1 The Harmony of the Three Teachings Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D. REL 232 Religions of China and Japan Berea College Fall 2004

2 TANG 唐 DYNASTY CHINA ( CE)  Restoration of unified empire after period of disunity  Climax of Chinese internationalism and xenophilia  Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism each well- developed and increasingly interdependent  Era of religious importation: 1. Islam 2. Judaism 3. Manichaeism 4. Nestorian Christianity

3 CONFUCIANISM, TAOISM, AND BUDDHISM  As Taoism emerges as distinct tradition, it becomes competitive with Confucian and Buddhist traditions  While Taoist movements always distinguish themselves from others (Buddhist, popular, etc.), a high degree of interpenetration between traditions is a constant reality  No evidence that average practitioners show much concern about exclusive religious participation

4 TAOISM FROM THE HAN THROUGH THE TANG  “Celestial Masters” (Tianshi 天師 ) movement: 1. Based on scriptures revealed by deified Laozi to Zhang Daoling 張道陵 (142 CE) 2. Organized communities around public worship of Laozi, rites of confession, etc. 3. Expected imminent end of world with reward for elect  Later movements: 1. Shangqing 上清 (“Highest Clarity”) 2. Lingbao 靈寶 (“Spiritual Treasure”)

5 BUDDHISM IN THE TANG  Most prosperous period for Buddhism in China, yet ended disastrously  : Emperor Wuzong 武宗 and his Confucian and Taoist allies destroy Buddhist institutions, confiscate Buddhist property, and secularize monks and nuns  Viewed as period of “Last Days of the Dharma” (mofa 末法 ) – degenerate era in which former methods of teaching would not suffice  Tendency to focus solely on one text or practice  Two kinds of emphases: 1. Self-power (zili 自力 )– rooted in Theravada concept of individual effort and Vajrayana esotericism 2. Other-power (tali 他力 ) – based on Mahayana’s interdependent model of selfhood and ideal of compassion and Vajrayana focus on benevolent deities  Two major movements: 1. Chan 禪 (meditation) 2. Jingtu 淨土 (Pure Land)

6 THE PURE LAND TRADITION  The Pure Land Sutra describes “Pure Land” as ideal realm for attaining nirvana; presided over by Amitabha Buddha (A-mi-tuo- fo 阿彌陀佛 )  Amitabha vows to grant rebirth to those with faith in his other-power  Emphasis on salvation by faith parallels terror of hell (10 divisions, 180 levels)  Chinese Pure Land focuses on Amitabha and his assistant Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin 觀音 )

7 THE CHAN TRADITION  Chan = Sanskrit dhyana (“meditation” – Japanese: Zen)  Goal: “to see into one’s own nature and become Buddha”  “Mind-to-mind” transmission from master to disciple, beginning with Bodhidharma (400s CE?), certifies one’s enlightenment  How is one enlightened? 1. Gradually (“Northern” Chan, led by Shenxiu 神秀, c. 606?-706) 2. Suddenly ( “Southern” Chan, led by Huineng 慧能, c )  By 732, “Southern” Chan dominant  Degeneration of dharma justifies rejection of devotion and scriptures in favor of meditation as sole or primary method of attaining enlightenment  Reality must be seen as it is (nondualistic, spontaneous, “empty”)  Two major sects: 1. Chinese Linji, Japanese Rinzai 臨濟 – uses riddles (Chinese gong’an, Japanese koan 公案 ), verbal abuse and meditation 2. Chinese Caotong, Japanese Soto 曹狪 -- uses meditation only

8 SONG 宋 DYNASTY CHINA ( CE)  Confucian scholars help stabilize Song dynasty after fall of Tang 唐 ( )  Grateful Song emperors embrace Confucianism and continue late Tang anti- Buddhist policies, although some support Taoism  After 1126, northern Song is lost to Jin 金 “barbarians,” intensifying perception of dynastic and social fragility  General religious tone of Song: moralistic, nationalistic, syncretistic

9 THE TWO TAOISMS  1019: Emperor orders first organization of Taoist canon (collection of authoritative scriptures)  1119: First mass printing of Taoist canon  1126: After loss of north, traditions based on Celestial Masters flourished in the south, while new traditions arose in the north – the “Taoist Reformation”  Quanzhen 全真 (Complete Perfection) sect: 1. Founded by Wang Chongyang 王 重陽 ( ), ex-Confucian official 2. Interiorizes previously external practices (e.g., alchemy) 3. Spiritualizes previously physical goals (e.g., immortality) 4. Syncretistic blend of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism 5. Ascetic in character and monastic in organization

10 THE NEW CONFUCIANISM  Daoxue 道學 (Dao-study)  Key concept -- li 理 : 1.Reason or principle 2.One’s moral nature 3.Cosmic order  Cosmos = product of the taiji 太極 (Great Ultimate) – the force of constant, natural change  To understand li, one should: 1.“Investigate things” (gewu 格物 ) – Zhu Xi 朱熹, c “Study one’s heart/mind” (xinxue 心學 ) – Wang Yangming 王陽明, c

11 MING 明 DYNASTY CHINA ( CE)  Led by a Buddhist peasant- general, the Chinese overthrow Mongol Yuan 元 ( ) dynasty and establish Ming -- final indigenous dynasty  Early emperors commission voyages of exploration to India, Persia, and Africa ( )  Christianity returns to China with Catholic missions (1583)  Confucianism retains its hold on civil service through Zhu Xi’s “Four Books” curriculum  Syncretistic ideology of sanjiao 三教 (Three Teachings) dominant

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