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The Harmony of the Three
Teachings
Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D.
REL 232
Religions of China and Japan
Berea College
Fall 2004
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TANG 唐 DYNASTY CHINA
(618-907 CE)

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

1.
2.
3.
4.
Restoration of unified empire
after period of disunity
Climax of Chinese
internationalism and
xenophilia
Confucianism, Taoism, and
Buddhism each welldeveloped and increasingly
interdependent
Era of religious importation:
Islam
Judaism
Manichaeism
Nestorian Christianity
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CONFUCIANISM, TAOISM,
AND BUDDHISM



As Taoism emerges as
distinct tradition, it becomes
competitive with Confucian
and Buddhist traditions
While Taoist movements
always distinguish
themselves from others
(Buddhist, popular, etc.), a
high degree of
interpenetration between
traditions is a constant reality
No evidence that average
practitioners show much
concern about exclusive
religious participation
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TAOISM FROM THE HAN
THROUGH THE TANG

1.
2.
3.

1.
2.
“Celestial Masters” (Tianshi
天師) movement:
Based on scriptures revealed by
deified Laozi to Zhang Daoling
張道陵 (142 CE)
Organized communities around
public worship of Laozi, rites of
confession, etc.
Expected imminent end of world
with reward for elect
Later movements:
Shangqing 上清 (“Highest
Clarity”)
Lingbao 靈寶 (“Spiritual
Treasure”)
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BUDDHISM IN THE TANG



Most prosperous period for
Buddhism in China, yet ended
disastrously
842-845: Emperor Wuzong
武宗 and his Confucian and
Taoist allies destroy Buddhist
institutions, confiscate
Buddhist property, and
secularize monks and nuns
Viewed as period of “Last
Days of the Dharma” (mofa
末法) – degenerate era in
which former methods of
teaching would not suffice


1.
2.

1.
2.
Tendency to focus solely on
one text or practice
Two kinds of emphases:
Self-power (zili自力)– rooted in
Theravada concept of individual
effort and Vajrayana esotericism
Other-power (tali 他力) – based
on Mahayana’s interdependent
model of selfhood and ideal of
compassion and Vajrayana focus
on benevolent deities
Two major movements:
Chan 禪 (meditation)
Jingtu 淨土 (Pure Land)
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THE PURE LAND TRADITION




The Pure Land Sutra
describes “Pure Land” as
ideal realm for attaining
nirvana; presided over by
Amitabha Buddha (A-mi-tuofo 阿彌陀佛)
Amitabha vows to grant
rebirth to those with faith in
his other-power
Emphasis on salvation by
faith parallels terror of hell
(10 divisions, 180 levels)
Chinese Pure Land focuses on
Amitabha and his assistant
Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin
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觀音)
THE CHAN TRADITION




1.
2.

Chan = Sanskrit dhyana
(“meditation” – Japanese: Zen)
Goal: “to see into one’s own
nature and become Buddha”
“Mind-to-mind” transmission
from master to disciple,
beginning with Bodhidharma
(400s CE?), certifies one’s
enlightenment
How is one enlightened?

Gradually (“Northern” Chan, led
by Shenxiu 神秀, c. 606?-706)
Suddenly ( “Southern” Chan, led
by Huineng 慧能, c. 638-713)
1.
By 732, “Southern” Chan
dominant
2.


Degeneration of dharma
justifies rejection of devotion
and scriptures in favor of
meditation as sole or primary
method of attaining
enlightenment
Reality must be seen as it is
(nondualistic, spontaneous,
“empty”)
Two major sects:
Chinese Linji, Japanese Rinzai
臨濟 – uses riddles (Chinese
gong’an, Japanese koan 公案),
verbal abuse and meditation
Chinese Caotong, Japanese Soto
曹狪 -- uses meditation only
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SONG 宋 DYNASTY CHINA
(960-1279 CE)




Confucian scholars help
stabilize Song dynasty after
fall of Tang 唐 (618-906)
Grateful Song emperors
embrace Confucianism and
continue late Tang antiBuddhist policies, although
some support Taoism
After 1126, northern Song is
lost to Jin 金 “barbarians,”
intensifying perception of
dynastic and social fragility
General religious tone of
Song: moralistic,
nationalistic, syncretistic
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THE TWO TAOISMS



1019: Emperor orders first
organization of Taoist canon
(collection of authoritative
scriptures)
1119: First mass printing of
Taoist canon
1126: After loss of north,
traditions based on Celestial
Masters flourished in the south,
while new traditions arose in
the north – the “Taoist
Reformation”

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Quanzhen全真 (Complete
Perfection) sect:
Founded by Wang Chongyang 王
重陽 (1112-1170), ex-Confucian
official
Interiorizes previously external
practices (e.g., alchemy)
Spiritualizes previously physical
goals (e.g., immortality)
Syncretistic blend of Buddhism,
Confucianism, and Daoism
Ascetic in character and monastic
in organization
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THE NEW CONFUCIANISM


Daoxue 道學 (Dao-study)
Key concept -- li 理:
1.
2.
3.


Reason or principle
One’s moral nature
Cosmic order
Cosmos = product of the taiji
太極 (Great Ultimate) – the
force of constant, natural
change
To understand li, one should:
1.
2.
“Investigate things” (gewu
格物 ) – Zhu Xi 朱熹, c.
1130-1200
“Study one’s heart/mind”
(xinxue 心學 ) – Wang
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Yangming 王陽明 , c.
1472-1529
MING 明 DYNASTY CHINA
(1368-1644 CE)





Led by a Buddhist peasantgeneral, the Chinese overthrow
Mongol Yuan 元 (1279-1368)
dynasty and establish Ming -final indigenous dynasty
Early emperors commission
voyages of exploration to India,
Persia, and Africa (1405-1433)
Christianity returns to China
with Catholic missions (1583)
Confucianism retains its hold
on civil service through Zhu
Xi’s “Four Books” curriculum
Syncretistic ideology of sanjiao
三教 (Three Teachings)
dominant
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