citation and analysis of this article will be based on the latest version of these four versions. The "Zongbao Edition" of the Yuan Dynasty that is popular in contemporary times. (Also known as the current version of "Platform Sutra" )As a benchmark, no further description will be given below.Among the four versions of the "Platform Sutra" passed down, the text capacity of the "Zongbao Edition" is the largest and the richest Chinese-style speech.As a historical fact, the more Zen Buddhism develops, the more sinicized it becomes. In line with it, the later the version of the "Platform Sutra" is released, the more Chinese-style speech there are - the latter version is larger than the previous version, and the main increase is the content of the Chinese-style speech.This article will not cover the comparative analysis of the content of the four versions of the "Platform Sutra".What this article is more concerned about is how Chinese-style speech is carried out in the "Platform Sutra" "Zongbao" "Platform" which is the richest in Chinese-style speech and can also represent the final achievements of the sinicization of Zen Buddhism;In other words, how exactly is Buddhist thought expressed in Chinese way? The solution to this problem will help us understand the internal academic approach to the sinicization of Zen;However, the comparative analysis of the four versions of the "Platform Sutra" can only allow us to understand the external historical approach to the sinicization of Zen, that is, how to transition from one version to another.

1. To say "emptiness" by "harmony between man and nature"

(one )What is "empty"

“"Empty" is the core concept of Buddhism.The so-called "emptiness" in Buddhism is the so-called "dependence and emptiness of nature", or "self-nature emptiness". In detail, all things are caused by others, so there is no "self-nature";Because all dharmas have no "self-nature", they are "empt".It can be seen that the "emptiness" mentioned in Buddhism does not mean that there is no all dharmas, but that there is no "self-nature" in all dharmas.

Since Buddhism was introduced to China during the Han Dynasty, Chinese people's understanding of "emptiness" has been tortuous. The most important influence is the so-called "six schools and seven sects" in the Wei and Jin Dynasties' wrong understanding of "emptiness" (Among them, there is the understanding of "emptiness" based on the "nothing" of Laozi and Zhuangzi. )。Later, Monk Seng Zhao, a monk from the Eastern Jin Dynasty, came out and wrote the "The Theory of Non-Definite Void" to correct various wrong views on the understanding of "emptiness" at that time.In "The Treatise on No True Void", although Seng Zhao did not clearly put forward the concept of "self-nature emptiness", what he said "not true void" is actually the "self-nature emptiness" that is stated from another perspective.According to Sengzhao's understanding, all dharmas are "after conditions, they will exist, so they know that existence is not true." The so-called "true existence" here refers to the existence of "self-nature".All things are "dependence", so there is no "self-nature", so it is "not true";Because all dharmas are "not true", they are "empty", which is called "not true emptiness".Sengzhao further explained that "not true emptiness" means "not nothing, things are not real things", "like a illusionized person, not a illusionized person, and illusionized person is not a real person."It is obvious that Sengzhao talks about "not true emptiness" completely within the framework of the meaning of "self-nature emptiness" - not without all dharmas, but without all dharmas without "self-nature".Sengzhao's "not true emptiness" means "emptiness of self-nature".

Although Sengzhao's "not true emptiness" is a correct understanding of "emptiness", which is a big step forward compared to the previous misunderstanding of "emptiness" by the "six schools and seven sects", Sengzhao "talks about something and talks about nothing" too much when discussing "not true emptiness". The metaphysical flavor is too strong and cannot directly reveal the true meaning of "emptiness" of "self-nature emptiness", which has caused many people to shout that they cannot understand his text "Not true emptiness".But in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, this verbial situation ended.At that time, the Chinese Buddhist community could have been able to accurately and directly understand the meaning of "emptiness of one's nature". For example, in the "White and Black Theory" written by Hui Lin, a monk in the Chen Dynasty, did not specifically discuss "emptiness" but aimed at coordinating the relationship between Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, the "emptiness" of Buddhism and Lao Tzu's "emptiness" were clearly distinguished.This article is based on "Mr. Bai Xue" (Represents the world )With the "Black Taoist Priest" (Representative Buddhism )The question and answer to expand the narrative, and the beginning of the story is loaded:

Bai said: "The emptiness discussed by Shi is no different from the emptiness discussed by Laozi?" Hei

He said: "Different.The Buddhist scriptures means that things are empty, and empty things are one.Lao Shi has two things, and there is nothing to do

How can it be the same if it is different?"

Bai said, "The three rituals are good at the universe, and all qualities are full of them in the heaven and earth. Is it empty?"

Hei said: "Empty the existence of its own nature, and do not harm the body of the false..."

This quote clearly tells us that the so-called "emptiness" in Buddhism is not the "emptiness" of "things" itself, but the "emptiness of things" - this is the true meaning of "emptiness" in Buddhism.

(two )《The Platform Sutra's "unity of man and nature" statement on "emptiness"

Whether you can accurately understand "emptiness" is one thing, and how to use this accurate understanding to express it is another.The "Six Schools and Seven Sects" are incapable of accurately understanding "emptiness". Although Seng Zhao and Huilin can accurately understand "emptiness", Seng Zhao uses his own unique way (“Not vacuum” )When talking about "emptiness", Huilin directly used the original Indian Buddhism to talk about "emptiness". Their words about "emptiness" are not Chinese-style words with Chinese cultural characteristics.What we want to talk about here is precisely the Chinese-style speech made by the Platform Sutra on the basis of accurately understanding "emptiness".

《The Platform Sutra does not generally talk about the "emptiness" of all things, but rather talks about the "emptiness" of people as one of all things - to be precise, the human heart - within its own context, that is, people are the existence of "emptiness of their own nature". (We don't seem to have to force the "Platform Sutra" to explore the "emptiness" of all things in a general way )。《The uniqueness of the Platform Sutra is not that it proposes that human beings are "empty in nature", because human beings are "empty in nature", which is an inherent meaning in the title of Buddhist concept of "empty in nature". The Platform Sutra only correctly understands it.The uniqueness of the "Platform Sutra" is that it uses a Chinese way to describe that people are "empty in their own nature".Let’s look at the processing of the “Platform Sutra: Prajna Chapter”:

What is Maha? Maha is great.A broad mind, like the void, without any edge

There is no square, no size, no blue, yellow, red and white, no top, bottom, no length, no anger, no anger, no

Joy, nothing is right or wrong, nothing is good or evil, no beginning or end.All Buddha lands are the same as the void.

The wonderful nature of people in the world is originally empty, and there is no law to obtain.The true emptiness of self-nature is also like this... good

Knowledge, the world is empty, and can contain all things, the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, earth, and springs

Streams, grass and forests, evil people and good people, evil laws and good laws, heaven and hell, all the sea,

The mountains of Sumeru are always in the air.The human nature of the world is empty, and it is the same.Good teacher, self-nature

It is great to be able to contain all things, and all things are in the nature of all human beings.If you see all evil and good things,

They are neither taken nor given up, nor are they stained. The mind is like the void, and it is called great, so it is called Maha.

《The "Maha" in the "Prajna Paramita" explains the "Maha" in "Maha Prajna Paramita" (Mah~~)When the meaning of the word is explained, the understanding of human "emptiness of nature" is explained. It can be seen that this understanding is completely neutral in the context of "harmony between man and nature" in which the traditional Chinese universe and man is of meaning isomorphic relationship.The "vagin" in the quotation refers to the world of great trunks and the vast universe, which is the "heaven" commonly referred to in ancient Chinese thought.The universe is "vaginal". Because the universe is "vaginal", it can accommodate all things, whether it is "square and radial", "green, yellow, red and white", or "sun, moon, stars", or "vegetation and jungle";Whether it is "evil and good people" or "evil and good things", everything can be presented freely in the universe, that is, the universe does not "attached" to something in it but only allows this kind of thing to be presented.Similarly, "the world is empty in nature, and it is also like this." Because of "self-nature emptiness", people can be without attachment, can achieve all dharmas without distinction between dharmas, and can be tolerant of them as much as possible. (People cannot do it because they have not realized their own "emptiness of nature" )。It can be seen that the "emptiness of one's nature" is not to close one's eyes and listen, to nothing in one's heart, and thus do nothing in one's actions and do nothing in one's reality;On the contrary, the "empty nature of one's nature" is what one thinks in the heart, so that one should do it and fully contact reality.There is a record in the "Platform Sutra: Opportunity":

A monk named Zen Master Wolun said in a verse:

There are tricks to silence the thoughts.

If you don’t feel arise when you are facing the environment, Bodhi will last longer day by day.

division (Note: refers to Huineng )Hearing this, he said, "This verse does not understand the mind. If you follow it, you will add bondage."So he showed a verse:

Huineng has no tricks, keeps thinking a lot,

When the mind arises in the object, how long is Bodhi?

It is not difficult to see that Zen Master Wolun’s “Four Verses” and Huineng’s “Four Verses” embody two completely different realms.The so-called "empt self-nature" should be the lively activity of the mind expressed in Huineng's "Four Verses", rather than the dead and silent mind expressed in the "Four Verses" of Zen Master Wolun.In short, the "Platform Sutra" tells us that because of the "vaginity", the universe can contain all things;The same goes (《"The mind is like void" many times in the Platform Sutra ),Because of the "empty nature of one's nature", people can also contain all things - this is completely a Chinese-style "harmony between man and nature", which completely eliminates the metaphysical obscureness of Buddhist "empty" and makes them rich in sensual colors;At the same time, it completely blocks the Chinese people from understanding "empty" as "nothing" (In Chinese, "empty" has the meaning of "non-nothing" )The channel of Buddhism makes the "emptiness" of Buddhism more intimate and easy to accept for the Chinese.Such an understanding of the "emptiness" of human hearts in "harmony between man and nature" is also reflected in the "Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana" which is suspected to be faked by the Chinese. For example, this theory says when defining "original enlightenment":

The meaning of enlightenment means that the mind is free from thoughts and is free from thoughts, and is free from thoughts and appearances, and is in the world of the universe, and is omnipresent.

The universal, the Dharma Realm, is the equal Dharma body of the Tathagata. According to this Dharma body, it is called the original awakening.”

“The mind is free from thoughts" means "emptiness". This "emptiness" is equivalent to the "emptiness realm", which can contain everything and "everything is everywhere" - this is completely consistent with the "Platform Sutra" understanding of "emptiness".Of course, the "Platform Sutra" further uses "a vast mind" to illustrate the "empt self-nature" of people based on isomorphic to the "vaginity" of the universe, which is simply the finishing touch.We all know that "a broad mind" can be said to be the "local slang" of Chinese people every day, and there is no such statement in Indian Buddhist scriptures.Just imagine that if a person can show "emptiness of self-nature", he will lose his ego;Without ego, you will no longer be attached to all appearances (As stated in the Diamond Sutra );Without attachment to all appearances, you can contain all things. If you don’t have “a vast mind”, then what is it? The function of human “empty nature” is this “a vast mind”.I personally think that the phrase "large mind" really pushes the sinicization of Buddhism's "emptiness" to the extreme, and it is nothing beyond the right.

2. To use "body and use" to describe "concentration and wisdom" and other

Buddhist sayings do not come from the so-called "precepts, concentration and wisdom". "Precautions" are precepts to prevent the body and mind from doing evil;"Seduch" means meditation, which stops the distraction of the mind;"With" means wisdom, observing the "empt nature" of all dharmas and eliminating the true meaning - learning these three dharmas can reach the Nirvana framework, so it is called "Three Studies".The "Three Studies" are not unrelated to each other, and there is a complementary relationship between them, as in Volume 9 of "The Three Sects of Dharma":

There are three methods of establishing teachings in the Tathagata, one is precepts, two is meditation, and three is wisdom.

However, there is no way to produce concentration without precepts, and no way to produce wisdom without concentration. The three Dharmas are indispensable.

Now we will only examine the two studies of "concentration and wisdom" among the three studies of "precepts, concentration and wisdom".According to the statement in the "Three Treasures of Dharma Numbers", the relationship between "concentration and wisdom" is that "sharpness cannot be produced without concentration", that is, "concentration" can produce "wisdom", and "wisdom" can only be produced in "concentration".Regarding this relationship between "concentration and wisdom", the "Platform Sutra: Concentration and wisdom" uses the commonly used category of "physical use" in the history of Chinese thought to describe it, and it says:

Good teacher, this method is based on concentration and wisdom. The public should not be confused, and they should say that concentration and wisdom are different.

Concentration and wisdom are one, not two.Concentration is the body of wisdom, and wisdom is the function of concentration, that is, the time of wisdom is concentration in wisdom,

That is, when wisdom is in concentration, if you know this meaning, it is the study of concentration and wisdom... Good knowledge, concentration

How can wisdom wait? Just like light, light is light, without light, dim, light is light

The body of light is the use of lamps;Although there are two names, the essence is the same, and this method of concentration and wisdom is also like

yes.

The "concentration and wisdom" in terms of "physical and usefulness" suddenly makes the relationship between "concentration and wisdom" that cannot be understood by many Buddhist languages, making it easier for Chinese people to understand, because "physical and usefulness" is a pair of ideological categories that are familiar to Chinese people who are rooted in Chinese culture.Mr. Zhang Liwen in "History of the Development of Chinese Philosophy in the Category" (The Way of Heaven )》Chapter 17 of the book "Physics and Uses Theory" has made the most systematic review of "function" to this day, discussing the ideological origins, academic characteristics, development and changes of "Physics and Uses". He said, "Physics and Uses are important categories in the category system of Chinese philosophical sciences." "Physics and Uses were formed in ancient times and still attracted the attention of philosophers and thinkers. This is not an accidental phenomenon. It not only shows the vitality of the category, but also has a dynamic open system.The form of the category of body and use is subjective, and the content is objective.Its functions and functions have some similarities with the principles and formulas of algebra, such as Taoist instruments, non-existence, qi, mind and matter, form and spirit, and even Chinese and Western categories. As long as they are included in the category of body and use, they can deduce the specificity and relationships of various categories based on the existing scope of body and use.It is like a chemical bond connecting various knots or molecules, and arranges many categories into a certain logical structure system according to the internal logic of a certain thinking or philosophical system."In Zhang Liwen's view, the category of "body-use" is like "chemical bonds connecting knots or molecules". It has a certain logical structure and also shows the role of "principles and formulas of algebra". We can use it to analyze many ideas and make these ideas present the logical structure inherent in the category of "body-use".The "Platform Sutra" is in this sense that "concentration and wisdom" is used to describe "body and use" and that the relationship between "concentration and wisdom" in Buddhism can be clearly expressed in the Chinese-style "concentration and wisdom" category.

In another place, the "Platform Sutra" further analyzes the meaning of "body and use" of "concentration and wisdom".According to the "Platform Sutra: Opportunity", a Zen master Zhihuang, who had been sitting in the Anju for twenty years, asked Huineng's disciple Xuan Ce: "What does the Sixth Patriarch mean to meditate?" Ce said: "What my master said is that he passed away in a wonderful and profound way, his body and function are simplicity, the five aggregates are originally empty, the six dusts do not exist, they do not go out or enter, and they are not determined or confused.

”In Xuan Ce's view, the "meditation" mentioned by Huineng is "body and use," so what is "body and use," so what is "body and use"? "body and use," means "body and use," and "body and use," and "body and use" are one but not two. This is what Wang Fuzhi said in "Zhang Zizheng Meng's Notes" that the body is the reason for use;The one who uses the body is used, so "the body is used as one source", which is like "the heaven has no body, and the use is its body".The "Platform Sutra" shows through Xuan Ce's words that Huineng's "wonderful and perfect passing away" meditation is "the body is like a perfect body", that is, the meditation as the "body" is also reflected in the "use" of wisdom, that is, the "five aggregates are empty, and the six dusts are not there."

《The Platform Sutra not only uses "concentration" as the "body" and "wisdom" as the "use" to construct the "body" relationship context of "concentration and wisdom", but also uses "self-nature" as the "body" and uses the three studies of "precepts, concentration and wisdom" as the "use", and constructs the "body" relationship context of "self-nature, precepts, concentration and wisdom".There is a record in the "Platform Sutra: Sutra of the Chronic Graduation": Shenxiu's disciple Zhicheng came to eavesdrop on Huineng's teachings, but was discovered by Huineng. The two of them had a conversation, in which Zhicheng said that he learned the "precepts, concentration, wisdom and law" at Shenxiu. The so-called "Do not do evil is called precepts, concentration, and wisdom and law" is called precepts, and good practices are called good, and purifying their own meaning is called concentration." After Huineng heard this, he said that his "precepts, concentration, wisdom and law" is different from Shenxiu. He said: "What I preach is not separated from my own nature, but is called precepts, and my own nature is always confused.It is necessary to know that all dharmas are used by their own nature, which is the true precept, concentration and wisdom method.I listen to the verse: The mind is nothing but the self-nature precepts, the mind is not ignorant, the self-nature wisdom, and the mind is not confused, the self-nature concentration."In Huineng's view, the "use" of "precepts, concentration and wisdom" is produced by the "body" of "self-nature". "If you do not leave your own nature, you will obtain the supernatural powers of freedom and play with samadhi", and you will obtain the "precepts, concentration and wisdom".

In fact, the "Platform Sutra" uses the category of "physical and functional" to describe Buddhist principles more than the above, and it can even be said of the category of "physical and functional". The application in the "Platform Sutra" is somewhat generalized, such as the "Platform Sutra·Putinary Collection" says: "Original performance contains all dharmas, and its name contains hidden consciousness;If you think about it, you will transform your consciousness, give birth to the six consciousnesses, and leave the six gates. These eighteen realms are all used to your own nature.If the self-nature is evil, the eighteen evils arise. If the self-nature is righteous, the eighteen righteousness arise.If you use evil, it is used by sentient beings, and if you use good, it is used by Buddha."The wide application of the category of "physical and functional" in the "Platform and functional" in the "Platform and functional" is exactly what Mr. Zhang Liwen said, "has some similarities with the principles and formulas of algebra", and can be used to analyze and express many ideas and phenomena.

3. Say "Prajna" by "Qianlong"

First, explain "Qianlong".The dragon is one of the spiritual symbols of the Chinese nation (For example, the "Dragon Horse Spirit", it is said that the dragon is the "totem" of the ancient Chinese nation. )。《The first hexagram of Zhouyi, "Qian Gua", uses the dragon as the image to explain the principles of Yi, and its line says:

The ninth day of the lunar calendar: Do not use the hidden dragon.

Ninety-two: Seeing the dragon in the field is good for meeting the great man.

Nine Three: A gentleman’s scripture is healthy every day, and he is vigilant at night, without any fault.

Nine Four: Maybe you jump in the abyss, without any blame.

Nine Five: The flying dragon is in the sky, it is beneficial to meet the great man.

First Nine: Kanglong regrets.

Use Nine: Seeing that there is no leader in a group of dragons, it is auspicious.

It is obvious that the "Qian Gua" is based on the meaning of "Dragon". As for the meaning of "Qian Gua" and the dragon, it depends on one's opinion. For example, the eminent monk Zhixu of the late Ming Dynasty said: "The dragon is a thing that can be big or small, and can bend or exert, so it is used to describe Qian virtue."However, the earliest and most authoritative explanation of the meaning of the "Qian Gua" and the dragon should be from "Yi Zhuan·Tian", which says:

Great Qianyuan, all materials begin, and they govern the sky, clouds flow and rain, and materials are used to measure the flow of materials.big

The six digits of the beginning and beginning of the Ming Dynasty are formed, and the six dragons are used to control the sky.

The so-called "Qianyuan" means the first.Because the "Qian Gua" is the first of the sixty-four hexagrams of the Zhou Yi, it is called "Qian Yuan".In the view of "Yi Zhuan·Tuan", the "clouds flow and rain, and the flow of objects" in the sky are all rooted in the role of the "Qian Gua", which is the so-called "Qian De". This "Qian De" governs the sky like a dragon, so the "Qian Gua" uses the dragon to establish the meaning.For convenience, I call the image of the dragon explained in "Yi Zhuan·Tuan" "Qianlong", and "Qianlong" has the "Qiande" that governs the world.It is not difficult to see that the image of "Qianlong" established in "Yi Zhuan·Tuan" is related to the understanding of dragons in traditional Chinese society, that is, the dragon is the master of heaven and earth, especially the dragon is in charge of rain. Even in contemporary Chinese people, legends such as "the dragon prince rains" and "the old dragon sprays water".Of course, these perceptual understandings of dragons among the people can be unified into the rational "Qianlong" image of "Yi Zhuan·Tuan".

In the "Platform Sutra: Prajna Chapter", we have found with great interest that the image of "Qianlong" is used to interpret the "Prajna" of Buddhism, which says:

This method is the best, it is said by the Great Wise Man, the Supreme Wise Man, the Small Wise Man, the Small Wise Man

I heard that I didn’t believe it, so why? It’s like a dragon raining in Jambudvipa, and all the cities and towns are in the city.

They are all drifting, like the leaves of grass, like rain in the sea, without increasing or decreasing, like Mahayana people, if the best

When people hear the Diamond Sutra, they will be enlightened and interpreted.Therefore, we know that our nature has the wisdom of Prajna, and we use our own wisdom

Therefore, wisdom always observes and reflects without writing.It's like rain, never without anything, Yuan is the dragon's interest.

All sentient beings, all plants and trees, sentient beings but not ruthless, will be moistened.All rivers flow, but

The sea is integrated into one.The wisdom of the nature of sentient beings is also like this.

“Prajna” is an important concept in Indian Buddhism, referring to the wisdom of liberation that everyone possesses.In the eyes of Indian Buddhism, the reason why people can be liberated from troubles and have various corresponding liberation actions is all due to this "Prajna" wisdom.The "Platform Sutra: Prajna Chapter" uses dragons to describe the root effect of "Prajna" in the liberation of sentient beings.According to the aforementioned image of "Qianlong", it can rain in the sky and make "all sentient beings, all plants and trees, sentiments but not ruthless, all are moist" on the ground, all of which are "interested" by the dragon, and the dragon is dominated by the dragon behind it;By the same token, the reason why sentient beings can be liberated and have various corresponding liberation actions is caused by the "Prajna" inherent in sentient beings.At the same time, because of the Diamond Sutra (That is, the "Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra" )It tells the principle of "Prajna", so the "Platform Sutra·Prajna Chapter" also believes that the "Diamond Sutra" also has the function of "Prajna", so that "hearing and speaking of the Diamond Sutra, the mind is enlightened and interpreted" (Huineng himself was enlightened by listening to the Diamond Sutra )。

4. Remaining

The above are three specific examples to illustrate the Chinese-style speech in the "Platform Sutra". Such Chinese-style speech is not the same as the "Geyi" Buddhism popular in the Wei and Jin Dynasties."Geyi" Buddhism refers to "using the numbers of things in the sutra to match external books to explain them as examples of life". The so-called "countings" can also be called "facts", which refers to the concept of "names" in Buddhist scriptures.Because the concept of "name and appearance" in Buddhist scriptures is used to express certain "reason", it is called "things" compared to "reason". (“"Reason" and "things" are a Liu Fan Case in Buddhism );At the same time, because these "names and appearances" have many concepts, they are called "numbers". Together, they are called "numbers of events".The so-called "external books" are the so-called "heterodians" books in Buddhism. Of course, here they specifically refer to Chinese local ideological texts, such as Taoist books, Confucian books, etc.Simply put, "Geyi" refers to the concept of "name and appearance" in Buddhist scriptures to "match" the concept of Chinese local thought. As Mr. Tang Yongtong said, "Compare with Chinese thought (Buddhist Book ),To make it easier for people to understand Buddhist books", that is, to explain the concept of "name and appearance" in Buddhist scriptures with the concepts in Chinese local thought, such as comparing the "emptiness" of Buddhism with the "nothing" of Laozi.It is not difficult to see that "Geyi" implies a lack of understanding of Buddhist thought, so that we can only use Chinese local thought to "reproduce" the concept of "name and appearance" in Buddhist scriptures.Or to put it more bluntly, "Geyi" means to use Chinese concepts to explain Buddhist concepts and use Chinese vocabulary to match Buddhist vocabulary.However, the Chinese-style speech in the "Platform Sutra" examined in this article does not belong to such a "genuine interpretation" phenomenon of "genuine interpretation" Buddhism. Instead, speaking Buddhism in a way that is well-known to the Chinese on a full understanding of Buddhism, and expressing Buddhist thoughts or concepts in the Chinese's own words. This is a "mature" interpretation of Buddhism, rather than "genuine interpretation". This is like a student fully understands the knowledge in the book and then expresses it in his own language. Although what he says may be different from the original words in the book, what he says is completely consistent with the latter.In short, the Chinese-style speech in the "Platform Sutra" does not intentionally seek the mechanical matching between the concepts or vocabulary of Chinese local thought and the concepts or vocabulary of Buddhist thought like "Geyi" Buddhism, but instead flexibly incorporates Buddhist thought into the paradigm or category of Chinese local thought. (For example, "harmony between man and nature" and "body and use" )Let's talk in the middle.

If "geyi" Buddhism represents the immature state when Buddhism was first introduced to China, and Buddhism has not yet been sinicized, then Zen Buddhism, based on the "Platform Sutra" as its ideological basis, represents the most mature form of Chinese Buddhism and is a typical example of sinicization of Buddhism.The Chinese-style statements in the "Platform Sutra" are the specific footnotes to the sinicization of the Buddha's kingdom.The "Platform Sutra" not only expresses Buddhist thoughts in a Chinese way, but also displays the basic paradigm of "Chinese Buddhism" and tells people what exactly is "Chinese Buddhism".According to the model of the "Platform Sutra", the so-called "Chinese Buddhism" in which "China" is neither a geographical concept nor a political concept, but a cultural concept.The two words "China" represent "Chinese cultural tradition", while the two words "Buddhism" represent "Indian Buddhist tradition". Together, "Chinese Buddhism" should reflect both "Chinese cultural tradition" and "Indian Buddhist tradition". "Chinese Buddhism" should be the seamless connection between these two major cultural traditions. In terms of Buddhism's own common saying, the meaning of the four words "Chinese Buddhism" is "China is Buddhism, Buddhism is China". The word "i" does not mean "is" and "equal", but "equality" and "integration" means "equality" and "integration" (For example, "Is" in "Troubles are Bodhi" )。The so-called "China is Buddhism, Buddhism is China" means the integration of Chinese cultural traditions and Indian Buddhist traditions - this should be the true face of "Chinese Buddhism".The Chinese-style speech made by the text of the Platform Sutra on Buddhist thought reflects such a context of "China is Buddhism, Buddhism is China".Going further, if we shift our eyes from the text of the Platform Sutra to the practical field of "Chinese Buddhism", then "Chinese Buddhism" should inherit both the "Indian Buddhist tradition" and the "Chinese cultural tradition".It is gratifying that we have seen the convergence of these two inheritances in many ancient Chinese Zen masters. This is that Zen masters not only deeply understand Buddhism, but also often have a lot of Chinese traditional culture cultivation. They have high attainments in Confucianism, calligraphy, painting, poetry, chess skills, traditional Chinese medicine, etc. This is the Zen master's "double-faced monk style".In today's China, if a monk does not know how to write or paint, we always feel that he is missing something. This is the "Chinese Buddhism" cultural atmosphere that has been extended by the practice of ancient Chinese Zen masters. In this cultural atmosphere, the Zen master as a Buddhist figure carries and inherits Chinese cultural traditions.If the "Platform Sutra" represents the theoretical sense of "China is Buddhism, Buddhism is China", then the Zen master represents the practical sense of "China is Buddhism, Buddhism is China."In short, we cannot simply understand the so-called "Chinese Buddhism" or "Buddhism in China", which has its own profound and unique connotation.

(The author is an associate professor in the Department of Philosophy at Shandong University and a Ph.D. )

References:

1、Shi Jun et al.: "Selected Materials of Chinese Buddhist Thoughts", Zhonghua Book Company, 1981 edition.

2、Jinghui: "Must Reading Classics for Buddhists at Home", Xuyun Seal Sutra Merit Collection, 2000 edition.

3、Gao Zhennong: "Explanation of the Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana", Zhonghua Book Company, 1992 edition.

4、《Qianlong Tripitaka (Volume 141 ),National Library Micro-Copy Center, 2002 Edition.

5、Zhang Liwen: "History of the Development of the Category of Chinese Philosophy", Renmin University of China Press, 1988 edition.

6、Zhixu: "The Book of Changes·The Zen Interpretations of the Four Books", Tuanjie Publishing House, 1996 edition.

7、Chen Fenggao: "Explanation of the Vernacular Language of Zhou Yi", Southwest Normal University Press, 1997 edition.

8、Shi Huijiao: "Biography of the Emerging Monk", Zhonghua Book Company, 1992 edition.

9、Tang Yongtong: "History of Buddhism in the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties", Peking University Press, 1997 edition.

2024-02-05 18:02
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