Since two-hundred and twenty C.E Buddhism has spread through China tremendously. Although the spread was great, people interpreted Buddhism a different way. Generally poor people would agree with Buddhism due to being able to relate with everything Buddhism was presenting, due to Buddhism not being about wealth. While poor people could relate, wealthy people could not due to the wealth and extravagant lifestyle. As the struggles of lower-class people decreased, the amount of people following Buddhism decreased.
Buddhism has influenced China significantly, Buddhism originated in India in the sixth century B.C.E. which progressively moved to China after the fall of the Han dynasty in two-hundred and twenty C.E. During the beginning of the
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In the first document the Buddha puts importance on the steps to talking about the ending of suffering. This is why so many people decided to join the religion of the Buddha, many people who were poor were struggling because many lives were lost as the nation of China had unstable governmental leaders. Then again, this is why a lot of the wealthy people could not relate to Buddhism, they were not struggling and have an extravagant lifestyle (Document 6). Zhi Dun, who was pro Buddhist spoke about how the understanding and the acceptance of the Buddhist is important in China because the people in China who are wealthy don’t understand what it means to be a Buddha because they are lost in their wealthy life style. During upsetting eras, for example the time period after the Han yu’s fall, people would join Buddhism to be able to believe that they had the potential of a release from the physical world and escape to a better place where they could find enlighten (Document 4).
Buddha intended and had his sermons toward large audiences, which would be towards laborers or people in lower classes so that his sermons would have mass appeal. In Document 2 there was political statements from Zhi Dun that stated that Buddhism’s only purpose was to deliver a sense of protection to the lower class people who were afraid. Zhi Dun was a Chinese scholar, which is a class held high in Chinese society, so his views toward Buddhism did not reflect the ideas of the masses of people who believed Buddhist
Buddhism, since it is a foreign religion can never match the true beauty and value of a religion such as Confucianism that is a classic in Chinese culture. An anonymous Chinese scholar once argued about how “If Buddhism is the greatest and most venerable of ways, why did the great sages of the past and Confucius not practice it? In the Confucian Classics no one mentions it” (Doc 3). Not only did the anonymous Chinese scholar consider Buddhism as “outlandish”, but he makes an argument stating that if it was so great, why were the principles of Buddhism not incorporated into Confucianism, a religion that has been around much longer and has had greater influence. Buddhism also did not bode well with the reemergence of the imperial authority as jealousy arose among the elites since Buddhist monasteries were able to evade taxes, but continue to gain funds and riches.
The spread of Buddhism in East Asia had great success when the region became a center of learning for monks and scholars. Merchants in Central Asia came to the region for trade, and as they learned about Buddhism, they accepted this cultural adaptation. When the Chinese had their first contact with Buddhism through people from central Asia, who were already Buddhist, this religion expanded itself through the Chinese empire. As an interest was established for Buddhism in China, monastic orders were established causing political disputes between the emperor and Buddhists for the centuries to come. During the Han Dynasty, Buddhism enjoyed a great state support; however, after the collapse of the Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty influences
While Chinese initially accepted Buddhism and defended its policies, over the centuries others increasingly scrutinized Buddhism’s absence from past texts and used it as a scapegoat for political and social problems. When there was no empire to enforce laws, Buddhism gained popularity, but after imperial authority reemerged, Buddhism faced mounting opposition. An additional document that shows the actual numbers of converts to Buddhism during this time, preferably in a graph, would be useful in determining whether or not the worries of the authors in documents against Buddhism were grounded. For a few centuries after arriving in China, Chinese defended and supported Buddhism. Zhi Dun praised Buddhism as providing a path to nirvana, though as an upper class scholar who probably did not personally feel threatened by invading nomads, his testimony does not necessarily reflect the danger lower classes likely felt.
DBQ 2004: Responses to Buddhism in China In Tang China, Buddhism was seen by some as a peaceful and honorable religion that would improve China, while others met it with scorn, denouncing it as an evil faith that threatened traditional Chinese or Confucianism values. Some Chinese scholars and officials praised Buddhism for its focus on peace, enlightenment and the curbing of the desires in an effort to reduce suffering in the world.
Document 5, written by Zong Mi (Buddhist scholar), talks about how people should respect the religion of Buddhism. Buddha was another leader giving his teachings to the world just like Confucius and Laozi. Even a Chinese scholar had a positive input on Buddhism, by saying not to judge the religion because there is no knowledge of it. Also he talks about how their religion involve their own sacrifice, not for anyone else but their belief in their Way. In Document 1 it also talks about their beliefs in the Four Noble Truths.
Zhi Dun was a Chinese scholar, an author and a confidant of Chinese aristocrat as well as a high official in Northern China. (Doc1) He talked about the fact that those who devote their lives to following Buddha’s message will be enlighten at the end of their lives. They will be a state of happiness and satisfaction called nirvana. Zhi was approving of the new believe system that was making its way around.
Document 1 describes “The Four Noble Truths” which were preached by the Buddha. The document shows the steps necessary to obtain enlightenment which appealed to lower-class citizens. Document 1 also shows a connection between Daoism and Buddhism by referring to “the Way” which is the Daoist path to enlightenment while Nirvana is the Buddhist path to enlightenment. Document 2 shows the instability and lack of structure in China following the fall of the Han dynasty. Zhi Dun was a Buddhist and a Chinese scholar who is guiding Chinese aristocrats and high officials indicating doubt within Confucianism.
Most of the civilization was uninterested in the religion, as seen in Document 1. The Asian monk and scholar wrote about how they saw it as equal to other religions, yet were incurious about it. The Qin monk is trying to persuade others to convert to buddhism, so when they die they will reach Nirvana and it will ‘Free them from all fear and keep them from falling into the evil paths of existence. Buddhism first became popular, when Kumarajiva himself translated these Buddhist texts into Chinese. This made the texts available to all, and laid the foundation for the acceptance of Buddhism.
Buddhism is a religion born in India 563 B.C. with Siddhartha as there founder. the basic beliefs are the 4 noble truths (Dukkha, Samudaya, Nirodha, and Marga). Like document 6 says noble truth one (Dukkha) "birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering etc." In noble truth four (Marga) says "right intention, right action, right effort ect." Which means if you are suffering in some type of way you stop it by doing something right.
A famous Buddhist scholar during the 9th century named Zong Mi, wrote “ All three teachings lead to the creation of an orderly society and for this they must be observed with respect.” ( Doc 5, Mi) His writings were for the people of the Tang dynasty, who favored his opinion. He mentions society, which leads the reader to believe the religion is widespread and having a effect on society.
Emperor Wuzong didn't want Buddhism at all, he believed it was poisonous to China's customs and detrimental to Chinese Tang law. Wuzong believed it was “an evil that needed to be eradicated”. The way Wuzong accomplished this was by openly prosecuting Buddhism by destroying Buddhist monasteries and reducing the influence of Chinese Buddhism in favor of Confucian ideology. Both Confucian scholars
“As material civilization develops, cultivate spiritual civilization accordingly” --So’taesan The words of the spiritual architect of Won Buddhism, Sot’aesan, suggest that the growth of Won Buddhism is inherently intertwined with the emergence of an increasingly modern Korea. This is for several reasons, the first being that Won Buddhism is essentially a new religion birthed in the context of a new world, one vastly different than the world the original Buddha walked all those years ago. Won Buddhism is a response to the rapidly industrializing new world of the 20th century; a world of advanced technology carrying with it the mass destruction of war and the mass spiritual decadence of an obsession with materialism. Bongkil Chung says of
Buddhism in China DBQ A little before the Tang dynasty there was the Han dynasty where Confucianism was a staple of daily life and government. When the Han dynasty dissolved and the Tang dynasty took authority. Buddhism began to spread widely all over China. Buddhism was met with all types of responses: some saw buddhism as a threat to Confucian family values, while some saw Buddhism as a way to disregard worldly pleasures and luxuries that would only bring them harm, and lastly some mixed on the concept of Buddhism had an issue with the ascetic lifestyle led by its followers. One of the responses to Buddhism in China was that it was thought that Buddhism was a threat to Confucian family values.
Buddhism is a religion that has been under pressure for hundreds of years. Specifically in China, the acceptance of the religion was a hard, long battle that formed demise and refute amongst the society. Emperors, Scholars, and even anonymous Chinese writers voiced their opinions for and against Buddhism. Many controversial arguments are held today. Emperor Wu of the Tang Dynasty (845 C.E.), did not respect Buddhism as a religion.
This is realized by a variety of exercises discipline and meditation practice. Of the mind as a fundamental reason, then Buddhism is often mentioned by the western orientalists as the "science of the mind". From there it can be understood that Buddhism has looked into the method (over the mind / self) first and then make the outward behavior / response to the natural surroundings (including for example, reject or accept a doctrine). So that Buddhism is not concerned who teaches a doctrine whether the "prophet" or "god" or "important people" everywhere, but what is taught. Is it worthwhile or not, whether logical or not, and so forth.