The Religion of the Samurai: A Study of Zen Philosophy and Discipline in China and JapanNukariya, Kaiten
Religion
The Religion of the Samurai: A Study of Zen Philosophy and Discipline in China and Japan
Nukariya, Kaiten
Buddhism -- China; Buddhism -- Japan; China -- Religion; Human beings -- Origin; Japan -- Religion; Zen Buddhism
The term 'Tripitaka,' however, was not known at the time of Shakya
Muni, and almost all of the northern Buddhist records agree in
stating that the Tripitaka was rehearsed and settled in the same year
in which the Muni died. Mahavansa also says: "The book called
Abhidharma-pitaka was compiled, which was preached to god, and was
arranged in due order by 500 Budhu priests." But we believe that
Shakya Muni's teaching was known to the early Buddhists, not as
Tripitaka, but as Vinaya and Dharma, and even at the time of King
Acoka (who ascended the throne about 269 B.C.) it was not called
Tripitaka, but Dharma, as we have it in his Edicts. Mahayanists
unanimously assert the compilation of the Tripitaka in the first
council of Rajagrha, but they differ in opinion as to the question
who rehearsed the Abhidharma; notwithstanding, they agree as for the
other respects, as you see in the following:
The Sutra Pitaka, compiled by Ananda; the Vinaya Pitaka, compiled by
Upali; the Abhidharma Pitaka, compiled by Ananda--according to
Nagarjuna (Mahaprajnyaparamita-castra).
The Sutra Pitaka, compiled by Ananda; the Vinaya Pitaka, compiled by
Upali; the Abhidharma Pitaka, compiled by Kacyapa according to Huen
Tsang (Ta-tan-si-yu-ki).
The Sutra Pitaka, compiled by Ananda; the Vinaya Pitaka, compiled by
Upali; the Abhidharma Pitaka, compiled by Purna--according to
Paramartha ('A Commentary on the History of the Hinayana Schools').
The above-mentioned discrepancy clearly betrays the uncertainty of
their assertions, and gives us reason to discredit the compilation of
Abhidharma Pitaka at the first council. Besides, judging from the
Dharma-gupta-vinaya and other records, which states that Purna took
no part in the first council, and that he had different opinions as
to the application of the rules of discipline from that of Kacyapa,
there should be some errors in Paramartha's assertion.
Of these three collections of the Sacred Writings, the first two, or
Sutra and Vinaya, of Mahayana, as well as of Himayana, are believed
to be the direct teachings of Shakya Muni himself, because all the
instructions are put in the mouth of the Master or sanctioned by him.
The Mahayanists, however, compare the Hinayana doctrine with a
resting-place on the road for a traveller, while the Mahayana
doctrine with his destination. All the denominations of Buddhism,
with a single exception of Zen, are based on the authority of some
particular sacred writings. The Ten Dai Sect, for instance, is based
on Saddharma-pundarika-sutra; the Jo Do Sect on Larger
Sukhavati-vyuha, Smaller Sukhavati-vyuha, and Amitayus-dhyana-sutra;
the Ke Gon Sect on Avatamsaka-sutra; the Hosso Sect on
Samdhi-nirmocana-sutra.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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