英語訳
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The Avatamsaka School arose in the Indus region when the Buddha first attained enlightenment and received (was granted) the inner realization of the Tathāgata through Samantabhadra and Mañjuśrī, transmitted successively from Aśvaghoṣa and Nāgārjuna to Bodhisattva Vasubandhu and others. Its introduction to China occurred during the Eastern Jin dynasty when Tripitaka Master Buddhabhadra from North India translated the Avatamsaka Sutra at Sikong Temple in Yangzhou and spread it throughout the world. This is the old translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra. Its transmission to Japan occurred during the reign of Empress Kōken, the 46th sovereign, when Monk Rōben of Tōdaiji entered Tang China by imperial command, met Chan Master Huiyuan, transmitted this school, and returned to Japan. Another account states that during the reign of Emperor Shōmu, the 45th sovereign, the Silla monk Simsang came to our court and lectured on the Avatamsaka Sutra at Tōdaiji.
Three Treatises School
The Three Treatises School relies on the Prajñāpāramitā Sutra for its scriptural basis and on the Śataśāstra, Madhyamakaśāstra, and Dvādaśanikāyaśāstra for its treatises. It arose in the Indus region 700 years after the Buddha's death when Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna appeared in South India and widely proclaimed the teachings to refute the existence doctrine. Also, 800 years after the death, Bodhisattva Āryadeva appeared and likewise propagated the emptiness doctrine. The present existence doctrine arose 100 years after the death when Mahādeva (called "Great Deva," this heretic) appeared and propagated the doctrine that all dharmas truly exist. The five regions of India revered and adopted this. This was the origin of the existence doctrine. Its introduction to China occurred when Kumārajīva of Kucha in India, at age sixteen, first followed the prince of Shache to cultivate learning. This was 1,285 years after the Buddha's death. He eventually left his home country and traveled extensively through the five regions of India for many years. Later he returned to Kucha. Thereafter, in the 1,309th year, during the reign of Emperor An, the sixth Eastern Jin emperor, in the first year of Long'an, Kumārajīva brought seventy-four sutras and treatises to court. Emperor An valued these highly and had them translated at Chang'an Palace.
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Among those seventy-four works were the Śataśāstra, Madhyamakaśāstra, and Dvādaśanikāyaśāstra. Its introduction to Japan occurred during the reign of Empress Suiko, the 34th sovereign, when Eji from Goguryeo and Etoku from Baekje came to our court to propagate the Dharma. Prince Shōtoku established a temple for them to reside in - the present Gangōji. Prince Shōtoku took Eji as his principal teacher to study the Dharma principles. However, Eji met Master Jiaxiang and transmitted the Three Treatises.
Consciousness-Only School
The Consciousness-Only School, although it has six sutras and eleven treatises as its foundation, particularly regards the Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra as the three-period teaching. Its introduction to China occurred in the third year of Zhenguan during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang, when Tripitaka Master Xuanzang, at age twenty-nine, crossed to India, met Śīlabhadra at Nālandā Temple in Central India, and transmitted the Yogācārabhūmiśāstra, Vijñānavādaśāstra, and Abhidharmakośaśāstra. He returned in the nineteenth year and immediately transmitted what he had learned to Emperor Taizong. Its transmission to Japan occurred during the reign of Emperor Kōtoku, the 37th sovereign, when Master Dōshō entered Tang China, met Xuanzang, transmitted this school, and returned to Japan. Another account states that in the fifth year of Suchō during the reign of Emperor Tenmu, the 40th sovereign, Dharma Master Jibong from Silla transmitted the foundational sutras and treatises of this school.
Shingon School
The Shingon School prays for the accomplishment of present and future siddhis through the power of esoteric mantras. Therefore it is called the Shingon School. It arose in the Indus region 600 years after the Buddha's death when Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna of Central India
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went to South India and opened the iron stupa doors with seven mustard seeds. Vajrasattva within the stupa bestowed the Mahāvairocana Sutra upon Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna. The Bodhisattva respectfully received it. The foundational sutras, to discuss them completely, are the Mahāvairocana Sutra, Vajraśekharasūtra, Susiddhikarasūtra, and others. Its introduction to China occurred in the fourth year of Kaiyuan during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, when the Central Indian monk Śubhakarasiṃha transmitted the seven-volume Mahāvairocana Sutra. Also in the eighth year of the same period, Emperor Xuanzong valued this highly and had it translated in Chang'an. Regarding its introduction to our court, the Tōji lineage states: In the twenty-third year of Enryaku during the reign of Emperor Kanmu, the 50th sovereign, Master Kūkai of Daianji, at age thirty-one, entered Tang China by imperial command, met Ācārya Huiguo at Qinglong Temple, received the maṇḍalas of both divisions along with ritual implements, and returned to Japan in the second year of Daidō during the reign of Emperor Heizei, the 51st sovereign.
Tendai School
The Tendai School is named after the one who propagated it. If named after what was propagated, it should be called the Lotus School. It arose in the Indus region when Śākyamuni Tathāgata personally expounded the Lotus Sutra on Vulture Peak for eight years. Since then after his death, the sequential transmission of the Dharma was like the golden-mouthed succession: First Venerable Kāśyapa, second Venerable Ānanda, third Śāṇavāsin, up to the twenty-third, Bhikṣu Siṃha. During this Siṃha's time, the Dharma transmission ended. Its transmission to China occurred over 1,400 years after the Buddha's death when Chan Master Huiwen of Qi appeared. The Qi sovereign said to himself: "I walk alone by the rivers; whom should I take as teacher? I will enter the library and take a volume. If it is a sutra, I will take the Buddha as teacher; if it is a treatise, I will take a bodhisattva as teacher." He immediately entered the sutra repository, offered incense and scattered flowers. Later he took a volume with his hand - it was the Madhyamaka-śāstra composed by Nāgārjuna. He immediately opened and read it,
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and upon reaching the passage on "dharmas produced by dependent origination," he awakened to the inner realization of the three contemplations in one mind. From then on, the nine masters - Huiwen, Nanyue, Tiantai, Guanding, Zhiwei, Huiwei, Xuanlang, Zhanran, and Daosu - transmitted it successively. Its transmission to Japan occurred in the twenty-third year of Enryaku during the reign of Emperor Kanmu, the 50th sovereign, when Master Saichō, at age thirty-eight, received imperial permission to enter Tang China, met Master Daosu and Great Master Gyōman, received the profound teachings of Tendai, and returned to Japan in the twenty-fourth year.
(The origins of the eight schools are as above)
Buddha-Mind School
The Zen School does not take written words and phrases as its essence; its fundamental intention is solely to polish the mirror of the mind and attain the Dharma through exclusive seated meditation. Therefore it is called the Zen School. It arose in the Indus region where the twenty-eight patriarchs of Western Heaven transmitted it accurately from one to another - from Śākyamuni, Kāśyapa, and Ānanda to Bodhidharma in succession. "Directly pointing to the human mind, seeing one's nature and becoming Buddha." Its introduction to China occurred when Bodhidharma of Western Heaven came to the Eastern land and propagated the Dharma principle of mind-to-mind transmission. Emperor Wu of Liang showed reverence to him, and both ministers and people thirsted for and revered him. In Japan, during the eighth year of Tenpyō in the reign of Emperor Shōmu, the 45th sovereign, Chan Master Dōsen of Great Tang came to Japan to propagate the Dharma. Master Gyōhyō of Daianji met Dōsen and transmitted the Dharma. It is also said that during the reign of Empress Suiko, the 34th sovereign, Bodhidharma came to this country, met Prince Shōtoku, and transmitted the Dharma. Another account states that in India, Kāśyapa broke into a smile,
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and in China, Bodhidharma "did not know." In our court, National Master Hōtō, founder of Yura, entered Song China and met Huanglong Wumen to transmit the Dharma. Master Enhō Enni entered Song China and met Jingshan Wuzhun to transmit the Dharma. Eiheiji Dōgen entered Song China and met Tiantong Rujing to transmit the Dharma. Great Master Daitō, founder of Daitokuji, was a fifth-generation disciple of Songyuan. Great Enlightenment Zen Master, founder of Kenchōji, was a renowned sage of the Song dynasty.
Pure Land School
The Pure Land School teaches that direct attainment of Buddhahood is the work of those with the highest spiritual capacity. For the dull-witted of the final age, it would be easier to achieve Buddhahood after first being born in the Pure Land. Relying on Amitābha's original vow power, one exclusively seeks Pure Land practice with joy. Therefore it is called the Pure Land School. It arose in the Indus region when our former Great Enlightened One expounded the three Pure Land sutras. Bodhisattva Vasubandhu composed the Treatise on Rebirth in the Pure Land, contemplating the characteristics of that world as surpassing the three realms. Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna composed the Daśabhūmikavibhāṣāśāstra, stating: "If a person wishes to become Buddha, let the mind be mindful of Amitābha." "One thought, ten thoughts." Tripitaka Master Bodhiruci transmitted and translated the Pure Land Treatise, taking the three sutras and one treatise as foundation. Its introduction to China had Tanluan, Daochuo, and Shandao as patriarchs. In our country, Master Genkū of Kurodani is the patriarch. Among his disciples, the Seizan branch teaches immediate rebirth, while the Chinzei branch teaches future attainment of rebirth. Genkū personally opened the Tripitaka and first established the Pure Land school. (Genkū was called Hōnen)
Essential Texts of Various Schools
Abhidharmakośa (Dharma essence eternally exists) Satyasiddhi (Coarse is provisional, subtle is real)
Vinaya School (Five categories, seven groups) Consciousness-Only (Existence, emptiness, middle way)
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Three Treatises (Middle way of eight negations) Avatamsaka (Three realms are mind-only)
Tendai (Three contemplations in one mind) Shingon (Six elements without obstruction)
Buddha-Mind (Directly point to human mind, see nature, become Buddha) Pure Land (One thought, ten thoughts)
Eight Oceans Treasury (End)