The concept and study on preta

• Main Authors: Hong Mou-Lai, 賴鴻謀
• Other Authors: Chen Chuan-Chu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/33560658385208204107

碩士 === 華梵大學 === 東方人文思想研究所 === 100 === The concept of preta is not an unfamiliar one to a buddhist nor to a Chinese. It actually plays animportant role and reveals itself on a daily basis in an individual’s habitual life. Also carries out itselfin the ordained life as a ritual and folk tradition in an individual’s belief system. The concept of pretatriggers a sense of insecurity and fear, it involves the idea of karma which is the cause and effect ofour conduct which derives from buddhism, especially the concept of reincarnation has an importantcatalyst effect on the concept of preta. In the history of Chinese culture, there is a belief of people dyingand becoming preta, according to the sutra of “The Ten Kings”, when a person becomes deceased, itsspirit descends to the underworld, the spirit will be confronted by the ten yama courts and accepts thejudgement. The concept of preta takes on the meaning as ghost, yet each terminology plays a differentrole and shares an unequal status. There is a saying in Chinese Buddhism, “one finds many sangas infront of the gate of hell”, according to the sutra of “Liang Huang Treasure Repentance”, it consist a vividdescription on the experience of the preta, it seemed that most preta were sangas in their previous life,therefore the saintient beings are always warning us to use the five observation and practice cultivationso we can all obtain enlightenment. There seems to be a certain way of thinking and connection amongthe two. If there are questions and doubts on the topic of preta, the intention of the writer is to tryto explore and study the concept of preta. The concept of preta has originated from India. When theidea was formed, how was the concept being translated and understood by the people then; alsoonce developed in the era of post Buddhism, how was the concept and the practice being merged?When Buddhism arrived to China from the east, what were the impact and changes from the emergingconcept? This is the main discussion of this thesis.