Research on Buddhist Studies (18 Essays, 2 Volumes): New Century Universal Library · Modern Culture Series

Author: Liang Qichao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-01-01
Features: Liang Qichao (1873—1929), styled Zhuoru, known as Ren Gong, and also called Yinbing Room Master. He was from Xinhui, Guangdong. At the age of 19, he began studying under Kang Youwei, specializing in the Confucian classics of the modern school, and also learned Buddhism from him, combining Buddhist thought with his political ideas. Together with Kang Youwei, he was a leading figure in the Hundred Days' Reform. After its failure, he fled to Japan and edited publications such as Shiwu Bao (The Journal of Current Affairs), Qingyi Bao (The Journal of Public Opinion), Xinmin Congbao (The Journal of New People), and Guofeng Bao (The Journal of National Wind), continuing to advocate for constitutional monarchy. In 1902, he wrote the article On the Relationship Between Buddhism and Public Governance, vigorously refuting the common perception of Buddhism as (passive), (world-weary), and (superstitious), pointing out that Buddhism is a religion of (wisdom and faith), (all-encompassing goodness), (engagement with the world), (limitless compassion), (equality), and (self-power), hence "Buddhism is beneficial to public governance." In 1903, in The Doctrines of the Great Philosopher Kant in Modern Times, he believed that "Kang's philosophy is very close to Buddhism," using Buddhist thought to spread Kantian ideas and elevating Buddhism through Kantian philosophy. After the founding of the Republic of China, he served as Minister of Finance and Minister of Justice. In his later years, he devoted himself to academic pursuits, successively serving as a professor at Beijing Normal College, Tianjin Nankai University, Nanjing Southeast University, and Tsinghua University's Research Institute. Throughout his life, his extensive writings were compiled into Yinbing Room Collected Works. This book is a specialized collection of Liang Qichao's Buddhist studies. After Liang Qichao returned from his European tour in 1920, he resolved to compile a history of Chinese Buddhism. For this purpose, he began systematically studying Buddhist texts. In 1922, despite his illness, he traveled to the Zhina Inner Academy to listen to Ouyang Jian lecture on Yogacara (Vij?aptimātratā) philosophy. Around this time, he successively wrote a series of papers on the history of Chinese Buddhism, the translation and dissemination of Buddhist scriptures, and Buddhist theory. The main text of the book consists of 18 chapters, supplemented by 10 appendices. The first volume primarily includes articles on Buddhist history research: A Brief Account of the Rise and Decline of Buddhism in China (with an attached Timeline of Buddhist Events), The Initial Introduction of Buddhism (with appendices including Debunking the Myth of Han Ming's Search for Buddhist Scriptures, Debunking the Myth of the Forty-Two Chapters Sutra, and Debunking the Myth of Mouzi's On the Dilemma of Reason), A General Overview of Indian Buddhism—The Relationship Between Historical Records and Buddhism, The Buddha's Era and the Essentials of Original Buddhist Teachings (with an attached On Anatta), Buddhism and Western Regions, Again, Buddhism and Western Regions, China and India: Communication (also titled Chinese Students in India 1,500 Years Ago), The Development of Buddhist Teachings in China, and Translation Literature and Buddhist Texts. The second volume primarily includes textual studies: The Translation of Buddhist Texts, Reading On the Doctrinal Structure of the Different Schools, On the Four Agamas, On the Sarvastivada Abhidharma and The Vibhanga, Reading The Path of Practice, Postscript to the Nagajuna Sutra, The Position of Buddhist Texts in Chinese Bibliography, Chinese Writings in Biographies of Eminent Monks, as well as the preface to A Study of the Great Vehicle Awakening Sutra, A Brief Exploration of Buddhist Psychology, Postscript to the Comprehensive Edition of the Xuanzang Biography on the study of Xuanzang's chronology, and the preface to the six-language edition (Chinese, Tibetan, Sanskrit) of the Dharmapāda Sutra, Kasyapa Chapter.