• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.43
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• pp.179-209
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• 2022

In order to show the achievements of eminent monks who made great contributions to the spread and establishment of Buddhism in China, Huijiao (慧皎) compiled the Gaosengzhuan (高僧傳, Biographies of Eminent Monks) and set up ten subjects, the Shike (十科); meaning the ten rules for translating. The ten subjects served as an important framework for the Gaosengzhuan and its significance as a general history of Buddhism. This significance was further confirmed by the Xu-Gaosengzhuan (續高僧傳 The Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks), the Song-Gaosengzhuan (宋高僧傳 The Song Dynasty Biographies of Eminent Monks), and the Daming-Gaosengzhuan (大明高僧傳 The Great Ming Dynasty Biographies of Eminent Monks) which were compiled successively after the Gaosengzhuan. The ten subjects of the Gaosengzhuan underwent change in terms of the subject titles and their meanings in the subsequent versions of the Gaosengzhuan. In the Xu-Gaosengzhuan, Daoxuan (道宣) changed the titles of some subjects and added a new subject, and in the Song-Gaosengzhuan, Zanning (贊寧) gave new meanings to each subject without changing the ten subjects as they appeared in the earlier Xu-Gaosengzhuan. In the Daming-Gaosengzhuan, Ruxing (如惺) retained three of the subjects but removed seven. This evolution of formation and meaning in the ten subjects was the result of the author's deep recognition and also reflections on major changes and transitions in Buddhist history. Edification was emphasized in the Gaosengzhuan, self-discipline in the Xu-Gaosengzhuan, and wisdom and enlightenment were stressed in the Song-Gaosengzhuan. Ruxing showed that the collapse of the ten subjects reflected the decline of Buddhism. The fact that the ten subjects from each Gaosengzhuan were given different meanings demonstrates that these authors recognized Buddhist history differently. Therefore, it can be argued that the processing of Chinese Buddhist history has been reflected through each of their lens. But it is necessary to analyze and compare various aspects of each version of the Gaosengzhuan.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.48
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• pp.305-335
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• 2024

In the 7th and 8th centuries, Chinese Buddhism was at its peak, and major sects emerged and began to differ from one another in significant ways. This fact was also revealed through several versions of Biographies of the Eminent Monks and changes observable in the peculiarity of their formats. In the early 6th century, Huijiao (慧皎) compiled Gaosengzhuan (高僧傳, Biographies of Eminent Monks) which contains the history of Buddhism after it was introduced to China. At this time, he established a new format called the ten-subjects (十科). In 645, Daoxuan (道宣) used these ten-subjects as the basic framework to compile Xu-Gaosengzhuan (續高僧傳). However, by modifying and supplementing some parts of the ten-subjects, he standardized the ten-subjects into a format suitable for historiography. After the Xu-Gaosengzhuan, several versions of Biographies of the Eminent Monks were compiled in a format that further modified the ten-subjects. Fazang (法藏) wrote Huayanjing zhuanji (華嚴經傳記, 690?) which consisted of the ten-subjects, but the names and meanings of the subjects changed significantly to emphasize the Avatamsaka philosophy. Subsequently, while compiling Hongzan fahuazhuan (弘贊法華傳, 706?), Huixiang (惠詳) compiled a newly modified list of eight-subjects based on the ten-subjects of Gaosengzhuan and Xu-Gaosengzhuan. Sengxiang (僧詳) compiled Fahua xhuanji (法華傳記, 750?) in the format of twelve-subjects which added two new subjects to the ten-subjects of the Huayanjing zhuanji. These two formats focused on faith rather than philosophy. Even in the Chan (Zen) schools, a series of Biographies of the Eminent Monks was compiled from the beginning of the 8th century. Chuan fabaoji (傳法寶紀, 713?), Lengqui shiziji (楞伽師資記, 713?), Lidai fabaoji (歷代法寶記, 774), and Baolin zhuan (寶林傳, 801) are all examples of such compilations. However, the format of these four Biographies of the Eminent Monks was completely different from prior versions. Without setting any subjects, the authors established and described a dharma lineage transmitted continually from master to disciple. This is because Chan Buddhism does not rely on Buddhist texts but focuses on monks achieving realization through other means. At first, only the Chinese patriarchs were listed, but starting with Baolin zhuan, 27 patriarchs including Buddha and Kasyapa were included in the dharma lineage and presented as history. This fictional lineage was based on the need to secure sectarian superiority and legitimacy as Chan Buddhism flourished.