EAST 211 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Bodhiruci, Kuiji, Chinese Philosophy
15 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Translating Buddhist Text
Important translators in this period:
Kumārajīva (344-413)
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Bodhiruci (?-535)
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Paramārtha (499-569)
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Methods for translation
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Translating Buddhist Text
Geyi: elucidating Buddhist terms, with the help of notions extracted from
traditional Chinese philosophy, especially Daoism
śūnyatā as 1) nothingness 2) empty 3) emptiness
i.
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Eventually Kuiji (632-682)
Empty - śūnya (negative svabhāva)
i.
Emptiness - śūnyatā (the nature of being empty of svabhāva; affirming
how things actually are)
ii.
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Sutra classification (panjiao)
Resolve the issue - some Buddhist texts are contradictory to one another
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Buddhism and Politics
Patronage
Emperors and members of gentry families became patrons of and donors
to Buddhism
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Emperor Wu of Liang
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Buddhism Monasticism
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In India : leave home, little property
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In China :
land owners, farming
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monastic rules (shaved head, no facial hair
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temples provided education for people from the lower class
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vegetarianism → meat-eating creates negative karma and thus hinders
own’s awakening
Initiated by emperor Wu of Liang
§
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Dharma Assemblies initiated by Wu of Liang to help sentient beings attain
awakening and ignorant people to convert to Buddhism
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Buddhist Ritual with Daoist Elements
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Purpose: help all sentient beings attain awakening
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A series of rituals: chanting, repentance, setting up shrines, serving vegetarian
meals, etc
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Buddhism and Art
Change of the image of Guanyin → became more feminine
people believed in Guanyin’s ability to grant children
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Medicine Buddha Triads
Medicine Buddha : has a curly hair and a top knot, holds a medicine box in
one hand
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Two Bodhisattvas : Moonlight Bodhisattva and Sunlight Bodhisattva
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Śākyamuni triads in the Lotus Sútra
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Śākyamuni Buddha
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Samantabhadra Bodhisattva
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Manjusri Bodhisattva (wenshu pusa)
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12: Translation, Monasticism, and Art
Monday, February 19, 2018
8:34 AM
Document Summary
Geyi: elucidating buddhist terms, with the help of notions extracted from traditional chinese philosophy, especially daoism i. Nyat as 1) nothingness 2) empty 3) emptiness. Emptiness - nyat (the nature of being empty of svabh va; affirming how things actually are) Resolve the issue - some buddhist texts are contradictory to one another. Emperors and members of gentry families became patrons of and donors to buddhism. In china : land owners, farming monastic rules (shaved head, no facial hair temples provided education for people from the lower class vegetarianism meat-eating creates negative karma and thus hinders own"s awakening. Dharma assemblies initiated by wu of liang to help sentient beings attain awakening and ignorant people to convert to buddhism. A series of rituals: chanting, repentance, setting up shrines, serving vegetarian meals, etc. Change of the image of guanyin became more feminine people believed in guanyin"s ability to grant children.
