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Editor: Wise Evening Breeze Roy
Buddhism is a religion of Indian origin, and its founder was Shakyamuni Buddha, who discovered the truth of life and the way to liberation through his own enlightenment around the 6th century BC.
Buddhism was later introduced to China, and after continuous integration and innovation, a variety of schools and branches were formed, such as Han Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Southern Buddhism, etc. Buddhism has a long and rich history and culture, and it has had a profound impact on Chinese thought, art, politics and society.
However, Buddhism is not a perfect religion, and it has its own problems and challenges. In Chinese history, there have been many incidents of rulers or people suppressing or eliminating Buddhism, such as the extermination of Buddhism during the Taiyuan period of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the extermination of Buddha during the reign of Taiping Zhenjun of Northern Wei, the extermination of Buddha during the Huichang period of Tang Wuzong, and the extermination of Buddha during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty.
Behind these events, there are complex and profound reasons and effects. So, how scary is Buddhism? Why is there a history of Buddha annihilation? This article will explore this issue from the following aspects:
The conflict between Buddhism and politics
As a foreign religion, Buddhism inevitably clashed with China's native political system and cultural traditions in the process of spreading and developing in China.
On the one hand, Buddhism has certain influences and requirements on political power, and it hopes that political power can protect and support the spread and development of Buddhism, can follow and implement Buddhist morality and laws, and can respect and promote the Buddhist monastic community and believers.
On the other hand, political power has a certain degree of control and use over Buddhism, and it hopes that Buddhism can obey and cooperate with the rule and interests of political power, can regulate and appease the opponents and opponents of political power, and can enhance and expand the prestige and influence of political power.
This creates a delicate and tense relationship, and when the two sides can achieve a certain balance and coordination, there will be cooperation and win-win between political power and Buddhism; When there is a certain imbalance and contradiction between the two sides, there will be confrontation and conflict between political power and Buddhism.
For example, during the Taiyuan period of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (376-396), due to the political turmoil at that time, the emperor was unable to control the local princes, resulting in the local princes rushing to attack each other. One of them was a former Qin king named Fu Jian, who unified most of the northern region in an attempt to go south to destroy the Eastern Jin Dynasty and establish a unified empire.
Before he went south, he had ordered the nationwide extermination of Buddha, and his reasoning was: Buddhism is a foreign cult, it goes against traditional Chinese Confucian and Taoist thought, it tempts many people to give up family and social responsibilities, it wastes a lot of manpower and material resources to build monasteries and shape Buddha statues, it undermines social order and stability, it hinders the unity and strength of the country.
Therefore, he ordered all the monks to be secular, all monasteries to be demolished, and all Buddha statues to be destroyed. This was the first large-scale extermination of Buddha in Chinese history.
The conflict between Buddhism and economics
Buddhism, as a religion of faith, inevitably clashed with China's indigenous economic system and cultural traditions in the process of spreading and developing in China.
On the one hand, Buddhism has a certain demand and consumption of economic wealth, which it needs to build and maintain Buddhist monasteries and pagodas, to manufacture and provide Buddhist Buddha statues and ritual vessels, to sponsor and support Buddhist monks and believers.
On the other hand, economic wealth has a certain attraction and influence on Buddhism, which can enable Buddhism to get more followers and donations, and can make Buddhism have more power and status.
This creates a relationship of both dependence and resistance, and when the two sides can achieve a certain balance and coordination, there will be mutual benefit and coexistence between economic wealth and Buddhism; When there is a certain imbalance and contradiction between the two sides, there will be a competition and conflict between economic wealth and Buddhism.
For example, during the reign of Emperor Wuzong of Tang (841-846), due to the empty treasury and the hardship of the people, the emperor wanted to increase fiscal revenue and reduce the burden on the people. He discovered that Buddhism possessed a large amount of land, houses, gold, silver, jewelry, and other property, and did not pay taxes or serve in the military, and also enjoyed preferential treatment and subsidies from the government.
He believed that this was unfair and irresponsible to the state and society, and he ordered the extermination of Buddhism nationwide, his reasoning was: Buddhism is a useless and harmful religion, it goes against the traditional Chinese worship of ancestors and heaven and earth, it wastes the wealth and resources of the state and society, it disrupts the legal system and order of the state and society, and it hinders the progress and development of the country and society.
Therefore, he ordered all monks to be restored, all monasteries confiscated, and all Buddha statues destroyed. This was the largest extermination of Buddhism in Chinese history.
Buddhism and the clash of cultures
Buddhism, as a cultural religion, inevitably clashed with China's native cultural forms and cultural contents in the process of spreading and developing in China.
On the one hand, Buddhism has a certain creation and contribution to cultural expression, and it introduces new cultural elements and styles, such as Sanskrit, Sanskrit, Brahma, Sanskrit painting, etc.;
It has developed new cultural fields and types, such as Buddhist scriptures, Buddhist treatises, Buddhist history, Buddhist traditions, etc.; It creates new cultural symbols and meanings, such as Buddha light, Buddha appearance, Buddha trumpet, Buddha yuan, etc. On the other hand, cultural expression has certain restrictions and influences on Buddhism.
It is constrained and restricted by existing cultural forms and contents, such as Chinese characters, Chinese, Hanle, Hanhua, etc.; It has been challenged and impacted by existing cultural concepts and values, such as Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, etc.
This creates a relationship that is both integrated and opposed, and when the two sides can achieve a certain balance and coordination, there will be interaction and symbiosis between cultural expression and Buddhism; When there is a certain imbalance and contradiction between the two sides, there will be exclusion and resistance between cultural expression and Buddhism.
For example, during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty (1522-1566), due to the increasingly corrupt social atmosphere and the spread of folk beliefs, the emperor wanted to restore Confucian orthodoxy and rectify folk customs.
He found that Buddhism had a great cultural influence, spreading its teachings and ideas through various forms and contents, such as books, plays, poetry, paintings, etc.
He believes that this is the erosion and destruction of Confucian culture, it confuses people's thinking and understanding, it distorts people's morality and behavior, and it damages the culture and education of the state and society.
Therefore, he ordered the nationwide extermination of Buddha, on the grounds that Buddhism is a heresy and heresy, it violates traditional Chinese rituals and musical laws, it tarnishes traditional Chinese literature and art, and it endangers traditional Chinese sacrifices and gods. Therefore, he ordered all the monks to return to the laity, all the sutras to be burned, and all the Buddha statues to be destroyed. This was the last large-scale extermination of Buddha in Chinese history.
The conflict between Buddhism and society
As a social religion, Buddhism inevitably clashed with China's native social structure and social relations in the process of spreading and developing in China.
On the one hand, Buddhism has certain influences and requirements on social order, and it hopes that social order can conform to and embody Buddhist ideals and goals, can guarantee and promote the survival and development of Buddhist monastic groups and believers, and can respect and support Buddhist activities and causes.
On the other hand, social order has certain norms and restrictions on Buddhism, which requires Buddhism to be able to adapt to and obey the rules and interests of social order, to regulate and appease the contradictions and conflicts of social order, and to enhance and maintain the stability and coordination of social order.
This creates a relationship that is both cooperative and competitive, and when the two sides can achieve a certain balance and coordination, there will be complementarity and co-prosperity between the social order and Buddhism; When there is a certain imbalance and contradiction between the two sides, there will be exclusion and oppression between social order and Buddhism.
For example, during the reign of the Taiping Zhenjun of Northern Wei (445-452), due to the decline of national strength and the hardship of the people's livelihood, the emperor wanted to restore the country's strength and rectify the people's livelihood.
He found that Buddhism has great influence in society, and it influences and changes the structure and relations of society through various ways and means, such as the sangha, tanyue, benefactors, believers, etc.; It influences and changes the ethos and customs of society through various activities and undertakings, such as almsgiving, confession, worship, prayer, etc.
He believes that this is disloyalty and disobedience to the state and society, it weakens the authority and discipline of the state and society, it disperses the power and resources of the state and society, it disturbs the legal system and order of the state and society, and it hinders the unity and development of the state and society.
Therefore, he ordered the extermination of Buddha throughout the country, and his reasoning was: Buddhism is an unhelpful and harmful religion, it violates traditional Chinese filial piety and loyalty, it destroys the traditional Chinese family and society, it misleads traditional Chinese human ethics and morality, therefore, he orders all monks to be secular, all monasteries confiscated, and all Buddha statues destroyed. This was the most tragic extermination of Buddhism in Chinese history.
epilogue
Through the above analysis, we can see that Buddhism is a multifaceted religion with its own advantages and disadvantages, its own problems and challenges. There is no simple or definitive answer to how terrible Buddhism is, but to judge and evaluate it according to different angles and criteria.
For some people, Buddhism can be a terrible religion because it brings them some confusion, stress, contradictions, conflicts, and so on. For another segment of the population, Buddhism may be a trustworthy religion because it brings them some inspiration, comfort, guidance, help, and so on.
In any case, Buddhism is a religion worthy of our respect and learning, it has a long and rich history and culture, it has a deep and universal philosophy and wisdom, it has a wide and diverse spread and influence.
We should approach and understand Buddhism with an open and critical mind, and treat and communicate with Buddhism in an equal and harmonious manner.