Preface:
The spread of Buddhism in ancient India is usually divided into "northern Buddhism" and "southern Buddhism". Northern Buddhism came from North India, through Central Asia, and then from China to Japan, Korea and other places. China is the center of Northern Buddhism.
According to the language, Chinese Buddhism can be divided into Chinese Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism and Pali Buddhism (Southern Buddhism). Tibetan Buddhism is an important part of Chinese Buddhism and has ethnic characteristics in many regions. The Chinese Tang Dynasty was the peak period of Han Buddhism, and under the influence of political factors, Han Buddhism in the Tang Dynasty became an important help for the development and evolution of Buddhism in the Tubo region.
First, the fusion of Tubo Bon and Buddhism
The localization of Buddhism in the Tubo (Tibet) region is a long-term historical process, and Tibetan Buddhism has two important sources, one from Nepal and ancient India, and the other from the Tang Dynasty Chinese mainland. During the spread of Buddhism in the Tubo region of the Tang Dynasty, it interacted with the native religion (Bon) in Tibet, and gradually developed into Tibetan Buddhism with Tubo characteristics.
The Tibetan history book Wei Xie has a more comprehensive description of the development of Buddhism in Tubo, where Buddhism was not valued in the initial stage, and the Buddhist scriptures were only called "Nianbo Sangwa", a mysterious gift that fell from heaven. It was only during the reign of Songtsen Gampo that Buddhism began to exert social influence in Tubo.
Songtsen Gampo also brought Buddhism to Tubo when he asked to marry Princess Chizun and Princess Wencheng of Nepal. Buddhism first faced the Bon religion supported by the Tubo royal family, and Bon, as the "guardian of national affairs" of Tubo, has long been believed by the Yalong royal family.
A new "faith" is bound to be opposed by the "old forces." The game between Buddhism and Bon can be clearly demonstrated during the construction of Jokhang Temple and Jokhang Temple. Its main manifestations are the destruction of Buddhist monasteries by the old Bon followers of Tubo and the slander of Princess Wencheng who carries the statue of Shakyamuni Buddha.
When Songtsen Gampo intended for Tubo to accept Buddhism, he paid attention to the integration of Buddhism with Bon. For example, when the Jokhang Temple was built, the four doors were painted to express respect for the Bon master; The vajra pestle painted on the pillar satisfies the wishes of the Bon mantra masters; Yongzhong characters are drawn on the corners to appease Bon believers.
In addition to being unable to continue Bon as a "national protector," Songtsen Gampo has protected the interests of Bon believers in various other policies.
The confrontation between Buddhism and Bon promoted the integration of the two, and Buddhism began to gain a foothold in Tubo with the support of Songtsen Gampo.
Second, the influence of Han Buddhism on Tubo Buddhism in the Tang Dynasty
In the fourth year of Emperor Jinglong of Tang Zhongzong, Princess Jincheng married Tubo and in the eighth year of Tang Dezong's true yuan there was a gradual dispute between Tubo and Tubo, and during this period of 80 years, Han Buddhism gave Tubo Buddhism a more important influence. It is an important historical period for the localization of Buddhism in Tubo.
(1) Princess Jincheng and his pro-Tubo re-enshrined the 12-year-old Buddha statue of Shakyamuni and other figures
During the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Princess Jincheng married Tubo Zampu Chide Zuzan, just in time for the revival of Tubo Buddhism, "During the reign of Dusong Mangbu Jielongg, the Langdi Rizi Buddhist Hall was built." During the reign of Chide Zuzan, after marrying Princess Jincheng, he built Buddhist halls in Chimpunge, Zama Kaqu, Magong and other places."
Princess Jincheng assisted Zampu in establishing a number of Buddhist ancestral halls, especially the statue of Shakyamuni Buddha brought to Tubo by her aunt Princess Wencheng to Tubo and re-brought it to the Jokhang Temple for worship, which became a symbol of permanent faith and Buddhism flourishing in Tubo.
(2) The Tang Dynasty Han Buddhist classic "Ten Good Laws" was introduced to Tubo
When the prince of Chisong Dezan was four years old, the Tang monarch sent an envoy Ma Zhu to present a generous gift to the kingdom. Ma Zhu had a son named Kachu Kakan Sangxi, who became the prince's playmate.
As they were playing in the pond, some long red bugs crawled out of the mud, and the prince asked Sangxi, "If it was a great sin for your father to shoot four pigeons by horse rod, is it a sin for us to step on dead bugs now?" ”
Sangxi replied, "If these worms do not harm us, it is a great sin to kill us, and if these insects hurt us and kill it again, the grass can be nourished, and it is not a sin."
Sangxi went on to say that the original scripture in China is called the Hurga Sutra, and the ten good teachings in it speak of such deeds. This is a widely spread allusion in Tubo. The prince became interested in the "Ten Good Teachings", which later evolved into the Buddha's Ten Good Precepts
(3) Chinese Buddhist texts were translated into Tubo script
In his early years, Chide Zudan made it his mission to promote Buddhism, "obtaining the Golden Light Sutra and the Separate Karmic Laws Sutra from the Han Di Jingshi and translated by Sangxi, Jia Meiguo, Ananda of India, and all the scholars.
The translation of the Tubo Buddhist Sutra consists of two parts: translation from Sanskrit to Tubo and translation from Chinese to Tubo. Translators of Chinese Buddhist scriptures include Shukha Legong and others; He first translated the "Buddha Says Karma Sutra", and then translated many classic Buddhist scriptures such as "Buddha Says Rice Pole Sutra" and "Diamond Sutra".
On his deathbed, Yixi Wangpo (author of the Pa Xie) also said: "Now because all the monks have rejected the words of the Dunmen, they are all studying the sutras with devotion, and they cannot bear the responsibility of taking the sutras." I wanted to take all the Buddhist scriptures of Tianzhu and translate them, but the former Shri Nalanda Temple was burned and the classical Buddhist scriptures were burned. Today, Buddhism has emerged in the Han Dynasty, and the Buddhist texts have been preserved intact, but the Han Buddhist texts have not been translated, and I am very uneasy. ”
Two main points are highlighted here, one is that I wanted to translate all the Sanskrit Buddhist scriptures of Tianzhu into Tibetan, but unfortunately Nalanda Monastery suffered a fire, and the Sanskrit classics were incomplete; Second, the Chinese Buddhist scriptures are very complete, but unfortunately I was not able to engage in this business, which became a great regret in my heart. Propose the direction of efforts for follow-up workers to translate Chinese Buddhist scriptures.
(4) The construction of early temples in Tubo borrowed from the patterns of Bodhisattvas on Mount Wutai
"Wei Xie" said: "Sang Xi heard that the monks said that the True Sang Buddha Hall was demolished, and he felt very sorry in his heart. In order to better renovate the True Sam Buddha Hall, I went to the Great Hall of St. Manjushri on Mount Wutai to ask for drawings. The record of the "request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs" in the "Yuangui of the Book of Records" is clearer: "In September of the fourth year of Emperor Muzong's Changqing, Li Jincheng was played, and the Tubo region believed in Buddhism, and the envoys who came wanted to ask for the image of the Bodhisattva of Wutaishan and went back to copy the Buddha statue to use" The two history books confirmed each other.
(5) Princess Jin Cheng brought the "Sacrifice of Seven Sevens" into Tubo
"For the well-being of the undead in the land of Fandi, the princess changed the custom of not offering food to the Buddha statue and created a ritual of sacrificing the dead called 'Ci'", the Seven Seven Sacrifice is a sacrifice ceremony held by the people of the Central Plains to mourn the dead, and it was also introduced to Tubo with Princess Jincheng.
This custom has since taken root in Tibet and has been passed down for thousands of years, becoming an important part of traditional Tibetan culture. The Wei Xie also calls this custom "Zampuchid Zuzan's Dharma achievements during his reign, and nothing more."
Third, the practice of Buddhism localization in Tubo
The process of localization of Buddhism in Tibet has relatively clear practical methods, such as the following methods.
(1) Use Tibetan rather than Sanskrit to teach the teachings
According to the Wei Xie, after the construction of Samye Monastery, Shango began to teach Buddhism in Hindi, but many of the sons and nephews of Shang Shu such as Chen Longsi had a hard time learning because of the language barrier. The "comprehension" of the Tubo people's "Aba Ama dialect" (the native language of the Tubo people) can also express the meaning of the Dharma. So he continued his Dharma preaching in Tubo. The response to practical needs provided an opportunity for the creation of Buddhist culture, which had not been created for a long time. It stimulated the enthusiasm of the Tubo people to learn Buddhism.
(2) Using the Tubo people as the prototype to create Buddha and Bodhisattva statues
Buddhism was born in ancient India, and the use of Indian images by Buddha and Bodhisattva seems to be a matter of course, but there is a problem of aesthetic differences between places and acceptance in the hearts of the people. In order to better integrate Buddhism into Tubo, Shugu asked Zampu: "To make a statue, according to the physique of the Tianzhu people or the Tianzhu people?" "Shape it according to the physical appearance of the people, so that the underworld disciples can convert to the Dharma from now on." This is a historical record recorded in the "Wei Xie", Trisong Dezan decided to create the image of the Buddha and Bodhisattva based on the Tubo people, and the Han people were responsible for completing the sculpture of the Buddha and Bodhisattva.
(3) Buddhist hall architecture integrated into Tubo culture
The Samye Monastery, the earliest formal temple in Tibet, was not built exactly according to the temple style of Tianzhu, but borrowed and innovated, including the Han style in the interior of the Tang Dynasty and the Tibetan style in the Tubo region. Samye Monastery has three floors, the first floor is dominated by Tibetan style, the second floor is dominated by Han style, and the top floor is in Indian style. This architectural style that blends the three kingdoms is very rare, so it is also called "Three Temples"
(4) Select Buddhist scriptures suitable for Tubo for translation
Tubo's translation of Buddhist scriptures was based on the actual situation in Tibet at that time, and was not translated according to the order and importance of Buddhist scriptures. This initiative is an important part of the localization of Buddhism.
The Wei Xie records that the Indian Buddhist scriptures translated have four basic canons. It is not translated because it is known that the vows of the popular part, the theravada department, and the positive part are relatively broad in terms of meat eating and do not apply to Tubo. The Anu Yoga was preached to the lower castes of India at that time, and Tubo was taboo and not translated. The Buddhist sutra translations here took into account the food culture and psychological needs of Tubo, which accelerated the process of localization of Buddhism.
Epilogue:
The localization of Buddhism in Tibet is a very complex and long historical process, in addition to the integration of Tubo Bon, it was also deeply influenced by Han Buddhism during the Tang Dynasty, and the Tubo monarchs who supported Buddhism also took corresponding measures, and finally became the Tibetan Buddhism we know today. It has also allowed Buddhism to play its due social value in Tibet.
Bibliography:
《Wei Xie》
"The Legend of the Tubo Monk"
"The Magic Treasure of the Ages"