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Xuanzang: The Monk who Brought Buddhism East

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Statue of Xuanzang
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Statue of Xuanzang

The life and adventures of a Chinese monk who made a 17-year journey to bring Buddhist teachings from India to China. Xuanzang subsequently became a main character in the great Chinese epic Journey to the West.

In 629 C.E., a Chinese Buddhist monk named Xuanzang wanted to go west to India to learn more about Buddhism, but at the time, the emperor had forbidden travel outside China. Xuanzang respected authority and he struggled with a decision on whether or not to make the journey. Xuanzang, a brilliant and devout man, in the end believed that going to India was the only way to answer questions that troubled Chinese Buddhists. He started a seventeen-year journey that year, much of it spent as a fugitive and traveling under the cover of darkness.

Xuanzang traveled along what we now know as the Silk Road. He survived the dangerous Taklamakan Desert and continued through the high and harsh mountains of Tian Shan (literally, mountains of the heavens or sky). The Silk Road took him through countries ruled by powerful leaders who sometimes wanted to keep him in their kingdom rather than allow him to travel on. His intelligence and calm devotion to Buddhism convinced these leaders to help him in this quest to reach India. He was to have many adventures as he worked his way through India, on to Nepal, the home of the Buddha, and then to Nalanda where he spent many years living with the greatest teachers and thinkers of this time. Before he returned home, Xuanzang had converted priates who meant to rob and kill him, survived deadly typhoons, and won a Great Debate in front of thousands of wise men in India.

The return trip was no less difficult and he slowly made his way back studying, teaching, and learning about the cultures of the people he met along the way. Xuanzang was still officially a fugitive in his homeland, China, because he had left without permission. Xuanzang wrote a letter to the emperor describing what he had learned and as a result, the emperor not only welcomed him back, but appointed him a court advisor.

The rest of Xuanzang's life was spent in teaching, advising and translating manuscripts that made the journey home with him. Following his journey, Buddhism became more prevalent and more widely understood in China and subsequently elsewhere in the world. The record of his pilgrimage helps us to study and understand Buddhism and the cultures along the Silk Roads.

patrick reme | 03:04:11 12:35am
Dear Sirs, Encouraged by some friends from my Buddhist forum, who indicated me you might be able to tell me more, or otherwise might refer me to someone who could, I take the freedom to ask you if you could help me identifying a statue which is in my family for more than 100 years: I would love to find from which temple that statue comes from ! As I am now retired in Spain and have time, I wanted to know more about that statue and posted some messages on a few Buddhist forums, Japanese universities and museums, and received a few interesting answers which allow me to describe it as below: Description: A near life size hollow sculpture (hollow joined block technique) of what seems a statue of a Honen like figure, wearing Tendai Rosary and Kujo-kesa. Seated figure made out of wood. Height: 90 cm Width: 100 cm Depth: 70 cm Both hollowed body and head (thin walls). Lacquered (amber) colored head; Transparent lens-shaped crystals eyes ( black pupils on brown iris) The statue contains about 1500 calligraphies (parchments in form of lotus leaves = 10 cm X 5 cm ) The back of the head of the statue contains the inscription "Namu Amida Butsu", which points to a Japanese Pure Land related figure.(written on the back of the head and neck: “Namu amida butsu” down the centre, and to the left of it the two characters seem to be “ Jiun “. The figure appears strong in countenance and resolution. All details and photos : http://picasaweb.google.com/valflor Studying the lotus leaves it seems to be various dedications. 1. For the ancestors 2. out of piety The language is antic Sino-Japanese (kanbun). Names of believers are included as their monk's names, at times accompanied by their lay-names, explicitly mentioned. Both female and male believers have participated, leaves with three members of the same family are included as well. A few leaves seem to refer clearly to the monk Jiun shonin: 十七 回 忌 = For the 17th anniversary of his death 慈云 上人 志 = in memory of Jiun Jonin It seems obvious that this could be the Jiun Jonin abbot of the temple from which the statue comes and who died in 1782 (1799-17), as the date of dedication ceremony seems to be 1799 considering : 1) The leaf at the top left of the sheet 8 - Package 5 is the only one to give a complete date of death: (P5F8) https: / /picasaweb.google.com/valflor/Paquet5 # 5433191800092121714 寛 政 十一 未 年 三月 二 日, the 2nd day of 3rd month hitsuji the eleventh year of the Kansei era which is the year 1799; Like other death dates indicate the day and month, it is probable that this addition indicates the year of writing of the leaves. 2) The sheet 14b of the package 6 gives a date truncated but we can reconstruct it (P6 / F14b) https://picasaweb.google.com/valflor/Paquet6#5433191068150759218 四十二戈寅年男 戈 seems wrong for 戊 The sentence would then mean "a man of the year tsuchinoe-tora, 42 years" The year tsuchinoe-tora is the eighth year of the era Hôreki (1758); 1758+42-1 = 1799 ( which is the same result than above) With all my thanks if you could help me, Very sincerely yours Patrick Reme All details and photos : http://picasaweb.google.com/valflor

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