Although lower classed people supported and defended Buddhism in China, others with higher social status and elites took a xenophobic position on Buddhism and attempted to eradicate it by pointing out various flaws.
As Buddhism spread though China people began to react differently to the new forms of teaching. People who were in lower positions of social hierarchy however, openly accepted Buddhism as a teaching and as a religion. Zhi Dun, states “He will behold the Buddha and be enlightened in his spirit, and then he will enter Nirvana.” (Doc. 2) This evidence describes the remarkable rewards that follow if one pursues Buddha’s teachings. People then sought to obtain Nirvana and therefore follow Buddha’s instructions to enlightenment. Buddha’s …show more content…
Images, paintings and sculptures of Buddha are represented throughout second wave China. Other pieces of art depicted the Bodhi tree, Buddha’s footprints, the lotus, lions, and The Wheel of Law. Each other these different arts illustrated distinct meanings. For example, the lotus symbolizes pure Buddha nature and The Wheel of Law, which represented the Four Noble Truths. Historians see these different arts and know that Buddhism became extremely popular in China. Artists were lower in social hierarchies and therefore one can come to the conclusion that people in lower classes were greater supporters of Buddhism then elites and …show more content…
Buddha’s first sermon stated that “The Second Noble Truth is the Noble Truth of the Arising Sorrow…” (Doc. 1) It then continues to say that “… the craving of power…” led to misery. Buddha says that in order to end pain, one must stop craving all things, including power. Nobles anathematized these ideas because they themselves had great power and detested they idea of giving it up. An Anonymous Chinese scholar said that Buddhist followers “… forsake wives and children, reject property and wealth.” (Doc. 3) Elites saw Buddhist monks as betrayers and deceivers. They looked down upon the rebellious Buddhist followers and thought that they were abnormal. These nobles hoped to eliminate Buddhism. Han Yu, a leading Confucian scholar and official at the Tang imperial court, stated that a “… bone from the Buddha be given … to be cast into the fire and water, that this evil be rooted out, and later generations spared this delusion.”(Doc. 4) Higher classed people sought to extinguish Buddhism and hated those who believed in it because Buddhism often questioned the authority of nobles. Tang Emperor Wu, stated that Buddhism was “… destroying law and injuring human kind indeed nothing surpasses this doctrine!” (Doc. 6) Buddhism taught of an individual journey to enlightenment that required giving up craving all things. Nobles saw
As Buddhism spread though China people began to react differently to the new forms of teaching. People who were in lower positions of social hierarchy however, openly accepted Buddhism as a teaching and as a religion. Zhi Dun, states “He will behold the Buddha and be enlightened in his spirit, and then he will enter Nirvana.” (Doc. 2) This evidence describes the remarkable rewards that follow if one pursues Buddha’s teachings. People then sought to obtain Nirvana and therefore follow Buddha’s instructions to enlightenment. Buddha’s …show more content…
Images, paintings and sculptures of Buddha are represented throughout second wave China. Other pieces of art depicted the Bodhi tree, Buddha’s footprints, the lotus, lions, and The Wheel of Law. Each other these different arts illustrated distinct meanings. For example, the lotus symbolizes pure Buddha nature and The Wheel of Law, which represented the Four Noble Truths. Historians see these different arts and know that Buddhism became extremely popular in China. Artists were lower in social hierarchies and therefore one can come to the conclusion that people in lower classes were greater supporters of Buddhism then elites and …show more content…
Buddha’s first sermon stated that “The Second Noble Truth is the Noble Truth of the Arising Sorrow…” (Doc. 1) It then continues to say that “… the craving of power…” led to misery. Buddha says that in order to end pain, one must stop craving all things, including power. Nobles anathematized these ideas because they themselves had great power and detested they idea of giving it up. An Anonymous Chinese scholar said that Buddhist followers “… forsake wives and children, reject property and wealth.” (Doc. 3) Elites saw Buddhist monks as betrayers and deceivers. They looked down upon the rebellious Buddhist followers and thought that they were abnormal. These nobles hoped to eliminate Buddhism. Han Yu, a leading Confucian scholar and official at the Tang imperial court, stated that a “… bone from the Buddha be given … to be cast into the fire and water, that this evil be rooted out, and later generations spared this delusion.”(Doc. 4) Higher classed people sought to extinguish Buddhism and hated those who believed in it because Buddhism often questioned the authority of nobles. Tang Emperor Wu, stated that Buddhism was “… destroying law and injuring human kind indeed nothing surpasses this doctrine!” (Doc. 6) Buddhism taught of an individual journey to enlightenment that required giving up craving all things. Nobles saw