Buddha Statue - Buttcho

A monk from the Western Jin Dynasty in China. He was from Kucha, a state in the Western Regions. His surname was Bao. He is said to have traveled to Kashmir to study Buddhism from the Sarvastivada school, but his accomplishments in the Western Regions are unknown. In 310 (Yongjia 4), at the age of 79, he came to Luoyang and worked to spread Buddhism, and died in Ye at the age of 117. Amid the wars of the Sixteen Kingdoms, he used his many supernatural powers to enlighten the cruel warlords Shi Le and Shi Hu (reigned 334-349), kings of Later Zhao, and was revered as the national teacher of Later Zhao, and was given the honorific title of Yamato no sho. Although he did not translate any Buddhist scriptures or leave behind any written works, he is said to have built 893 temples and led as many as 10,000 followers, marking the beginning of the establishment of the imported religion of Buddhism in northern China. Through strict discipline and Zen training, he trained many Chinese monks who made great contributions to the subsequent development of Chinese Buddhism, including Doan and Solang (dates of birth and death unknown). His biography can be found in Volume 96 of the Book of Jin, "Biography of the Arts," and Volume 9, "Divine Illusions," of the Eminent Monk Biography.

[Kazuhiro Furuta April 18, 2017]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、西晋(せいしん)時代の僧。西域(せいいき)の亀茲(きじ)（クチャ）国の出身。姓は帛(はく)氏。罽賓(けいひん)（カシミール）に遊学して説一切有部(せついっさいうぶ)系の仏教を学んだと伝えるが、西域での事績は不詳。310年（永嘉4）79歳のとき洛陽(らくよう)にきて仏教の弘宣(ぐせん)に努め、117歳で鄴(ぎょう)において没した。五胡(ごこ)十六国の戦乱のなかで、残忍な武将であった後趙王の石勒(せきろく)や石虎(せきこ)（在位334～349）を数々の神通(じんずう)によって教化し、後趙の国師として崇(あが)められ、大和上(わじょう)と尊称された。仏典を翻訳することもなく、また著作を残すこともなかったが、893の仏寺を建立し、1万にも上る門徒を導いたと伝えるように、外来の宗教である仏教が中国北地に定着する端緒を開いた。厳格な戒律と禅の実修によって、道安(どうあん)や僧朗(そうろう)（生没年不詳）など、その後の中国仏教の発展に大きく貢献した中国人僧徒を多く養育した。伝記は、『晋書(しんじょ)』巻96「芸術伝」、『高僧伝』巻9「神異篇(じんいへん)」などにみられる。

［古田和弘　2017年4月18日］

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