Abstract

Buddhism in late Ming dynasty China was the syncretic result of over fifteen centuries of interaction with the indigenous Chinese philosophies of Taoism and Confucianism. The monk Hanshan Deqing and his contemporaries Yun-ch'i Chu-hung and Tzu-po Chen-k'o exemplified this movement that restored monasteries, reprinted the Tripitaka, taught lay and imperial audiences, and engaged in social and political activities. This dissertation is a study and translation of Hanshan's autobiography. Emphasis is given to Hanshan's presentation of ethical practices as they apply to everyday circumstances. ;Within Hanshan's autobiography and collected writings of the Meng-yu-chi is the personal record of the everyday practice of a Buddhist adept. In it he comments on the sutras of Mahayana Buddhism: Lotus Sutra, Surangama Sutra, Avatamsaka Sutra, Lankavatara Sutra, Diamond Sutra, Heart Sutra, Vimalakirtinirdesa Sutra, Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch Hui-neng, Kuan-yin Sutra, etc. His practices crossed all sectarian boundaries, exemplifying the Ch'an/Zen practice of both the Lin-chi and Ts'ao-tung schools, the devotional practices of the Pure Land School towards Amitabha Buddha, the mantra and visualization practices of Tibetan Buddhism and the Vajrayana School, and the insight practices of the Hua-yen, Yogacara, Madhyamika, and T'ien-t'ai Schools. ;Moreover, Hanshan reinvigorated monastic discipline in accordance with Indian Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism. His own teachings emphasized pratityasamutpada, interpenetration, karma, koans, the Four Noble Truths, Four Books, Tao Te Ching, of Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu, precepts, meditation, the Bodhisattva vow, the six paramitas, good works, faith, and repentance in the activities of everyday living. His writings included secular and religious poetry, biographies, commentaries, Dharma talks, dedications to Nagarjuna Asanga, Vasubandhu, Maitreya, Manjusri, and Avalokitesvara, inscriptions for Buddhist iconography and Buddhist art. He promoted in lay Buddhism an appreciation for spiritual practice as the Three Teachings: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. This combination, Hanshan infused with a unity of purpose and a clarity of understanding that allowed his own life to be a moment to moment exploration of the fullness of his vision. As a model for religious transmission, understanding, and practice, the importance of Hanshan' s life cannot be overestimated