Buddhism, together with Christianity and Islam, is one of the three major religions in the world. The founder of Buddhism, Shakyamuni, was born in Lumbini, in present-day Nepal. Spreading throughout China during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Buddhism reached its peak during the Sui and Tang dynasties in China.
Today we will take a look at the system formed after the introduction of Buddhism into China and the integration of traditional Chinese culture.
Let's introduce them separately according to the level of hierarchy, although all sentient beings are equal, but there is no level, and such a large group is not easy to manage and adjust.
First, buddha
Buddhas are further divided into horizontal and vertical Buddhas. Vertical Iii Buddhas are classified by time, and Horizontal III Buddhas are classified by region.
It is more reasonable to describe it as a group.
Erection III Buddha. In the past, the Buddha was the ancient Buddha of the Burning Lamp, and he was the last chairman of Buddhism, and now he has abdicated. The current chairman is the present Buddha, Shakyamuni, or The Buddha of Rulai (this is the chinese name). The future Buddha Maitreya Buddha is the prince of the group and the future chairman of the group.
Heng III Buddha. The group is now developing very well, and one chairman cannot manage such a large territory, so there are now three executive chairmen: the Medicine Buddha, who is in charge of the Eastern Glass World, the Shakyamuni Buddha, who is in charge of the World of Shuva, and the Amitabha Buddha, who is in charge of the Western Elysium. And the world of the squirrel is the real world we are in now.
2. Bodhisattvas
Bodhisattvas are also the backbone of Buddhism and are the managers of the entire Buddhist group. There are eight great bodhisattvas, namely: Guanyin Bodhisattva, Jizo King Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Puxian Bodhisattva, Lingji Bodhisattva, Dashizhi Bodhisattva, Nikko Bodhisattva, and Moonlight Bodhisattva.
Among them, the influence of Guanyin Bodhisattva in China is very large, and the Jizo King Bodhisattva's "hell is not empty, and the oath is not a Buddha" is also respected by the Chinese people.
Three, eighteen arhats
The Eighteen Arhats, in fact, when Buddhism had just come to the temple, there were only sixteen Arhats at the beginning, and these sixteen Arhats were the disciples of the Buddha.
His Holiness Bintou Lu, His Holiness Rahu Luo, and sixteen others were scattered in Zhuzhu... Guarding the Dharma. - "Into mahayana"
The Buddha instructed these sixteen arhats to reside in the world to guard the Dharma and benefit sentient beings. The sixteen arhats are: Tota Arhat, Detective Arhat, Cross River Arhat, Basho Arhat, Jingzao Arhat, Riding Elephant Arhat, Watchman Arhat, Lifting Bowl Arhat, Cloth Bag Arhat, Long-Brow Arhat, Happy Arhat, Festive Arhat, Ear Digger Arhat, Laughing Lion Arhat, Contemplative Arhat, Riding Deer Arhat.
Partial map of the Sixteen Arhats of the Qing Dynasty
Introduced to China, there are two more arhats, namely: descending dragon arhat and Fuhu arhat.
4. Protector of the Dharma
The protectors of Buddhism, also known as protectors or protectors, have the duty to uphold the Buddha's Dharma.
In ancient Indian Buddhism, there were many protectors of the Dharma, all from Hinduism or folk mythology. After it was introduced to China, it was not the protector of the ancient Indian protector god, and many of the protector images were some of the figures of traditional Chinese culture.
1. The Four Heavenly Kings
Also known as the Four Great Vajra Protectors. They are: the Heavenly King of the Eastern Kingdom, the Southern Growth Heavenly King, the Western Guangmu Heavenly King, and the Northern Duowen Heavenly King. The four heavenly kings also guarded four continents: Dongsheng Shenzhou, NanzhanbuZhou, West NiuheZhou, and Beiju Luzhou.
The four heavenly kings are responsible for four fields, namely: wind, tone, rain, and shun.
2. Revelation of the Five Directions
The Five Truths are the Protectors of Hercules in Buddhism. They are: The Truth of Light, the Truth of silver head, the Truth of Polo, the Truth of Polo, and the Truth of Maha.
3. The Twelve Gods will
The Twelve Divine Generals are the Twelve Vajrayogini Bodhisattvas under the Medicine Buddha, also known as the Twelve Divine Kings.
At that time, there were twelve medicine fork generals in the crowd, all of whom sat in the meeting, so-called:
Grand Admiral Gong Piluo, Grand Admiral Vajrayogini,
Admiral Andrew, Admiral Andrew,
You General Luo, Admiral Sandiros,
Admiral Indaro, Admiral Poirot,
Admiral Mohuro, Admiral Jindaro,
Admiral Zhao Duro, Admiral Vishnu.
These twelve medicine fork generals, each with seven thousand medicine forks, thought to be dependents. —— "Medicine Man Ruri Guang Rulai Hongan Meritorious Sutra"
4. Eighteen Jia Blue
The EighteenThrayana, originally a deity in ancient India, later became the protector of Buddhism. Their responsibility refers to supporting the Dharma and maintaining the normal activities of the temple.
There are eighteen guardians of the Sangha Blue God: one Mei Yin, two Sanskrit, three Tiangu, four Sighs, five Sighs, six Mo Miao, seven Lei Yin, eight Masters, nine Miao, ten Brahmans, eleven Voices, twelve Buddha Nu, thirteen Chants, fourteen Guangmu, fifteen Miao-eyes, sixteen Thorough-Hearing, seventeen Penetrating Eyes, and eighteen Omniscient Beings. - The Mantra of the Seven Buddhas and Eight Bodhisattvas
5. Twenty-four heavens
The heavens refer to the Buddhist protectors of the gods. When Buddhism was first introduced to China, there were only sixteen heavens. Later, after it was introduced to China, eight more were added, and the Taoist Ziwei Emperor, Dongyue Emperor, Thunder God, and so on were also added, and twenty-four were added.
6. Tianlong Eight
The Eight Parts of the Heavenly Dragon, also known as the Eight Parts of the People, the Eight Parts of the Dragon God. They are: Celestial Beings, Dragons, Night Fork (demigods), Gandhara (God of Pleasure), Asura (Evil God), Garoulo (Golden-winged Bird God), Kinnara (God of Song), and Maharaja (Great Python God).
7. The Ten Heavenly Kings of Yama
Regarding the Ten Heavenly Kings, some people say that they are Taoist, some say that they are Buddhist, and there are many opinions, and the public says that the public is reasonable and the right is reasonable.
In fact, both of these statements are correct, and the kings listen to me.
The Underworld Mansion is a Taoist mythological system. King Yama is a deity in the Buddhist mythological system, based on the supreme god of the underworld in ancient Indian mythology, the Yama Demon King.
Later, Buddhism was integrated into China, and Taoism incorporated the King of Yan Luo and became the fifth temple of The King of Yama. At this point, the title of the supreme god of the underworld of the Yama King was stripped away and became the fifth temple Yama King in the huge nether system.
Later, there was a story, that is, the legend that the king of Yama was the first temple Yama, and later for some reason became the mythical story of the fifth temple Yama.
Therefore, the previous two statements are correct. But in the nether realm, except for the Jizo King Bodhisattva, all the gods, including emperor Fengdu, Luo Feng Six Days, the four judges, the five ghost emperors, the ten yin shuai, and so on, are all gods of the Taoist mythological system.
Although Buddhism in the Chinese mythological system is not a native religion, after thousands of years of absorption and integration, it has formed a religion with traditional Chinese cultural characteristics.
The next issue introduces the Buddhist mythological world geographical architecture system. Welcome to comment area message [rose]
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