Baizhang

The Monastic Rules of Monk Baizhang provides a management system for Chinese Chan Buddhism. Since it was formulated, Monastic Rules of Monk Baizhang has won the widespread acknowledgement and implementation in China. Now it has already became the most important Chinese monastic management institution characterized by the concurrent implementation of Vinaya and monastic regulations. In Yuan and Qing Dynasties, with the official recognition and promotion, it became an indispensable component of Chinese national religious legislation.With a long history of over one thousand years, Monastic Rules of Monk Baizhang has experienced some changes in text. Based on two of the most important texts, taking reference to the other versions and related historical resources, this paper makes an analysis of the historical background, practical demands and basic conditions of it. Conclusions obtained indicate that with the proper social, organizational and thinking conditions present, the Monastic Rules of Monk Baizhang was an innovation actively taken by Buddhism on its organization and management system to meet the demands of the adaptation of Indian Buddhism in China, and to ensure the survival as well as development of Chinese Buddhism. Also the mainstream position of Chan sect is closely related to the Monastic Rules of Monk Baizhang. What's more, based on various historical literature, an attempt is made to analyze the contents as well as the significances of the earlier Monastic laws, and to reveal the process of its spread, evolution and theoretical integration.Based on the previous study, this paper attempts to make an interpretation of extant text of the Monastic Rules of Monk Baizhang of Yuan dynasty. Through an analysis of structure, contents and characteristics of the text, this paper reveals that the Monastic Rules of Monk Baizhang consists of three parts of management system, monastic, monks and ritual. Among them, monastic management system aims at the power institution, regulating the personnel, structure of power and setup of grades, etc. Monks management system provides institutional regulations on the learning, self-cultivation and daily life of the assembly of monks. Ritual management system prescribes the procedures of the Buddhist services and tea ceremony in terms of the nature and contents of the activities organized by monastery.Finally, this paper discusses the Confucian and legal characteristic features of the Monastic Rules of Monk Baizhang, and presents its significant influences on the Buddhism history, Chinese society and culture, and national religious management institutions.