1、Chapter3:ChanganandChineseBuddhistScripturesSection3SplendidParables-LotusSutraLotusSutrasfullnameisSaddharmaPundarikaSutra,ItisoneofthemostrepresentativeScripturesofMahayanaBuddhismintheearlystage,andhasaprofoundinfluenceinthehistoryofChineseculture.LotusSutrawastranslatedbyMasterKumrajvaintheeight
2、hyearofHongshi,EmperorYaoofLaterQin(406)inChanganCity.AfterthepublicationofKumrajvasChineseversion,LotusSutrahasactuallystarteditsspreadinChina.TheMainPurposeofLotusSutraLotusSutraistheenlightenmentofBuddhaSakyamuniinhislateryears.Itstandsforeveryone,richorpoor,canbecomeBuddha.Thiskindofthoughtissum
3、medupasputtingdowntri-yanaandshowingthesupremeBuddha.LotusSutraadvocatesthateveryonecanbecomeBuddha,sothereissuchasayingofLotusSutraleadingtoBuddhahoodinBuddhism.However,whatweneedtofocusonisbecomingBuddhameansenlightenmenthere.Actually,everyScripturecaninspirepeople,thus,wecanttakeitthatonlyLotusSu
4、tramakepeoplebecomeBuddha.LotusSutrahassevenclassicalparablesinit,theyareParableoftheBurningHouse,ParableofthePoorSon,ParableoftheMedicinalHerbs,ParableoftheManifestedCity,ParableofthePearlintheClothing,ParableofthePearlintheTopknot,andParableoftheGoodDoctor.Theseperfectparablesinfluencewidelyanddee
5、plyonChineseidea,literatureandart.InLotusSutraPumenarticle,thedescriptionoftheBodhisattvasfunctionofcompassionandsalvationandtheuniversaltastehasgreatlypromotedtheformationofChineseBuddhistbeliefinAvalokitesvara,whichhasgreatlypromotedtheformationofChineseBuddhistAvalokitesvaraBelief.ParableoftheBur
6、ningHouseAparable,LotusSutra(chapter3)says,Theworldisnotpeacefulatall,itjustliketheburninghouse,whichisfullofsufferingandmakespeoplescared.Birth,death,illnessandoldagearecommonhere.Itisthesameasfire,keepingburningallthetime.Theworldislikeahousefulloffire,Everyoneareburnedbythefireofdesire.Inordertoe
7、xpressthisidea,thereisastoryintheScripture：Whichsaysthattherewasveryrichmanwhoownedabighouse.Hischildrenalllivedinit.Becausethishousewastooold,thehousesandpavilionswereindisrepair.Oneday,allofasuddentherewasafireinthehouse,andthehousebegantoburn.Cracklingandcrackling,thehousewasburning.Theyoungandig
8、norantchildrenofthemandidntknowthatitsadisaster,andwerestillplayingintheyard.Themanshouted,“Getoutofhere,itsdangerous!”Buttheydidntlistentohim,andcontinuedstayinghere.Thenthemantalkedtothemloudly,hey,therearesheepcart,deercartandoxcartthatyoulikeoutside.Gooutandplayinthesecarts.Afterhearingthat,hisc
9、hildrenrushedoutofthehouse.Atthemomentthattheywentout,thehousecollapsed.Whenthechildrenlookedoutofthedoor,andfoundthattherewasnosheepcart,deercartoroxcartexceptabigwhiteoxcart.Sotheygotonthecartandplayedhappily.Inthisstory,thefirehouseistheworldfullofannoyanceanddanger.Howaboutsheepcart,deercartando
10、xcart?TheyareSravaka,Pratyeka-buddhaandBodhisattvayanainBuddhism.Andthebigwhiteoxcartiseka-yana,MahayanaandBuddhayana.Throughthisstory,whatLotusSutrawantstotellisapurposeforputtingthreevehiclesintooneandturningtri-yanaintoeka-yana.ParableofthePoorSonFaithandUnderstandinginLotusSutra(Chapter4)says,At
11、thattime,thoughhewashappyforfindinghisson,hestillpretendedtotreathissonasaworker.Thereisayoungman,youngageandignorant,wholefthisrichfatherandwenttoaforeigncountrytoroamandplay.Buthegotlostandbecameatramp.Inordertofindhim,hisfathermovedtoanothercity.Hehadahunchthathewouldfindhissonthere.Finally,oneda
12、y,hissonwhobeggedinthatcitycametothefrontgateofanewhouse.Helookedatthisbuilding,whichwasverysimilartothehousehelivedinwhenhewasachild.Buthewasnotsure,thenhehesitatedandwanderedinfrontofthegate.Buthedarenottowalkin.Ataglance,thefathersawthatthemanoutsidethedoorwasthelostsonhehadbeenlookingforformanyy
13、ears,sohehurriedtosendsomeonetoinvitehimtocomein.Thesonsawthatsomeonerushedtohimfromthisluxurioushouse.Hewasfrightenedandthoughthewasintrouble,thenheranaway.Tocomforthisson,thefathersentsomeonetofindhim.Whatexcusedidheuse?Dontbeafraid,wearejustgoingtohireyoutodochoresinthishouse,wearejustgivingyouaj
14、ob.Afterhearingthat,thesonunderstood.Insteadofbeingafraid,hecametothishouseandstartedtowork.Gradually,headaptedtotheenvironmentofthishome.Whenthefatherwasdying,hecalledhissontohisbedandtoldhimwhatwasgoingontheseyears.Thenthesoncametorealizethathewasthesuccessorofthishouseandthewealth.Insuchaclassica
15、lstory,whatcanwecomparetherichelderto?HecomparestoBuddha.Andhowaboutthishomelesspoorman?Hecomparestoalllivingcreatureswhoareconfused,becausetheydontknowtheyarerichinspiritandlife.Hepreferstolivealostlifeinanothercountry.Ifapersonloseshisheartandnature,andfocusedonchasingexternalobjectsandwanderingin
16、otherplace,hethenbecomesthepoorsonwhogivesuphisfather,doesnthe?ParableofthePearlintheClothingAssurancesofBecomingaBuddha,LotusSutra(Chapter6)says,Apoormanwenttovisithisrelativeandgotdrunk.Unfortunately,therichrelativehadtogooutforbusiness,butthepoorrelativewastoodrunktowakeupthere,sotherichrelativeh
17、adalegendaryluminouspearlsewinsidetheraggedjacketofthispoorrelatives.Thentherichrelativewentout.Whenthepoorrelativewokeup,hefoundthathisrelativewasnothere,sohewentbackhishome.However,hedidntknowtherewasalegendaryluminouspearlinhisclothes.Hewasstillpoorandfellonevildays.Later,therichrelativemetthepoo
18、rrelativebychance.Lookingathisworn-outclothes,therichrelativesighed,Oh,whyyouarepoorlikethateventhoughyouhavealegendaryluminouspearlinyourclothes!Itmeans,oh,inyourclothes,therehidalegendaryluminouspearl.Howcanyoustillbepoorlikethis?Thepoorrelativewassurprised,thentherichrelativetoldhimwhatwasgoingon
19、,andhecametorealize,andtouchedthecornerinsidetheclothesfindingthattherewasreallyalegendaryluminouspearlinhisworn-outjacket.Fromthenon,hissituationwasimprovedandhebecamerich.Inthisstory,TherichrelativestandsforBuddhaandthepoorrelativestandsforalllivingcreaturesintheworld.Asforthelegendaryluminouspear
20、lintheclothes,itstandsforourheartandnature.Buddhasewsthelegendaryluminouspearlintheclothesofthepoorrelativebuthedoesntknowaboutitatall.ItstandsforthefactthatBuddhateachesalllivingbeings.Buddhahasalreadytaughtuswhatwisdomis,butweallforgetaboutit,andcantnoticetheheartofbecomingaBuddha.(LotusSutraFiveh
21、undredfollowersgrantedarticle)AfterBuddhapointsoutthatthereisajeweleryinyourclothes,Youcometorealize,oh,Isee,Allwisdomisstillthere.(LotusSutraFivehundredfollowersgrantedarticle)Althoughyouhaventnoticedit,thepearlofawarenessalwaysexistsinyou.Thisparableshowsvividlythatpeoplesawarenessandnaturearecove
22、redbyworryandwrongthoughts,likeajeweleryhidinaworn-outcloth.Ifyoudontnoticethepearlinthecloth,youwillspendyourlifefoolishly.LotusSutraandtheBelieftowardsAvalokitesvaraInChina,peoplemaynotknowaboutSakyamuni,buteveryoneknowsAvalokitesvara.Avalokitesvarabringspeopleoutofthepitofmisery,andenjoysthelovea
23、ndrespectofallpeople.ButtheformationofthebelieftowardsAvalokitesvaraisrelatedtothedescriptionsofAvalokitesvarainLotusSutra.TheBodhisattvaAvalokitevara,LotusSutra(Chapter25)says,Whenyouhavetrouble,pleaserememberAvalokitesvara.AslongasyoucallAvalokitesvarasname,youcanfreeyoursoulbecauseAvalokitesvarah
24、asheardyourvoice.Wheneveryouhavetrouble,youcancallAvalokitesvarasname,andAvalokitesvarawillappearinthefirstplacetosolveallyourproblems.WhowilldislikethiskindofBuddha?LotusSutraalsosays,aslongasyourecitethenameofAvalokitesvara,Avalokitesvarawilldealwithyoursufferinginallaspects.Whenfallingintofire,th
25、efirewonthurtyou.Whenfallingintowater,youcanreachshallowarea.Whenfacingdemon,youcanavoidbeingintrouble.Whenbeingbound,youcanbreakfreeofshackles.Whenhavingdesire,youcanovercomeit.Whenbeingangry,youcancalmdown.Whenbeingfool,youcangetridofit.Whenlongingforaboy,youcanhaveasmartone.Whenlongingforagirl,yo
26、ucanhaveelegantone.Avalokitesvaracanhelppeoplesolveallofthesufferinganddisastersindailylife,andcanmeetallyourneeds.ThenAvalokitesvaraislovedandadmiredpassionatelybyChinespeople.SothebelieftowardsAvalokitesvara,fromTangDynastyhasbecomethewidestbeliefofBuddhainChineseBuddhism.Andthissituationisclosely
27、relatedtoLotusSutratranslatedbyMasterKumrajva.TheriseofAvalokitesvarabeliefinChinahappenedafterthetranslationofLotusSutra.ItsdevelopmentispushedbyMasterKumrajvastranslationofLotusSutra.Duetoitstranslation,somepeopleusethenameoftheGuanyinSutratoextractandprintthetextofTheBodhisattvaAvalokitevarasepar
28、ately.Fromthenon,ScripturesaboutGuanyincametoappearoneafteranother,andthebelieftowardsAvalokitesvarabecamepopularinChina.LotusSutraiscalledthekingofScripturesinthetheoreticalsystemofChineseBuddhism.TiantaiSchooltakesLotusSutraasthebasicScripturetosetupitsschool.OtherschoolslikeEastAsianMdhyamaka,Eas
29、tAsianYogcra,Huayan,ZenandTantraallpraiseithighly.LotusSutrahasdeepandlong-terminfluenceonthehistoryofChineseculture.AmongthepreachersandchanterslistedinTheBiographyofEminentMonks,thenumberofreadingLotusSutraisthelargest.AmongthehandwritingScripturesinDunhuang,theproportionofthemanuscriptsofLotusSut
30、raisthelargest.AmongthenotesonvariousSscriptures,thenumberofnotesonLotusSutraisthelargest.LotusSutraalsohasadeepandwideinfluenceintheculturalcircleofHanBuddhism.ThetranslationofLotusSutrahasbeenintroducedtoKoreaandJapan,anditisextremelyfamousthere.Untiltoday,LotusSutratranslatedbyMasterKumrajvainChanganstillhaspositiveeffecttowardChineseandglobalculture.
