The Research About Dunhuang "Altar Sutra" As A Brief Version To Inherit

As the most important classic of Chinese zen is, the altar sutra produced a variety of versions, until now the version of the content and the thought idea is not much controversy. However, after Dunhuang version unearthed, the debate opens, along with strong passion of unearthed cultural relics, academic think the Dunhuang altar sutra is the earliest version of the altar sutra, the closest to the checked Cao Xi of ancient texts from the start. However, based on a variety of significant errors of objective knowledge in Dunhuang altar sutra, as well as to the zen thought source, represented by Yinshun and JingHui mage, lots of great master of expressed reservations about the value of this Dunhuang altar sutra. Combined with zen history, and according to the features of brief, they puted forward an important point:take Dunhuang altar sutra as the brief biography version. However, Degree of academia to the religious point is not enough, after the idea put forward in the 1980’s, it gradually become unknown.First of all, from the point of time, even if you can infer that there is a Dunhuang ZuBen produced in 760-800, it is hard to say now the Dunhuang which we can see this is the altar sutra ZuBen faithful copies; According to "add and remove" habit under Shenhui, at the same time, according to historical records, this Dunhuang altar sutra extant is likely to be the so-called "ZuBen" multiple variants of the product, does not think it is the most accord with Cao Xi codices. Secondly, from The characteristics of simplified, and the rest of the various versions of "ancient the numerous", "Cao Xi" of ancient texts and print record is in conformity with the historical logic, through the historical data can be concluded that the altar sutra has experienced by numerous and Jane after collected by Jane and numerous development course, and Dunhuang is a brief version, the book is well by numerous and brief history stage, in this historical environment produced by the faithful to the original is difficult to guarantee. Based on the generation of qi song Jackson this monk life tracks, or give me believe that qi song, Germany vision "ancient numerous", "Cao Xi ancient book" statement is true. Moreover, from the point of huineng zen development later, god will be the monk in the process of the south zen in north, facing the north zen self-reliance is face, just like zen vein, to establish the altar sutra to be the token is inevitable trend, Dunhuang this at many points in the altar sutra "to the altar sutra for the letter, pay method the cases of pay told is complex illustrates this point; Will spread as a god in the land of the north door "pay method thecases of version, after years, be faithful to the original, more than that from the Dunhuang traces of faking. For by the content, unlike the rest of the version, this includes all kinds of Dunhuang "pay told" and "hanging", the so-called "not often be the altar sutra, not my aim", "to the altar sutra as visibility" it is obviously from the later’s master "little talk about"; In addition, the Dunhuang "altar sutra text in text rigor, scenario, record the story of integrity aspects of error, in addition to any censored an abridged, it is hard to have other reasonable explanation; Is the most important thing is, the Dunhuang altar sutra and the rest of the version "summered in heart" is very different, represents two kinds of method of zen thoughts, Dunhuang this heart assignment "on the" build all, swept all the rest of the version, the consistency from angry, text content, huineng zen thought characteristic, circumstantial evidence relevant historical materials were analyzed, and several aspects, such as "empty" is more in line with the altar sutra huineng says zen ideology purport, also conforms to the zen koan by word "no" inheriting characteristics of heart.Comprehensive research achievements of the altar sutra in more than one hundred years, no matter from the south to north zen, or through different versions of the content of exploration; Whether it is a relevant records, the inheritance and the altar sutra or zen Buddhism historical records; No matter from the point of view of language style and theme, many research results leads to a conclusion:the Dunhuang altar sutra is a short form for Shenhui series. Partiality, therefore, there should be a rational view to attitudes of the previous scholars in Dunhuang, the value of different versions of the altar sutra should take a calm attitude.