Nan Huaijin Selected Works. Volume 7

Author: Nan Huaijin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-07-01
Features: Nan Huaijin, a renowned scholar with a high reputation both in China and abroad, was born in 1918 into a scholarly family in Leqing County, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. At the age of 85, he was nurtured by his family's teachings in his youth and studied the works of the Hundred Schools of Thought. When the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out, the young Nan Huaijin took up arms and rode horses to the southwestern frontier. Later, he returned to Sichuan and taught at the Central Military Academy and Jinling University. Possessing extraordinary talent and detachment from worldly affairs, he often traveled with straw sandals and bamboo canes, exploring famous mountains and rivers to seek out eminent monks and scholars. He once retreated to the Pingping Temple on Mount Emei for three years of seclusion, thoroughly reading the vast Buddhist canon. He then traveled to Tibet, visiting great masters of Vajrayana Buddhism and deeply studying the doctrines of all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. After leaving Tibet, he went to Kunming, initially teaching at Yunnan University and later at Sichuan University. After the war, he returned to his hometown. Soon after, he retired to Mount Tianzhu in Hangzhou and Mount Lu in Jiangxi, dedicating himself to scholarly pursuits. After moving to Taiwan, he was appointed to teach at Cultural University, Fu Jen University, and other universities and research institutes, spreading his knowledge to Japan, the United States, and Central and South America. In recent years, he has resided in Hong Kong, contributing significantly to cultural exchange between the two shores of the Taiwan Strait. Nan Huaijin is well-versed in classics, history, and philosophy, bridging Eastern and Western cultures with profound knowledge and numerous works. Especially notable is his approach of combining classics and history to explain the canons of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. With extensive references and vivid, humorous explanations, he has achieved remarkable success in popularizing traditional Chinese culture, readers on both sides of the strait. Fudan University Press is the earliest publisher of Nan Huaijin's works in China and the publisher with the most extensive and varied collection of his writings. The total number of his published works is twenty-four, most of which are his representative works. With the authorization of the author and the original publisher, these works have been compiled into ten volumes, beautifully bound to meet the needs of readers for reading and collecting. The contents of each volume are as follows:
Volume 1: The Analects Decoded
Volume 2: The Way of Lao Tzu and Confucius and Mencius Unbound
Volume 3: The I Ching Unbound and Commentary on the I Ching
Volume 4: Zen and Taoism and Taoism, Vajrayana Buddhism, and Eastern Esotericism and Meditation for Self-Cultivation and Longevity
Volume 5: Exploring the Zen Sea and Zen Talks and An Outline of the Development of Buddhism in China and An Outline of the Development of Taoism in China
Volume 6: Experiences from History and A New Generation Between Tradition and Modernity and General Remarks on Chinese Culture
Volume 7: How to Practice and Attain Enlightenment and The Perspective of the Sariputra Sutra and Basic Beliefs of a Buddhist
Volume 8: What the Diamond Sutra Means and Interpretation of the Lankavatara Sutra
Volume 9: A Brief Explanation of the Samadhi Sutra and Initial Practices of Meditation and Interpretation of the Lankavatara Sutra
Volume 10: The Original Meaning of the Great Learning
Buddhism calls "Precepts" (ethical discipline), "Meditation" (mindfulness), and "Wisdom" (insight) the "Three Trainings," believing that all practices are encompassed within them and should be diligently cultivated. Among these, precepts and meditation pertain to practical cultivation, while wisdom pertains to theoretical contemplation. Renowned scholar Nan Huaijin, while in Taipei, once delivered a series of lectures on the theme of "How to Practice and Attain Enlightenment" to his students, totaling twenty-eight sessions. These lectures, recorded and compiled, form the basis of this book (originally titled The Path of Integrating Esoteric and Exoteric Practices). Focusing on "Understanding" (philosophy), "Practice" (cultivation), and "Action" (aspiration), the book explains Buddhist practices in a concise and clear manner, using texts such as the Lankavatara Sutra, the Lotus Sutra, the Ekottara Agama, the Sukhāvatīvyūha Sutra, the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Compendium of the Stages of the Practice of the Bodhisattva, the Stages of Meditation, the Mirror of the Mind (Zong Jing Lu), the Record of the Moonlight (Zhi Yue Lu), the Comprehensive Treatise on the Stages of Vajrayana Practice, and the Comprehensive Treatise on the Stages of the Bodhisattva Path. The book includes key points and illustrative examples. Since its publication, it has not only garnered widespread attention on both sides of the Taiwan Strait but has also been translated into English and spread to Western countries. With the authorization of the author and the original publisher, Taiwan Lao Gu Cultural Enterprises, this book has been reprinted and published in its latest edition (2001) for research purposes.
The Sariputra Sutra is an important classic revered by both the (exoteric) and (esoteric) branches of Chinese Buddhism and has had a significant impact on Buddhist history. There are three translations of the Sariputra Sutra: the Sutra on the Great Vows of the Medicine Buddha translated by Dharma Master Darmagupta in the Sui Dynasty (one volume), the Sutra on the Merits and Vows of the Medicine Buddha of Lapis Lazuli translated by Xuanzang in the Tang Dynasty (one volume), and the Sutra on the Merits and Vows of the Seven Buddhas of the Medicine Buddha of Lapis Lazuli translated by I-ching in the Tang Dynasty (one volume). The Sariputra Sutra commonly referred to is Xuanzang's translation. The text primarily discusses the "Twelve Great Vows" of the Medicine Buddha for the benefit of all sentient beings. This book is a lecture record by renowned scholar Nan Huaijin on the Sariputra Sutra. The author connects his life experiences and the world around him to provide an in-depth and nuanced explanation of the Buddhist tradition of benefiting others. With the authorization of the author and the original publisher, Taiwan Lao Gu Cultural Enterprises, this book has been reprinted and published in its latest edition (2001) for research purposes.
The Universal Gateway of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva ( The Great Vehicle of Universal Wisdom and Compassion, Entering the Realm of Inconceivable Liberation, the Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva) was originally the last volume of the Avatamsaka Sutra translated by Panro in the Tang Dynasty. It quickly became a separate scripture and was widely disseminated due to its "excellent literary and philosophical quality" and its "relevance to daily life" (as noted by Zhi Xi in the Ming Dynasty). The text primarily discusses the "Ten Great Practices and Vows" of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, and the daily recitation of the Ten Great Practices and Vows in Buddhist temples originates from this scripture. This book is a lecture record by renowned scholar Nan Huaijin on the Universal Gateway of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (originally titled Basic Beliefs of a Buddhist—Lecture Record on the Universal Gateway of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva). The author explains the essence and meaning of the scripture in a colloquial style, offering fresh insights into its verses, which are often difficult for ordinary readers to understand. The book also includes various materials related to "practices and vows" (cultivation and aspirations). The "basic beliefs" in the title refer to "practices and vows." With the authorization of the author and the original publisher, Taiwan Lao Gu Cultural Enterprises, this book has been reprinted and published in its latest edition (2001) for research purposes.