An Analysis of Master Taixu''s Fahua Thought─ Based on Fahua Yanjiang Lu and Dasheng Miaofa Lianhua jiag Xuan Lun

• Main Authors: Yu-jiao Liu, 劉豫嬌
• Other Authors: none
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/93064734933590111770

碩士 === 國立雲林科技大學 === 漢學資料整理研究所碩士班 === 99 === Master Taixu’s received official transmission from the Linji School and also have studied the Lotus Sutra, the Huayan Sutra and the Weishi thought in earlier stages of his religious career. Therefore, he has created a system of thought that integrates the essence of Tiantai thought, the Faxiang school of thought, and the thought of dharma-nature (such as those expounded by both Tiantai and Chan schools) with the idea of non-attachment to words held by chan school thinkers. In Taixu’s doctrinal classification system, the eight schools of thought “illuminate each other like lights, and similarly are paths leading to Buddhahood.” In this thesis, I will focus on Taixu’s interpretations of the Lotus Sutra as a starting point for a better understanding of his doctrinal classification thought. The Lotus Sutra has been an extremely important sutra in the history of Chinese Buddhism and has been practiced by masters of various schools. For example, Tiantai school was famous for their emphasis and practice of the Lotus Sutra with Huisi and Zhiyi known for their achievement in their attempts to practice the Samadhi of Universal Manifestation of Physical Forms and the Lotus Samadhi. In many historical, philosophical, and meditative texts, some written by Taixu himself, it is clear that Prajnaparamita sutra has played an important role in these master’s practice of the Lotus Samadhi so it seems reasonable to categorize the practices related to the Lotus Sutra as practices related to “Faxing Konghui Xue 法性空慧學(The Teaching of the Understanding of the Emptiness of Dharma Nature).” However, Taixu categorized the Lotus Sutra as a type of “Fajie Yuanjue Xue法界圓覺學 (The Teaching on the Perfect Enlightenment of Dharmadatu)” and this categorization later affected Yinshun who believed that the Lotus Sutra bears the imprint of Tathagatagharba thought that he did not quite approved. A careful analysis of Taixu’s categorization system and the actual meaning of the labels of these categories reflects the complicated nature of Taixu’s doctrinal classification. For example, the main source of reference for Taixu’s most extensive interpretation of the Lotus Sutra is Kuiji’s 窺基 Fahua Xuanzhan 法華玄贊 and therefore reflects strong Weishi (counsciousness only) influence. As Taixu’s doctrinal classification system is tremendously broad, maybe an analysis of such a complicated case as his interpretation of the Lotus Sutra will provide a different perspective and approach to start to understand Taixu’s doctrinal classification system. In this thesis, Taixu’s Fahua yanjiang lu and Dashen Miaofa lianhuajing Xuanlun will be read and compared with Senjui’s “Xiaopinjing Xu (Preface to the Lesser Prajna-paramita Sutra),” Shiqin’s Fahua jinglun, Kuiji’s Fahua Xuanzan, as an important strand of thought in Taixu’s doctrinal classification system.