|
The cult of Avalokitesvara(觀音) must deserve the discussion in fact Ming Dynasty, because the achievement could supplement the deficiency of the academic research. On the basis of the trend and limitation of the following academic research, think that the Avalokitesvara worshipped in the Ming Dynasty, seem to probe into: First, always the subject which the scholar has studied, why become women if mostly probing into the Avalokitesvara in China? But this question is after different analyses, not drawing unanimous conclusion. Since the discusses in the womanlike topic of Chinese Avalokitesvara, unable to get all conclusions agreed, so seem to change the direction probed into. The cult of Avalokitesvara introduce China to, how about can be believed in continuously by all Chinese, and is accepted by Chinese society, it is the great topic discussed backward; Second, from the insufficient of Kuan-yin, can find out the new research direction: (1) it is each towards Goddess of Mercy last intension because it discuss insufficient, the unable to understand the development of Bodhisattva; (2) the picture in each era and analysis of the text background are not enough. It is in addition probed into, can find out every document and make real meaning as what was shown in beginning as if all essential in the author, time, place and purpose. So, rely on relevant text of every generation of Avalokitesvara, cooperate with the background of the texts, grasp the course that the faith intension of Avalokitesvara changes continuously accurately, study carefully and each towards the situation, the work that is studied backward. In view of above-mentioned two academic research limitations, in addition, this text, the cult of Avalokitesvara in the Ming Dynasty when documents are reviewed, discover that only lays particular stress on the discussion of the respects of gods (Bodhisattva) in the present research results, but one cult in system, still intelligent, monk, believer, the cult of region. In other words, the cult of Avalokitesvara how the society was accepted during the Ming Dynasty, people believed in the state of Avalokitesvara, must investigate. So, this text is in the directions, such as relation between the Avalokitesvara, text, believer, monk, region, etc., rise of assigning Bodhisattva''s thought and spreading, the cult of Avalokitesvara introduce state of China to, Ming Dynasty popularization, cognition, of different levels to believe into the Avalokitesvara , the cult of Avalokitesvara of Putuo mountain, probe into the situation of faith development of Avalokitesvara of Ming Dynasty. And then, namely sketch the general idea of this page thesis.
First, Rise and spreading of Bodhisattva''s thought Had always thought that the da zhong bu (大眾部)were the thought initiators of Bodhisattvas, had mostly belonged to the indirect inference, but this text developed into line of reasoning of investigating with thought train of thought, proved da zhong bu to be department really that Bodhisattva spoke to initiate Buddha religious sect for Mahayana. However, found although the da zhong bu had not any writings to be preserved, but the correlated thought still passed on. So, this paper would compare the relation between yi bu zong lun lun(異部宗輪論)and wei mo jie jing(維摩詰經) to prove that da zhong bu was a initial group of Bodhisattva thought. The two books contended that Bodhisattva was not became by parents'' blood, grew from right arm, knew very well that there was not difference in all four noble truths phases, although did not grow three evil interestingly, rescued people, wished that it was interesting to grow evil. This had already thought that Buddha and Bodhisattva and smell different, not the ordinary all living creature, had mystery liked superman. Thought analysis of the trains of thought that bore, had seemed to initiate the statement of dish of Mahayana Bodhisattva to da zhong bu, had offered another effective evidence to analyze.
Second, The cult of Avalokitesvara was introduced to the state of China Faith was introduced to the situation of China, could be confirmed by the record while writing to detect by the cult of Avalokitesvara during the Six Dynasties. Confirm relevant content remembering being kept from these, could know that the cult of Avalokitesvara spreads the state of China for the first time: (1) the cult of Avalokitesvara was supported by the gentry, was it get off to spread far and wide at that time. By the gentry’s support, the cult of Avalokitesvara towards court official, as the political center at that time moved and developed to the South, the cult of Avalokitesvara followed to transfer to the southern area of Jiangsu(江蘇) and Zhejiang(浙江) Provinces and spread too; (2) According to confirming reason it was that experience could share each other, it confirm that the worshipers should include in the roles of the tales. So, it was such as regarding Buddhist monk and government official as protagonist; (3) When the Northern and Southern Dynasties, because China was in turbulent era, it was messy that people''s regular meeting meets suffering caused by warfare, thief, water, fire, therefore confirm and remember also advocating Goddess of Mercy (Avalokitesvara) and succouring these danger and disasters, and offer the identification that the people were rescued, Bodhisattva''s ability regards solving the difficulty as the important affair promptly; (4) The southern region of Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces, belonging to every generation in the South prosperously, the ones that were also suitable for the Avalokitesvara and worship were spread naturally. Finally, from simple to claim name could be succored by the Bodhisattva, the Avalokitesvara ‘s tales idolatry appeared, the Chinese style ghost appeared, could find out the cult of Avalokitesvara appears China inclination.
Third, The cult of Avalokitesvara in the Ming Dynasty Popularization that the Avalokitesvara worshipped of Ming Dynasty, could have already influenced the people of different persons from faith. According to the record of the Avalokitesvara ‘s tales, the person who discovers faith had already expanded to the emperor, imperial family, doctorate, officer, eunuch, scholar, thief, monk and officer, could find out the cult of Avalokitesvara from originally towards subordinate government official and Buddhist monk two big class of concentrating on already during Six Dynasties, expanding it to the imperial family and general common people, the believer might be wide to distribute on the society in each stratum. As for functions count novel could sum up not appearing such as 21 kindses, such as persons who defended dying persons, etc., there was over half of the supernatural power with rescue having nothing to do bitterly, and was proving that any thing could be developed smoothly, or person who superior toes it, complete must depend on the Avalokitesvara to reach their goals. Besides, the Avalokitesvara ‘s articles had already become people''s collection in Ming dynasty. Finally, the Avalokitesvara worshipped and prevailed in the Ming Dynasty, could sum up two reasons, excepted that removed persons’ crisis, offered people one to free from values in worried life, also converted to the believer wholeheartedly, and the great factor with vigorous faith.
Fourth, The images of Avalokitesvara in the Ming Dynasty The Avalokitesvara among the text, show different the various kinds of images. The image, could find two phenomena from the above the Avalokitesvara displayed of every text: (1) the people''s cognition of shape looks of Avalokitesvara, was based on the South China Sea Avalokitesvara, merged the state of every image. So, the South China Sea Avalokitesvara was a thousand hands and a thousand Avalokitesvara, wonderful kind princess, dutiful daughter, old mother, Buddhist monk, father and infinitely resourceful extraordinary person,etc.; Second, people not merely came to treat Avalokitesvara of all kinds of , the intension that they would join and the form would be formed in the form , distinguish different Bodhisattva''s types. So, in all texts, purpose picture of also showing the praying to Buddha etc.. So, if only depended on the external form, is it part Ming Dynasty Avalokitesvara’s image to come, appropriate. Because people''s cognition of Bodhisattva''s image during Ming, besides external form composition, also involved the form and form intension inside represented. Specially, The Avalokitesvara of image should not permitted '' transform a custom '' come to define Ming Dynasty. In addition, in discussing the Avalokitesvara ‘s images, the intension appearing served as one and reflects thought philosophic theory of Buddhism of Ming Dynasty, also could be regarded as '' sacred thought pursuit ''.
Fifth, Believing in to the Avalokitesvara of different levels Certainly a faith would spread between people and people, to the person of different strata, meaning too different, so the cult of Avalokitesvara represent different state too on emperor, monk, Buddhist. Among the emperors, it was in most close relations between Cheng Zu (成祖)and Shenzong(神宗) in the Ming Dynasty. In a word, if the situation of faith was seen by becoming Cheng Zu and Shenzong and utilizing the cult of Avalokitesvara, faith was a favorable symbol that they thought the cult of Avalokitesvara too, persons who worship that the merger faith that could be made use of left, achieve the one''s own goal. And the form utilized, by the divine right of kings, the realm unified to the extraordinary person in progress. Besides, from the record of biographies of monks and believers of Ming Dynasty, could detect the situation that the Buddhist monks and believers worshiped the Avalokitesvara. In the biographies of eminent monks and believers, present the religion image that they believed in the Avalokitesvara and had: The persons who worshipped happened: extraordinary person''s sympathetic fairy to experience differently, and Goddess of Mercy of faith, for example thought of to the person who gave birth to pure land, they do not have extraordinary person whose faith reacts who was sympathetic, individual for the hope for the future completely, and chose to believe in Bodhisattva. Held and tested remembering it was that they advocate the pure land thought and media of the Avalokitesvara of pure land, the ones that required all practices to pray to Buddha, put up with hardships and free captive animals were repaired and holding the initial approach to become a Buddhist believer, namely belonged to a kind of morals and mercy cultivation method, summed up and stressed that heart intelligence improves, and the religious worship type attitude that spirit transformed
Sixth, the cult of Avalokitesvara of Putuo Mountain The Putuo(普陀) is the pure land that the Avalokitesvara should show in the China. The development of the mountain of Putuo of Ming Dynasty, there was characteristic of its era. The rise and decline facing mountain of Putuo had greatest relations with the government''s policy. In the period of Hong Wu(洪武), because the government wanted preventing that the Japan bandits invaded the Putuo Mountain. The government moved the temples to Jiajing and fell into disuse from this Putuo. The prohibition was liberated in the period of wan li(萬曆). Shenzong (神宗)because mother put her faith in the Buddhism. He decided to protect Buddhism and the Putuo Mountain. They offered and money, statue of Buddha, medicine etc. to the Putuo. Went through towards begin, the believer increased gradually.
Finally, about the whole of development of Buddhism of Ming Dynasty, scholars generally had the views of '' the common customs '', but according to the analysis of every above-mentioned chapter, the cult of Avalokitesvara seemed to tend to demonstrate differently Ming Dynasty. The cult of Avalokitesvara seemed to appear the intension of '' the philosophic theory of Buddhism '' during the Ming Dynasty, for example people to collect Goddess of Mercy the picture, studied the '' empty comprehension of the philosophic theory ''; Therefore, Could know by situation the above by inference, justice, the cult of Avalokitesvara contained Ming Dynasty, accorded with inclination of '' common customs '' instead, had one of '' the philosophic theory of Buddhism '' face, this should be a great characteristic which the cult of Avalokitesvara of Ming Dynasty too.
|