2017 3rd International Conference on Humanity and Social Science (ICHSS 2017) ISBN: 978-1-60595-529-2 A Study of Hu Shi s Scholarship on the Platform Sutra Qing MING Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, Yunnan, China Keywords: Platform Sutra, Huineng, Hushi, Hermeneutics, Shenhui. Abstract. Hu Shi used Yabuki Qinghui s photographed copy of the London Library version and as the most credible source in his research on Huineng s Platform Sutra. The most recent scholarship shows that this conclusion about Platform Sutra is necessary for further study. This paper uses hermeneutics as its research method, makes a study of Hu Shi s scholarship of the Platform Sutra, the study will be approached by focusing on Hu Shi s work on Huineng and Shenhui, and famous modern scholars the most recent scholarship on Hu Shi. Introduction Hu Shi (1891-1962) was a famous scholar in modern China, when he studied at Columbia University in New York, he began to have a great interest in Chan Buddhism s Platform Sutra and started his research. His research has a great impact on modern American and Japanese scholars. However, the most recently discovered Dunhuang versions of the Platform Sutra show that his research results are inaccurate, it is necessary to do further research. Hu Shi s Work on Huineng and Shenhui In 1927, Hu Shi began to study Buddhism, and began to publish papers, by 1960, he published 16 famous papers on study of the Platform Sutra. Table 1. Hu Shi s Work on Huineng and Shenhui Title Essays in Zen Buddhism by Daisetz Teitaro Suznki [1] 1927 Publication Year Development of Zen Buddhism in China [1] 1932 Chan (Zen) Buddhism in China: its History and Method [1] 1953 An Appeal for a Systematic Search in Japan for Long-Hidden Tang Dynasty Source-Materials of the Early History of Zen Buddhism [1] 1960 Proofreading the Dunhuang Tang Hand Written Version by the Monk Shenhui (Jiao 1930 dunhuang tang xieben shenhui heshang yiji)[2] New Proofreading:The Two Dunhuang Hand Written Works by the Monk Shenhui (Xin jiaoding de dunhuang tang xieben shenhui heshang yizhu liangzhong )[1] 1960 The Third Dunhuang Hand Written Version of the Monk Shenhui Saying (Shenhui heshang yulu de disange dunhuang xieben: nanyang heshang zazhengyi - liuzheng ji)[1] 1960 First Textual Study on The Platform Sutra (Tanjing kao zhiyi)[1] 1930 Second Textual Study on The Platform Sutra (Tangjing kao zhi er)[1] 1934 A Biography of Grand Master Heze Shen Hui (Heze dashi shenhui zhuan)[1] 1930 Shenhui s Records on the Exoteric Schools and Sayings (Shenhui de xianzongji ji yulu)[3] Discussions with Yanagida Kiyoshi-san on Chan History (Yu liutian shengshan lun chanzong shishu)[4] 1932 1945 142
The History of the Development of the Chinese Chan School (Zhongguo chanzong fazhan shi)[4] 1932 Research on the Ancient History of Chan Buddhism (Chanxue gushi kao)[4] 1928 Letters to Iriya Yoshitaka (Zhi rushi yigao shujian)[1] 1959 The Most Recent Scholarship on the Topics of Chan Buddhist History (Chanzong shi de yige xin kanfa)[1] These works on Huineng and Shenhui were based upon the London Library version of the Dunhuang Platform Sutra. Hu Shi used empirical and hypothetical methodologies to research Chan Buddhism. He believed that Chan Buddhism was the Sinicization of Indian Buddhism and Shenhui was the Chan Buddhist founder of sudden enlightenment and was the true author of The Platform Sutra. This view is accepted especially by Japanese scholars and has influenced western scholars till today. For example, it has influenced John R. McRae s approach to Chan Buddhism in his works entitled The Northern School and the Formation of Early Chan Buddhism,[5] Sudden Enlightenment and the Southern School: The Role of Ho-tse Shen-hui (684-758) In Chan Buddhism and Chinese History [6] and Seeing Through Zen: Encounter, Transformation, and Genealogy in Chinese Chan Buddhism.[7] The Most Recent Scholarship However, the most recent scholarship shows that Hu Shi s view appears to be based upon research that was incomplete. This idea has been clearly explained in the following works: Table 2. The most recent scholarship Author Title Publication Year Lou Yulie Hu Shi s Critique on Chan Buddhist History (Hushi chanzongshi yanjiu pingyi)[8] 1987 Yu Yue Research on the Mythological Aspect of a Portion of the Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra s Huineng Life Story (Liuzu tanjing huineng bufen jingwen de chuanqixiang yanjiu: guanyu dunhuang ben)[9] 1942 2006 Liu Junfeng Fang Litian A Study of Shenhui s Chan Buddhist Ideology (Shenhui chanxue sixiang yanjiu)[10] A Study on the Founder of Chinese Chan Buddhism (Zhongguo chanzong chuangshi ren zhi bianxi)[11] 2008 2004 Huang Lianzhong Pan Guiming Yuan Jiayao Research on the finding and revision Method Regarding Dunhuang Manuscript Version of the Platform Sutra (Duhuang xieben liuzu tanjing de faxian yu wenzi jiaoding fangfa)[12] 2007 Research on Hu Shi s view of Chan Buddhist Historical Studies [13] 1998 A Discussion on the Buddhist Philosophy of Shenhui (Lun shenhui de fojiao zhexue)[14] 1989 Yue Wangsong Jiang Zongfu Ma Tianxiang Zhang Xiangui An Introduction to Stupa Inscriptions by the Seventh Patriarch Heze Master Shenhui (Chanzong qizu heze dashi shenhui taming yinlun)[15] A Textual Study on Issues Regarding the Dunhuang Version of the Platform Sutra [16] Hu Shi, Suzuki and Yinshun Comparative Studies on the Specific Questions Regarding Research on the History of Chan Buddhism (Hushi lingmu dazhuo yinshun: chanzong shi yanjiu zhong juti wenti zhi bijiao) [17] Regarding Hu Shi s Comments on the Historical Role of Chan Buddhism (Guanyu hushi shuochan de lishi dingwe)[18] 1991 2007 1994 1997 143
Yang Zengwen The New Dunhuang Version of the Platform Sutra (Dunhuang xinben liuzu tanjing) [19] A Record of Master Shenhui s Chan Sayings (Shenhui heshang chanhua lu) [20] 2001 1996 These works include PhD. dissertations, books and research papers, which are the most recent scholarship on the topics of Huineng, Shenhui and Hu Shi. These researchers believed that the Hu Shi research was incomplete for the following reasons: First, Hu Shi s works were only based upon the London Library s Dunhuang version of The Platform Sutra (S. 5475)There are five different Dunhuang versions of The Platform Sutra as follows, (1) Dunhuang Library version of the Dunhuang Platform Sutra (D. 077-4): This version was found by Ren Ziyu (1915-1988) in Zhishang Temple (zhishang si) of Dunhuang Thousand Buddha Mountain (qianfo shan) in 1935.[21] It was hand copied by Xiang Da (1900-1966) and brought to Beijing in 1943. It was first published in 1993 by Ren Jiyu (1916-2009) as an edited version that appeared in the Collection of Chinese Buddhist Literature (Zhongguo fojiao congshu).[22] In 2001, Yang Zengwen proofed, edited and published it again with a new title Dunhuang New Version of the Platform Sutra (Dunhuang xinben liuzu tanjing). The original edition of this version is presently at the Dunhuang Library, China. The most recent scholarship shows that this is the most complete version of the Dunhuang Platform Sutra. It is believed by scholars to be the original version and the most accurate. The other four versions of the Dunhuang Platform Sutra are different copies of this version. (2) London Library version of the Dunhuang Platform Sutra (S. 5475): This version was found in 1900 in the 17 th Cave of Dunhuang Mogao by Wang Yuanlu (1850-1931) and was brought to the London Library (presently still at the London Library). In 1916 Japanese scholar Yabuki Qinghui (1879-1939) visited London and found it in the library and brought its photographed copy to Japan in 1922. It was edited and collected into Taisho Shinshu Daizokyo in 1928.[23]The most recent scholarship shows that there are a large number of mistakes and omissions in this version; it was a careless copy of the Dunhuan Library original version. (3)Lűshun Version of the Dunhuang Platform Sutra: It was found in about 1945 in Lűshun by Ōya Guangrui and is presently at the Doragon Notani University library ). (4) Beijing Version of the Dunhuang Platform Sutra: It was found in the Beijing library in1943 by Chen Tan (1880-1971) and is presently at the State Library of China. (5) The Xixia Characters (xixia wen) version of the Dunhuang Platform Sutra:This version was found by Luo Fucheng (1885-1960) in 1930. He translated five pages from Xixia characters into Chinese. Later, the Japanese scholar Kawakami Amayama (1901-1984) believed that it was the Dunhuang version of the Platform Sutra. 1930 was the first time that Hu Shi received and read Yabuki Qinghui s photographed copy of the London Library version and used it as the most credible source in his research on Huineng and Shenhui. The most recent scholarship shows that this version was hand copied during the early Song dynasty by a Guangdong Chan monk, who was not well educated and so he made a large number of mistakes and omissions while copying by hand. Also, most of the Chinese characters are incomprehensible. Second, Hu Shi believed that Shen Hui s view of no-thought was so similar to that of Huineng that Hu Shi believed The Platform Sutra was the concept of Shenhui and not those of Huineng. Moreover he believed that the Southern Suddenly Enlightened Chan School was established by Shenhui and not Huineng. Of all the above mentioned scholars research, Hu Shi s methodology is the least logical, because concludes that since the ideology in The Platform Sutra and Shennui s Chan Sayings are so similar therefore The Platform Sutra must have been Shenhui s ideology. The majority of modern scholars mentioned in Table 2 do not believe that Hu Shi judgment statement offers any scholastic proof, is not logical, but on the contrary is only an opinion and possibly inaccurate. Third, Hu Shi did lack empirical methodology. The object of Chan training is to realize the mind and see self-nature, yet, empirical methodology used by Hu Shi does not appear to express or verify these Chan Buddhist concepts, practices used, and realization. In using his methods, he did not 144
seriously strive for a deep sense of realization testimony by discussing only precepts, meditation and wisdom as the fundamental practice of Chan. He did not take the situation of Buddhism and the practice of self-development as the starting point. Moreover, he did not research nor summarize ancient and modern self-development and practice experiences to develop a Dharma Gate of self-development and practice which is appropriate for Chan Buddhist practitioners. Therefore, Hu Shi appears to not employ an empirical methodology although he believed that he used it in his research. Conclusion In conclusion, Hu Shi did not possess a complete set of sources. He lacked empirical methodology, and his method of deduction and judgment was the least logical. His viewpoint that The Platform Sutra was not spoken by Huineng and that the Southern Chan School was established by Shenhui appears to be based upon research that was incomplete. References [1] Yanagida Kiyoshi-san ed., Hushi s Scholarship on Chan Buddhism, Kyōto: Kabushikigaisha Chinese Press, 1975. [2] Zhang Mantao edited, A Study of Chan Buddhist Texts, Taibei: Dacheng wenhua chuban she, 1977. [3] Zhang Mantao edited, Chan Buddhist Thought and History, Taibei: Dacheng wenhua chuban she, 1978. [4] Zhang Mantao, Studies on Chan Buddhist History, Taibei: Dacheng wenhua chuban she, 1977. [5] John R. McRae, The Northern School and the Formation of Early Chan Buddhism, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1986. [6] John R. McRae, Sudden Enlighten and the Southern School: The Role of Ho-tse Shen-hui in Chan Buddhism and Chinese History, Ph.D. dissertation Cornell University, 1990. [7] John R. McRae, Seeing Through Zen: Encounter, Transformation, and Genealogy in Chinese Chan Buddhism, Berkeley, CA: University of the California Press, 2003. [8] Journal of Beijing University 9, no. 3 (Dec. 1987): 62-96. [9] Ph.D. dissertation, University of Sichuan, 2006. [10] PhD. dissertation, Nanchang University, 2008. [11] Journal of Academic Research 15, no. 5 (August. 2004): 24-45. [12] Dharma Drum Journal of Buddhist Studies 23, no. 1, (January 2007), 71-102. [13] Journal of Anhui University 1, no.1 (January, 1998): 31-52. [14] Journal of Mount Wutai Studies 4, no. 2 (February, 1989): 62-81. [15] Journal of Central Chinese Cultural Relics 10, no. 4 (May, 1991): 51-74. [16] Journal of Religious Studies 56, no. 4 (August, 2007): 57-82. [17] Journal of Buddhist Studies 11, no.6 (February, 1994): 44-65. [18] Journal of Anhui History 10, no. 2 (May, 1997): 36-59. [19] Yang Zengwen, The New Dunhuang Version of the Platform Sutra, Beijing: Zongjiao wenhua chuban she, 2001. 145
[20] Yang Zengwen, A Record of Master Shenhui s Chan Sayings, Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1996. [21] Wei Jinpin, Ren Ziyu and Dunhuang Cultural Relics, Journal of Silk Road 6, no. 3 (May, 2001), 56. [22] Ren Jiyu, Collection of Chinese Buddhist Literature, Nanjing: Jiangsu guji chuban she, 1993. [23] Taisho Shinshu Daizokyo (Taisho Edition of the Chinese Tripitaka) (100 vols), Takakusu Junjiro and Watanabe Kaikyoku ed., Tokyo: Daizo Shuppan Company, 1924-1934.: 245-365. 146