Buddhism is one of the three major religions in the world, originating in ancient India and founded by Gautama Buddha. The core teachings of Buddhism include the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and dependent voidness.
Buddhism emphasizes inner peace and liberation through personal practice and enlightenment. Methods of practice include vows, meditation, and the cultivation of Prajna wisdom. Buddhists believe in achieving nirvana through the elimination of afflictions and ignorance, thereby freeing them from the suffering of samsara.
Buddhism has developed a variety of schools and traditions in different regions and cultures, such as Chinese Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, and Southern Buddhism. Each sect has its own unique teachings, methods of practice, and temple system.
Buddhism has had a profound impact on the culture, philosophy, art, and social life of many countries. It teaches people to care for others, to be compassionate, to respect life, and to pursue wisdom.
Buddhism has a long history and has many important figures, here are 10 famous Buddhist figures:
1. Shakyamuni:
The founder of Buddhism, he is revered as the Buddha. He taught Buddhism in India from the 6th century BC to the 5th century BC.
Shakyamuni, whose original name was Siddhartha Gautama, was the founder of Buddhism. He was born in the ancient Indian kingdom of Kapila and lived around the 6th to 5th centuries BC.
At a young age, Shakyamuni had a deep reflection on the sufferings of life and began to seek a path to liberation. After years of practice and asceticism, he finally came to his senses under the Bodhi tree and realized the truth of Buddhism.
Shakyamuni's teachings emphasize the attainment of liberation through the inner practice and enlightenment of the individual. He taught people to cultivate kindness, compassion, and wisdom through the three disciplines of precepts, concentration, and wisdom. He advocated a middle-of-the-road lifestyle and avoided extreme indulgence and asceticism.
Shakyamuni's teachings were passed down and developed among his disciples, forming various schools and traditions of Buddhism. His ideas have had a profound impact on the culture and philosophy of many countries in Asia.
2. Nagarjuna:
An important thinker of the Madhyamaka school of Indian Buddhism, he made important contributions to the development and spread of Buddhism.
Nagarjuna is an important figure in the history of Buddhism and is revered as the "Second Shakya". He was an Indian Buddhist philosopher and thinker between the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.
Nagarjuna made an important contribution to the development of the Madhyamaka school of Buddhism. The Madhyamaka school emphasizes the analysis of the nature and relativity of things to break people's attachment and prejudice against things. Nagarjuna's writings include The Treatise on the Middle and The Treatise on Great Wisdom, which have had a profound influence on later Buddhist philosophy and practice.
Nagarjuna's thought emphasizes the concept of dependent arising voidness and the middle path. He believed that everything is interdependent and interrelated, and that there is no essence of independent existence. By understanding the emptiness of things, one can get rid of attachment and suffering, and attain the state of liberation.
Nagarjuna's teachings were widely spread in Buddhism and had an important influence on Tibetan Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism, and other Buddhist traditions. His ideas are regarded as important teachings on wisdom and liberation in Buddhism.
3. Xuanzang:
A high-ranking monk of the Tang Dynasty in China, he went to India to learn scriptures and translated a large number of Buddhist scriptures, which had a profound impact on the development of Buddhism in China.
Xuanzang was a high-ranking monk in the Tang Dynasty of China and an important figure in the history of Chinese Buddhism.
Xuanzang's common surname is Chen, his name is Yi, he was in the Tang Taizong period, in order to seek the true scriptures of Buddhism, he resolutely embarked on the journey of westward learning scriptures. He went through hardships, traversed deserts and mountains, and after years of hard work, finally reached India.
During his stay in India, Xuanzang was well-read and well-informed, visited many Buddhist holy places and eminent monks, and studied Buddhist scriptures and teachings. He brought back a large number of Buddhist scriptures, which he carefully translated and interpreted, and made great contributions to the development of Buddhism in China.
Xuanzang's translation work has been hailed as a great undertaking in the history of Buddhism. His translations include the Great Prajna Sutra and the Heart Sutra, which have had a profound impact on the theory and practice of Chinese Buddhism. His doctrine emphasizes the attainment of liberation and enlightenment through the in-depth study of Buddhist scriptures and the practice of practice.
Xuanzang's spirit and deeds are also deeply admired and praised by people. His tenacity, erudition, and dedication to Buddhism became an example for future generations to follow.
Xuanzang was not only an outstanding Buddhist scholar, but also an envoy of cultural exchanges between China and India. His trip to the west to learn from the scriptures promoted cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between China and India, and laid the foundation for friendship between the two peoples.
4. Huineng:
The patriarch of Chinese Zen Buddhism, his teachings emphasized the attainment of enlightenment through direct experience and epiphany.
Huineng, commonly known as Lu, is the sixth ancestor of Chinese Zen Buddhism and is regarded as one of the main representatives of Zen Buddhism.
Born in 638 AD, Huineng is said to have been originally an illiterate woodcutter, but with his talent and understanding, he grasped the essence of Zen Buddhism. His teachings emphasize liberation through direct experience and inner enlightenment, rather than relying on scriptures and texts.
Huineng's main contribution lies in his development and spread of Zen Buddhism. His teachings emphasize epiphany, that is, the attainment of inner liberation through instantaneous realization. He advocates facing the reality of the moment directly, without being bound by concepts and thinking.
Huineng's words and deeds are recorded in the Tanjing, one of the most important scriptures of Zen Buddhism. His ideas had a profound influence on the later development of Zen Buddhism, and also had a wide influence on Chinese culture and philosophy.
Huineng's teachings emphasize the inner consciousness and autonomy of the individual, and encourage people to explore the truth through their own practice and experience. His teachings have an important enlightening effect on people's pursuit of inner peace, transcendence of troubles, and the realization of spiritual freedom.
5. Kumarosh:
He was a translator of Buddhist scriptures during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and he translated many important Buddhist scriptures, which played an important role in the spread of Buddhism in China.
Kumarosh (344–413 CE), known as Kumārajīva in Sanskrit, meaning "Tong Shou," was an outstanding translator of Buddhist scriptures in the Later Qin during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Born in the Western Regions of Qiuzi (present-day Kucha, Xinjiang), he was gifted and proficient in Sanskrit and Chinese from an early age.
Kumarosh played an important role in the spread of Buddhism. He traveled extensively in Central Asia, India and other places, studying Buddhist scriptures extensively. Later Qin Emperor Yao Xing welcomed him to Chang'an and organized a large-scale translation field, where Kumarosh presided over the translation of a large number of Buddhist classics, including the Diamond Sutra, the Great Pin Prajna Sutra, and the Vima Sutra. His translation work has had a profound impact on the spread and development of Buddhism in China, and has laid the foundation for the formation and development of various schools of Buddhism in China.
Kumarosh's translation style is known for its accuracy, conciseness, and fluency, and his translations have been hailed as "new translations" that have had an important influence on later Buddhist translations. He was not only an outstanding translator, but also a master of Buddhism with a deep understanding and interpretation of Buddhist teachings.
Kumarosh's contributions are not only in the field of Buddhism, but his translation work has also promoted the exchange and integration of Chinese and Indian cultures. His name occupies an important place in the history of Chinese Buddhism and is revered as "a monk through the ages".
6. Bodhidharma Patriarch:
One of the patriarchs of Chinese Zen Buddhism, he is said to have introduced Zen Buddhism from India to China.
Bodhidharma Patriarch, also known as Dharma Doro or Dharma Polo, is often considered the ancestor of Chinese Zen Buddhism. There are various legends and accounts of his life, but there is no conclusive historical evidence.
According to legend, the Bodhidharma Patriarch was a native of Southern Tianzhu (present-day India) who came to China during the Northern and Southern Dynasties (c. 5th-6th centuries AD). He spent nine years in Songshan Shaolin Temple and taught Zen Buddhism, creating a precedent for Zen Buddhism in China.
Patriarch Bodhidharma's Zen teachings emphasize achieving liberation through direct experience and inner awareness. His teachings emphasize going beyond words and concepts and directly into true nature. His Zen ideas had a profound impact on the development of Buddhism in China and had an important inspiration for the later schools of Zen Buddhism.
Although there may be some legends in the specific life and deeds of Patriarch Bodhidharma, his important position in the development of Zen Buddhism in China cannot be ignored. His ideas and teachings also had a wide influence on Chinese culture and philosophy.
7. Monks:
A high monk in the Tang Dynasty, he was revered as the embodiment of "Guanyin Bodhisattva", and his deeds were widely spread among the people.
The Sangha, also known as the Great Sage of Sizhou, was a high-ranking monk in the Tang Dynasty. There are many legends and myths about his life.
According to legend, the Sangha was born in the Western Regions and later traveled to China. He preached the Dharma extensively in the Jianghuai region and was deeply admired by the people. The Sangha is believed to have supernatural and supernatural powers, capable of healing the sick and saving people, and praying for rain to ward off disasters. His good deeds and compassionate spirit are widely praised and he is regarded as an incarnation of a bodhisattva.
The image of the sangha is often seen in Buddhist art, and is often depicted as a monk wearing a robe and holding a rosary or staff. He is revered as one of the Buddhist protector deities, and many temples and devotees will enshrine his image.
8. Atisha:
An important patriarch of the Kadampa school of Tibetan Buddhism has had a profound influence on the development of Tibetan Buddhism.
Atisha, also known as Burning Lamp Wisdom and Bodhi Light, was a famous Buddhist master in India in the 11th century. He had a profound influence on the development of Buddhism in Tibet.
Atisha was born in the East Indian kingdom of Sahara and displayed extraordinary talent and wisdom at a young age. He studied Buddhist scriptures extensively and became a prominent scholar at Nalanda Monastery. Later, at the invitation of the Guge dynasty in Tibet's Ali region, he went to Tibet to spread Buddhism.
Atisha's teachings emphasize the stages and methods of practice, focusing on practice and the guidance of the stages. His teaching system, known as the Kadam School, had an important influence on the later schools of Tibetan Buddhism. His works include The Lamp of the Bodhi Path, which has become an important classic of Tibetan Buddhism.
The arrival of Venerable Atisha brought new vitality and development to Tibetan Buddhism. His teachings, which focused on precepts, bodhichitta and the notion of dependent voidness, had a profound impact on both the theory and practice of Tibetan Buddhism. His lineage is regarded as one of the important traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and is still widely respected and practiced today.
Atisha's life is full of legends, and his wisdom and compassion are revered by many people. His teachings and methods provided important guidance for later Tibetan Buddhist practitioners and made an indelible contribution to the development of Tibetan culture and spirituality.
9. Lama Tsongkhapa:
The founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, his teachings and teachings played an important role in promoting the development of Tibetan Buddhism.
Lama Tsongkhapa is the founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and is revered as the "Second Buddha". His life story and teachings have had a profound impact on the development of Tibetan Buddhism.
Born in 1357 near Ta'er Monastery in Qinghai, Lama Tsongkhapa was an intelligent and intelligent child, showing a keen interest in Buddhism. In his youth, he studied Buddhist scriptures extensively, visited eminent monks of various sects, and absorbed the essence of the teachings of various sects.
In order to reform some of the shortcomings of Tibetan Buddhism at that time, Lama Tsongkhapa advocated strict precepts and an emphasis on the study of scriptures and the practice of practice. He presented the teachings and methods of practice of the Gelug school, emphasizing the attainment of inner enlightenment through systematic study and practice.
Lama Tsongkhapa wrote extensively, the most famous of which is The Lamrim. This work systematically expounds the stages and methods of Buddhist practice and becomes the core of the Gelugpa teachings.
Lama Tsongkhapa had many disciples, the most famous of which were the Dalai Lama and Panchen Erdeni. Under his leadership, the Gelug sect grew to become one of the most influential sects in Tibetan Buddhism.
Tsongkhapa's teachings emphasize the combination of wisdom and compassion, as well as the inner cultivation and social responsibility of the individual. His ideas have also had a wide influence on Tibetan culture, philosophy, and art.
10. Master of Taixu:
The advocate of the reform of modern Chinese Buddhism put forward the concept of "human Buddhism", which had a positive impact on the development of modern Buddhism.
Master Taixu, commonly known as Lü Wei, was an advocate and practitioner of the reform of modern Chinese Buddhism and an important promoter of the modernization of Chinese Buddhism.
Born in 1890, Master Taixu devoted himself to the revolution at an early age and later became a monk. He devoted himself to the reform and revitalization of Buddhism, and put forward the concept of "human Buddhism", advocating that Buddhism should pay attention to social reality and actively participate in social change.
Master Taixu devoted his life to Buddhist education, Dharma propagation and international exchanges. He founded a number of Buddhist colleges and universities and trained a large number of Buddhist talents; It has organized many Dharma propagation activities to promote the popularization and development of Buddhism; Actively carrying out international Buddhist exchanges has enhanced the influence of Chinese Buddhism in the world.
Master Taixu's thought and practice had a profound impact on the modernization process of Chinese Buddhism. The concept of "human Buddhism" advocated by him emphasizes the close integration of Buddhism with society, so that Buddhism can better adapt to the development of the times and the needs of society.
Master Taixu is also an outstanding scholar and thinker, who has in-depth research and unique insights into Buddhist teachings, religious history, and religious systems. His abundant works, including The Complete Book of Master Taixu, are of great reference value for the study of Buddhism.
These 10 are famous Buddhist figures, and there are many other important thinkers, practitioners, and preachers in Buddhism.