Bodhisattva Study

Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa also calls MahayanaPratimoksa, originates from Indian Mahayana Buddhism, whichare the disciplines forBodhisattvas who aim to become Buddha. Its predecessor was lay Buddhist-Pratimoksa and Ten Good Actions. Six Perfections are the core content of Bodhisattva activities, commandments is one of Six Perfections, which was the commandment that Bodhisattva should hold at the beginning, and was constantly enriched afterwards, and evolved into sixty-four or thirty-two pure commandments which Bodhisattva must comply with, formed Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa eventually. Bodhisattva-Pratimoksabreaks the tedious appearances of HinayanaPratimoksa, human mind as ontology of the commandments is emphasized.It turns restraining behavior outside to controlling the mind inside, take ideological motivation as the primary standard which practitionersviolate Pratimoksa or not. Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa is suitable for both the Sangha and the laity. There are many kinds of statement what is the severe Precept or slight Precept, there is no independent Vinayapitaka, but we can easily find in scattered in MahayanaBuddhist texts. The content of Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa can be summarized as three sets of pure precepts, include pratimoksa to hold appropriate ritual,pratimoksa to maintain good activities, pratimoksa todo good things for all creatures, not only aim to stop evil, but also aim to advocate good, and not only saving oneself, but also saving others.Bodhisattva-Pratimoksadevelop in Western Region where Mahayana Buddhism thrives, Fo Shuo Dun Zhen Tuo Luo Suo Wen Ru Lai San Mei Jing is thesymbol of Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa forming. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, many famous monks from Darouzhi, Kophen, Parthia, Sogdiana, Western Region, came to central China and promoted Buddhism, hence Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa spread into China. After forming in Western Region, the Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa diffused into the countries of Western Region, India, as well as China, and it developed the system of Brahmajala-Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa, which is marked by Brahmajala-sutra. It eventually developed into Yoga-Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa and Upasaka-Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa in Western Region and India, and spread into China throughDharmaksema, Qiunabamo, Xuanzang. Yoga-Bodhisattva-Pratimoksais represented byBodhisattva-bhumi, Yogacara-bhumi-astra, refer to many Buddhist texts, the system of it are most integrity, but not widespread in China. Upasaka-Bodhisattva-Pratimoksais represented by the You Po Sai Jie Jing, which just suit lay practitioners. Tantra-Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa is the Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa which was influenced by esoteric Buddhism, which means add tantra and ritual on the traditional Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa, it is represented by samaya Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa. Although Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa can be divide into four systems, only Brahmajala-Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa widespread and had a great influence in China. Brahmajala-Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa is the Chinese style of Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa, which means absorb the thought of positive and pessimistic attitudes to life and Confucianism filial ethics, was believed by both the Sangha and the laity, especially was supported by Chinese emperors and nobles, these are the reasons it widely spread.Brahmajala-sutra become the fundamental classic, and appeared much exegesis on it in the history, it was the universal phenomenon that many monks were ordained by this Buddhist text.There are three symbols that we say Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa widely spread in China, firstly, the status of Bodhisattva-Pratimoksatexts in the Buddhist Texts Catalogues, secondly, there much exegesis on Bodhisattva-Pratimoksatexts, thirdly, the activities of ordaining and accepting of Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa were widely spread, and these three aspects reflected thatBodhisattva-Pratimoksa showed different characteristics in different times. Before the Sui and Tang dynasties, primary texts of Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa were already recorded in the Buddhist Texts Catalogues, but did not record separately. Translation and commentary were the primary symbols in this period, the activity of ordaining and accepting Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa had begun, the people who accepted Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa were mainly emperors and nobles. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa spread far and wide. Bodhisattva-Pratimoksatexts were recorded separately in the Buddhist Texts Catalogues, paralleling with Hinayana Pitaka, the status of Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa was improved greatly. The activities of ordaining and acceptingof Bodhisattva-Pratimoksawas very common, monks from each sect led the role of which ordainPratimoksa for the person who want to be ordained.Monks from Vinaya Sect instruct Bhiksu-Pratimoksa, as well as Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa. Ordaining and acceptingBodhisattva-Pratimoksa became a great social trend, ordained people include emperors, nobles, Sangha and the laity. After Tang dynasty, development of Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa was declined, presented a decline trend as a whole, though there were still many monks advocated and promoted Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa during the Five Dynasties, Song and Ming dynasty.Dunhuang area is one of most important place for Buddhism, during the period of the Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties and Song dynasty, Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa wide spread in Dunhuang area, especially the spread of Brahmajala-Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa. Dunhuang area has unique geographical location, and with diverse nationalities, commandments were not strictly abided, hence some people with great visionspay much attention to change the situation. A great deal of Bodhisattva-Pratimoksamanuscripts of Brahmajala-sutra, Bodhisattva commandments, certificates of commandments, etc., were found in the Dunhuang documents, some frescoesaboutBodhisattva-Pratimoksa were found in the Dunhuang Grotto. There threesutra-illustrations of Brahmajala-sutra were only found in the Dunhuang Grotto, it was the new theme of Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa spreading, which reflected the spread of Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa in the Dunhuang area.Chinese Buddhism greatly influenced Koreaand Japanese Buddhism, and Bodhisattva-Pratimoksaoutputted to Korea and Japan in two ways.firstly, it was brought to Korea and Japan by the monks who came to China to pursue the Buddhism, such as Cizang from Silla, Zuicheng from Japan, they not only accepted the ritual of Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa, but also studied it hard, in the trend of Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa mostly spreading. They took many Sutras and exegesis about Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa to their own county, and promoted the development of the Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa. Secondly, Chinese monks went abroad to spread Buddhism, Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa was promoted, such as Jianzhen went to Japan, established the Japanese Vinaya Sect, hosted the ritual of taking commandment for Japan’s emperor and nobles, these activities much enhanced the spread of Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa in Japan. Zuicheng finished his study in China, and going back to Japan, founded Japanese Tiantai Sect, abandonedHinayanaPratimoksa officially, carried forward his activities of advocating Bodhisattva-Pratimoksa, which made the Japanese Buddhism and Chinese Buddhism go different ways, and formed independent system of Vinaya.