When Asia Was the World Book Analysis Essay

As a Chinese scholar, he was probably looking for an end to suffering when China was invaded by nomads. His point of view is significant because he implies that Buddhism gives a chance for everyone to reach nirvana. In a state of political chaos, this greatly comforted and hugely appealed to the Chinese. An additional document by a Chinese Buddhist follower during the nomadic invasions would be helpful because it would show how Buddhism provided a distraction and relief in political disunity.

Besides the experience of travel itself, identify one theme or pattern that seems to be repeated throughout the test. Examples (political\ systems, economic development, religion). What significance does this theme or pattern play in shaping the ancient world? Are there any chapters/people/events that contradict your pattern or theme?’

A prince named Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) founded “Buddhism” in the sixth century before the birth of Christ. Buddhism is better understood as philosophy rather than a religion and follows the concept of the Four Noble Truths and the Eight Fold Noble path.

Journey to the West is a Chinese novel published in the 16th century that tells a story of Xuanzang or Tripitaka’s journey to retrieve original Buddhist sutras for China. The influence of Journey to the West has become insurmountable in Asian cultures and has managed to help both Taoism and Buddhism to surge in popularity and stay relevant today. Being one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, Journey to the West has been successfully adapted into various forms of media and is often a required read in both China and Taiwan’s education system. What makes Journey to the West stand out and emerge as the most popular literature out of the four is due to the main character, Sun Wukong or the Monkey King’s immense cultural

In Xuanzang early life he was guided by his father to read classical text. Not like most children he received a full education at a young age being instructed by his father. He was the youngest of four children and his grandfather was the head of the Imperial University at Beijing. By the age of eight of he was very familiar with complicated Confucian rituals. Xuanzang father died in 611 and his older brother Chensu noticed that Xuanzang was “deeply given to the study of religious doctrine” (WOTW pg 2). Chensu became a primary influence on his life taking him to Luoyang (monastery) to teach him the basics of Buddhism. Luoyang is where Chensu was groomed to become a monk. At the monastery Xuanzang studied the sacred text of the Buddhist faith with all of the other young converts. At thirteen years old Zheng Shanguo mad an exception for Xuanzang to take Buddhist

” Another reason that Buddhism became so popular not only in Japan but in most of East Asia is because it did not make the people choose but instead presented itself as a supplement and way to add more to the religion that they already practiced. Zen also furthered the relationship between Japanese citizens and China’s. Zen began in Northern China and eventually traveled to Japan, where they won considerable influence in Kamakura. “In spite of its natural resonances with the requirements of the Japanese warrior-leadership, it is unlikely that Sung Zen would have taken roots as strongly in Japan as it did had it not been for an unstable political situation in China which sent to Japan experienced Ch’an monks who would otherwise have lived out their lives in Chinese monasteries.

“If a man studies the Confucian classics…then serves the country as a general or a minister of state, he gets to wear a brocade coat and hang a seal of office on his jade girdle; he sees lovely things and hears wonderful things, he takes pleasure in beauty and leaves an honorable reputation for his descendants. That is the way for a man worthy of the name” (Dream, 20). In contrast, and possibly commenting ironically on the state of Buddhist monastery life at the time, the author speaks through his protagonist as he reflects. The experience is “holy and profound, but it is appallingly lonely. Suppose I do master all the doctrines of Mahayana and succeed to the chair here on the Lotus Peak carrying on Liu-kuan’s teaching, once my spirit and body have been parted on the funeral pyre, who will know that Hsing-chen ever existed?” (Dream, 20). Here, the first inklings of a Confucian worldview are awakened, and the potential for a person to be completely

Today, I persuaded some of the Buddhist guards at the Yemen Pass to let me pass to start my journey. I escaped through Liangzhou and Qinghai. The emperors didn’t let any travels to the west to prevent the attacks of Turks. I had to go to India from Chang’an whether he approved or not. I rather die facing the west than return to live in the east. My horse and I started our journey on and were saved when we found the pond of fresh water.

Buddhism arose in the eastern part of central Asia, the Tibet region, round the fifth century before the born of Christ. Its founder, Buddha, was an Indian native known by the name of Siddhartha Gautama. In search of spiritual discipline, he sought until he achieved what he believed some kind of enlightenment. After which he dedicated his life to pass his Bohdi, perfect knowledge, to others. Many centuries on, Buddhism is widely spread among the highly populated regions of the world, mainly in central and eastern parts of Asia where worshipers still apprehend his teachings.

Xuanzang was able to make many changes along his journey. All of those changes were very positive and they benefited Xuanzang and many other people but the changes never were negative and it did not disrupt China so that there would be war or political problems. He had learned and understood more about the religion of Buddhism and how the Indians practiced the religion. This way, he could bring these teachings and practices back to China so that he can show and help people understand the philosophy of Buddhism. Another thing that changed along the journey for Xuanzang is that he had found over a 500 Sanskrit manuscripts that talked about the Buddhism and it’s philosophy. He was able to translate only about a hundred of the manuscripts from

The Paths to Enlightenment in China: The Rocky Road of Chan Buddhism vs The Smooth Path of Pure Land Buddhism

At the point in history that the novel is based on, Buddhism was quite new to China and eastern Asia. The central character of the historical story is Xuanzang, a Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator

In fact, their publicity captures him as a hero who is ruthlessly fighting for the rights of an unjustifiably suppressed and occupied nation. He’s known there as the peacekeeper of Tibet which is a title he earned for his pursuit of their rights and his defense of their culture. His name provokes nothing but awe and reverence in them. Moreover, what they admire about him the most is the fact that he had attained several honorary degrees from various prestigious western colleges. His reputation is based on the qualities that allowed him to acquire the Noble Peace Prize in 1989 and the way he portrays Buddhism as a model of peacefulness and wisdom. The western people are attracted to Buddhism since it revolves around virtue, meditation, wisdom, and faith so naturally, they are captivated by its him. On the other hand, He is viewed in a less favorable light by The People's Republic of China. They accuse him of hypocrisy and the lack of wisdom. They see him as an adversary who leads a childish group of rebellions who are futilely attempting to turn China's reign in Tibet to ash. Although he rightfully earned the Noble Peace Prize, their perspective has not been altered. Their view of him is directly related and influenced by their conflict with Tibet. When the government of The People's Republic of China invaded Tibet, they claimed that they will preserve the integrity of the Buddhist doctrines but they didn't. In a few years’ time, they

One of the ways that Buddhism was introduced to the Tang Dynasty was by means of a legendary monk: Xuanzang. He traveled to India, while the city of Chang’an suffered from chaos, to study the original Buddhist scripts and later returned to China to translate all of them and interpret the ideas for the people through his Weishi School (Wen, 77). The concept of emptiness is very prominent in Buddhism – emptiness is neither reality nor total nothingness. “Thus, being and nothingness only differ in name; the ontological statuses of both are emptiness (76).”

The pilgrimage of Faxian and Xuanzang to the India is an important event in the cultural exchange between China and India because their experiences of pilgrimages have significant effects on not only development of Buddhism in China as well as cultural exchange between China and India. Faxian and Xuanzang actively participated in various Buddhist activities in India. Their travel experiences were maintained in detailed records of their precious books, which are preservation of valuable historical information such as Ancient Buddhism, geography and social customs in order to study India, Sri Lanka, and other countries.