Abstract

In China, Indian Buddhist thought was received through "Chinese translation" (translating from Sanskrit to Chinese). This arguably enabled the spread of Buddhism to all of East Asia, including Japan. On the other hand, within the rapidly changing successive dynasties, there was friction between imperial authority and Buddhist law, and heated debates regarding the relative merits of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. We pursue the true nature of early Buddhism in China through the progression from its arrival, the Chinese translation project, and the tripartite debates.

Author’s Information

Katsumi Okimoto
Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1943. He dropped out of the doctoral program in the Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences (Indian Philosophy) at the University of Tokyo. He served as a lecturer, professor, and vice-president at Hanazono University and is now an emeritus professor at the same university. He holds a Doctorate in Literature. His works include "Mud and Lotus: Reading Zen Master Hakuin" (Daifaron Press) and "Zhaozhou: The Vivid Landscape of a Master Who Lived Zen Lightly" (Rinshosha).