Preview

The Spread of Buddhism in China

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
565 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Spread of Buddhism in China
Lisbeth Britt
Mrs. Liz Campbell
AP World History
November 19, 2014
Passionate Endorsement and Refusal Scholars, Commoners and Ruling Elites all sought to follow the Buddha’s eightfold path to Nirvana by recognizing The Four Noble Truths described in Buddha’s first sermon, “The Four Noble Truths” (doc 1). Those who accepted the Buddhist religion had a single objective in life-to achieve Nirvana in death (doc 2). The spread of Buddhism was due to an overall endorsement of the religion in all classes, though some refused to accept the “newfangled” religion. The positive replies of the scholars were an important part of Buddhism’s expansion. They showed the people that worldly pleasures were not to be valued above following The Way (doc 3) as faithful monks did, who forsook wives and children to accumulate “goodness and wisdom” (doc 3). Scholars such as Zhi Dun (doc 2) wholeheartedly accepted Buddhism. He defined perfect Buddhist actions for people to follow, showing how sensual pleasures were to be avoided (doc 2). These passionately positive responses were an intricate part of Buddhism’s appeal to the Chinese. Some Scholars and Emperors refused it as a threat to the Chinese heritage while others said it was simply “another” good religion. One such Emperor (doc 6) said, “In destroying law and injuring humankind indeed nothing surpasses this doctrine!” This Emperor Wu passionately wished to eradicate this religion. But, no matter how many rules she made, the people still sought follow this appealing and adaptable religion. Zong Mi was one of these scholars who did not escalate Buddhism above Laozi or Confucionism, but at the same time did not lower it below(doc 4). It was simply another good religion and that should be respected. These varying responses show how Buddhism was often hindered by those who did not see the personal profit in practicing it. Some of Emperor Wu’s (doc 6) points as well as an Anonymous Chinese Scholar (doc 3) raise crucial problems with

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Buddhism, founded in India in the sixth century BCE, was rising in popularity among many peoples and eventually spread to China by the first century BCE. In China, Buddhism was faced with many mixed opinions. Some looked to it as truth and comfort and thought it was a good impact on society, others attacked the religion and accused it of being barbaric and a disturbance, and others tried to blend the new uprising religion with China’s existing philosophies.…

    • 988 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Buddhism started in India around the 16th century B.C.E., and after a while diffused to China in the first century of C.E.. People slowly converted to it. Many chinese people felt differently about the new religion, and others felt it was better than the one existing, and better for China as a whole. They then began to encourage conversion of religions. Then there were those guys. They didn't like Buddhism, they thought it was bad and tried to stop the diffusion.…

    • 541 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    After analyzing the documents I was given, I believe there is both a positive and negative response to the spread of Buddhism in China. Over time the response became more and more negative than positive. People were getting used to the spread of Buddhism because they knew that it wasn’t going away anytime soon. The background information I was given explains that since China was unstable at this time Confucianism was on the decline which made Buddhism easier to rise.…

    • 601 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    DBQ Buddhism in China

    • 657 Words
    • 3 Pages

    When Buddhism spread from India to China many different opinions were voiced. Although many people began to gradually convert to it, others felt differently about the new religion. Opinions fluctuated often with some people feeling that Buddhism would be good for the society, to bring the people together in a time of suffering, and others demanding that it be shunned for corrupting the people with foreign ways.…

    • 657 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In documents two and five, a more positive light is shone on Buddhism. Buddhism spread in China because it gave a hope to people who only saw the sorrows of life. Also, Buddhism brought along some order in the chaos that China was in during this time. China was in an uproar during the “age of warring states”. This time brought lots of sorrow, and the need for a hope that Buddhism brought. Buddhism gave the people something to work towards.…

    • 518 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    dbq buddhism in china

    • 1443 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Buddhism brought good things to China and there are people who favor in Buddhism, as we can see in Document 1, 4 and 6. Buddhism makes people behave and portray as good people, and people are happy with Buddhism for their teachings which comfort them by saying that it will bring you to Nirvana if you follow it. For Document 1, it is stated that if anyone serves Buddha or follows the commandments correctly, recites Buddhist scriptures, and makes a vow to be reborn, they will enter Nirvana at the end of their life. They will be enlightened in spirit. Everyone wants to have a good afterlife by entering Nirvana. In order to enter Nirvana, according to the Buddhist teachings, they must behave good and follow the teachings of Buddha, which make people behave good. This is written during 350 CE which is during the state of war and rebellion, and the teachings of Buddha act as a part to help China unify. From Document 4, which is written during the war and rebellion state also, the writer is saying that Buddhism is not what to compare with Confucianism which shows how people start to question about Buddhism, which is the reason why the author wrote this document. He wrote it as a…

    • 1443 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Buddhism is China DBQ

    • 528 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Although the fall of The Han and subsequent need for consolation beyond Confucianism led to the spread of Buddhism, it was met with mixed reactions. Being a religion of salvation it was popular with the ordinary citizens, but governments or groups seeking order opposed its unorganized guidelines. Therefore, Buddhism spread greatly during the period of the warring states, when there was no order and there was a need for salvation among the Chinese people.…

    • 528 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The first point of view of the Chinese would be anti-Buddhism. This point of view was popular in that of Confucian Scholars and officials at the Tang imperial court. According to document‘s 3, 4, 6 Buddhism wasn’t religion that one should practice. In Document 3 an anonymous Chinese scholar asks readers , “ If Buddhism is the greatest and most venerable of ways , why did the great sages of the past and Confucius not practice it?” The Chinese scholar is saying that if Buddhism is so great why did Confucius or Laozi, the great sage of Daoism not practice Buddhism. This implies that Buddhism wasn’t that great of a religion after all. The Chinese Scholars claims are biased. He writes strictly about the bad things about Buddhism. It is one sided and only answers with what he believes are failings of Buddhism. According to document 4 Confucian Scholar and Tang official believes that Buddhism is no more than a cult. He states,” … Buddhism is no more than a cult of the barbarian peoples spread to China.” The speaker is angered that Buddha was being honored by the ruler at the time (Your Majesty). Buddha was not of Chinese descent, he was foreign and doesn’t deserve for his body to be admitted to the palace. “ Confucius said : Respect Ghost and spirits, but keep them at a distance!”. The speaker expresses that he is ashamed of what Your Majesty is doing and…

    • 896 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    DBQ Spread of Buddhism

    • 687 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Buddhism came to China after the Han empire fell and helped some people keep their lives together. For example, Zhi Dun, a chinese scholar, talked about how many chinese served the buddha and followed his commandments as he would want them too. These words coming from a chinese scholar could have changed the minds of some people who wanted to follow the traditional ways. This scholar talked greatly about the Buddha most likely to win the hearts of chinese people and the Buddhist monks (Doc. 2). Continuing with the Buddha’s commandments. They were actually called The Four Noble Truths. The were first taught in India during the Fifth century B.C.E. The Four Noble Truths are a sort of guideline for people practicing Buddhism. They should you a way how to live and achieve Nirvana. Some chinese needed that guidance during the time (Doc. 1). The guidance also brought a new look to the world for many. While a scholar talked about how even though Confucian didn’t acknowledge Buddhism it didn’t mean that it was false. It was a question answer where the questioner challenged Buddhism. The answerer was intelligent and has very good answers that supported Buddhism. The scholar must have been a follower of Buddhism and wanted to help spread his beliefs for others to enjoy (Doc. 3). While this scholar attacked confucianism in an indirect way, Zong Mi, a Buddhist scholar, explained that no one was wrong. Confucius, Laozi, and Buddha…

    • 687 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    During this time of instability, many of the aristocratic people and people of the lower classes had different views and ways they wanted to spread and or discourage Buddhism. As seen in documents 3 and 2, the people explain how they support the spread of Buddhism in China. Document 3 speaks about how people during this time are used to their old ways of living which are counter-acted when the acts of Buddhism come into play. The questions are always defied by simple answers that explain how you cannot compare Confucian ways to Buddhism ways because they both run separate ways. Also, since he is a Chinese scholar almost implies that he/she could in fact be a slight upper class bias to the point. In Document 2, this partiality is also seen when Zhi Dun, another Chinese scholar portrays Buddhism shown as a joyful, light that will bring happiness to one who is interested in joining the religion. Zhi Dun, being a scholar also explains to the reader that his word does not tell how the lower classes felt during this time. During this time when China was being invaded by the early Asian steppe nomads, could have turned his back on Buddhism and declared it a distraction to the people, but that was not the case. During the time, Buddhism was a growing popular religion and was tested against Confucianism on multiple occasions. During this time, some people…

    • 824 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Ap World 2204

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Documents 4 and 6 all discourage the spread of Buddhism in first century C. E. China. Document 4 ridicules Buddhism as “a cult of barbarian peoples,” citing Confucian sayings as the truth amongst Buddhist lies. Han Yu’s position in the imperial court certainly makes his ideas a standard in the state, yet the Emperor acts otherwise and the…

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Pro Buddhism Dbq Essay

    • 624 Words
    • 3 Pages

    So, many Chinese officials looked to preserve Confucianism and enforce it. They did not want to replace a faith, centuries old, by a new culture not even developed in China. Document 4, by a Confucian scholar, criticized Buddhism for developing from a barbarian man who was from a different nation. He supports his claim by stating that Buddhism knows nothing of the ancient Chinese kings and defies ancient Confucian beliefs. In Document 6, Tang emperor Wu also supports this claim. He mentions that Buddhism was never heard of before the Han dynasty. He puts down Buddhism by saying that it depletes China's precious resources and destroys the ancient Confucian…

    • 624 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    buddhism in china dbq

    • 789 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The collapse of the Han Empire led the way for new religions, such as Buddhism to diffuse into China. While there were Chinese people who were supportive of Buddhism, there were also others who had either neutral or negative opinions about the spread of Buddhism in China. The power struggle between the two religions would later lead to the conflict and disunity within the state.…

    • 789 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    along with Confucianism and Daoism, brought traits to the people to help form a more orderly government. This is proven in document five when it says, “Confucius, Laozi, and the Buddha were the perfect sages”. So the people that wrote documents five and six agreed with the spread of Buddhism in China yet did not disrespect other religions. Another piece of evidence in document six shows how they believed these three religions to help their government when it talks about what would happen if we didn’t have the help and order of these religions, “In destroying law and injuring human-kind indeed nothing suppresses this doctrine!”…

    • 452 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    PROMPT: Analyze similarities and differences between the diffusion of Buddhism from its origins to 1450 and the diffusion of Christianity from its origins to 1450. Be sure to discuss how each religion gained followers as it diffused.…

    • 471 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics