Chapter 17 2. Buddhism to the West

There have been different versions of the exact date when Buddhism was introduced into China.It is generally recognized by the academic circles that it is the first year of Yuanshou (2 BC) of Emperor Ai of the Western Han Dynasty.This year, a disciple of a Ph.D. listened to the "Buddha Sutra" dictated by an envoy of the Great Yuezhi.The stupa is actually the Buddha, and the envoy of Da Yuezhi told the life story of Sakyamuni, which is not different from the legends known later. This is the earliest time that is relatively reliable. So when is the latest? During the period of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty.Although it is only a legend that Emperor Ming sent envoys to India to seek Buddhism, his younger brother Liu Ying, king of Chu, admired the Buddha and fasted and worshiped in the palace.However, the birth of the first Taoist classic "Taiping Jing" was at least half a century later.

Tianshidao and Taipingdao became religious organizations even later. Therefore, it is entirely possible for the founders of Taoism to be inspired by Buddhism, and even to emulate others.Yes, judging from the existing materials, the establishment of Taoism does not seem to have been influenced by Buddhism.The question is, is there any evidence that Buddhism has no influence on this matter?Sorry, no either. In fact, only the influence of Buddhism can explain why the Tao of Heavenly Master and the Tao of Taiping were simultaneously created out of thin air.Perhaps, they don't know what religion is, and they don't realize that they are creating it. They just think that if others have such a thing, we should have it too, and we can have it.

Therefore, Taoism will continue to learn from Buddhism in the process of development.Buddha has temples, Taoism has temples; Buddha has monks and nuns, Taoism has Taoist priests; Buddha has cassocks, Taoism has Taoist robes; Buddha has Sakyamuni, Taoism has no choice but to carry Lao Tzu out.In fact, whether Lao Tzu really existed is a question, and it has nothing to do with religion.But only in this way can Taoism look more decent. Undoubtedly, this is neither strange nor shameful, because culture is meant to be learned and even imitated.Paradoxically, although Taoism followed Buddhism, the latter was seen in the Eastern Han as something similar to the former.Of course, it is regarded as the original Taoism, that is, Taoism before Taoism—pre-Taoism.

This kind of Buddhism is called the Way of the Buddha. Futu Dao is the Huang Lao Dao of foreign countries, which was a common view among the upper class during the Eastern Han Dynasty.Therefore, Liu Ying, the king of Chu, and later Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty both honored Huang Lao and Buddha.In their palace, there are both Huanglao Temple and Futu Temple. It cannot be said that there is no reason to do so.In fact, Chinese people who have never seen religion can only understand imported products according to their existing knowledge, such as calling monks and nuns Taoists (Taoist priests are called Taoists) and so on.What's more, the four elements advocated by Buddhism are all empty, and the Taoist philosophy is born out of nothing; the constant happiness advocated by Buddhism is similar to the quiet and inaction of Taoist philosophy!

However, the difference cannot be measured in terms of Tao. One of the differences is purpose. The purpose of Taoism is to become an immortal, and the purpose of Buddhism is to become a Buddha.Immortals and Buddhas are not gods, but human beings.Therefore, these two Chinese characters are also next to a single person.This is what Taoism and Buddhism have in common, and it is also what makes them different from other religions.In other words, both Buddhism and Taoism are human-oriented, which is in line with the spirit of Chinese civilization (please refer to the third volume of the History of China, "The Founders").

However, immortals and Buddhas are quite different. Immortals are characterized by immortality, and Buddhas are characterized by enlightenment.A person, as long as he realizes the Supreme Enlightenment (the highest wisdom), he can immediately become a Buddha.Of course, strictly speaking, one is a Buddha only if one achieves self-awareness, awareness of others, and perfection of awareness and conduct.It is Bodhisattva (Bodhisattva) who can only achieve self-awareness and awareness.The only one who is enlightened by himself is Arhat (Arhat). Arhats, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas all die.Sakyamuni died at the age of eighty, but he had already become a Buddha during his lifetime.His death is also called Nirvana or Parinirvana.

It's a euphemism. Actually, death is death, passing away is passing away, and nirvana is nirvana.The original meaning of Nirvana is "perfect extinction", and Nirvana is the highest state of Buddhist practice.Its original meaning in Sanskrit is the blowing of the wind and the extinguishing of the fire, but it is by no means death.On the contrary, it is a state that transcends life and death, time and space, pain and happiness, and all experiences.This state is indescribable and can only be called Nirvana. Nirvana has four virtues, which are called Changlewojing.Simply put, neither birth nor death is permanence, never suffering is happiness, unchanging nature is self, and being spotless is pure.Obviously, the purpose of Buddhism is not to turn people into immortals, but to change people's spiritual state.Mental state has changed, at least Luohan.

Arhats and gods are two different things. Buddhism and Taoism are also two different things. The purpose is different, the method and way are also different.For example, Taoism talks about oneness, and Buddhism talks about meditation, both of which require single-mindedness and concentration of the mind. They look similar, but they are actually different.Simply put, keeping one is to prevent the diffusion and leakage of energy and spirit, so as to ensure immortality.Meditation is to concentrate on contemplating a specific object (such as a lotus flower or the Buddhas) in order to obtain the highest wisdom.

Obviously, keeping one is to keep in good health, and meditation is to cultivate the mind. Therefore, Buddhism talks about the combination of concentration and wisdom, and Taoism talks about the double cultivation of life and soul.Life is sex and life, spirit and form, mind and body.In other words, dual cultivation of life and soul means not only physical health, but also mental health, which means both physical and mental health. This is of course a valuable thought. Meditation is the combined name of Chan and Meditation.Dhyana is jhana, or meditation.Concentration (Samadhi) is to wait and hold, that is, to concentrate.Wisdom (Mati) is insight and determination.The combination of these three words means to think quietly (Zen), concentrate on seeking (fixation), and then cut off confusion, make clear observation, and obtain the pursuit of Buddhism-Prajna (read like Bore).

Prajna (Prajna) is wisdom, or through wisdom to reach the other shore of Nirvana, so it is also called Prajna Paramita.Buddhism believes that life and death are the world of confusion and this shore; Nirvana is liberation and the other shore.From one shore to the other is called Paramita.And it is possible to do so because of wisdom.Wisdom can understand worldly affairs, and wisdom can realize transcendental dharma. Together they are Prajna. Of course, this is not something ordinary people can have. In fact, Prajna is not wisdom in the general sense, but a special understanding required to become a Buddha.Even the Buddha is the only one who possesses the highest wisdom "Supreme Righteous Enlightenment".But you can't become a Buddha, you can still be an Arhat.The key lies in whether one has enlightenment and whether one can be freed from the boundless sea of ​​suffering.

This can only be discussed from a long-term perspective (please refer to the fourteenth volume of this history of China), but the difference between Buddhism and Taoism is clear at a glance.Let us put it this way: Buddhism is the religion of the soul, and Taoism is the religion of life.Taoism hopes that people can live a fairy-like life while alive, but Buddhism pays more attention to the settlement and sustenance of the soul.Therefore, Buddhism does not talk about taking food and promoting qi, etc. That's right, wisdom has nothing to do with alchemy. What religion needs is not pretending to be gods and tricks to turn stones into gold. So Sakyamuni himself was against witchcraft.He even stipulated that if a disciple performed a spell, it would be considered a violation of the Buddha's precepts.However, this provision was not strictly observed by his successors.Whether it is Theravada Buddhism or Mahayana Buddhism, mantras are preserved in a subsidiary way.As for the esoteric religion combined with Brahmin, it is characterized by highly organized witchcraft. Religion, however, is not witchcraft in its essence.If it is still inextricably linked with witchcraft, there is no need to become a religion.Therefore, the purer a religion is, the more it is free from witchcraft.This is the case with Zen in China, although Zen is not a true and pure religion, but a philosophy. In fact, Zen Buddhism was born because Buddhism, as a foreign culture, had to be localized in China.The Confucianized Zen is the third step in the Sinicization, the metaphysical Prajna is the second step, and the witchcraft-oriented Buddha Tao is the first step.Absurd as the first step may seem, Buddhism would not have taken root in China without it. Of course, it is impossible to become a story of Chinese history. Then look at this step.

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