Chinese Buddhist canon

Korea-Haeinsa-Tripitaka_Koreana-01

Zoukyou

Chinese_printed_sutra_page,_dated_to_the_Song_dynasty

Tripitaka_Koreana_sutra_page

== Chinese Buddhist Canon ==

The Chinese Buddhist Canon (大藏經, Dàzàngjīng) is a collection of Buddhist texts that have been translated into Chinese and compiled over several centuries. It is one of the most comprehensive collections of Buddhist literature in the world and serves as a crucial resource for the study of Buddhism in East Asia.

History[edit | edit source]

The formation of the Chinese Buddhist Canon began during the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) when the first Buddhist texts were translated into Chinese. The process continued through subsequent dynasties, including the Tang dynasty (618–907) and the Song dynasty (960–1279), with significant contributions from renowned translators such as Kumarajiva, Xuanzang, and Bodhiruci.

Structure[edit | edit source]

The Chinese Buddhist Canon is traditionally divided into several sections:

Sutras (經, Jīng): These are the discourses attributed to the Buddha and his close disciples.
Vinaya (律, Lǜ): These texts contain the rules of monastic discipline.
Abhidharma (論, Lùn): These are scholastic treatises that provide philosophical and doctrinal analysis.

Major Editions[edit | edit source]

Several major editions of the Chinese Buddhist Canon have been produced over the centuries:

Kaiyuan Canon (開元大藏經): Compiled during the Tang dynasty.
Qianlong Canon (乾隆大藏經): Compiled during the Qing dynasty (1644–1912).
Taisho Tripitaka (大正新脩大藏經): A modern edition compiled in Japan during the early 20th century.

Influence[edit | edit source]

The Chinese Buddhist Canon has had a profound influence on the development of Buddhism in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. It has also played a significant role in the spread of Mahayana Buddhism and the development of various Buddhist schools such as Chan Buddhism and Pure Land Buddhism.

Preservation[edit | edit source]

Efforts to preserve and digitize the Chinese Buddhist Canon are ongoing. Modern technology has enabled the creation of digital databases, making these ancient texts more accessible to scholars and practitioners worldwide.