Biography of a High Priest

This refers to a collection of biographies of Buddhist monks in China, Korea, Japan, and other countries. In China, about 500 years after Buddhism was introduced, during the Liang dynasty when Buddhism took root in the Han society centered on Confucian ethics, 30 volumes of "Famous Monks' Biographies" compiled by Hosho were written (lost, excerpts from which are kept in the Todaiji Library as ancient manuscripts from the Kamakura period), followed by "Gaoseng Biography" compiled by Huijiao. The latter is divided into 10 categories: translation of sutras, interpretation of meaning, divine difference, study of Zen, clear principe, death, recitation of sutras, promotion of fortune, sutra master, and chanting. Together with the prologue, the 14 volumes contain the biographies of 257 monks with original biographies and 243 with additional information. This work, completed in 519 (the 18th year of Tianjian), is the oldest surviving Chinese biographies of great monks, and it focuses on monks who are not well known in the public eye, but who are virtuous and have good conduct that should be passed down to future generations. This was followed by the 30-volume Continued Biographies of Great Monks by Daoxuan of the Tang dynasty, the 30-volume Song Biographies of Great Monks by Zhanning of the Song dynasty, and the 8-volume Ming Biographies of Great Monks by Rusei. These still exist, and were published in Japanese print form during the Edo period as the Four Dynasties Biographies of Great Monks. In addition, there is the 4-volume Summary of Great Monks by Xu Changzhi from the Qing dynasty, and the 65-volume New Continued Biographies of Great Monks, 4 Collections by Daokai, Yuqian, and others from the Republic of China, which are valuable resources for the study of the history of Buddhism in early modern China. These biographies of great monks contain many elements of law-protection and miraculous tales, and due to the regional constraints in which the editors lived, they do not necessarily cover all of the most representative monks of the time. However, by reading them with a social history perspective, we can learn about the true nature of Buddhism, which was a barbarian religion in Chinese society but became integrated into the Han people.

In Korea, there is the two-volume "Haedong Kosongjeon" (The Tale of the Great Monk Haedong) written by Kakukun of Goryeo, which is a collection of biographies of high-ranking monks who were active over the 300 years since Buddhism was introduced to Goryeo from China. As Zen Buddhism developed in China and Korea, many records of Buddhist monks were compiled that focused on the practices of Zen monks alone.

In Japan, as sectarian Buddhism flourished, each sect compiled its own biographies of high priests, but the most representative biographies of high priests throughout Buddhism are the 75-volume "Honcho Kosoden," compiled in 1702 (Genroku 15) by Shiban (1626-1710). Divided into 10 schools, including Hobon, Joei, and Jozen, the collection contains the biographies of nearly 1,700 high priests, making it an indispensable resource for the study of the history of Japanese Buddhism.

[Makita Taisuke]

"Study of Biographies of Eminent Monks by Yamauchi Shinkei" (Chapter 1 of "Study of the History of Chinese Buddhism", 1921, Bukkyo University Press)" ▽ "Index of Biographies of Eminent Chinese Monks, edited by Makita Tairyo et al., 7 volumes (1972-78, Heirakuji Shoten)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、朝鮮、日本などで行われた仏教の高僧たちの伝記集をいう。中国では、仏教が伝入してから約500年後、儒教倫理を中心とした漢民族社会に仏教が定着した梁(りょう)代に、宝唱撰(ほうしょうせん)『名僧伝』30巻（散逸。その抄出が鎌倉期古写本として東大寺図書館に蔵）、ついで慧皎(えこう)撰『高僧伝』が著された。後者は、訳経、義解、神異、習禅、明(めい)律、亡身、誦経(じゅきょう)、興福、経師、唱導の10科に分類されており、序録ともあわせた14巻に、本伝のある者257人のほか附見の者243人の高僧の伝記が集録されている。519年（天監18）に成った本書は、世間的にその名は高くはないが、徳高く、後世に伝うべき行実のある僧を高僧として取り上げており、現存最古の中国高僧伝である。ついで唐の道宣(どうせん)の『続高僧伝』30巻、宋(そう)の賛寧(さんねい)の『宋高僧伝』30巻、如惺(じょせい)の『明(みん)高僧伝』8巻が成立。それらは現存しており、江戸時代に『四朝(しちょう)高僧伝』として和刻本が刊行された。さらに清(しん)朝では徐昌治(じょしょうじ)の『高僧摘要』4巻、中華民国では道階・喩謙(ゆけん)らの『新続高僧伝四集』65巻があり、中国近世仏教史研究の貴重な資料となっている。これらの高僧伝は主として護法的、霊験譚(れいげんたん)的な要素も多く、また編者の住んだ地域的な制約もあって、かならずしも当代を代表する全高僧を網羅したわけではないが、社会史的な考察のもとにこれらを読むことによって、中国社会においては夷狄(いてき)の宗教でありながら漢民族のなかに融合した仏教の実態を知ることができる。

　朝鮮には高麗(こうらい)の覚訓(かくくん)撰『海東高僧伝』2巻があり、中国から高麗に仏教が伝えられて以後300年間に活動した高僧の伝記集である。中国、朝鮮では、禅宗の発展に伴って、禅僧だけの行実を中心とした伝燈(でんとう)録の類が多く撰述された。

　日本では宗派仏教の盛行にしたがって、各宗に高僧伝が編まれているが、仏教を通じて代表的な高僧伝としては、師蛮(しばん)（1626―1710）が1702年（元禄15）に撰集した『本朝高僧伝』75巻がある。法本、浄慧(じょうえ)、浄禅など、10科に分けて1700人近い高僧が伝えられており、日本仏教史研究に不可欠の好資料である。

［牧田諦亮］

『山内晋卿著「高僧傳の研究」（『支那佛教史之研究』第1章・1921・仏教大学出版部）』▽『牧田諦亮他編『中国高僧伝索引』全7冊（1972～78・平楽寺書店）』

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