Legends of Famous Buddhist Masters Throughout Chinese History (Complete 10 Volumes)

Author: Wang Yan, Yang Quan (editors)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: March 1, 2006
Features: Since the introduction of Buddhist teachings during the reign of Emperor Ming and Yongping (58–75 AD) in the Han Dynasty, nearly two thousand years have passed, during which many men of high moral character and profound knowledge have entered the Buddhist fold. As a result, Buddhist teachings have been integrated into a vast territory spanning millions of square miles and have become the essence of traditional Chinese culture—a fact universally acknowledged and beyond dispute by the Chinese people. History relies on the accumulation of culture, and culture depends on the dissemination by scholars. Buddhism originated in India and declined there, but when it spread to China, it flourished. The reasons for this lie in the fact that our high monks and great masters, with their hidden tracks in the mountains and forests and their teachings spread across the world, have molded people's hearts and set an example for the world. Our peaceful and moderate national character owes much to this. The birth of the Buddha was a great cause for the world, and the successive lives of the high monks were small causes within this great cause. Unfortunately, the transmission of Buddhist teachings is profound and difficult to grasp, and the records are hidden in the scriptures, not widely known. Mr. Peng, following the world's circumstances, based on biographies, wrote this book in a popular style. It not only reveals the hidden brilliance of the profound virtues but also fulfills his compassionate wish to benefit society. His dedication to spreading the teachings is truly praiseworthy. Moreover, he selected forty people from the thousands of biographies of high monks from the Wei and Jin periods to the modern era, recorded their anecdotes, and compiled them into the book Legends and Stories of Famous Buddhist Masters in Chinese History.