Cultural Exchange between East and West around the Second Century A.D. as Seen from Buddhist Sources

2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 16520039
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Chinese philosophy
• Research Institution: Otani University
• Principal Investigator: ODA Akihiro Otani University, Faculty of Letters, Associate Professor, 文学部, 助教授 (70247766)
• Project Period (FY): 2004 – 2006
• Keywords: transmission of Buddhism / Daigesshi empire / Mou-yung / The Li-huo-lun / transmission of Buddhist text

Research Abstract

The aim of this study is to consider the history of the transmission of Buddhism to China from the standpoint of the cultural exchange between the Indian and Chinese cultural spheres. Formerly, the introduction of Buddhism to China was understood to have been simply the result of the work of faithful foreign translators. Although this is important, there are several reasons to suggest that a more significant reason was the cultural interaction between these two cultural spheres.
Buddhism came to China around the first century AD. By the second century, the translation of Buddhist texts gradually increases. This is the very period when the Daigesshi empire was at its peak. Since Chinese sources recording the transmission of Buddhism to China during this time contain many legendary accounts, it is usually considered that they are not trustworthy. But through my study, I have concluded that these accounts can be trusted, for several reasons. The role of the Daigesshi, which forms a bridge between India and China, is far greater than expected. It is clear that this is an important field needing further studies in the future.
The Li-huo-lun by Mou-yung contains relatively detailed accounts of the Buddha's life as well as statements that the Buddhist canon consists of ten thousand volumes. It contains information that cannot possibly be known just through Buddhist texts that had been translated into Chinese by the Latter Han dynasty. There is a high possibility that Mou-yung first learned of these matters after he left Lo-yang, the capital of the Latter Han, and settled in Hanoi. From this, we can imagine that there was a considerable amount of Buddhist texts in Hanoi at that time, and that Buddhist came to China, not only over the land route through central Asian, but also via the sea route through Indochina. It goes without saying that, commercially speaking, it is far more advantageous to use the sea route. In considering the transmission of Buddhist texts as physical entities, it is important not to forget this point. Points like this are in need of further research.