China Buddhist Encyclopedia Classics Volume

Author: Chen Shiqiang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2000-12-01
Features: The Dharma of Buddhism is vast, known as the "84,000 doors of practice." The Buddhist canon is extensive, comprising the Tripitaka and the twelve divisions. This is an invaluable human heritage and spiritual treasure. As people's understanding of its religious, cultural, and even social value continues to deepen, the number of those learning Buddhism has been increasing. However, facing the 84,000 doors of practice, how should one begin? How can the vast Buddhist canon truly be made beneficial upon opening? For beginners who have made progress, how can they advance step by step and reach a higher level? For those who have been studying for a long time, how can they broaden their perspectives and further explore the cultural and social value of Buddhism, contributing to purifying people's hearts and creating a spiritual civilization for the era? All these questions, the "Encyclopedia of Chinese Buddhism" attempts to make its best efforts to address.
The Buddhist canon is vast and its teachings profound. The "Canon Volume" provides concise introductions and interpretations of important Buddhist texts, including their compilation, categorization, translators, core ideas, and their positions in Buddhist history, making it clear at a glance and guiding readers through the canon. The "Teaching Volume" systematically explores the formation, ideological implications, and philosophical connotations of Buddhist teachings, offering a comprehensive and clear understanding of the philosophical content and implications of Buddhist doctrines.
Buddhism has a long history and numerous sects. The "History Volume" provides a clear yet detailed analysis of the historical development of Buddhism in China, its social and historical foundations, and its cultural background, presenting the evolution and major trends of Chinese Buddhism within limited space. The "Schools Volume" offers in-depth discussions and analyses of the intellectual origins, academic traditions, core doctrines, and interconnections of the major Buddhist schools in Chinese history, from the "Six Schools and Seven Schools" of Huayan Buddhism in the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Four Major Schools of Tang Dynasty Buddhism, showcasing the brilliance of the flourishing Buddhist scholarship of the Tang Dynasty.
Since the Han and Wei dynasties to the Ming and Qing dynasties, eminent monks have emerged one after another in Chinese Buddhism. The "Figures Volume" reports on the lives, thoughts, translations, and moral practices of famous and revered monks in the history of Chinese Buddhism, offering both objective and detailed accounts that reflect the historical landscape of Chinese Buddhism from one perspective.
The institutional and ritual practices of Chinese Buddhism have partly inherited Indian Buddhism, while also possessing distinctive Chinese characteristics. The saying "Ma Zu founded monasteries, and Ba Zang established regulations" illustrates how Chinese Buddhist monastic institutions and rituals were largely created by Chinese monks. The "Rituals Volume" provides detailed introductions and evaluations of Buddhist monasteries, temples, clergy systems, festivals, rituals, and even Arhat and Bodhisattva statues, offering a glimpse into the institutional and ritual practices and monastic life of Han-influenced Buddhism.
Another important feature of Chinese Buddhism is its gradual evolution into a Sinicized form under the influence of traditional Chinese culture. From the Sui and Tang dynasties onward, Sinicized Buddhism has profoundly impacted traditional Chinese culture, with Zen Buddhism and its integration with traditional poetry, calligraphy, and painting, evolving into Zen poetry and Zen painting, being particularly prominent. The "Poetry and Verses Volume" selects nearly 200 poems and verses, deeply analyzing their literary charm while highlighting the Zen philosophy embedded within them. Through comparative analysis, it explores the mutual influence between Zen and ancient Chinese poetry, demonstrating that as the ancients said: "One cannot truly discuss poetry without understanding Zen." The "Painting and Calligraphy Volume" employs a combination of case studies and historical narration to reveal the interplay between Zen philosophy and ancient Chinese painting and calligraphy. On one hand, monks and Zen masters often engaged in painting and calligraphy; on the other hand, painters and calligraphers were frequently involved in Buddhism. Zen philosophy permeates these artworks, while the artistic world is filled with Zen insights and Buddhist themes. The historical development of ancient Chinese painting and calligraphy indeed echoes the evolution of Buddhist thought in China.
Buddhist art is an important component of Chinese Buddhist culture, particularly Buddhist architecture, sculpture, and its influence on ancient Chinese architectural and sculptural art, all of which warrant in-depth exploration and discovery. The "Sculpture Volume" provides an in-depth and detailed introduction, analysis, and discussion of the introduction, evolution, and unique development of Buddhist sculpture in China, covering its forms, gilding, and even polychrome sculptures and murals in grottoes, systematically presenting the full picture of Chinese Buddhist sculpture. The "Architecture Volume" offers comprehensive and even highly specialized introductions and evaluations of the historical development of Chinese Buddhist architecture, the layouts of Buddhist monasteries of different schools, the structures of various Buddhist halls, and typical Buddhist structures such as temples and pagodas. This is not only helpful for understanding historical Buddhist architecture but also provides valuable insights for the construction of future monasteries and halls.
China has the saying "In all famous mountains, monks dominate." Many historical scenic spots and cultural relics are associated with Buddhism, and the development of Chinese Buddhism is often linked to the changes in monasteries. The "Famous Mountains and Temples Volume" provides detailed introductions from micro to macro regarding the four great mountains of Chinese Buddhism, while also including hundreds of famous monasteries across the country. It offers specific descriptions and evaluations of their locations, cultural landscapes, founding monks and sect characteristics, historical development, and current scale, allowing visitors to appreciate China's famous mountains, monasteries, and scenic spots while gaining insights into the rise and fall and evolution of Chinese Buddhism from one perspective.
The "Encyclopedia of Chinese Buddhism" consists of eleven volumes, totaling approximately three million words. From the canon, teachings, figures, history, schools, rituals, poetry and verses, painting and calligraphy, sculpture, architecture, and famous mountains and temples, it comprehensively and systematically presents the overall picture and historical development of Chinese Buddhism and its culture. It includes introductions to basic knowledge, explanations of core doctrines, overviews of historical development, in-depth analyses of specific cases, religious insights, and cultural value. In the subjective hope of the compilers, the encyclopedia aims to well balance popular and academic aspects, making it both an entry point for beginners and a valuable reference for Buddhist scholars.
Of course, due to the limitations of the compilers' academic knowledge and perspectives, errors and biases are inevitable. These will be addressed by esteemed scholars and experts.
Lai Yonghai