Buddhist Scriptures Research Articles

MEMAHAMI KONSEP MEDITASI DALAM KAJIAN SUTTA-SUTTA DALAM SUTTAPIṬAKA

This article aims to explain the understanding of meditation, which is useful for achieving a state of perfect mental health, peace and tranquility. This is because not all have a complete understanding of meditation, on the contrary, the diversity of types of meditation has resulted in many perspectives on meditation, some of which are contrary to Buddhist teachings, such as meditation to gain wealth, attractive appearance, or supernatural powers. This research uses literature and literature review methods. Literature review with reference review, review of literature publications by previous researchers related to the topic to be researched. The author not only collects theories but various reference sources including journals, Buddhist scriptures and books. From the literature search, the discussion includes: types of meditation to train the mind, conditions that support meditation, the benefits of meditation, samatha bhavana and vipassana bhavana meditation practice, and also current meditation practices, as well as the implications of meditation practice for householders in everyday life as more and more the urgent need to be able to organize oneself better in facing various roles in the family, work and environment.

The Mixed Homonymic Characters: Procedures for Primary Teaching as Recommended by the Tanguts

The newly discovered Tangut xylograph Essential Selection of Mixed Homonyms Often-Transmitted is a primer designed to teach beginners over 2000 Tangut characters commonly used in Buddhist scriptures. Referring to various dictionaries and primers, the compilation approach of the booklet is modeled after the Chinese traditional primer entitled Mixed Characters, which was widely circulated at that time, but its notes focus on the interchangeability of homonymic characters in various manuscripts, rather than on providing phonetic or semantic explanations. The two prefaces of the book prove to be a unique material for showing how the Tanguts treated their own script, and how a Tangut teacher taught beginners to read and write such complex characters. Unfamiliar with the Chinese concept of radicals, the Tanguts regarded their characters as combinations of various components formed by simplest strokes and glyphs. They believed that it would be easier for students to learn Tangut characters by piecing the components together than trying to write full characters directly. Complete translations of the two prefaces to the book are presented for the first time in this paper.

The Linguistic Characteristics of Perception Verbs in Conveying Buddhist Teachings

This study aims to analyze the linguistic characteristics of perception verbs used in conveying Buddhist teachings by using Lakoff and Johnson's (1980) conceptual metaphor theory and Fillmore's (1982) frame semantics as the theoretical foundation, this study examines the language properties of perception verbs employed in Buddhist teachings. Concrete, corporeal experiences conveyed metaphorically by perception verbs enable the understanding of abstract spiritual notions through conceptual metaphors. Frame semantics highlights how the cultural background and contextual backdrop surrounding Buddhist speech inform the rich semantic meaning of these verbs. Utilizing a qualitative methodology, the study applies content analysis and NVivo 14 software to examine a corpus of 15 Buddhist scriptures, sermons, and teachings. In order to shed light on how perception verb usage contributes to the understanding of complex Buddhist concepts, the goals are to reveal the semantic frames and metaphorical mappings connected to them. The research also examines how culture may have influenced the understanding of these verbs in this religious context. The research, through the integration of theoretical frameworks and meticulous qualitative techniques, provides valuable perspectives on the relationship between language, embodied cognition, and spiritual comprehension as expressed by perception verbs in Buddhist teachings.

The Buddhist Concept of “Filial Piety” in the Context of Early Chinese Buddhist Scripture Translation

The Buddhist Concept of “Filial Piety” in the Context of Early Chinese Buddhist Scripture Translation

<i>Visions of the Buddha: Creative Dimensions of Early Buddhist Scripture</i>, by Eviatar Shulman

Visions of the Buddha: Creative Dimensions of Early Buddhist Scripture, by Eviatar Shulman. Oxford University Press, 2021. 274pp. Hb £64.00. ISBN-13: 9780197587867.

Transcendents in Translation: Buddhist Affordances for Imagining xian 仙 in China

Abstract: Many Buddhist scriptures in Chinese translation render the Indic ṛṣi (non-Buddhist sage or ascetic) as the Chinese xian 仙 (transcendent). This article explores how such a nativizing act of translation afforded Chinese users of Buddhist scriptures, from the medieval to the late imperial periods, various interpretive and polemical opportunities. Sometimes the appearance of xian in Buddhist scriptures facilitated Chinese Buddhist polemics against Daoism, but in other cases the same Buddhist xian provided Daoists the chance to appropriate Buddhist ideas into a Daoist soteriological framework. Still other cases involved complex negotiations over the precise meaning of xian , the nuances of which we must carefully tease out. Besides exploring many cases that illuminate the Chinese reception of Buddhist references to xian , I suggest that the concept of "affordance" is useful for analyzing the ramifications carried by particular translation choices made during the rendering of Buddhist scriptures into Chinese.

Family Ethics in Taixu's Humanistic Buddhism: The Wisdom of No-Self and the Action of the Bodhisattva

Abstract: The notion "Buddhism for Human Life" ( rensheng fojiao 人生佛教), coined by the influential Chinese Buddhist leader Taixu 太虛 (1890–1947), has had a great impact on shaping Buddhist life in the twentieth century. Much scholarly attention has been paid to Taixu's modernizing programs in monastic education and reformulation. This article instead examines Taixu's discourse about lay people, with a focus on family ethics. It discusses the way in which Taixu clarifies the role played by Buddhism in secular life. His discourse weaves together a range of intellectual themes. He elaborates on several previously lesser-known Buddhist scriptures, arguing that the Buddhist perspectives can help to reduce tensions between the individuals' quest for autonomy and their commitment to social responsibilities. He suggests that, compared to Confucianism and Western philosophies, Buddhism provides more coherent ideational grounds on which to deal with the challenges faced by individuals and families, thereby contributing to the welfare of Chinese society.

Stone Inscriptions as Mirror Images: Historical Details of Tang Dynasty Buddhism in the Luoyang Region

For a long time, scholarly research on Buddhism in Luoyang during the Tang Dynasty has mainly focused on eminent monks and Buddhist temples. This focus is evident in the recorded literature of ancient times, such as The Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks and The Biographies of Eminent Monks. Based on stone inscriptions, this paper examines the dissemination and development of Buddhism in the Eastern Capital of Luoyang during the Tang Dynasty. This article presents the following viewpoints and findings: Firstly, the epitaphs and pagoda inscriptions provide historical details that are not widely known, such as the names of temples in the suburb, the identities of prominent monks who propagated Dharma in Luoyang, the Buddhist scriptures chanted and learned by the Luoyang people, and the people’s motivation to adopt Buddhism. Secondly, the epitaphs and pagoda inscriptions supplement important historical materials on Chan Buddhism, confirming the widespread popularity of the Northern Sect of Chan Buddhism in the Luoyang region. Thirdly, the epitaphs and pagoda inscriptions reveal that Luoyang Buddhist practice was popular, characterized by the succession of blood-related monastic companions; that is, many families had two or more relatives who became monks or nuns simultaneously or successively, a phenomenon that has not attracted attention from academic circles. Fourthly, the blood-related monastic companions of Buddhist practice affected the mentoring relationships and organizational management of temples and monasteries, promoting communication and interaction between Buddhism and traditional Chinese culture.

A Study of the Faith in the Lotus Sutra in Biography of Bhikshunis

The Lotus Sutra is a highly significant Mahayana Buddhist scripture that has been compiled and established since the first century. Then it spread to China with the propagation of Buddhism and underwent numerous translations by eminent monks. Particularly, the translation of Kumarajiva had solidified the Lotus Sutras prominent position among Buddhist scriptures. During the Eastern Jin and Northern&Southern Dynasties, the Lotus Sutra attained widespread attention and reverence. It was extensively chanted and adhered in the monastic community and secular society. Until Northern&Southern Dynasties, the number of eminent monks who studied and chanted the Lotus Sutra surged dramatically. And there were as many as 44 monks closely associated with the Lotus Sutra during the early Northern&Southern Dynasties in the Biography of Eminent Monks written by Huijiao. The practice of the Lotus Sutra was also prevalent among Bhikshunis at that time, which was clearly revealed in the Biography of Bhikshunis. The biography shows that the Bhikshunis during Six Dynasties period actively put into practice the teachings in the Lotus Sutra, such as chanting and offering of their bodies as a form of devotion. This paper, based on the Biography of Bhikshunis, investigates the relationship between Bhikshunis and the Lotus Sutra during the Six Dynasties period.

The Cooperative Translation Activities of China and the West and Their Influence in the Late Ming and Early Qing Dynasties

In the eyes of many scholars, there have been three pivotal periods in the history of Chinese translation, which are: the translation of Buddhist scriptures from the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Tang and Song Dynasties, the translation of scientific and technological books from the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, and the translation of Western works from the Opium War (1840-1842) to the May Fourth Period (1915-1921). As the second climax in the history of Chinese translation, the Sci-tech translation activities in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties held a pivotal position in the history of Chinese translation, greatly promoting the dissemination of scientific and technological knowledge in China and enabling Chinese people to gain a deeper understanding of Western culture for the first time. This article summarizes and analyzes the influence of the Sci-tech translation activities in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.

The Practice of Local Leadership and Governance in Nepal: A Historical Perspective

The paper aims to study the practice of local leadership and governance in Nepal critically. The historical perspective synthesizing the review of literature and interpretation analyzing the changes over some time is adopted as a method. The practice of local leadership and governance in Nepal has been since ancient times. The kings and states are examples of leadership and governance practice that is mentioned in Hindu and Buddhist scriptures. The great-men theory or charismatic theory of leadership has largely been associated with leadership and the governance system was mainly based on religious and community basis and ultimately utopian ideas. Self-rule was found on a community basis as governance at the local level. Similarly, the charismatic typology of leadership has long been dominant in Nepal. Despite this, leadership has largely been influenced by caste, kin, and noble family. However, with the advent of modernization, the traditional practice of governance and leadership has changed. Nonetheless, questions on leadership and governance have also been raised regarding social transformation and economic growth.

How similar are the Laozi and the Buddhist discourse scriptures?

ABSTRACT A third-century Chinese author remarked that Buddhist scriptures and the Laozi were similar in some ways and different in others. The aim of this article is to address the question of what led the Chinese to perceive similarities between the literature of the two traditions. It identifies and contrasts passages from both literatures, examining how they resemble each other mainly on the following three points: the body as a source of suffering, handling desires, and the virtue of compassion. The article demonstrates that the two literatures may convey apparently similar messages on these three points while, at the same time, being different in scale and depth of their treatment, as well as their importance within their respective traditions.

Four Heavenly Kings at Hwaŏmsa, Gurye: Pyŏgam Kaksŏng and Sculptor Monk In’gyun

This study focuses on the sculptures of the Four Heavenly Kings at Hwaŏmsa. It had been unknown when or by whom they were made, but fortunately, I was able to propose that they were made in 1635-36 under the supervision of the sculptor monk In'gyun, based on their similarities in iconography and style to the Four Heavenly Kings at Songgwangsa, made in 1628. In'gyun participated in the erection of Buddhist sculptures at Songgwangsa, Hwaŏmsa, and Hŭngguksa. In particular, the Four Heavenly Kings at Songgwangsa were made in collaboration with Ŭngwŏn, and it is likely that with this experience, In'gyun was able to lead the project of the Four Heavenly Kings at Hwaŏmsa. As for the sculpture itself, I have always been curious about the rat in the hand of the King of the West, a motif that appears only in three early-17th-century temples in Jeollanamdo. A symbol of national security and wealth, the rat motif originated in Khotan, Central Asia, passed through Tibet and into Ming China where it was made into a woodcut in 1431. It is likely that Shin Iksŏng, a son-in-law of King Sŏnjo introduced this woodcut print to Chosŏn along with other Buddhist books and prints from Ming. When Pyŏgam Kaksŏng rebuilt Songgwangsa and Hwaŏmsa, he probably consulted Ming prints and put the rat, a symbol of national security and wealth, in the hand of the King of the West. In conclusion, by this study, I have aimed to demonstrate how Buddhist iconographies were not only based on Buddhist scriptures but also created through legends and myths of each region and developed to become a new iconography.

PERCEPTION OF INDIA IN CHINA AND GERMANY

Due to the spread of Buddhism and Buddhist culture to the East, Chinese travellers and pilgrims started visiting India in pursuit of Buddhist scriptures and learning of Buddhist philosophy as early as the first half of the first millennium of Common Era. These pilgrims and travellers also left the description of their travel. In the medieval and modern period also Chinese travellers, diplomats and scholars continued their journey towards India. However, the situation and perception both were different in these two periods from previous ancient era. German travellers to India started with the participation of the German soldiers in the British East India Company from the army of the Electorate of Hanover in 1782. The German nationalism grew as a reaction to the political and cultural domination of France and Britain. In their quest to find the roots of their language, they started looking at Sanskrit, Indian philosophy and culture. During the early 19th Century several German Romantics and scholars showed interest in Sanskrit literature. Some of the prominent names among them are Friedrich and August Wilhelm Schlegel, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Max Müller, Alexander and Wilhelm von Humboldt and Johann Gottfried Herder. Friedrich von Schlegel studied Sanskrit for over forty years and in 1808 he published the book Über die Sprache und Weisheit der Indier, wherein he argued that the prototypical “Aryans” founded the ancient European civilizations. With August Wilhelm Schlegel, the first Indology chair was started in the University of Bonn in 1819. Karl August Schlegel, the elder brother of Friedrich and August Wilhelm Schlegel prepared a military survey of southern India for the East India Company which proved very useful.

On the Verge of Damnation and Buddhahood: Motherhood, Female Corporeality, and Koan Exegesis

Buddhist scriptures depict the female body according to two contrasting models. On the one hand, female flesh is the epitome of defilement that hinders proper salvation. Yet, on the other hand, the gestational body is employed as a metaphor and a model to depict the highest spiritual perfection of the Buddhist clergy. By investigating these two seemingly incompatible approaches, this article shows how these contrasting models coexisted within the same doctrinal framework in early modern Sōtō Zen secret sources. In particular, it explores a Sōtō Zen secret document from the early modern period entitled <em>Ise niji kirigami</em>, which provides the doctrinal foundation for salvific rituals directed to women who died during parturition. The peculiarity of this document is the combination of conceptualizations typically associated with female pollution with a wide range of theorizations mainly derived from esoteric discourse on the kami, the <em>Lotus Sūtra</em>, and Zen koan interpretations. Therefore, through the investigation of the affinities with koan exegesis, Buddhist scriptures, and kami-related theories, this article aims to broaden our understanding of the tools used by early modern Zen monks to theorize the female body and contribute to the ongoing debate on the representation of the female spiritual and corporeal condition in Buddhist sources.

The monoid-now: a category theoretic approach to the structure of phenomenological time-consciousness.

Human consciousness is characterized by constant transitions in time. On the other hand, what is consciously experienced always possesses the temporal feature of "now." In consciousness, "now" constantly holds different contents, yet it remains "now" no matter how far it goes. This duality is thematized in Husserlian phenomenology as "the standing-streaming now." Although this phrase appears contradictory in everyday language, it has a structure that can be clearly understood and formalized. In this paper, we show that this structure can be described as a monoid in category theory. Furthermore, monoids can be transformed into the coslice category, which corresponds to the way of perceiving present moments as juxtaposed in succession. The seemingly contradictory nature of the "now" as both flowing and standing can be precisely structured and comprehended through the monoid, while the perspective of the "now" as discrete points on a timeline can be effectively formalized using the coslice category. This framework helps us more precisely understand the differences between ordinary consciousness and meditative consciousness, specifically the experience of the "eternal now." We illustrate how the meditative states of consciousness presented in the early Buddhist scriptures (Pali Canon) and Dōgen's Shōbōgenzō remarkably reflect a monoid structure.

The Chinese History of Translation in the Framework of Cultural Communication

Understandings and beliefs about translation activities related to a culture constitute the "translation view" of the culture in a specific historical period. And the history of translation is the intercultural practice of culture and the history of intercultural human communication. In the early history of translation, the translation view of the mainstream culture strengthened the image of the cultural center of the Han group including Confuses’ canons. By the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, due to political corruption, people felt disappointed, depressed and helpless in real life and turned to Buddhism for spiritual shelter. Since then, the translation of Buddhist scriptures has been popular. At the end of Ming Dynasty and the beginning of Qing Dynasty, western translation of science and technology emerged, and introduced western spiritual and institutional culture, and new vitality into the development of Han culture.

On the Dissemination of Buddhist Tantras in Tibet. A Historical Introduction

Abstract This study outlines the phases of dissemination and development of the Buddhist tantras in Tibet. Analysing the earliest imperial catalogues, we trace, among the Buddhist scriptures that were translated from Sanskrit and Chinese into Tibetan, the first tantric texts that spread to Tibet. We then examine the doxographies and the classifications of the various categories of tantras conceived by Tibetan scholars over time, which converged in the process of formation and compilation of the different Tibetan canons of the “New” and of the “Ancient” schools. The gter ma phenomenon is analysed, considering it the way in which tantric Buddhist doctrines have been redefined over time, to adapt to various historical changes. Finally we take into consideration the creation of the Bon tantric literature, its classification and organisation in the Bon canon that, despite its development outside the mainstream schools, played an important role in the religious history of Tibet.

Four Challenges Faced by Early Chinese Buddhist Translators: A Case Study of Zhi Qian’s Chinese Translation of Dhammapada

This study focuses on the translation of Buddhist scriptures into Chinese, specifically the Faju jing, a Chinese version of the Dhammapada completed in the third century CE. It reveals that the Faju jing is not a straightforward translation but a combination of different sources. The translator, Zhi Qian, faced challenges in integrating multiple translation practices, dealing with diverse original Indian languages, incorporating pre-existing phrases from other translators’ work, and managing divergent opinions within the translation team regarding the translation style. This multi-layered process of translation, involving the participation of multiple translators, also likely occurred in other early translations. These challenges extended beyond mere comprehension of the Indian text, resulting in potential errors and deviations from straightforward translations. It is possible that some mistranslations were a consequence of integrating multiple traditions within the source text, making it difficult for translators to maintain a consistent linguistic framework and leading to errors. Furthermore, this study highlights the remarkable efforts of Chinese translators who collaborated with foreign monks in translation groups. It emphasizes the important role of Chinese translators in integrating diverse translation processes and refining the language to suit Chinese readers. They incorporated earlier translations and modified the language to align with Chinese forms. Overall, this case study sheds light on the complexity of early Chinese Buddhist translations, influenced by the integration of multiple traditions and the localization of the texts. It underscores the significance of Chinese translators in the translation process and their contributions to the development of Chinese Buddhist literature.

The Significance and Establishment of Right Views in Early Buddhist Scriptures

The Significance and Establishment of Right Views in Early Buddhist Scriptures